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Inside the Formula

What’s inside.
Why it’s there.

Collagen, hyaluronic acid, lutein with zeaxanthin, and vitamin C for your daily routine. Glycine and four complementary ingredients for your evening. Get to know the ingredients behind Essentials and Nightspan, with clear amounts and a purpose for each.
Explore Collagen Essentials Explore Nightspan

Amounts shown are prelaunch specifications; final labels and batch reports publish before sale. The linked research describes the ingredients studied, rather than a clinical trial of the finished Dayspan formulas.

Collagen Essentials 30-serving bag on an ivory pedestal
Nightspan bag against soft blue evening clouds
Two formulas with every active named and its amount disclosed.

CLEAR AMOUNTS. NAMED SOURCES.

Start with the formula that fits your routine.

Each ingredient has a stated role, disclosed amount and research trail. Choose a formula to see its table and ingredient-by-ingredient context.

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Collagen Essentials 30-serving daily formula bag

Collagen Essentials

Dayspan Collagen Essentials

A full collagen foundation alongside hyaluronic acid, lutein with zeaxanthin, and vitamin C—five named actives across four ingredient groups.

Explore Collagen Essentials
Collagen Essentials: ingredients and prelaunch amounts

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IngredientPrelaunch amountForm and details
Hydrolyzed collagen peptides10,000 mgHydrolyzed collagen peptides · types I & III. Read the ingredient research ↓
Hyaluronic acid200 mg active contentFood-grade fermentation-derived sodium hyaluronate · supplier, assay basis and molecular-weight profile pending. Read the ingredient research ↓
Lutein with zeaxanthin10 mg lutein · 2 mg total zeaxanthin isomersMarigold extract. Read the ingredient research ↓
Vitamin C500 mg actual vitamin CEnhanced-bioavailability powder · supplier and grade pending. Read the ingredient research ↓
Prelaunch formula specifications. Check the final Supplement Facts panel and serving directions before use.

Hydrolyzed collagen peptides

Hydrolyzed collagen peptides · types I & III

10,000 mg
hydrolyzed collagen peptide powder.

Why it’s included

Hydrolyzed collagen peptides form the foundation of Essentials. Hyaluronic acid, lutein with zeaxanthin, and vitamin C are listed separately alongside the full collagen amount.

Hydrolyzed collagen peptides: study findings, context and sources

What researchers studied

A 2023 review of 26 randomized trials involving 1,721 participants assessed hydrolyzed collagen and skin hydration and elasticity.

What they found

Statistically significant pooled improvements in skin hydration and elasticity compared with placebo in the 2023 review.

What to know

Reviews include different peptide preparations and doses. A 2025 analysis found no significant benefits in its high-quality subgroup or its subgroup without pharmaceutical-company funding; a 2026 review rated the evidence preliminary, with most trials at high risk of bias. These are ingredient studies; individual results vary.

Explore the research

Pu et al. 2023Myung and Park 2025Bassila et al. 2026

Hyaluronic acid

Food-grade fermentation-derived sodium hyaluronate · supplier, assay basis and molecular-weight profile pending

200 mg active content

Why it’s included

Included at a founder-approved target of 200 mg active content per daily serving. Supplier, assay basis, purity, and molecular-weight profile remain pending.

Hyaluronic acid: study findings, context and sources

What researchers studied

A 28-day skin study randomized 60 women to a specific 200 mg/day full-spectrum hyaluronan preparation or placebo. A separate roughly eight-week knee-osteoarthritis trial tested a named sodium-hyaluronate preparation at 200 mg/day.

What they found

The skin study reported changes in hydration and selected wrinkle and skin-mechanics measures. The joint study reported improvements in pain measures for its study population.

What to know

Both studies used specific preparations; their reports do not establish an independent pure-HA-equivalent assay. The active-content target and dose rationale do not establish a benefit from Dayspan’s unqualified material or finished blend.

Explore the research

Michelotti et al. 2021 · skin studyCicero et al. 2020 · joint study

Lutein with zeaxanthin

Marigold extract

10 mg lutein · 2 mg total zeaxanthin isomers

Why it’s included

Lutein with zeaxanthin adds one carotenoid ingredient group alongside collagen, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C.

