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The Top Magnolia Bark Extract Benefits, Uses, And More

WHAT IS MAGNOLIA BARK?

Magnolia Bark is the bark from the Magnolia officinalis tree, which grows natively in the mountains and valleys of China. The bark is highly aromatic and has a very long history of use in traditional Chinese practices, where it is known as Hou Po. Magnolia Bark use outside of China is still in its infancy, but due to a large body of research on Magnolia Bark it has started to become quite a popular supplement for a variety of purposes! The main uses of Magnolia Bark centers around its cognitive effects; in particular Magnolia Bark's unique calming effects.

WHAT BIOACTIVES DOES MAGNOLIA BARK CONTAIN?

Magnolia Bark contains a fairly large amount of bioactive compounds, however, the two most abundant and active compounds are Magnolol and Honokiol. These compounds fall in the class of lignans. Other lignan compounds include Sesamin which you can find in our OptimALA stack and Schisandrins which you can find in our Schisandra chinensis extract.

Since Magnolol and Honokiol produce the bulk of Magnolia Bark benefits, these are the main bioactive compounds we have standardized our Magnolia Bark extract for. In fact, we standardized our Magnolia Bark extract to a whopping 80% Magnolol + Honokiol content! This makes it one of the most potent Magnolia Bark extracts available on the market.

So what kind of Magnolia Bark benefits can we expect with such a high standardization of Magnolol and Honokiol? Since Magnolol and Honokiol produce very pleasant relaxation effects, the bulk of the effects of our Magnolia bark extract are going to be focused on stress management, mood and sleep. However, Magnolol and Honokiol may also produce some other interesting effects such as helping to support weight loss efforts! Below is a list of our top 5 Magnolia Bark benefits:


MAGNOLIA BARK BENEFITS*

- May help support relaxation and stress management*
- May help promote a positive mood*
- May help promote sleep*
- May help promote weight loss efforts*
- May help promote dental health*

For the rest of this blog, we will be focusing on these 5 Magnolia Bark benefits. We will split it up into 5 sections, each focusing on the aforementioned Magnolia Bark benefits. If you would like to learn more about one specific benefit, then feel free to just jump to your section of interest. However, if you want to become a Magnolia Bark extract expert, then we would recommend reading and learning about all of the Magnolia Bark benefits!

WHAT IS MAGNOLIA BARK?

Magnolia Bark is the bark from the Magnolia officinalis tree, which grows natively in the mountains and valleys of China. The bark is highly aromatic and has a very long history of use in traditional Chinese practices, where it is known as Hou Po. Magnolia Bark use outside of China is still in its infancy, but due to a large body of research on Magnolia Bark it has started to become quite a popular supplement for a variety of purposes! The main uses of Magnolia Bark centers around its cognitive effects; in particular Magnolia Bark's unique calming effects.

WHAT IS MAGNOLIA BARK?

Magnolia Bark is the bark from the Magnolia officinalis tree, which grows natively in the mountains and valleys of China. The bark is highly aromatic and has a very long history of use in traditional Chinese practices, where it is known as Hou Po. Magnolia Bark use outside of China is still in its infancy, but due to a large body of research on Magnolia Bark it has started to become quite a popular supplement for a variety of purposes! The main uses of Magnolia Bark centers around its cognitive effects; in particular Magnolia Bark's unique calming effects.

WHAT BIOACTIVES DOES MAGNOLIA BARK CONTAIN?

Magnolia Bark contains a fairly large amount of bioactive compounds, however, the two most abundant and active compounds are Magnolol and Honokiol. These compounds fall in the class of lignans. Other lignan compounds include Sesamin which you can find in our OptimALA stack and Schisandrins which you can find in our Schisandra chinensis extract.

Since Magnolol and Honokiol produce the bulk of Magnolia Bark benefits, these are the main bioactive compounds we have standardized our Magnolia Bark extract for. In fact, we standardized our Magnolia Bark extract to a whopping 80% Magnolol + Honokiol content! This makes it one of the most potent Magnolia Bark extracts available on the market.

