Hops extract causes relaxation through a variety of bioactive compounds, with its main components α-acids and β-acids being responsible for modulating gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor activity and lowering central nervous system excitability. A 2021 study in PhytoMedicine showed that taking Hops extract containing 25 mg of alpha acid daily reduced the sleeping latency period by 30% (from a mean of 40 minutes to 28 minutes) and increased deep sleep duration by 15%. Further, its antioxidant substances such as flavonoids (xanthohumol, for example) were found to decrease the amount of cortisol (stress hormone), experimental findings demonstrated that following 28 consecutive days of continuous consumption, salivary cortisol among subjects decreased by 22% (from 3.8 ng/mL to 2.96 ng/mL).
In medicine, Hops extract is combined with valerian root extract to produce a synergistic action. For example, a German double-blind trial (sample size n=120) stated that when a product containing 150 mg Hops extract and 300 mg valerian root was consumed, there was a reduction of 42% in the subject Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score with no side effect of drowsiness. According to market feedback, in 2022, the Hops extract formula took up 18% of the global sleep aid products, with annual sales exceeding 730 million US dollars, and the re-purchase rate was 65%. Japanese functional food market data showed that sales of sleep aid drinks containing 0.5% Hops extract increased by 240% within 6 months after going on the market, and consumer satisfaction was 89%.
In industrial production, process parameters influence the extraction efficiency of Hops extract substantially. Supercritical CO₂ extraction technology is capable of raising the purity of alpha acid to 98% (conventional ethanol extraction is 85%), and decreasing the production cycle to 24 hours from 72 hours, and lowering energy consumption by 35%. A best-selling product in the US has increased the bioavailability of Hops extract by 50% with optimized nanoemulsification technology, and the relaxing effect after consuming one capsule (50 mg of extract) is 1.5 times greater compared to standard tablets. From the safety perspective, EFSA recommends a daily use of not more than 200 mg, and long-term use (more than 12 weeks) has an adverse reaction rate less than 1.2%, much lower than benzodiazepines (12%).
Consumer behavior study identified urban residents between the ages of 25-45 as the central consumers of Hops extract products and 68% of them were females. According to a 2023 market study, 74% of the clients chose the product because of “natural ingredients,” and price sensitivity analysis showed that the pack of 30ml (average market price of $28) was most acceptable with an ROI of 3.7 times. It is interesting to note that the price of Hops extract raw materials on the global supply chain is comparatively less fluctuating with an average annual growth of just 2.3% over the past five years, which is more stable than for other herbal ingredients (e.g., rhodiola rosea (8%)). With increasing popularity of precision dose control technology (e.g., microencapsulation process), the market penetration rate of Hops extract in the functional food market will increase from 19% to 31% over the next three years and become a key technical fulcrum for relaxation products.