ETAS®: A Different Way to Think About Stress and Sleep

Nutraceuticals World (NW): What exactly are Heat Shock Proteins?

Lauren Clardy, Senior Director, Scientific Affairs, Maypro: Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) are part of the body’s natural cellular defense system. I often describe them as molecular chaperones. When cells are exposed to stress, HSPs help protect proteins, support proper protein folding and assist with the repair or removal of proteins that have become damaged. HSP70 is one of the most extensively studied members of this family and is associated with cellular protection and the body’s ability to adapt to different forms of physiological stress. 

NW: Why do Heat Shock Proteins decline with age?

Clardy: Like many of our protective biological systems, the heat-shock response becomes less robust as we age. Research has shown that HSP70 and the body’s ability to mount an effective heat-shock response can decline over time. That is important because HSPs are part of the cellular machinery that helps us respond and adapt to stress. There is also growing scientific interest in the relationship among aging, HSP activity, circadian regulation and sleep.

I think that takes us into a much more interesting conversation than simply “stress relief.” The real opportunity is stress resilience and how to help the body maintain its ability to respond, adapt and recover.

NW: What makes ETAS^® different from melatonin?

Clardy: ETAS^® is not melatonin and does not supply melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone involved in regulating the sleep-wake cycle, while ETAS^® takes a fundamentally different approach. This asparagus stem extract contains three proline-containing compounds known as asparaprolines, which are involved in the induction of HSP70, part of the body’s natural cellular stress-response system.

Human clinical research with ETAS^® has examined this pathway along with stress biomarkers, autonomic nervous system function and sleep. The research suggests that by supporting HSP70 expression, ETAS^® may help the body better adapt to everyday stress and maintain a healthier balance between stress and recovery, factors that can ultimately influence sleep quality. 

NW: Why is ETAS^® called the “Hot Spring in a Capsule”?

Clardy: I think this is one of the easiest ways to make a fairly sophisticated mechanism understandable. People have sought out hot springs and thermal therapies for centuries. We now know that heat exposure is one of the stressors that naturally induces Heat Shock Proteins. HSPs, including HSP70, help protect cellular proteins and support the body’s response to stress. Researchers have proposed HSP induction as one contributor to the restorative effects associated with thermal and spa treatments.

ETAS^® has been clinically researched for its ability to increase HSP70 expression without exposure to that thermal stress. Researchers studying ETAS^® have even discussed the potential parallels between ETAS and hyperthermic spa therapy.

This is the idea behind “Hot Spring in a Capsule,” supporting a cellular stress-response pathway associated with heat exposure, without having to sit in a hot spring.

NW: Can ETAS^® be combined with melatonin, magnesium or adaptogens?

Clardy: ETAS^® brings something quite different to the formulation, the HSP70/cellular stress-response pathway. Rather than viewing ETAS^® as a replacement for these established ingredients, there is an opportunity for “multi-mechanistic” stress and sleep formulations that support the consumer through different pathways.

NW: Is ETAS^® the first HSP-inducing dietary ingredient?

Clardy: What differentiates ETAS^® is the combination of a novel mechanism, characterized bioactive compounds and human clinical research.

ETAS^® is produced from the tough, lower portion of the asparagus stalk, an underutilized part of the plant that might otherwise go to waste. Through a proprietary process, this material is upcycled into a value-added functional ingredient.

ETAS^® supplementation and its HSP70-inducing activity has been investigated in six human clinical studies, with research examining areas including HSP70 mRNA expression, stress response, autonomic nervous system function, sleep and fatigue. 

This is why ETAS^® is not simply another stress or sleep ingredient. It represents a different way of thinking about the entire stress-and-sleep category, one that begins with cellular resilience and the body’s own ability to respond to stress.