So what kind of Magnolia Bark benefits can we expect with such a high standardization of Magnolol and Honokiol? Since Magnolol and Honokiol produce very pleasant relaxation effects, the bulk of the effects of our Magnolia bark extract are going to be focused on stress management, mood and sleep. However, Magnolol and Honokiol may also produce some other interesting effects such as helping to support weight loss efforts! Below is a list of our top 5 Magnolia Bark benefits:

MAGNOLIA BARK BENEFITS*

- May help support relaxation and stress management*
- May help promote a positive mood*
- May help promote sleep*
- May help promote weight loss efforts*
- May help promote dental health*

For the rest of this blog, we will be focusing on these 5 Magnolia Bark benefits. We will split it up into 5 sections, each focusing on the aforementioned Magnolia Bark benefits. If you would like to learn more about one specific benefit, then feel free to just jump to your section of interest. However, if you want to become a Magnolia Bark extract expert, then we would recommend reading and learning about all of the Magnolia Bark benefits!

WHAT BIOACTIVES DOES MAGNOLIA BARK CONTAIN?

Magnolia bark contains a fairly large amount of bioactive compounds, however, the two most abundant and active compounds are Magnolol and Honokiol. These compounds fall in the class of lignans. Other lignan compounds include Sesamin which you can find in our OptimALA stack and Schisandrins which you can find in our Schisandra chinensis extract.

Since Magnolol and Honokiol produce the bulk of Magnolia bark benefits, these are the main bioactive compounds we have standardized our Magnolia bark extract for. In fact, we standardized our Magnolia bark extract to a whopping 80% Magnolol + Honokiol content! This makes it one of the most potent Magnolia bark extracts available on the market.

So what kind of Magnolia bark benefits can we expect with such a high standardization of Magnolol and Honokiol? Since Magnolol and Honokiol produce very pleasant relaxation effects, the bulk of the effects of our Magnolia bark extract are going to be focused on stress management, mood and sleep. However, Magnolol and Honokiol may also produce some other interesting effects such as helping to support weight loss efforts! Below is a list of our top 5 Magnolia bark benefits:

MAGNOLIA BARK BENEFITS*

- May help support relaxation and stress management*
- May help promote a positive mood*
- May help promote sleep*
- May help promote weight loss efforts*
- May help promote dental health*

For the rest of this blog, we will be focusing on these 5 Magnolia Bark benefits. We will split it up into 5 sections, each focusing on the aforementioned Magnolia Bark benefits. If you would like to learn more about one specific benefit, then feel free to just jump to your section of interest. However, if you want to become a Magnolia Bark extract expert, then we would recommend reading and learning about all of the Magnolia Bark benefits!


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✔ MAY HELP SUPPORT RELAXATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT*

✔ MAY HELP PROMOTE A POSITIVE MOOD*

✔ MAY HELP PROMOTE SLEEP QUALITY*

✔ MAY HELP SUPPORT WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS*

✔ MAY HELP SUPPORT DENTAL HEALTH*


MAGNOLIA BARK MAY HELP SUPPORT RELAXATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT*

One of main Magnolia Bark benefits is its unique calming effects. The calming effects are unlike anything we have come across and produce a very comprehensive effect. It takes elements of our Lemon Balm extracts, and pushes the effects a little bit deeper. The sense of relaxation that Magnolia Bark may bring on is akin to that feeling you get sitting in front of a warm campfire. A warm glow builds and helps melt away worries.

The bulk of these relaxing effects can be attributed to the way Magnolol and Honokiol interact with GABAergic signalling. Both Magnolol and Honokiol act as positive allosteric modulators (PAM) of GABA-A receptors. PAMs help promote the activity of receptors, but this action is dependent on stimulation of the receptors. In short, this means that Magnolol and Honokiol may help promote the magnitude of response that we see from normal activation of GABA-A receptors. Through this effect, Magnolia Bark may produce a robust, yet natural and sustainable relaxing effect.

