Seven ingredients.
One state.

L-Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea. It increases alpha brain wave activity — the frequency associated with relaxed alertness. It does not sedate. It does not stimulate. It removes the interference between you and the version of yourself that shows up fully.

A 2024 meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found 200–400mg/day significantly reduced anxiety and improved stress response in healthy adults. A 28-day double-blind RCT confirmed it is safe and efficacious under acute stress challenge.

Magnesium regulates over 300 enzymatic reactions, including NMDA and GABA receptor function. The glycinate form is chelated to the amino acid glycine — absorbed via intestinal peptide transporters, making it significantly more bioavailable than magnesium oxide or citrate. Chronic stress depletes magnesium, which raises cortisol — which depletes more magnesium. Sway breaks that loop.

A systematic review of 18 studies found positive results for anxiety and sleep quality across diverse populations. A 2024 review in Cureus confirmed supplemental magnesium is effective for mild anxiety, especially where baseline levels are low.

Melissa officinalis has been used medicinally for over 2,000 years. Modern pharmacology explains why: its active compounds modulate GABAergic, cholinergic, and serotonergic systems simultaneously. Rosmarinic acid — its primary compound — inhibits GABA transaminase, the enzyme that breaks GABA down. More GABA stays active. The effect is calm without weight.

A 2021 meta-analysis showed lemon balm significantly improved anxiety vs placebo (SMD: −0.98, p=0.003). At 300mg in a controlled trial, significantly lower STAI state anxiety and higher working memory scores were recorded at both 1 and 3 hours post-stress.

Passiflora incarnata binds to GABA-A and GABA-B receptors — the same receptors targeted by alcohol, benzodiazepines, and most prescription anxiolytics. The critical difference: passionflower does not produce sedation, impair memory, or create dependency at supplemental doses. Its flavonoids modulate inhibitory signalling without the collateral damage.

A double-blind RCT matched passionflower extract against oxazepam (a prescription benzodiazepine) for generalised anxiety disorder over 4 weeks — no significant difference in efficacy. The passionflower group reported significantly fewer problems with job performance. The EMA approved Passiflora incarnata herba as a medicinal product for anxiety in 2023.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid is the brain's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. It quiets excess neural firing — the kind that produces overthinking, social scanning, and the low-level vigilance that follows you into a room. In Sway's stack, it amplifies the GABAergic activity already initiated by lemon balm and passionflower — producing compounded ease no single ingredient achieves alone.

EEG studies showed oral GABA increased alpha waves and decreased beta waves vs placebo within 60 minutes. Stress biomarkers (chromogranin A, cortisol) were significantly reduced. A 2025 study in Nature npj Science of Food found long-term GABA supplementation mitigated anxiety by modulating neuroinflammatory pathways.

5-Hydroxytryptophan crosses the blood-brain barrier — serotonin itself cannot. Once inside, it converts directly to serotonin via enzymatic decarboxylation. Serotonin modulates mood, social behaviour, and the brain's threat-detection response. Low serotonin is associated with social anxiety and low baseline mood. 5-HTP raises the floor. The warmth you feel is real — not performed.

A 12-week randomised controlled trial at 100mg/day showed significant improvements in mood and cognitive function (Nutrients, 2025). Preclinical evidence demonstrated increased social approach behaviour and reduced state anxiety. Safety data from 100+ clinical trials confirms a low propensity for adverse events at standard doses.

Taurine is the compound that keeps the stack clean. It increases GABA and glycine activity while protecting neurons from glutamate excitotoxicity — the over-stimulation that produces jitteriness and the wired edge you don't want. It also restores HPA-axis function under stress, normalising cortisol. Without taurine, stimulant-forward formulas spike and fall. With it, the effect holds.

Studies show taurine prevented stress-induced memory defects, anxiety, and neurotransmitter imbalances including serotonin, dopamine, and cortisol dysregulation. The European Food Safety Authority approved up to 1,000mg/kg/day with no observed adverse effects.