Lutein with zeaxanthin: study findings, context and sources

What researchers studied

A placebo-controlled study assessed skin hydration, surface lipids and elasticity using oral, topical and combined lutein with zeaxanthin.

What they found

Improvements in skin measures were reported, with the combined oral and topical approach producing the strongest overall results.

What to know

One small study with commercial involvement compared specific oral, topical and combined preparations. Results depend on the preparation studied. Continue your usual topical sun protection.

Explore the research

Palombo et al. 2007 (Skin Pharmacology and Physiology), N=40 women, 12 weeks

Vitamin C

Enhanced-bioavailability powder · supplier and grade pending

500 mg actual vitamin C
vitamin C.

Why it’s included

An essential nutrient your body needs for normal collagen formation, included beside the peptides, hyaluronic acid, and lutein with zeaxanthin in Essentials.

Vitamin C: study findings, context and sources

What researchers studied

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements summarizes vitamin C’s established nutritional roles, including normal collagen production.

What they found

Vitamin C is essential for normal collagen formation and helps protect cells from oxidative damage.

What to know

An established nutritional role described by the NIH. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation as part of adequate nutrition.

Explore the research

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin C fact sheet
Nightspan 30-serving evening formula bag

Nightspan

Dayspan Nightspan

Five ingredients in one evening formula, centered on separately disclosed free-form glycine and elemental magnesium. Nightspan is for adults.

Explore Nightspan
Nightspan: ingredients and prelaunch amounts

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IngredientPrelaunch amountForm and details
Glycine3,000 mgfree-form. Read the ingredient research ↓
Magnesium250 mg elementalFully reacted magnesium bisglycinate. Read the ingredient research ↓
L-theanine200 mgfree-form. Read the ingredient research ↓
Saffron extract28 mgStandardized to at least 3.5% Lepticrosalides. Read the ingredient research ↓
Zinc15 mg elementalbisglycinate, printed as elemental. Read the ingredient research ↓
Prelaunch formula specifications. Check the final Supplement Facts panel and serving directions before use.

Glycine

free-form

3,000 mg
crystalline glycine powder in a ceramic scoop.

Why it’s included

The amino acid at Nightspan’s center, with human research on sleep quality and next-day alertness. Its free-form amount is listed separately from the magnesium.

Glycine: study findings, context and sources

What researchers studied

Small bedtime studies of 3 g free-form glycine in people dissatisfied with their sleep, including sleep-laboratory measurements.

What they found

Improved self-reported sleep measures; the 2007 sleep-lab study also reported shorter time to fall asleep.

What to know

Small, short studies with manufacturer involvement and risk-of-bias concerns. Sleep architecture was unchanged in the 2007 study. Findings concern the glycine ingredient; individual results vary.

Explore the research

Yamadera et al. 2007Inagawa et al. 2006

The next day: fatigue and attention.

Randomized, single-blind crossover; seven healthy men analyzed; 3 g glycine or placebo before bed during three nights with time in bed reduced by 25%.

Reported fatigue improved on day one, but not day three. Reaction times on a sustained-attention test improved on both measured days; the other performance tests did not show significant differences.

Participants and several authors were affiliated with Ajinomoto. This very small, short study tested glycine alone. It does not show that Nightspan treats ongoing fatigue or replaces sufficient sleep.

Bannai et al. 2012 · next-day fatigue and vigilance ↗

Magnesium

Fully reacted magnesium bisglycinate

250 mg elemental
fine magnesium bisglycinate powder in a shallow dish.

Why it’s included

A mineral component alongside glycine, supplied as fully-reacted bisglycinate. The amount is disclosed as elemental magnesium, not the weight of the whole compound.

Magnesium: study findings, context and sources

What researchers studied

A four-week randomized trial in 155 adults with poor sleep tested 250 mg elemental magnesium as bisglycinate together with 1,523 mg glycine daily.

What they found

Insomnia-symptom scores improved modestly compared with placebo.

What to know

The effect was small; other questionnaire outcomes did not differ significantly. Results concern the combined magnesium-and-glycine intervention.

