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When you buy through our links, we earn a small commission -- and that is what funds all the free education here. It never costs you more. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
What it is
A proprietary evening blend of magnolia bark (standardized to honokiol), epimedium, L-theanine from green tea, plant sterols (with beta-sitosterol), and phosphatidylserine, taken with the evening meal. It is built as a coordinated ingredient system to support healthy cholesterol management, the body's normal stress-response rhythm, and steady cortisol handling rather than to sedate you. It contains soy.
Why the evidence supports it
CortiTrol should not be reduced to the plant-sterol line on a supplement label. The finished product combines magnolia bark, epimedium, L-theanine, plant sterols, and phosphatidylserine, with each ingredient contributing a different piece of the stress-response and lipid-handling story. The current label provides 135 mg of L-theanine at two capsules, or about 202.5 mg at the optional three-capsule schedule -- close to the dose used in several acute human studies. The labeled serving is the dose intended to deliver the product's healthy-cholesterol-management and normal-stress-response support. That is different from promising a specific LDL number, replacing a prescribed statin, or claiming a finished-formula disease outcome that has not been directly tested.
What it supports
- Supports the body's normal, healthy stress response
- Supports a calm, settled state in the evening
- Provides L-theanine, a calming amino acid found in tea
- Complements good sleep, movement, and everyday stress habits
Which function it supports
Ties to the Mind world's Regulate function -- supporting the nervous system's normal downshift as the day winds down. This is stress-response support only, not a treatment for any condition.
Learn the why behind this pillarHow it relates to your cells and mind
Every product here ties back to a specific job your body does. This one touches the functions below -- follow either link to see the mechanism in full, then dig into the studies.
What it is made of -- and the mechanisms behind it
Each ingredient acts on several of the body's functions. Taken together, this product touches these cell and mind functions -- follow any to see the mechanism in full.
The ingredients
Mechanisms drawn from our ingredient knowledge base (5 profiled ingredients). Structure and function only -- not a treatment claim.
What’s actually in it
Label revision 2018Transcribed from the manufacturer’s official Product Information Page, exactly as printed. Ingredient names that link open our research page for that ingredient, with the studies behind it.
| Amount per 2 capsules | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 58 mg | 4% |
| Magnolia bark ExtractMagnolia officinalis | 19 mg | ** |
| Epimedium herb ExtractEpimedium koreanum | 200 mg | ** |
| L-TheanineTheaPure, fermented Camellia sinensis | 135 mg | ** |
| Plant Sterolswith Beta Sitosterol | 110 mg | ** |
| Phosphatidylserine | 16.6 mg | ** |
- Servings per container:
- 30
- Other ingredients:
- Gelatin, Tricalcium Phosphate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Stearic Acid, Silicon Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate.
- Allergens:
- Contains Soy
Source: official Product Information Page . Amounts are the manufacturer’s, not ours. Structure and function only -- nothing here is medical advice, and nothing here may be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
The science on the ingredients
These studies are research on the ingredients and mechanisms in this product, not on the finished product itself, and they are shown for education. For this ingredient most of the published work is laboratory or animal research rather than human trials, so read it as biology worth knowing rather than proof of an effect in people. Nothing here is medical advice, and nothing here may be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your own provider about what is right for you.
- Soy isoflavones, lactobacilli, Magnolia bark extract, vitamin D3 and calcium. Controlled clinical study in menopausePubMed
Minerva ginecologica · 2006
A formulation with soy isoflavones, Magnolia bark extract, and magnesium significantly reduced vasomotor and psychoaffective menopausal symptoms versus calcium and vitamin D3 alone.
- Anti‐biofilm and bactericidal effects of magnolia bark‐derived magnolol and honokiol on Streptococcus mutansDOI
Microbiology and Immunology · 2016
In cell culture, ABSTRACT Dental caries affects people of all ages and is a worldwide health concern
- Honokiol, a putative anxiolytic agent extracted from magnolia bark, has no diazepam-like side-effects in mice
J Pharm Pharmacol · 1999
Repeated honokiol dosing produced an anxiolytic-type effect in mice without the motor and muscle-relaxant side effects seen with diazepam at an anxiolytic-equivalent dose.