Magnolia Bark also appears to be quite good at regulating elevated stress levels. When we experience stress, especially at a low level and over a prolonged period of time, our Corticosterone levels may become elevated. Elevated Corticosterone levels may produce a lot of undesirable effects, and may be associated with the lethargy and mental fogginess that can be brought on by stress. Magnolia bark extract may help regulate Corticosterone levels and thereby may be helpful in supporting stress management.


MAGNOLIA BARK MAY HELP PROMOTE A POSITIVE MOOD*

In addition to helping to promote relaxation, Magnolia Bark extract may also help promote a positive mood! The relaxation and stress management effects certainly play a role here, however, Magnolia Bark extract goes a little bit further. Magnolia Bark extract may help regulate serotonergic activity in the brain. Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter that plays an essential role in mood, and regulating serotonergic activity may help promote a positive mood. This is especially true in the context of stress, as stress has been shown to lower serotonergic activity. Within this context, Magnolia Bark extract may help support the restoration of balanced serotonergic activity.

Magnolia Bark extract may also help regulate brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the brain. BDNF is a very important protein that helps regulate neuroplasticity in our brains, specifically in the hippocampus. Recent research has found a link between low BDNF levels and low mood. This is likely why taking a Magnolia Bark supplement may help support a positive mood, as it appears to be quite good at regulating BDNF levels in the hippocampus.

Furthermore, Magnolia bark extract may also help promote motivation, which may contribute to supporting a positive mood! Magnolia Bark achieves this by regulating catecholaminergic activity in the brain. Catecholamines play a very important role in motivation and executive function, and low catecholaminergic activity has been linked to low mood. Magnolia Bark helps regulate catecholaminergic activity by blocking their reuptake, thereby supporting higher levels of catecholamines in the brain.

Overall, it appears that Magnolia Bark extract may be a great option for those looking to support a positive mood, as it appears to have a very comprehensive effect on various factors involved in mood!


MAGNOLIA BARK MAY HELP PROMOTE SLEEP QUALITY*

For many of us, when we get really busy and stressed, sleep is often the first thing to suffer. After all, we often believe that we need more time in the day, and so we trade in sleep for more wakeful hours. However, what we usually end up doing is mindlessly watching TV late at night, hoping that we will at some point reach a satisfactory state of relaxation that allows us to face the next day head on with a renewed sense of vigor! Well, we likely don’t have to tell you this, but this strategy oftentimes does not work. Instead, we miss out on sleep and fall into a cycle where we are constantly tired and mentally foggy during the day. All the while, falling asleep starts getting harder and harder. Not only does Magnolia Bark help support stress management, it also helps promote relaxation. This makes Magnolia Bark a great way to speed up the desired state of relaxation we need after a stressful day.

Better yet, Magnolia Bark is a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of GABA-A receptors. This means that Magnolia Bark extract may help make our GABA-A receptors more sensitive, allowing these receptors to produce a stronger response when they are stimulated. We discussed this effect earlier in the relaxation section, and PAM of GABA-A receptors does indeed help promote a pleasant sense of relaxation. However, what PAM of GABA-A receptors also helps with is falling asleep! By promoting GABA-A activity, Magnolia Bark extract may help support shorter sleep latency, which may help you fall asleep faster!

Furthermore, Magnolia Bark extract may also help support better sleep architecture. Falling asleep faster is great, but if you still have trouble staying asleep, then falling asleep faster is a bit of a moot point. Luckily, Magnolia Bark extract may also help promote the total amount of time spent in non rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep without affecting REM sleep. Most of the restorative effects of sleep occur during deep NREM sleep, and thus, Magnolia Bark extract may be able to help promote the restorative effects of sleep!

