Rapture™ Mood and Energy Support

Introducing…

Rapture™

An uplifting, energizing, mood enhancing proprietary formula produced exclusively by KT Botanicals!

Rapture™ contains the following ingredients:

Full Spectrum Theobroma Cacao 25X Extract

Full Spectrum Polygonum multiflorum 10X Extract

PhenylEthylAmine (PEA)

L-Theanine

 Rapture™ is a propreitary formula that is designed to increase both mental and physical energy and promote (force) feelings of wellbeing. Imagine extracting all of the bliss-inducing compounds that naturally occur in chocolate: Oxytocin (the love hormone), arginine (vasodilator), theophylline, phenylethylamine (PEA), dopamine (alertness, confidence), serotonin (Wellbeing), theobromine (gentle stimulant), caffeine, tyramine, synephrine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine.  Now imagine if you could somehow prolong the breakdown of these compounds in the body via a potent, but safe and very well tolerated MAO-B inhibitor that has over a thousand years of historical use! 

None of these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA whatsoever. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

USE WITH CAUTION IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO STIMULANTS!

DO NOT COMBINE THIS PRODUCT WITH ANY OTC OR Rx MEDICATION!

ONLY USE THIS PRODUCT UNDER THE RECOMMENDATION AND STRICT SUPERVISION OF A MEDICAL DOCTOR!

DO NOT TAKE MORE THAN THE RECOMMENDED DOSE!

Ingredient Information:

Full Spectrum Theobroma Cacao 25X Extract

Botanical: Theobroma cacao
Family: Sterculiaceae (sterculia)
Other common names: Cacao, Chocolate Tree

If you thought Cocoa was just delicious chocolate, think again!  It has been used for thousands of years as a healing agent. More importantly, modern science claims that it is good for your heart and arteries, good for your skin, has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times those found in green tea. Taken as a dietary supplement in capsule form, you can add all its health benefits without the added fat and calories.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by KT Botanicals is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

History:
The Cocoa (or Cacao) tree is a native of Central America's tropical rainforests and South America's Amazon basin, and it has been cultivated for two thousand years.  The "chocolate tree" is a widely-branched evergreen that bears leathery, lance-shaped leaves and pink or creamy flowers that grow directly on the trunk or main branches and develop into woody, football-shaped fruits.  Embedded within the pulp of each fruit are about fifty bitter seeds - the Cocoa beans.  The tree is cultivated as a crop throughout the world in warm climates, thriving in fertile, moist, well-drained soil in shade and may reach forty feet in height.  Cocoa prefers high humidity and shelter from the wind in a minimum of sixty-one degrees Fahrenheit.  Long before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, Mesoamerican Indians created a drink from crushed Cocoa beans mixed with a variety of spices, and it was reserved as a special drink for ceremonial rites and Mayan rulers. The Aztecs created a "divine" drink called chocolatl, and the Emperor, Montezuma, is said to have sent Cocoa, along with gold and silver, as gifts for the explorer, Hernan Cortes, when he arrived in Mexico.  Cocoa beans were not only a valuable commodity, but they were also used as currency among the Mayans, Incas and Aztecs. The Aztecs employed Cocoa in herbal medicines as a drink mixture to travel great distances without fatigue, to stimulate the bowels in cases of constipation, to calm an upset stomach and to help ease mild headaches due to slight fevers. The Mayans made a cocoa paste that was employed to treat wounds, skin eruptions and burns and to assist healing without scarring, and this medicine is still employed by their descendants in the Guatemalan Highlands.  The Spaniards carried Cocoa back to Europe, and when sweetened with sugar, vanilla, cinnamon or honey, it was drunk hot; and in Spain, Cocoa was a drink served only to royalty.  Cocoa spread slowly across the royal courts of Europe, and by the seventeenth century, it became an expensive luxury reserved only for the upper classes. Cocoa's botanical name was given to us by the Swedish botanist and founder of our Latin binomial system of naming plants, Carl Linnaeus, who christened the chocolate plant Theobroma cacao, which is a literal translation from Greek, meaning "Cocoa - Food of the Gods."   The Swiss contributed most to the refinement of chocolate as we know it today, isolating the various elements of the Cocoa bean into cocoa powder and cocoa butter, also developing milk chocolate and a smoother texture.  The beans (which contain more than fifty percent fat) are fermented, dried, roasted and ground as a paste (Cocoa mass), and Cocoa butter is extracted from this, leaving the powder.  The yellowish Cocoa butter that is rendered is unlike most fats in that it is not greasy, has a pleasant odor, and does not easily become rancid and is thus prized for use in soaps, cosmetics, toiletries and soothing ointments. The fat-free residue is Cocoa powder, and when sweetened, it is the warming,