- Studies on the active principles of magnolia bark. Centrally acting muscle relaxant activity of magnolol and honokiol
Jpn J Pharmacol · 1975
Early pharmacology work identified magnolol and honokiol as the magnolia bark compounds behind a centrally-acting, muscle-relaxing calming effect in animal models.
- Pharmacological advances of honokiol: Mechanisms, targets and therapeutic potential (Review)PubMed
2026
Honokiol exerts pharmacological effects against cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders through interactions with sirtuin 3, NF-κB, AMPK, and STAT3 signaling.
- Honokiol Targeting SIRT3: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Opportunities.PubMed
FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2025
Honokiol activates SIRT3, and this review examines the biological functions and signaling pathways of this activation across various disease models.
Magnolol suppresses TKI-resistant EGFR-mutant lung cancer by inhibiting EGFR and AXL-cMyc.2026
In EGFR-mutant lung cancer cell models, including osimertinib-resistant lines, magnolol from magnolia bark inhibited EGFR phosphorylation, suppressed AXL-cMyc signaling, and impaired DNA repair by downregulating Rad51.
Chen CC; Wang TH; Leu YL; Chan CW; Chen YX; Chu YD; Chen CY -- European journal of pharmacology
Targeting the NAD+-SIRT3 axis to mitigate metabolic memory in diabetic kidney disease.2026
A review found that the NAD+-SIRT3 axis serves as a mechanistic hub linking mitochondrial dysfunction to inflammation and epigenetic changes in diabetic kidney disease, with reduced renal SIRT3 activity driving metabolic memory of injury.
Zhang Y; Wang Y; Qiao Y; Liu L; Zhao H; Jin Q; Peng L; Li P -- Renal failure
Magnolia officinalis (L.) Bark Extract Counteracts Oxidative Brain Injury: A Proteomic Investigation into Neuroprotective Mechanisms.2026
In rat brain cortical slices exposed to hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress, Magnolia officinalis bark extract restored tissue viability, reduced ROS and malondialdehyde levels, and reduced activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9 apoptotic pathways.
Mattioli LB; Stella R; Peggion C; Cagnin S; Pifferi A; Miraldi E; Cappellucci G; Baini G; Camarda L; Budriesi R; Frosini M -- International journal of molecular sciences
The Role and Molecular Mechanism of Icaritin in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.2026
A review found that icaritin, a compound from Epimedium brevicornu, has anti-apoptotic, antioxidant, and anti-neuroinflammatory properties studied for relevance to Alzheimer's disease pathology.
Zheng CB; Wu LZ; Song WY; Luo L; Cai JT; Huang ZH; Tian KQ -- Current medicinal chemistry
Icariin attenuates diabetic cardiomyopathy by activating Nrf2-dependent antioxidant and mitochondrial pathways: Integrative evidence from network pharmacology and experimental validation.2026
In a streptozotocin-induced diabetic mouse model, icariin from Epimedium activated Nrf2-dependent antioxidant and mitochondrial pathways, showing cardioprotective effects relevant to diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Zhang Z; Zhuang H; Fang C; Lai Y; Zhang S; Wang M; Chen J; Liu Q; Wang J; Liu S -- Journal of ethnopharmacology
A Comprehensive Analysis of Natural Bioactive Molecules for the Treatment and Control of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) Targeting Underlying Molecular Mechanism.2026
A review found that natural compounds including resveratrol, curcumin, rutin, and icariin showed anticancer and apoptotic effects in drug-resistant glioblastoma cell lines, enhancing the antitumor activity of temozolomide chemotherapy.
Parvez A; Rahman MA; Shimki AI; Biswas P; Hasan MH; Imtiaz M; Sultana A; Islam S; Faraque A; Amin MF; Bristi MSA; Islam MT -- Chemistry & biodiversity
Icariin attenuates premature ovarian insufficiency via a phytoestrogenic mechanism mediated by the ERβ/SIRT3 pathway.2026
Icariin reduced ovarian oxidative stress and apoptosis in a cisplatin-induced mouse model of premature ovarian insufficiency, acting through a phytoestrogenic ERbeta/SIRT3 signaling mechanism.
Yang J; Wang N; Tong S; Zhao P -- Cellular signalling
Icariin sensitizes glucocorticoid therapy in doxorubicin-induced fibrotic nephrotic syndrome via the HIF-1α/NF-κB/HDAC2 Axis.2026
Icariin enhanced glucocorticoid efficacy in a doxorubicin-induced rat model of fibrotic nephrotic syndrome by modulating the HIF-1alpha/NF-kB/HDAC2 axis, improving proteinuria, renal histopathology, and oxidative stress measures.