Explore the research

Schuster et al. 2025 (Nature and Science of Sleep), N=155

L-theanine

free-form

200 mg
fine L-theanine powder beside a glass of water.

Why it’s included

A complementary amino acid in the evening formula, selected with research on self-reported sleep quality in mind.

L-theanine: study findings, context and sources

What researchers studied

A 2025 review covered 19 articles and 897 participants; 18 articles were pooled in meta-analyses of theanine-containing interventions.

What they found

Improvements in selected self-rated sleep-quality, sleep-onset and daytime-functioning measures.

What to know

Preparations varied and some combined ingredients. Each outcome used a subset of studies. Pooled objective sleep measures did not improve significantly; dose and duration varied.

Explore the research

Bulman et al. 2025 (Sleep Medicine Reviews), 19 articles; 18 pooled; 897 participants

Saffron extract

Standardized to at least 3.5% Lepticrosalides

28 mg
dried saffron stigmas.

Why it’s included

The botanical component of Nightspan, supplied as the standardized extract examined in the linked sleep study.

Saffron extract: study findings, context and sources

What researchers studied

A 28-day placebo-controlled trial in 120 adults with unsatisfactory sleep compared 14 mg and 28 mg of standardized saffron extract.

What they found

Better sleep-quality ratings and mood on waking compared with placebo, with similar improvements at both doses.

What to know

Questionnaire-based findings for the studied extract. Several other questionnaire and sleep-diary measures did not differ between groups. The extract manufacturer funded the study.

Explore the research

Lopresti et al. 2021 (Sleep Medicine), N=120

Zinc

bisglycinate, printed as elemental

15 mg elemental

Why it’s included

An essential mineral supplied as zinc bisglycinate, with 15 mg disclosed as elemental zinc. Zinc supports normal immune function and protein synthesis.

Zinc: study findings, context and sources

What researchers studied

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements describes zinc’s established nutritional roles.

What they found

Supports normal immune function and protein production.

What to know

A nutritional reference rather than a sleep trial. Review total zinc intake across supplements and follow the product’s serving directions.

Explore the research

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements · Zinc fact sheet

READ THE RESEARCH IN CONTEXT

A closer look at the research

Study findings depend on the material, amount, participants and outcome measured. We include funding details, mixed findings and important limitations alongside the research so you can read each result in context.

Explore the study ledger. Each product page explains its own formula—including what we left out and why.

COMPARE INGREDIENTS

Glycine vs magnesium glycinate

Free glycine is an amino acid. Magnesium glycinate is a magnesium compound that includes glycine. Their label amounts describe different things, and their sleep studies do not establish that one is a substitute for the other.

Magnesium glycinate, also called magnesium bisglycinate, is a magnesium salt of glycine. On a Supplement Facts panel, the magnesium amount refers to elemental magnesium, rather than the weight of the whole compound. A declared magnesium amount does not declare an equivalent serving of free glycine. PubChem — magnesium glycinate chemical record ↗; NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — magnesium health-professional fact sheet ↗.

Read the substance and the amount together

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What to compareFree glycineMagnesium glycinate
Example label entryGlycine — 3,000 mg (3 g)Magnesium (as magnesium glycinate) — 250 mg
What the number describesThe declared glycine amount.The elemental magnesium amount. It is not 250 mg of free glycine or 250 mg of the entire compound.
What to check nextWhether this is glycine alone or a blend, and what else increases with another serving.The mineral form and serving size. Any separate glycine amount must have its own basis in the product specification.
Why the numbers cannot rank the products3,000 is a larger number, but it measures a different ingredient.A smaller mineral amount is not evidence that a product is weaker or supplies less useful material.
These are examples for reading units, not recommended doses. Do not estimate a product's total glycine content from a magnesium label without a verified material specification.

Which has better sleep evidence?

The studies discussed here do not compare glycine directly against magnesium glycinate. In the small 2007 glycine study, 3 g before bed was associated with shorter time to fall asleep and to reach slow-wave sleep, while sleep architecture was unchanged. Reaching that stage sooner does not demonstrate more deep sleep. Several authors were affiliated with Ajinomoto. Yamadera et al. 2007 — glycine and subjective sleep quality with polysomnography ↗.

