The Study
Effects of a Scutellaria baicalensis/Crataegus laevigata, magnesium and chromium supplement on stressed individuals: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial
This study is like a fair test where people got either the real supplement or a fake one without knowing which. It found that the real one helped people feel calmer and think better when they were stressed — but only when they were already feeling stressed. We can't say for sure which part of the supplement did the work.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
A pill with herbs and minerals was tested on people who feel super stressed. They took it for two weeks and did tests to see if they felt calmer, slept longer, or thought better — especially when under pressure.
Where does this study sit?
Systematic Reviews & Meta-analyses
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control
Max 58Cross-Sectional
Max 44Case Reports & Series
Max 30Expert Opinion
Max 567 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. Considered the gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Sleeping 27 extra minutes nightly is meaningful for recovery.
- 2Improved memory under stress could help in high-pressure jobs.
- 3But worse performance on calm tasks suggests the pill may make you too relaxed for routine focus.
- 4After 15 days, people slept 27 minutes longer each night.
- 517.6% felt much happier with their social life (vs.
- 62.9% on placebo).
- 7Under stress, they did better on memory tasks.
- 8But without stress, they did worse on simple math tasks.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
Year
2025
Authors
F. Dodd, R. Weishaupt, Philipp K M Katumba, R. Elcoate, E. Wightman
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.