Ding Z; Li X; Duan S; Liu C; Li X; Dai E -- International immunopharmacology
Traditional Chinese Medicine for osteoporosis management: from molecular mechanisms to drug discovery.2026
Traditional Chinese Medicine compounds including icariin are studied for osteoporosis, with icariin proposed to enhance osteogenesis and naringin to inhibit osteoclastogenesis alongside formulae shown to reduce fracture risk in clinical use.
Yan S; Du Q; Zhao L; Liu Q; Wu M; Xu Z; Shen J -- Chinese medicine
Astrocytic GSTM2-STAT3 interaction ameliorates the diabetes associated cognitive dysfunction via targeting mitochondrial defects and oxidative stress.2026
In diabetic mice, restoring astrocytic GSTM2 expression suppressed STAT3 phosphorylation and Drp1 signaling, easing mitochondrial defects and oxidative stress linked to cognitive dysfunction, an effect the compound icariin also activated.
Liu W; Wang Y; Zhao Y; Song B; Luo L; Zahir KM; Song M; Wang Y; Zhang L; Zuo Z; Yao L -- Redox biology
Icariin ameliorates gonadotropin dysregulation in an ovariectomy model: Therapeutic effect and mechanism.2026
In ovariectomized mice, icariin from Epimedium increased miR-7 expression and reversed elevated gonadotropin levels through a G protein-coupled estrogen receptor pathway that targets Map2k4, showing effects comparable to 17-beta-estradiol.
He J; Chen A; Cai B; Huang K; Ji Z -- Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
Role and therapeutic potential of icariin in metabolic diseases.2026
Review describes icariin, a bioactive compound from Epimedium, as improving insulin resistance and modulating oxidative stress, fibrosis, and inflammation, with proposed relevance to diabetes, osteoporosis, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in preclinical research.
Song A; Wei R; Yang Y; Li H; Chen F; Pang Y; Ma X; Hao S -- Inflammopharmacology
Mutton fat-processing enhances the anti-osteoporotic effect of Epimedium koreanum Nakai via regulating the metabolism-inflammation-bone axis.2026
Mutton fat-processed Epimedium koreanum extract improved bone mass, trabecular structure, and osteoclast activity in a bone model by regulating lipid metabolism and inflammatory signaling along the osteoprotegerin/RANKL bone-remodeling axis.
Du X; Li J; Qu S; Kan H; Wang Y -- Journal of ethnopharmacology
Molecular mechanisms of icariin in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.2026
Review describes how icariin, from Epimedium, may ease erectile dysfunction in animal models through multiple mechanisms including NOS/NO/cGMP activation, RhoA/ROCK inhibition, and reduced corpus cavernosum cell autophagy, though clinical trials are still needed.
Meng C; Jiang R -- Sexual medicine reviews
Compositional Diversity and Functional Interactions of Bioactive Compounds in Japanese Green Tea: Focus on Matcha, Sencha, and GyokuroEmergingExpert review2026
Japanese green tea composition varies significantly by harvest season and cultivation method, affecting catechin-caffeine-theanine ratios and functional properties.
Keiko Unno; Yoko Kameoka; Yoriyuki Nakamura
Multisystem pathology in chronic variable stress: gut -- liver -- brain axis disruption and the therapeutic promise of magnesium-L-theanineEmergingPrimary research (design unspecified)2026
Chronic variable stress dysregulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and gut-liver-brain axis; magnesium-L-theanine may protect epithelial integrity and metabolic function via NAD+/SIRT1 signaling.
Kazim Sahin; Gozde Erek -- Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism
The dual fate of L-theanine in tea: Metabolic regulation and processing transformations.2026
A review describes the plant metabolic pathway by which tea synthesizes, transports, and transforms L-theanine, including its role as a nitrogen reservoir and stress protectant during growth and processing.
Cheng H; Zheng J; Tu L; Chen L; He W; Wang Y; Liu Z; Xu P -- Journal of advanced research
Clinical assessment of blood glucose responses to 300-mg dose of L-theanine, an amino acid unique to green tea, in a fixed-sequence, two-period trialEmergingPrimary research (design unspecified)2026
In healthy adults, a single 300 mg dose of L-theanine produced only a small, non-significant reduction in blood glucose response during an oral glucose tolerance test.