The 2025 magnesium bisglycinate trial randomized 155 adults reporting poor sleep for four weeks. Its daily intervention supplied 250 mg elemental magnesium and 1,523 mg glycine. It found a modest improvement in the insomnia-severity questionnaire, with no significant improvement in the secondary questionnaire outcomes. This design cannot isolate magnesium's contribution from glycine's. University funding and an author's nutraceutical research-business relationship are disclosed in the paper. Schuster et al. 2025 — magnesium bisglycinate in adults reporting poor sleep ↗.

A single ingredient or a combination?

A single-ingredient product makes that ingredient's amount easier to compare and adjust separately. A fixed blend combines several ingredients in each serving, so taking more changes all of them. That is a practical difference, not evidence that either format works better. Nightspan is a five-active blend; its ingredient studies do not establish an added benefit from combining them.

Read the Nightspan research ledger or inspect the working Nightspan formula.

COMPARE INGREDIENTS

Collagen vs free glycine

Collagen peptides contain a mixture of linked amino acids, including glycine. Free glycine supplies that individual amino acid. A gram of collagen is not a gram of free glycine, and research on one does not establish the same benefit from the other.

Digestion does not make the research interchangeable. In a human ingestion study, researchers detected several small collagen-derived peptides in blood after gelatin hydrolysates were consumed. That finding concerns absorption; it does not establish a skin, sleep or finished-product benefit. Iwai et al. 2005 — food-derived collagen peptides in human blood ↗.

Collagen and free glycine answer different label questions

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What to compareCollagen peptidesFree glycine
Ingredient identityA collagen-derived mixture containing multiple amino acids in peptides.The individual amino acid, supplied in free form.
Declared gramsThe mass of the collagen ingredient. It is not a stated free-glycine dose.The declared mass of glycine. Check whether other ingredients are present.
Research matchCheck peptide material, amount, duration and the particular outcome, such as skin hydration.Check the glycine amount, population and outcome; bedtime research does not establish a collagen-like skin effect.
What equivalence would requireA study that actually compares the proposed substitutes for the same outcome.Shared amino acids or matching powder weights cannot establish the same effect.
A Dayspan working collagen amount is not a verified statement of its glycine content. The exact material remains part of the final specification review.

What did an actual amino-acid comparison test?

A 2025 randomized, double-blind experiment assigned 45 young adults to 30 g of hydrolyzed collagen, 30 g of a free-amino-acid mixture matching collagen's amino-acid profile, or placebo after exercise. The comparison mixture was not glycine alone. Over six hours, neither intervention significantly increased muscle connective protein synthesis versus placebo. This short experiment does not settle long-term skin outcomes or the effects of bedtime glycine. Aussieker et al. 2025 — hydrolyzed collagen versus a matched free-amino-acid mixture ↗.

The study was funded through a cooperation between Maastricht University and Tessenderlo Group; several authors disclosed relationships with collagen or nutrition companies. Maastricht University — Aussieker study record and funding disclosures ↗.

Can either stand in for the other?

The collagen skin reviews cannot establish a skin benefit from free glycine. The reviews found positive pooled results, but the 2025 review did not find significant benefits in its high-quality subgroup or its subgroup without pharmaceutical-company funding. Keep those limitations alongside the results. Pu et al. 2023 — oral collagen for skin aging, systematic review and meta-analysis ↗; Myung and Park 2025 — collagen supplements and skin aging, systematic review and meta-analysis ↗.

Likewise, the glycine sleep study cited above did not test collagen as a replacement. Neither ingredient's presence proves that taking collagen and glycine together adds a benefit. Start with the outcome you want to understand, then check the actual intervention and the full label, rather than treating the two powders as equivalent servings.

Inspect the working Collagen Essentials formula, compare the Nightspan formula, or return to the research index.

COMPARE EXACT LABELS · CHECKED September 13, 2026

Dayspan Essentials versus NativePath Original collagen

Essentials brings collagen, hyaluronic acid, lutein with zeaxanthin, and vitamin C together in one daily formula. NativePath Original offers collagen alone. Compare the disclosed ingredients below; Dayspan’s amounts are prelaunch specifications.