energizing drink and confection that we so revere.  Cocoa is immensely valuable commercially as a flavoring for foods, liqueurs, a suppository base and a nutritional support; and aside from its use

as a food, science has discovered that Cocoa is beneficial for health.   It possesses nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times those found in green tea.  Some of the constituents in Cocoa include an alkaloid (theobromine), potassium, mucilage, flavonoids (epicatechin and catechin) caffeine, acetic acid, arginine, vitamin C, calcium, citric acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, dopamine, glucose, iron, magnesium, niacin, serotonin and tryptophan.

Beneficial Uses:
Cocoa is a myocardial stimulant and considered excellent for heart health. The oleic acid content is a mono-unsaturated fat (also found in olive oil) and is thought to raise good (HDL) cholesterol, and the flavonoids decrease bad (LDL) cholesterol, as well as inhibit blood platelet aggregation (clotting), which can lead to arteriosclerosis, stroke and heart attack.

Further supporting cardiac health, Cocoa is said to be a fine vasodilator and good in cases of hypertension and angina. The theobromine content is said to enlarge the constricted blood vessels that are common in hypertensive people and will thus lower blood pressure and increase blood circulation. In addition, its high potassium content is also said to help lower blood pressure levels and hold them in check, and Cocoa's magnesium is another one of the minerals that most supports the heart and may help to reduce blood pressure.

Cocoa's theobromine acts as a diuretic, helping to increase the flow urine.  As such, it is said to be useful when there is an accumulation of fluid in the body, particularly in cases of cardiac failure.

Cocoa has been used for thousands of years to combat fatigue.  It contains caffeine (although not as much as coffee) and theobromine, which is actually the ingredient that provides the body with a burst of quick energy and gives a tired body a physical boost that is said to last several hours. Theobromine is a stimulant frequently confused with caffeine but has very different effects on the human body; it is a mild, lasting stimulant with a mood improving effect, whereas caffeine has a strong, immediate effect. Cocoa's stimulating effect is the reason why soldiers have carried chocolate into battle from the Civil War to modern times.

Cornell University discovered that Cocoa has twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times those found in green tea, helping the body to ward off malignant diseases.

Cocoa is believed to stimulate brain function.  Again, its magnesium content (a mineral deficient in many people's diet) is a key to proper brain performance.  It helps to create ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the fuel for the brain.

Some researchers claim that Cocoa improves one's frame of mind and may be an aphrodisiac. It contains small amounts of a chemical called phenylethylamine (PEA) that is a mild mood elevator. It's the same chemical that our brain produces and emits when we feel happy or "in love" or when the libido is stimulated. The mild "rush" we get from this substance may be why some people say they're "addicted" to chocolate. One New York City psychiatrist claims that romantically depressed people tend to crave chocolates because their PEA levels are low, and the Cocoa in chocolate gives them a PEA boost. Recent research has also found that Cocoa has a soothing effect on troubled minds, and

interestingly, one study has shown that its aroma may actually relax you by increasing theta waves in the brain.

The theobromine in Cocoa has recently been found to have an antitussive effect that inhibits the cough reflex and helps to stop coughing.

Cocoa may alter the effects of time and sun exposure on skin health. A new study suggests that a chemical from Cocoa protects skin from the damaging effects of sun exposure and prevents the skin from ageing. Flavonoids, a group of antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, as well as in Cocoa, tea and red wine, might be especially potent skin protectors. In 2006, the Journal of Nutrition published a study on the effects of Cocoa flavonoids on skin health. The skin of the subjects consuming high-flavanol Cocoa was more tolerant to ultraviolet light exposure after six to twelve weeks.  What’s more, skin quality improved in the women consuming high-flavanol Cocoa, roughness and scaling diminished, and the skin was thicker, denser and better hydrated by the end of the study. This was the first study to suggest that Cocoa flavanols might protect the skin and thereby prevent skin melanoma.

