Anxiety is a normal part of life, and generally is a temporary condition. However, anxiety can occasionally prolong in time, having an impact on everyday activities, and give rise to other conditions, such as depression, drug abuse, cardiovascular disease, and insomnia. There are a number of synthetic drugs that are commonly used to treat anxiety. These are mainly antidepressants and benzodiazepines. However, their high cost, important side effects and a rising interest in natural solutions have driven researchers to search for botanical-based formulas. To this end, there are a number of plants that have been described to possess potential sedative and anxiolytic effects. Of note is lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora), which is native of Western South America but is also cultivated in the Mediterranean region and Middle East.
The main objective is to study the effects of the intake of a nutraceutical on health indicators, focused on sleep and stress, as well as cardiovascular (blood pressure...), circulating (cortisol) and body composition parameters in a Spanish adult population.