Horsewood ingredients: all thirteen, explained honestly

An essential mineral with authorised roles in the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood, normal immune function, normal cognitive function and the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Read the testosterone wording precisely: it is a claim about maintaining normal levels, which is a nutritional statement about avoiding a shortfall rather than a promise of raising your baseline. Dietary sources include oysters, red meat, poultry, beans and nuts. The NIH ODS fact sheet is the neutral reference.

Involved in more than three hundred enzymatic reactions, with recognised roles in normal muscle function, normal protein synthesis, electrolyte balance, normal psychological function and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Surveys consistently find a substantial share of adults falling short of recommended intakes, which makes it one of the more defensible inclusions in any men's formula. Dietary sources include leafy greens, nuts, seeds, legumes and wholegrains.

An adaptogenic herb central to Ayurvedic practice for more than two millennia and the most researched botanical in this bottle. Randomised controlled trials have examined it for the body's response to everyday stress, perceived sleep quality and subjective energy. Many trials are small and quality varies, so the honest summary is “more evidence than most botanicals here, and less than a pharmaceutical”. Anyone with a thyroid or autoimmune condition should raise it with their doctor first.

An Arctic adaptogen used traditionally in Scandinavia and Russia, with a modern research base centred on mental fatigue and perceived exertion during demanding work. Trials are generally small. It sits alongside Ashwagandha as the second adaptogen rather than a headline actor.

An Ayurvedic herb whose active bacosides are the most consistently studied plant compounds for memory retention and rate of learning in healthy adults. The pattern across the human literature is cumulative: results are measured at 8 and 12 weeks of daily use, not in the first fortnight. This single ingredient is a large part of why this product is sold in multi-month packages.

Derived from one of the oldest surviving tree species, Ginkgo is among the most-studied botanicals in the world, examined chiefly around cerebral circulation and cognitive measures across decades. Results have genuinely not converged. It also carries the most important safety caution in this formula: Ginkgo may affect platelet function, so anyone taking warfarin, clopidogrel, aspirin or another anticoagulant needs medical clearance before use.

A catechin-rich extract standardised for EGCG in most commercial preparations, studied for antioxidant activity and metabolic markers. It carries naturally occurring caffeine, which is why calling any formula containing it “stimulant free” is imprecise. High-dose concentrated green tea extract has been associated with rare liver injury, which is a reason to stay at label servings rather than stacking multiple green-tea products.

Its curcuminoids are among the most heavily researched plant compounds of the past two decades, chiefly around inflammatory markers. The perennial limitation is bioavailability — unformulated curcumin is poorly absorbed — which is why results vary so widely between preparations. Whether this formula uses an enhanced-absorption form is not stated on the sales pages.

Rich in oligomeric proanthocyanidins, studied for antioxidant activity and vascular measures including blood pressure in some small trials. It sits on the circulation-support side of the blend alongside Ginkgo.

A cruciferous root cultivated above 4,000 metres in the Peruvian Andes and eaten there for centuries to support energy and endurance under hard conditions. Modern interest centres on its macamides and glucosinolates; the research base is early-stage. It is here for the stamina side of the formula, on traditional grounds.

A dark berry with a long folk-medicine record and a small modern literature around upper-respiratory symptom duration. Anthocyanin-rich, and included here on the immune side of the blend.

One of the best-known traditional immune botanicals and one of the most inconsistent in trials — results across the literature range from modest benefit to none. Included on traditional grounds, and this page will not pretend otherwise.

A blue-green algae used as a nutrient-dense food, supplying protein, B vitamins, iron and pigments with antioxidant properties. It is a nutritional inclusion rather than a mechanistic one, and sourcing quality matters because poorly harvested algae can carry contaminants.