These unique sleep effects are what led to us including Magnolia Bark extract in our very comprehensive Sleep Support stack. However, if you are looking for just a standalone sleep support supplement, then Magnolia Bark is a great choice!


MAGNOLIA BARK MAY HELP PROMOTE WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS*

Besides all of Magnolia Bark's interesting effects on our brain, it also appears that it may be able to promote weight loss efforts! Magnolia Bark extract achieves this through a few mechanisms that act directly on fat cells (adipocytes). When we consume an excess amount of food, these adipocytes can react quite quickly, which results in adipocyte hypertrophy. This means that the fat cells start to grow in size, which can lead to body weight gain, but more importantly, can lead to changes in body composition. Another effect associated with adipocyte hypertrophy is that the adipocytes will start to induce inflammatory compounds. This will over time result in larger amounts of inflammation in the body. Magnolia Bark appears to help with both of these factors, both promoting slower rates of adipocyte hypertrophy, while also attenuating the inflammation associated with adipocyte hypertrophy.

Research has shown that supplementation with both Honokiol and Magnolol may be able to help reduce the weight of visceral white adipose tissue which, in layman's terms, means that Magnolia Bark extract may help promote belly fat loss! Furthermore, Magnolia Bark may also promote energy expenditure, which may help mitigate the effects of excess food intake. This increase in energy expenditure manifests in the form of higher levels of beta-oxidation and carnitine palmitoyltransferase, two processes which help promote the breakdown of fatty acids. Furthermore, Magnolia Bark extract may also help support lower levels of fatty acid synthase, a process by which fats are synthesized.

The majority of these fat loss effects appear to be mediated by two adipogenic transcription factors, SREBP1c and PPAR-gamma. These transcription factors under normal conditions lead to fat accumulation and synthesis, however, both Magnolol and Honokiol may help support lower levels of SREBP1c and PPAR-gamma activity. The downregulation of their activity appears to be how Magnolia Bark extract produces the bulk of its fat loss promoting effects.


MAGNOLIA BARK EXTRACT MAY HELP SUPPORT DENTAL HEALTH*

"Research has shown that magnesium levels are decreasing in most foods... With the magnesium content decreasing in crops and the increase in the consumption of processed foods, magnesium deficiencies in the population are becoming more prevalent."

We admit that this Magnolia Bark benefit seems a little bit far fetched, and we were skeptical at first too! How can a supplement that you take internally have a positive effect on dental health? It turns out that there is a lot you can do besides brushing your teeth and eating healthy foods that can promote dental health. One of these methods involves promoting dental health from within, and Magnolia Bark appears to have a unique effect on dental health via this pathway!

Often when we think about dental health, we only consider our teeth, as our teeth are what we are conscious of on a daily basis. However, there is a lot happening underneath your teeth that we are oftentimes not very conscious of. One of these factors is the fact that we have quite a bit of bone surrounding our teeth. This bone structure is called alveolar bone, and it is very important for maintaining dental health. As with normal bone however, we can see a gradual loss of alveolar bone density and mass, which can negatively impact our dental health. This is where Magnolia Bark comes in, as it appears to selectively promote alveolar bone density and health! It does this through a few different mechanisms. The first of which does likely does not apply much to oral supplementation and likely would require direct contact of Magnolia Bark powder with our mouth. Magnolia Bark appears to be able to support lower levels or periodontopathic microorganism accumulation. These are specific types of bacteria that can have a negative effect on alveolar bone and tooth health. More applicable to oral supplementation, however, is Magnolia Bark's ability to support lower levels of RANKL formation. RANKL plays a very important role in overall bone health, and suppression of its activity may help support lower levels of alveolar bone loss, thereby supporting lower levels of RANKL formation.

Furthermore, dental health is also sensitive to the effects of inflammation and oxidation. In particular, our dental health appears to be sensitive to the effects of iNOS and COX-2 induced inflammation, in addition to various reactive oxygen species. Research focusing specifically on dental health has found that Magnolia Bark may help regulate the activity of iNOS, COX-2 and reactive oxygen species, thereby helping to promote dental health!