Dayspan Essentials versus NativePath Original collagen

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ComparisonDayspan Collagen EssentialsNativePath Original · 25 servings
Record statusWorking formula; final Supplement Facts pendingOfficial product label checked September 13, 2026
Hydrolyzed collagen peptides10,000 mg10 g hydrolyzed bovine collagen (Types I & III) per scoop
Hyaluronic acid200 mg active contentNot listed as a separate ingredient
Lutein with zeaxanthin10 mg lutein · 2 mg total zeaxanthin isomersNot listed as a separate ingredient
Vitamin C500 mg actual vitamin CNot listed as a separate ingredient
Protein and total scoop weightFinal label values pending; collagen target is not a total serving weight9 g protein; 10 g scoop; 25 servings per container
10,000 mg equals 10 g. Dayspan’s working amounts are not a finalized label or confirmation of the material used in a clinical trial.

Choose Essentials for the convenience of collagen, hyaluronic acid, lutein with zeaxanthin, and vitamin C in one formula. A collagen-only powder offers a simpler option when you want to adjust collagen separately. Compare the full serving: a blend’s ingredients increase together. These are formulation differences, not evidence that either product delivers better results.

For allergies, check the final container and manufacturer guidance. NativePath discloses shared equipment processing milk, eggs, fish, tree nuts and soy. Dayspan’s final allergen information will be published with its label before sale.

  • NativePath Original Collagen Peptides — 25 servings
  • NativePath 25-serving Supplement Facts

Explore the Essentials formula, its ingredient research, or the label-reading guide.

COMPARE EXACT LABELS · CHECKED September 13, 2026

Collagen peptides versus bone-broth protein: compare the declared amounts

Collagen ingredient weight, total protein and scoop weight answer different questions. These two exact unflavored products illustrate the distinction; they do not represent every collagen or bone-broth product.

Collagen peptides versus bone-broth protein: compare the declared amounts

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Label entry per servingNativePath Original · 25 servingsPaleovalley Bone Broth Protein · Unflavored
Named ingredientHydrolyzed bovine collagen (Types I & III)Beef bone broth powder
Scoop weight10 g17 g
Protein9 g15 g
Declared ingredient amount10 g collagen17 g beef bone broth powder
Separate collagen amount10 gNot separately declared
Servings per container2530
An undeclared collagen amount does not mean zero collagen. Neither 15 g protein nor 17 g bone-broth powder is a declaration of 15 g or 17 g collagen.

Start with the quantity you want to compare. For protein, use the protein row and its serving size. For a stated collagen amount, use the collagen ingredient declaration. Do not substitute the weight of the whole scoop or infer an undisclosed collagen quantity. These label servings are reference values, not dose recommendations.

A larger scoop or protein number does not establish a better health outcome. Applying a study requires checking the actual material, amount, population and outcome; these labels alone cannot demonstrate interchangeable effects. Use the current label for the exact flavor and size, because other variants can differ.

Explore the Essentials formula, its ingredient research, or the label-reading guide.

SELECTED STUDY METHODS · CHECKED SEPTEMBER 14, 2026

What amounts and durations did selected collagen skin studies test?

A research amount belongs to a particular material, population and study design. These selected examples describe different interventions; they do not establish a recommended serving, a dose ranking or results from Dayspan Collagen Essentials.

Selected collagen skin studies: population, amount and duration

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StudyParticipants and designDaily interventionStudy duration
Proksch · PMID 2394920869 women, ages 35–55; three randomized groups of 23; double-blind, placebo-controlled2.5 g or 5 g specific collagen hydrolysate daily8 weeks of intake; elasticity follow-up 4 weeks after intake ended
Kim et al. 2018 · PMID 2994988964 women, ages 40–60, randomized; 53 completed; double-blind, placebo-controlled; efficacy analysis used completers1 g fish-derived low-molecular-weight collagen peptide daily; both test and placebo drinks contained 100 mg vitamin C12 weeks of intake; assessments at weeks 6 and 12
Choi et al. 2014 · PMID 2413107532 healthy volunteers randomized to four groups; one group received no supplementNo supplement; 3 g collagen peptides; 3 g collagen peptides plus 500 mg vitamin C; or 500 mg vitamin C daily12 weeks of intake
Illustrative selection, not a systematic review. Study amounts are not personal dosing advice; a matching amount does not establish a matching material.