Shinnosuke Yamaura; Koichi Kawada; Kyosuke Uno; Reiko Konishi; Akira Mukai; Satoshi Tada; Hitoshi Okada; Takashi Majima; Koji Komori; Nobuyuki Kuramoto; Kou Kawada
Nootropic Supplements and Exercise: Patterns and Perceptions of Cognitive Enhancer Use in Physically Active Individuals.2026
A survey of 152 physically active individuals found that 36 different nootropic supplements were reported in use, with participants citing varied reasons for use and perceived cognitive effects.
Pastina JT; Stewart LK -- Journal of dietary supplements
L-Theanine for Anxiety: Mechanisms and Adjunctive RoleEmergingPrimary research (design unspecified)2026
L-theanine modulates glutamate receptors and increases GABA, with anxiolytic effects in 30-120 minutes, suitable for adjunctive anxiety or ADHD-insomnia management.
Noshene E. Ranjbar Noshene E Ranjbar
Magnesium-L-theanine complex protects against liver and intestinal damage caused by chronic variable stress.2026
In rats under chronic variable stress, a magnesium-L-theanine combination improved body weight, insulin, magnesium levels, and intestinal barrier proteins in a dose-dependent manner while reducing stress-induced liver and intestinal damage.
Sahin K; Yabas M; Orhan C; Er B; Ozmen R; Tokmak M; Tuzcu M; Onderci M; Kucukgul A; Özercan İH; Sahin N -- The British journal of nutrition
Walnut peptide and theanine combination ameliorates sleep disorders: a multi-species study including a human trial.2026
A walnut peptide and theanine combination improved slow-wave sleep duration and delta wave power in chronic-stress mouse models and a human trial, linked to modulation of HPA axis hyperactivation.
Gong J; Jia X; Wang L; Lu Y; Guo R; Gong R; Hao J; Zhao Z; Duan S; Liu X; He J; Li H; Liu Z -- Food & function
Gut microbiota-derived L-theanine promotes host branched-chain amino acid catabolism.2026
Gut bacterium Lactobacillus reuteri produces L-theanine, which enhances host branched-chain amino acid catabolism by boosting BCAT2 enzyme expression, a pathway relevant to metabolic disorders like obesity and insulin resistance.
Wang Y; Liu B; Han Z; Bin P; Tang W; Fu J; Hung I; Liu C; Wei H; Ge L; Ren W -- Nature microbiology
l-Theanine attenuates intestinal oxidative injury in mice through modulation of ferroptosis pathways.2026
Dietary L-theanine reduced diquat-induced intestinal oxidative damage in mice by lowering reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, boosting antioxidant enzymes, easing inflammation, and improving intestinal barrier integrity via ferroptosis pathway modulation.
Shi C; Yuan Z; Du X; Huang Z; Jia G; Zhao H; Chen X -- The Journal of nutritional biochemistry
Balanced by design -- we show supporting and contradicting findings. Search all studies
If you have had labs done
These are lab markers where this product's ingredients have measured evidence in our citation library. This is not a claim that the product will change your results -- the research attaches to the ingredient, and what a marker means depends on the whole picture. Each one links to its full entry, including what typically moves it and how to read it.
- Cortisolsolid evidence
via L-Theanine · 10 studies, 8 in people
What people often notice when this marker sits outside the usual range
Higher: "Wired but tired" -- exhausted all day, then alert the moment the head hits the pillow.
Lower: Profound fatigue that is worst in the morning, and improves slightly through the day -- the reverse of the usual pattern.
via Beta-sitosterol/plant sterols · 6 studies, 3 in people
What people often notice when this marker sits outside the usual range
Higher: The symptoms that actually travel with raised triglycerides belong to the metabolic pattern behind them -- the post-meal crash, central weight, rising blood pressure, fatty liver.
Lower: Very low total cholesterol alongside low albumin and unintended weight loss points at absorption or liver capacity, not at good health.
- LDL-C (LDL Cholesterol)solid evidence
via Beta-sitosterol/plant sterols · 6 studies, 3 in people
What people often notice when this marker sits outside the usual range
Higher: A high LDL-C is an ESTIMATE that a lot of cholesterol cargo is riding in your LDL particles.