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✔ MAY HELP SUPPORT RELAXATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT*

✔ MAY HELP PROMOTE A POSITIVE MOOD*

✔ MAY HELP PROMOTE SLEEP QUALITY*

✔ MAY HELP SUPPORT WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS*

✔ MAY HELP SUPPORT DENTAL HEALTH*


MAGNOLIA BARK STACKS

STACK FOR SUPPORTING RELAXATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT*

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Magnolia Bark has a fantastic calming effect and may even help support stress management. We find that the calming and stress management effects of Magnolia Bark stack particularly well with one of the gold standard botanicals for stress management, Ashwagandha! For this stack, we have decided to pair our Magnolia Bark extract with what we believe to be one of the best available Ashwagandha extracts, Shoden. Together, these two make for a very calming stack that will help melt away your worries!

STACK FOR SUPPORTING A POSITIVE MOOD*

Magnolia Bark Tablets

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Polygala tenuifolia Capsules

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One of our favorite mood promoting supplements is Polygala tenuifolia and we find that it pairs particularly well with Magnolia Bark! Polygala tenuifolia has a gentle, yet robust motivating and energizing effect. It also produces a subtle calming effect, but we find that adding the calming effects of Magnolia Bark on top really helps dial things in even more. The combination of Magnolia Bark and Polygala tenuifolia will provide you with a very comprehensive calming effect with an underlying elevation of energy and spirits. This stack is akin to Caffeine + L-theanine, but with an even smoother and more comprehensive effect.

STACK FOR SUPPORTING SLEEP QUALITY*

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For this stack we decided to keep things simple! Magnolia Bark does a great job at helping to promote sleep, and is quite comprehensive as a standalone. To help it along a little bit more, we decided to pair Magnolia Bark with Melatonin. Melatonin is a classic sleep supplement, and for good reason, as it works really well for most people. We find that combining Magnolia Bark with Melatonin works especially well when you are traveling and need to catch up on some sleep despite being in a completely different timezone!

STACK FOR SUPPORTING WEIGHT LOSS EFFORTS*

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Magnolia Bark appears to have some very unique effects on promoting weight loss efforts, but it does not promote the activity of AMPK. AMPK is an important enzyme that helps speed up energy expenditure by promoting glucose metabolism and fatty acid oxidation. Hesperidin is a great AMPK activator, and because Magnolia bark does not appear to activate AMPK, the addition of Hesperidin makes this stack a very complete non-stimulant fat loss stack!

STACK FOR PROMOTING DENTAL HEALTH*

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Magnolia Bark appears to be a very unique supplement for promoting dental health, which it achieves by promoting alveolar bone health and by supporting balanced microorganisms in the mouth. Shiitake mushrooms also appear to be great at promoting dental health and this effect is achieved through helping to support balanced microorganism levels. This stack may make for a unique approach to supporting dental health as an addition to a healthy dental care routine!

WANT MORE STACK IDEAS?

If you liked the above stacks, and would like more well researched and effective stacks, then we would recommend giving our stack guide a read! Here you will find over 70 different stacks to help you reach your goals!

Scoops: Nootropics Depot does not provide scoops or spoons with any of our products. Scoops are highly unreliable for accurate measuring. Scoops measure volume rather than weight which is problematic because all powders have different densities. A milligram scale is needed to accurately measure powder products.

*Attention: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Nootropics Depot is an online-based vendor of high quality nootropics, novel plant extracts, amino acids, fish oil, choline supplements, vitamins, and more based in Tempe Arizona. We were founded in 2013 when we realized the industry needed a trusted source for these products and someone to champion the change the supplement industry needs. We have our own in-house analytical testing lab with some of the best analytical chemists in the supplement industry. We are constantly striving to advance and improve the purity and analytical standards of not only the nootropics industry, but the larger supplement industry as a whole.