Proksch · PMID 23949208 ↗

Source inspected: Publisher abstract

Elasticity favored both collagen groups versus placebo. Moisture and evaporation subgroup findings were not statistically significant.

Full-text material specifications, attrition and funding were not verified. This record must not be confused with another Proksch wrinkle study with a different sample.

Kim et al. 2018 · PMID 29949889 ↗

Source inspected: Full text

Selected hydration, wrinkle and elasticity measures favored the intervention. The material was derived from sutchi catfish skin.

The paper reports no external funding and no conflicts; author affiliations include Newtree and Jellice. Vitamin C in both arms does not demonstrate collagen–vitamin C synergy. Completion and randomized counts describe different groups.

Choi et al. 2014 · PMID 24131075 ↗

Source inspected: PubMed abstract

Some hydration and elasticity comparisons favored collagen over no supplement. Adding vitamin C did not significantly improve those measures compared with collagen alone.

Blinding, attrition, exact material specifications and funding were not verified from full text. This record does not establish a double-blind placebo design.

Read selected trials alongside the broader evidence

Myung and Park’s 2025 review pooled 23 trials with 1,474 participants. Overall results favored collagen, but high-quality studies showed no significant effects, and the subgroup without pharmaceutical-company funding showed no effects. Selected positive trials do not resolve these qualifications.

Newer reviews also require checking their methods and included studies. Bassila’s 2026 review searched through April 2023; a later publication date need not mean newer underlying evidence. The 2026 reviews linked here are awaiting detailed reconciliation and are not used to establish a Dayspan benefit.

Compare the working formula and the evidence standard. Neither ingredient count nor a larger scoop establishes better results from a finished blend.

MATCH THE STUDY TO THE INGREDIENTS

Does GlyNAC research apply to glycine alone?

GlyNAC combines glycine with N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Results from that combination cannot be assigned to glycine alone. The 2023 Kumar trial did not include a glycine-only arm.

Kumar et al. 2023 — trial record ↗

Read the GlyNAC trial without changing the intervention

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What to checkWhat Kumar et al. testedWhat the design cannot tell us
InterventionGlycine plus NAC, compared with an alanine placebo.No glycine-only or NAC-only arm. This comparison cannot isolate either ingredient's contribution or establish an advantage over glycine alone.
Participants and duration24 adults aged 61–80, randomized 12 per arm for 16 weeks in a double-blind trial.A small, selected group of older adults. The findings do not automatically apply to other ages or health conditions.
MeasuresGlutathione concentrations, other laboratory measures and physical-function tests.These measures do not establish longer life. The aging-marker analyses were exploratory and added after the trial ended.

The authors reported increased glutathione and improvements in some physical-function measures with GlyNAC. These are findings about the tested combination and population.

Full paper: methods, results and limitations ↗

NIH/NIA and McNair philanthropic funding supported the trial. The paper declared no conflicts. Baylor separately disclosed a GlyNAC patent licensed to Nestlé Health Science, which it said provided no financial or material support for this study.

Baylor's funding and patent disclosure ↗

Where Nightspan fits

Nightspan's working formula contains glycine, magnesium, L-theanine, saffron and zinc, with no NAC. It was not tested in this trial. GlyNAC findings do not establish a glutathione, aging or lifespan benefit from Nightspan.

Compare the working Nightspan formula or read its ingredient research ledger.

THE FORMULAS, IN FULL

Choose the routine that fits.

See each product’s full formula, use directions and current launch information.

Collagen Essentials 30-serving bag

YOUR DAILY GLOW

Collagen Essentials

10 g collagen. HA. Vitamin C. Carotenoids. Your daily formula, together in one scoop.

Explore the formula
Nightspan 30-serving bag

YOUR EVENING, RECLAIMED

Nightspan

Glycine, magnesium, L-theanine, saffron and zinc. Five actives. No melatonin.

Explore the formula