Straight answers.
No marketing.

The clinically validated dose is 250–300mg of elemental magnesium in glycinate form, taken 30–60 minutes before sleep. AE·ORA uses 275mg elemental magnesium glycinate, matching the Abbasi et al. 2012 double-blind RCT that documented statistically significant improvements in ISI score (p<0.001), sleep efficiency and sleep onset latency.

The form matters as much as the dose. Magnesium oxide, the most common form in cheaper supplements, absorbs at approximately 4%. Glycinate absorbs at 80–90% via amino acid transporters. At a labelled 400mg oxide dose, you absorb around 16mg of elemental magnesium. The same label number in glycinate delivers around 55mg absorbed elemental.

Abbasi et al. 2012 · J Res Med Sci 17(12):1161-9
Shop Rest Formula →

The Chandrasekhar et al. 2012 RCT used 600mg KSM-66 per day (300mg twice daily) and documented a 27.9% reduction in serum cortisol versus placebo at 60 days. AE·ORA uses 300mg KSM-66 taken at night, half the daily trial dose, timed to the evening cortisol window where HPA axis suppression has the most impact on sleep onset.

The form specification is more important than the total dose. KSM-66 is standardised to at least 5% withanolides. Generic ashwagandha root powder typically contains 0.5–1.5% withanolides. At equivalent label doses, you may be receiving 3–10x less active compound.

Chandrasekhar et al. 2012 · Indian J Psychol Med 34(3):255-62

Loading (20g/day for 5–7 days) reaches full phosphocreatine saturation faster but produces the same final endpoint as 5g/day without loading over 3–4 weeks. The ISSN Position Stand (Kreider et al. 2017) recommends 3–5g/day as the maintenance dose. AE·ORA uses 5g Creapure, the upper maintenance dose for maximum saturation in both muscle and brain tissue.

Loading produces more GI side effects in the short term and is not necessary for most people. If you want faster results, load. If tolerability is a concern, 5g/day reaches the same place with no downside.

Kreider et al. 2017 · J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14:18

The Mori et al. 2009 RCT used Yamabushitake powder equivalent to approximately 3,000mg dried fruiting body per day, producing significant cognitive improvement at weeks 8, 12 and 16. AE·ORA's 500mg dual-extracted fruiting body is a concentrated extract, extraction typically produces a 6:1 or higher ratio, meaning 500mg extract is equivalent to 3,000mg+ of dried powder.

Extract concentration and beta-glucan content matter more than the headline milligram number. Products listing 3,000mg of mycelium-on-grain biomass deliver less hericenone content than 500mg of properly extracted fruiting body.

Mori et al. 2009 · Phytother Res 23(3):367-72

Elemental magnesium is the actual magnesium content, excluding the weight of the carrier molecule. Magnesium glycinate contains approximately 14% elemental magnesium by weight. So 2,000mg of magnesium glycinate compound delivers around 275mg of elemental magnesium, the number that corresponds to research dose requirements.

Magnesium oxide contains 60% elemental magnesium by weight, which makes its label numbers look much larger. But with 4% bioavailability, a 500mg oxide capsule delivers roughly 12mg of absorbed elemental magnesium. Always compare the elemental figure, not the compound weight on the front of the label.

Magnesium glycinate: Sleep architecture improvements are typically noticeable within 2 weeks. Full tissue saturation and maximum cortisol-lowering effect at 4 weeks.

KSM-66 ashwagandha: Cortisol reduction measurable by week 4. The Chandrasekhar trial showed full effect at 60 days.

Creatine: Strength and power improvements within 1–2 weeks. Cognitive effects reach significance at 4–6 weeks as brain phosphocreatine saturates.

Lion's Mane: The Mori et al. RCT showed statistically significant cognitive score improvements at week 8, with continued improvement through week 16. NGF-mediated neuroplastic effects are slower than acute stimulant effects, consistent daily use is required.

A proprietary blend lists the combined weight of several ingredients without disclosing individual amounts. A product can legally include 490mg of filler and 10mg of the featured ingredient in a 500mg "proprietary blend." The practice allows brands to use clinical doses in marketing copy while delivering sub-therapeutic amounts in the capsule.

AE·ORA lists every ingredient and every dose individually on the label. There is no mechanism by which we could use a proprietary blend without undermining the core claim of the brand. If we can't dose an ingredient correctly and disclose it, we won't include it.

KSM-66 is a full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract manufactured by Ixoreal Biomed, standardised to contain at least 5% withanolides. Generic ashwagandha root powder typically contains 0.5–1.5% withanolides. Every major clinical trial showing significant cortisol reduction used KSM-66 or an equivalent standardised extract, not commodity ashwagandha powder.

The 27.9% cortisol reduction in Chandrasekhar et al. 2012 is a property of KSM-66 at this specification. It is not a property of ashwagandha generically. Using commodity ashwagandha and citing this trial as evidence would be scientifically unsupportable.