Lower: A low LDL-C is generally favourable, but on its own it is a start, not an answer -- pair it with ApoB to know the real particle burden.
- Total Cholesterolsolid evidence
via Beta-sitosterol/plant sterols · 6 studies, 3 in people
What people often notice when this marker sits outside the usual range
Higher: A high total cholesterol is silent and, on its own, can be actively misleading -- it blends favourable HDL and atherogenic LDL/particle cholesterol into one crude figure.
Lower: A low total cholesterol is likewise uninformative alone -- the meaning is entirely in the breakdown.
- Apolipoprotein B (ApoB)solid evidence
via Beta-sitosterol/plant sterols · 1 studies, 1 in people
Competes with cholesterol for intestinal absorption; roughly 5-15% lower LDL-C and ApoB at about 2 g/day.
What people often notice when this marker sits outside the usual range
Higher: Visible lipid deposits -- tendon xanthomas, a corneal arcus before about age 45 -- are rare but meaningful, and they point at inherited familial hypercholesterolaemia rather than at diet.
- Non-HDL Cholesterolemerging evidence
via Beta-sitosterol/plant sterols · 6 studies, 3 in people
What people often notice when this marker sits outside the usual range
Lower: A low non-HDL is favourable and, unlike calculated LDL-C, stays reliable even when triglycerides are high.
- ApoB (Apolipoprotein B)emerging evidence
via Beta-sitosterol/plant sterols · 1 studies, 1 in people
What people often notice when this marker sits outside the usual range
Higher: A high ApoB means a high NUMBER of atherogenic particles in circulation -- the count that actually tracks risk.
Lower: A low ApoB means few atherogenic particles.
Lab results are interpreted by a qualified clinician who knows your history. Nothing here diagnoses anything or replaces that conversation.
No product works in isolation
Every cell function above -- Sense, Exchange, Transform, Build, Maintain, Adapt -- needs the same broad base of optimal micronutrient levels running underneath it, all the time. Cortitrol is not a stand-alone fix; it is one piece that plugs into that larger system. The foundation comes first, and this supports it.
Stacks well with
Pick your goal -- here is what Cortitrol pairs with for each. Nothing works in isolation; these share the same systems.
For Mood & Hormones
For Brain & Sleep
For Gut Health
Ready-made stacks it is part of
Foundational, or targeted?
Not everything in the shop is meant to be taken forever. Some products here are foundational -- a daily nutrient base built for long-term, ongoing use. Others are targeted -- shorter-term support for a specific season, not a lifelong habit. If you are not sure which one this is, that is a fair question to ask us before you buy.
Learn more, on your terms
Do not take our word for it -- go read. Each topic below opens a pre-loaded search so you can explore the nutrient, the mechanism, or the device for yourself.
Search the full studies libraryHow to use it
Take two capsules with the evening meal. The label allows an optional additional capsule with breakfast for some people. Follow the current bottle.
Where to get it
Ready when you are. This link takes you to the official, verified source for this product.
Get CortitrolThe studies
See the research behind the science we point to.
Explore studiesThe blog
Plain-language reads on how it all fits together.
Read the blogOptimal nutrients are the definition of longevity
Long-term cell function depends on having what it needs, at the level it needs it, for as long as it needs it. That is the whole thesis behind everything we point you to here.
When you buy through our links, we earn a small commission -- and that is what funds all the free education here. It never costs you more. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Cortitrol is a modest evening blend of magnolia bark, L-theanine, plant sterols, and phosphatidylserine, taken with the evening meal. It is designed to support the body's normal, healthy stress-response rhythm rather than to sedate you. It suits people looking for gentle support through a stressful stretch.
FAQ
What does Cortitrol support?
It supports the body's normal, healthy stress response and a calm, settled state in the evening, provides L-theanine (a calming amino acid found in tea), and complements good sleep, movement, and everyday stress habits.
How do I take it?
Take two capsules with the evening meal. The label allows an optional additional capsule with breakfast for some people. Follow the current bottle.
What makes it different?
It is a proprietary blend, so the framing stays modest on purpose. The strongest single active is L-theanine, which has calming research behind it, so it is gentle stress-response support rather than anything that lowers a lab number.