Used externally, (as Cocoa butter) it softens skin, soothes and heals damaged skin, chapped skin and burns and is said to smooth skin wrinkles.

Suggested Reading
Chocolate "Offenders" Teach Science a Sweet Lesson
Study helps explain heart benefits from daily - but small - dose of Chocolate
- From the Johns Hopkins Medicine website - 11/14/06
According to Diane Becker, M.P.H., Sc.D., a professor at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, a chemical in Cocoa Beans has a biochemical effect similar to aspirin in reducing platelet clumping, which can be fatal if a clot forms and blocks a blood vessel, causing a heart attack.  As little as two tablespoons a day of dark chocolate - the purest form of the candy, made from the dried extract of roasted Cocoa Beans - may be just what the doctor ordered. (Click here to read full article)

Full Spectrum Polygonum multiflorum 10X Extract

Botanical: Polygonum multiflorum
Family: Polygonaceae (buckwheat)
Other common names: He Shou Wu, Shou Wu Chih, Kashuu (Japan), Chinese Cornbind,

Flowery Knotweed

Fo-Ti Root is a soothing, tonic herb that has been used for centuries in China to rejuvenate the body, combat premature ageing and promote longevity.   The herb is said to strengthen the liver, kidneys and reproductive systems. Traditional herbalists say it restores vitality, energy and fertility and possibly even reverses graying hair.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by KT Botanicals is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

History:
Fo-Ti Root is a vigorously-growing, woody perennial vine that can reach from six to thirty feet in length. It is an ornamental, lush green climber that may grow in sun or shade, but will not tolerate high heat and needs protection from severe weather, and it thrives in rich, peaty, moist soil. The roots are said to grow as big as a football, and the plant produces a vine of ovate leaves and small, white or pink-tinted flowers in slender panicles that bloom in autumn and are followed by three-winged fruits. The Fo-Ti plant is a native of China, where it continues to be widely grown for its medicinal qualities, and it is also grown extensively in Taiwan and Japan (where it is used as a popular tonic herb and called Kashuu). It is one of the most widely praised herbs in Chinese herbal medicine, some claiming that it is second only to Ginseng in reputation and use.  In China, Fo-Ti has a long history of reversing and preventing the effects of ageing as a bittersweet, astringent, slightly warming herb that was first recorded in an "herbal" written in 973 A.D., as a key remedy for the elderly.  The Chinese common name for Fo-Ti is "He-Shou-Wu," and its history is rich in legend. He Shou Wu (called "the black-haired Mr. He") supposedly was the name of a Tang Dynasty man, who, at fifty-eight years of age, had been unable to father a child. He was advised to take Fo-Ti Root and then not only fathered several children, but his hair turned from gray to black, and his body became more youthful. He lived to 160 years of age (still with black hair!), while his child lived to be 130.  Fo-Ti Root was said to cure his infertility, and his long life was attributed to the tonic properties of this herb.  Since that time, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has used Fo-Ti Root to treat premature ageing, weakness, vaginal discharges, numerous infectious diseases, angina pectoris and impotence.  According to Chinese legend, Fo-Ti Root not only will turn gray hair dark again, but a 150-year-old root will cause teeth to grow back in the elderly! It is interesting to note that traditional Chinese herbalists place great emphasis on the shape and age of the roots, with older roots being in greater demand.  Both "processed" and "unprocessed" roots are used. When the root is boiled in a special liquid made from black beans, it is called red Fo-Ti and is considered superior to the unprocessed root, sometimes

called white Fo-Ti in Chinese medicine.  All the active ingredients in Fo-Ti Root have not been fully determined, but Fo-Ti does include emodin, phospholipids, anthraquinones, bianthraquinonyl glucosides and the leucoanthocyanidins that are thought to promote the medicinal actions for which this herb has become famous.

Beneficial Uses:
Fo-Ti Root is considered an excellent tonic that has been used for centuries to produce longevity, fertility and vitality. It is also believed to rejuvenate the body, prevent premature ageing and counteract fatigue and exhaustion. The herb is also considered a key tonic for the elderly, alleviating pain in the knees, replenishing semen/sperm in men, countering impotence and darkening gray hair in both sexes; in other words, all the problems associated with ageing.