Chandrasekhar et al. 2012 · Indian J Psychol Med 34(3):255-62

Creapure is a pharmaceutical-grade creatine monohydrate manufactured by AlzChem Trostberg GmbH in Germany. Its specification requires less than 100 parts per million each of dicyandiamide (DCD) and dihydrotriazine (DHT), manufacturing impurities present in lower-quality creatine produced through less controlled synthesis processes.

DCD and DHT are associated with the GI side effects (bloating, cramping) most commonly reported with creatine supplementation. Pharmaceutical-grade purity eliminates these impurities, making Creapure the form with the best tolerability data. The creatine molecule itself is identical to generic monohydrate, it is exclusively a purity and tolerability distinction.

The fruiting body is the mushroom itself, what you see above ground. Mycelium is the root network. In commercial supplement production, mycelium is typically grown on grain substrate (oats or brown rice) and the entire culture, mycelium plus substrate, is dried and powdered. The final product contains 50–70% starch from the grain.

Hericenones, the compounds that cross the blood-brain barrier and stimulate Nerve Growth Factor synthesis, are found almost exclusively in the fruiting body. Erinacines are found in mycelium, but only in mycelium free from grain substrate contamination. The Mori et al. 2009 RCT used fruiting body extract. AE·ORA uses dual-extracted fruiting body with a minimum 30% beta-glucan content as a marker of potency.

Mori et al. 2009 · Phytother Res 23(3):367-72

Absorption pathway. Magnesium oxide uses the saturable mineral channel in the intestine, a pathway that competes with calcium, zinc and other minerals and reaches maximum throughput at relatively low doses. Magnesium glycinate uses amino acid transporters (the same pathway as the amino acid glycine), which are non-saturable and not competed by other minerals.

The result: magnesium oxide absorbs at approximately 4% bioavailability in healthy adults. Magnesium glycinate absorbs at 80–90%. At a typical oxide dose of 400mg compound weight (delivering 240mg elemental magnesium), you absorb around 10mg. The same elemental amount in glycinate delivers 200mg+ absorbed. The clinical effects of magnesium on sleep are dose-dependent, sub-absorbed oxide doses have no meaningful therapeutic effect.

Beta-glucans are polysaccharides found in the cell walls of mushroom fruiting bodies. They serve as a potency and authenticity marker for mushroom extracts. High beta-glucan content (30%+) indicates a genuine fruiting body extract rather than a mycelium-on-grain product (which typically tests at 5–15% beta-glucans, mostly from the grain starch).

Beta-glucans also independently modulate neuroinflammation and immune function. A 30% specification ensures the extract is what it claims to be and is active at the bioactive compound level that matches the published research.

Magnesium does not sedate. It removes physiological obstacles to natural sleep through three distinct mechanisms. First, it acts as an NMDA receptor antagonist and potentiates GABA activity, the brain's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, reducing neural excitability before sleep onset without forcing it. Second, it is a cofactor in the enzymatic conversion of serotonin to melatonin, supporting endogenous melatonin production. Third, it suppresses ACTH and cortisol release from the adrenal axis, reducing the elevated evening cortisol that prevents sleep onset in stressed adults.

The result is faster sleep onset and improved sleep architecture, not the blunt sedation produced by antihistamines or benzodiazepines, which impair sleep quality even while reducing sleep onset time.

Creatine's cognitive effects are well-documented and mechanistically consistent with its physical effects. Neurons use ATP as their energy source for signal transmission. Creatine stored as phosphocreatine donates a phosphate group to ADP to regenerate ATP, the same mechanism that drives physical performance improvements, operating in neural tissue rather than muscle tissue.

Rae et al. 2003 confirmed this with 31P-MRS brain scanning, elevated phosphocreatine in the brain was directly observed, alongside statistically significant improvements in backward digit span (p<0.0001) and Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (p=0.009). The effect is particularly pronounced in sleep-deprived individuals and vegetarians, whose baseline brain creatine levels are lower.

Rae et al. 2003 · Proc R Soc Lond B 270(1529):2147-50

Nerve Growth Factor is a protein required for the survival, growth and maintenance of neurons. It promotes myelination (the insulating sheath around nerve fibers that determines signal speed) and hippocampal neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons in the memory-forming region of the brain). NGF declines with age and is associated with cognitive decline.

Hericenones in Lion's Mane fruiting body are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier, where they stimulate cells to produce more NGF. Unlike stimulants that produce acute enhancement through neurotransmitter manipulation, hericenone-driven NGF synthesis produces structural neuroplastic changes, which is why the Mori et al. cognitive improvements accumulated over weeks rather than appearing immediately, and why effects reversed after discontinuation.

Every batch is tested at an independent ISO 17025-accredited laboratory before any units ship. Testing covers:

Identity: HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) against authenticated reference standards to confirm the ingredient is what the label states.

