A recent clinical trial found that sustained-release caffeine, in a supplement called Xtenergy made by OmniActive Health Technologies, had superior benefits to mood and energy compared to an immediate-release caffeine supplement.
 
The study, published in Current Research in Behavioral Science, sought to measure the bioavailability of Xtenergy vs. immediate release caffeine, with the secondary objective of surveying the participants of the study on the effects the supplements had on alertness, mood, and other nootropic benefits.
 
24 healthy subjects received either a single dose of 200 mg per day of Xtenergy, or a 99% immediate release (IR) caffeine supplement. Plasma caffeine levels were analyzed by a validated LCMS/MS method and the Caffeine-Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to measure feelings of relaxation, alertness, jitteriness, tension, and overall mood.
 
It was observed that IR caffeine resulted in a prompt increase in absorption that peaked within the first hour but was followed by a sharp decline immediately thereafter until 24 hours later. On the contrary, Xtenergy peaked around four hours after consumption, a 325% increase in time to peak compared to IR caffeine. The sustained-release caffeine also remained in the blood for 21% longer than the IR caffeine supplement.
 
According to results from the VAS survey, participants who took Xtenergy also felt more alert, less tired, a better overall mood, less jittery, and less tense compared to those who took the IR caffeine supplement.
 
The authors of the study concluded that caffeine in a sustained release formulation was able to provide sustained levels of caffeine in blood with significantly longer time to reach the maximum concentration and longer half-life, thus avoiding association with rapid spike and sudden decline in blood caffeine levels, avoiding the common reports of ‘caffeine crash’ effects.
 
“Since the nature of the caffeine formulation can directly influence the rate and extent of absorption of caffeine and its subsequent physiological effects, OmniActive formulated Xtenergy to release caffeine in an extended, sustained format over a period of 6-8 hours,” Deshanie Rai, VP, Global Scientific and Regulatory Affairs for OmniActive, said. “This allows Xtenergy to deliver on key nootropic benefits that consumers want through the day.”
 
Xtenergy is a naturally-sourced, sustained-release caffeine derived from green coffee beans developed using a solvent-free process and a spray melt technology that involves coating caffeine granules. This makes Xtenergy suitable for use in tablets, powders, stick packs, and capsules.
 
“Not all energy is the same and the needs of the market are evolving. Xtenergy is a unique, branded solution that delivers benefits in multiple categories, from consumers who want sustained energy and nootropic benefits to power through the day to more niche segments, like esports and gaming, where the competitive edge of clean energy is key,” Kimberly Smith, CMO of OmniActive, said. “The health benefits of Xtenergy along with this new piece of science will help our customers further differentiate and stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace.”