The Science

Behind the formula

The Science

Every ingredient in EXEC is there for a reason. Here is the research behind each one — what it does for energy, what it does for focus, and every source linked.

100 mgcaffeine
100 mgL-theanine
1 mgvitamin B6 — ~59% of the Daily Value
2 mcgvitamin B12 — ~83% of the Daily Value
01

Caffeine · 100 mg

Caffeine is the most researched ingredient in EXEC, and the evidence is deep. It works by blocking adenosine, the compound in the brain that signals tiredness. Researchers consider this the main way caffeine works at normal doses.5

Energy

Caffeine raises alertness and reduces sleepiness. The effect is clearest exactly when you need it most — when you’re tired or working through the night.4

It peaks 15–120 minutes after intake, with an average half-life of about 5 hours.5

Focus

A 2016 review found that doses from about 40 mg to about 300 mg improve vigilance, attention and reaction time.1 In a controlled trial, doses as low as 32 mg measurably sped up reaction time and improved vigilance.2

The European Food Safety Authority’s scientific panel concluded that caffeine causes increased alertness and increased attention at doses of 75 mg and up.3

02

L-Theanine · 100 mg

L-theanine is an amino acid found naturally in tea leaves, and it is thought to cross into the brain.10 Its pairing with caffeine has been tested in multiple controlled trials.

Focus

In a controlled trial, 100 mg L-theanine with caffeine improved speed and accuracy when switching between tasks, and reduced distraction during a memory task.6 In another, only the combination — not either one alone — improved both how many targets people caught and how accurately they picked them out on an attention task.7

A 2014 meta-analysis of 11 placebo-controlled studies found that caffeine and L-theanine together improved alertness and attention-switching accuracy in the first two hours.8

Calm

The pairing also raised alertness and lowered tiredness compared with placebo.9 On its own, L-theanine increased alpha brain-wave activity — a pattern linked to a relaxed but alert state.10

A 2020 systematic review concluded that L-theanine, at 200–400 mg a day, may help people under stress manage stress and anxiety.11

03

Vitamin B6 · 1 mg

B6 is a workhorse. Your body uses it in more than 100 enzyme reactions, and it is part of how you make neurotransmitters — the brain’s chemical messengers.12 It is water-soluble, so your body doesn’t store much of it.

Energy

The European Union authorises two claims for B6 that speak directly to energy: it contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, and it contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.13

It also supports normal protein and glycogen metabolism — how your body uses and stores fuel.13

Focus

B6 is required to make neurotransmitters.12 The EU authorises the claims that B6 contributes to normal psychological function and to normal functioning of the nervous system.13

A 2016 review of B vitamins and the brain describes how B6 and B12 support the chemistry the brain runs on.14

04

Vitamin B12 · 2 mcg

B12 is needed to make red blood cells — the cells that carry oxygen through your body — and for normal nervous system function.15 It works in the same metabolic pathways as B6, which is why the two belong together.

Energy

The EU authorises the claims that B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.13

It also contributes to normal red blood cell formation.13

Focus

B12 is essential to the development, myelination and function of the central nervous system.15 The EU authorises the claims that B12 contributes to normal psychological function and to normal functioning of the nervous system.13

05

Why a pouch

A pouch sits against the gum, so some caffeine may be absorbed through the lining of the mouth instead of only through the gut. The closest published evidence comes from caffeine gum: in a controlled study, caffeine from gum reached peak levels faster than the same dose from a capsule, with no significant difference in total exposure.16 Pouch-specific studies haven’t been published yet.

See the full formula →

Sources

The studies on this page tested the ingredients, not EXEC itself.

  1. McLellan TM, Caldwell JA, Lieberman HR. A review of caffeine’s effects on cognitive, physical and occupational performance. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2016. Source →
  2. Lieberman HR, et al. The effects of low doses of caffeine on human performance and mood. Psychopharmacology, 1987. Source →
  3. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to caffeine and increased alertness and increased attention. EFSA Journal, 2011. Source →
  4. Smith A. Effects of caffeine on human behavior. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2002. Source →
  5. Institute of Medicine. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations, ch. 2. National Academies Press, 2001. Source →
  6. Owen GN, Parnell H, De Bruin EA, Rycroft JA. The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood. Nutritional Neuroscience, 2008. Source →
  7. Kelly SP, Gomez-Ramirez M, Montesi JL, Foxe JJ. L-theanine and caffeine in combination affect human cognition as evidenced by oscillatory alpha-band activity and attention task performance. Journal of Nutrition, 2008. Source →
  8. Camfield DA, Stough C, Farrimond J, Scholey AB. Acute effects of tea constituents L-theanine, caffeine, and epigallocatechin gallate on cognitive function and mood: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews, 2014. Source →
  9. Giesbrecht T, Rycroft JA, Rowson MJ, De Bruin EA. The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness. Nutritional Neuroscience, 2010. Source →
  10. Nobre AC, Rao A, Owen GN. L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2008. Source →
  11. Williams JL, Everett JM, D’Cunha NM, et al. The effects of green tea amino acid L-theanine consumption on the ability to manage stress and anxiety levels: a systematic review. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 2020. Source →
  12. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B6 — Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Source →
  13. European Commission. Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 — list of permitted health claims. Source →
  14. Kennedy DO. B vitamins and the brain: mechanisms, dose and efficacy — a review. Nutrients, 2016. Source →
  15. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12 — Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Source →
  16. Kamimori GH, et al. The rate of absorption and relative bioavailability of caffeine administered in chewing gum versus capsules to normal healthy volunteers. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2002. Source →

EXEC pouches are nicotine-free and tobacco-free. Not intended for anyone under 18, or for those who are pregnant, nursing, or sensitive to caffeine. 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. This page summarizes published research for general information and is not medical advice.

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