Potency: Active concentration quantified against label claim, to a ±5% specification. The industry standard is ±20%. We hold our batches to a tighter tolerance.

Heavy metals: Full ICP-MS panel for arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury against USP <232> and California Prop 65 limits.

Microbial: Total aerobic plate count, coliforms, E. coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus to USP microbial limits. Certificate of Analysis on file for every batch, available on request.

ISO 17025 is the international standard for testing and calibration laboratories, published by the International Organization for Standardization. Accreditation means a national accreditation body has independently validated the laboratory's methods and regularly audits their processes, equipment calibration, staff competence and data integrity.

Many supplement companies list "third-party tested" on their labels without specifying the laboratory's accreditation status. A non-accredited laboratory can produce a document with numbers on it that provides no meaningful quality assurance. ISO 17025 accreditation means the test methods themselves have been validated and the results are reproducible.

Yes. A Certificate of Analysis is on file for every batch we have produced. It documents the lot number, manufacturing date, test results for all parameters, and the accreditation number of the testing laboratory. Contact us with your order number and lot number (printed on the bottom of your bottle) and we will send the relevant COA.

Request a COA →

Good Manufacturing Practice (21 CFR Part 111) is the FDA's mandatory regulatory standard for dietary supplement manufacturing in the United States. It covers raw material testing and identity verification, sanitation and facility standards, in-process quality controls, finished product testing, complaint handling and record keeping.

GMP compliance is the legal minimum for US supplement manufacturers, it is a floor, not a differentiator. AE·ORA's additional ISO 17025 independent batch testing goes above this baseline.

Yes. Every batch is tested via ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) for arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. Results are held to the limits specified in USP <232> (Elemental Impurities, Limits) and California Proposition 65. These limits are set based on the safety thresholds established by the United States Pharmacopeia and the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

Yes. Rest and Rise formulas are designed to be stacked. The mechanisms are entirely non-overlapping: magnesium glycinate and KSM-66 act on GABA pathways and the HPA axis at night; Lion's Mane and creatine act on NGF synthesis and ATP phosphocreatine buffering in the morning. There are no known interactions between these ingredients at these doses.

The stack also produces a compounding effect. Better sleep quality directly increases testosterone and growth hormone output, reduces baseline cortisol, and improves cognitive recovery, all of which amplify the outcomes measured by Rise ingredients. Better performance during the day reduces the cortisol load that impairs sleep. Rest and Rise create a positive biological feedback loop.

Take 3 capsules with water 30–60 minutes before your intended sleep time. This window allows magnesium to reach peak plasma levels as GABA receptor tone becomes relevant to sleep onset, and for KSM-66 to begin suppressing the cortisol awakening response before the HPA axis reaches its evening nadir. Avoid taking with calcium-rich food or dairy as calcium and magnesium compete for the same absorption pathway at high doses.

Take with breakfast. Creatine timing has minimal impact on outcomes when total daily dose is consistent, morning with food works well for tolerance. Lion's Mane is best taken with food to improve absorption of the lipophilic hericenone compounds. The mushroom coffee format means both ingredients are consumed together in a single morning ritual.

Do not take the Rise formula within 6 hours of intended sleep time. Creatine at 5g/day does not produce stimulant effects, but Lion's Mane has mild alertness-promoting properties in some individuals.

The existing RCT literature evaluates KSM-66 up to 16 weeks with no adverse effects at 300–600mg/day. There is no published evidence of tolerance development or downregulation requiring a cycle. However, as a conservative precaution consistent with the available literature, we recommend 8–12 weeks on, followed by a 4-week break before resuming.

This is not based on documented harm at longer durations, it is a precautionary approach given that most trials did not extend beyond 16 weeks. If long-term continuous use is your preference, the current evidence does not contraindicate it.

Yes. All AE·ORA capsules use HPMC (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) vegetarian capsule shells. No animal-derived ingredients are used in any formula. Magnesium glycinate, KSM-66 ashwagandha, Lion's Mane fruiting body extract and Creapure creatine monohydrate are all plant-derived or synthetically produced ingredients with no animal origin.

Creatine supplementation is particularly beneficial for vegans, whose dietary creatine intake is zero (creatine is found only in animal muscle tissue), meaning baseline muscle and brain phosphocreatine stores are lower than in omnivores.

Subscribing saves 15% on every order and sets up automatic monthly delivery. You can pause, skip, change the delivery frequency or cancel at any time from your account portal, no phone calls, no cancellation fees. There is no minimum commitment period.

AE·ORA currently ships within the United States. Standard shipping takes 3–5 business days. Free shipping is included on all orders. Orders placed before 2pm EST on business days are ship same day.

If you are not satisfied with any AE·ORA product within 30 days of purchase, contact us for a full refund. We do not require the product to be returned. Contact us with your order number and we will process the refund within 2 business days.

Contact support →