Investigation of a Melissa officinalis special extract on Cognition II: Human study - Lemon balm extract administered in confectionary bars

The traditional application of Lemon balm focuses on calming and relaxing effects. Modern research has demonstrated new effects of Lemon balm on cognitive health. Here we evaluated the cognitive effects of a Lemon balm extract administered in confectionary bars with different sweetening systems. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study a cohort of 25 healthy people were tested. Word recognition was significantly improved by 0.6g Lemon balm extract in a confectionary bar. The Lemon balm/sugar confection was associated with higher mental fatigue in contrast to the Lemon balm/natural fruit sweetener confection. In conclusion, we have shown for the first time that a special Lemon balm extract administered in a confectionary bar leads to a significantly improvement of cognition.