As an internal astringent, Fo-Ti Root has been helpful in reducing excessive bleeding, particularly controlling menstrual flow. Externally used, its astringent properties are included in poultices to control bleeding wounds and sores.

Fo-Ti Root is considered a mild purgative that causes evacuation of the bowels, and this action helps to treat chronic constipation. It is regarded as a demulcent laxative that not only clears waste, but also soothes and softens damaged or inflamed gastrointestinal mucous membranes, which is particularly helpful for constipation in the elderly.

Fo-Ti Root is believed to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the blood. There is apparently a component of lecithin in the root that helps to diminish arterial plaque, which thus helps to reduce hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis). The decreased arterial plaque and cholesterol are believed to reduce high blood pressure and increase blood circulation, which may lessen the risk of strokes and cardiac problems. There are also claims that Fo-Ti reduces blood sugar.

As an overall demulcent tonic, Fo-Ti Root is said to restore, nourish and strengthen the entire body, while at the same time soothing inflamed mucous membranes. It has long been thought to have a rejuvenating effect on the liver, reproductive, urinary and circulatory systems. Fo-Ti has been used to clear toxins from, as well as support, a weak liver and kidneys.

Current research is investigating the use of Fo-Ti Root and its role in enhancing a strong immune function in the body. The herb is believed to have beneficial effects on the blood by helping improve blood deficiency and increasing red blood cell formation.   Improved red blood cell production may significantly help to play a strong role in the immune system, helping the body to ward off infection and disease.  In a 1991 study, researchers claimed that one of Fo-Ti's active principles, Emodin, served as an effective immunosuppressive agent in human cells and speculated that the herb may be useful against transplant rejection and autoimmune disease.

Fo-Ti has also exhibited potent MAO-B inhibition properties (up to 82%) in current research!

PhenylEthylAmine (PEA)

PhenylEthylAmine (PEA) is a neuromodulator (monoamine) in the brain involved in mood, pleasure, mental alertness, focus, etc. It naturally occurs in small amounts in chocolate, certain algae’s, etc.

Phenylethylamine is related to the following neurotransmitters and neuroactive compounds:

Dopamine (3,4-dihydroxy-phenethylamine), Tyramine (4-hydroxy-phenethylamine), Epinepinephrine (â,3,4-trihydroxy-N-methyl-phenethylamine), Ephedrine (N-methyl-â-hydroxy-amphetamine), etc.

Its chemically structural relation to these compounds account for its unique effects on enhancing mental and mood functioning. However its effects are relatively short acting as it is usually broken down by the enzyme MAO-B within several hours. This makes it an ideal short-lived yet safe fast acting compound.

Neurochemical Effects

: Has a potent effect on  focus, concentration, mood, alertness and effortful attention

: Increases the release of Acetylcholine (Support Memory & Cognition)

: Stimulating the AMPA glutamatergic receptors

: Elevate mental alertness

: Suppresses the inhibitory effects of GABA-B receptors

: Indirect activation of Dopamine autoreceptors

: Increases the efflux of newly synthesized dopamine

Caution effects are enhanced by:

MAO B inhibitors: Deprenyl, Rasagiline, or Kava Kava extract (desmethoxyyangonin). May also be combined with L-Theanine for an enhanced effect on mood and focus.

L-Theanine

L-Theanine (gamma-ethylamino-L-glutamic acid) is a non protein forming amino acid found in trace amounts in green tea. It converts in the brain into GABA, the neurotransmitter involved in inhibiting over active mental activities, such as stress, anxiety, worrying, and nervousness. Unlike sedating herbs theanine protects & enhances cognition, without causing sleepy or drowsiness. Also unlike other GABA compounds like Phenibut there is no withdrawal effect.  

-Neurochemical Effects-

: GABA A receptor agonist

- Enhances focus, mood, and memory

- Reduces physical/metal stress, improves sleep & relaxation

: Glutamate receptor antagonist (AMPA, Kainate, NMDA)

- Neuroprotective

: Dopamine releaser

- Increases alertness and confidence

-Notes- 

In Japan it is used in soft drinks much like caffeine is added in the US, but to relax rather than stimulate the mind.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.