For the daily dose of 3 capsules: 500 mg of GABA, 320 mg of valerian root extract including 2.56 mg of valerenic acids, and 220 mg of L-tryptophan. Few ingredients, each with a precise amount that is easy to read and compare.

The rest of the capsule is simply what is needed to make it: a plant-based HPMC shell, a little maltodextrin and banana flour as a carrier. No colouring, no flavouring, no titanium dioxide.

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is an amino acid the body makes itself. It is found mainly in the brain, where it is one of the chemical messengers between neurons. Unlike most amino acids, it is not used to build proteins; small amounts occur in fermented foods such as kimchi or tempeh.

L-tryptophan is one of the nine essential amino acids: the body cannot make it, so it comes from food (eggs, dairy products, poultry, pulses, pumpkin seeds). The body uses it as a building block for serotonin, then melatonin, and converts part of it into vitamin B3. A varied diet already provides several hundred milligrams a day: the capsule complements the plate, it does not replace it.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a tall perennial of Europe’s damp meadows whose root has long been used in European tradition, especially in the evening. Nutripure’s extract comes from the EU and is standardised in valerenic acids, for a consistent content from one batch to the next.

When you open the pot, the smell is strong and slightly musky: it comes from isovaleric acid, naturally present in the root. It is neither a defect nor a sign of spoilage. The powder is dark green to greyish, with white specks of L-tryptophan.

3 capsules a day with a large glass of water, preferably away from meals, in the evening, ideally 1 to 2 hours before bedtime. The pot of 90 capsules lasts one month. Taking the dose at roughly the same time each evening helps to set a routine.

Valerian can cause drowsiness in some people: avoid driving or operating machinery after taking it. If you are on any medication, especially one acting on sleep or the nervous system, ask your doctor or pharmacist before starting. Not recommended for children under 12 or during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Do not exceed the daily dose.

Nutripure was founded in 2017 near Toulouse by Christophe Carrio and his brother Florent. Pure Zen is vegan, gluten-free and GMO-free, made in France in line with the EN 17444 anti-doping standard.

It is on the shelf at Herba Barona, 10 rue Théophile Roussel, Paris 12th, Tuesday to Saturday from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm, two minutes from Ledru-Rollin metro. See also our GABA and sleep sections.