The Science

Your brain runs on what you eat.

Decades of peer-reviewed research show that specific amino acids directly influence neurotransmitter production. We built HONE around that science.

Explore the research

The forgotten link between food and focus.

For decades, we've thought about food in terms of energy, calories in, calories out. But your brain isn't just burning fuel. It's building the chemical messengers that control everything from attention to mood to motivation.

These messengers are called neurotransmitters. And the raw materials to make them? They come from the protein you eat.

This isn't fringe science. It's biochemistry 101, rarely applied to the food we actually consume.

The Pathway

From protein to performance.

When you eat protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids. Specific amino acids cross the blood-brain barrier and become the precursors for neurotransmitters that regulate cognition, mood, and energy.

Protein Intake

Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, egg whites, whey

Amino Acids

Tyrosine, Tryptophan, Leucine, BCAAs

Neurotransmitters

Dopamine, Serotonin, Norepinephrine

Cognitive Output

Focus, mood, motivation, memory

The Research

What the science says.

Peer-reviewed findings from leading research institutions.

The focus pathway

Tyrosine & Dopamine

Tyrosine is an amino acid found abundantly in dairy protein. Your brain converts it into L-DOPA, then into dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with motivation, reward, and executive function.

Key Research Findings

"Tyrosine supplementation counteracts cognitive deficits induced by stress and demanding conditions."

Jongkees et al., Journal of Psychiatric Research, 2015

"Tyrosine enhances cognitive control and working memory, particularly under challenging conditions."

Colzato et al., Frontiers in Psychology, 2014

"The amino acid tyrosine is the biochemical precursor of catecholamine neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine."

Fernstrom & Fernstrom, Journal of Nutrition, 2007
The HONE connection

Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are rich sources of tyrosine, delivering it alongside other amino acids for optimal absorption.

The mood pathway

Tryptophan & Serotonin

Tryptophan is the sole precursor to serotonin: the neurotransmitter that regulates mood, sleep, and cognitive flexibility. Unlike tyrosine, your body cannot produce tryptophan; it must come from food.

Key Research Findings

"As the sole precursor of serotonin, L-tryptophan's role in brain serotonin synthesis is an important factor involved in mood, behavior, and cognition."

Richard et al., International Journal of Tryptophan Research, 2009

"The serotonergic system plays a significant role in the regulation of mood and cognition. Low brain serotonin levels are associated with poor memory and depressed mood."

Jenkins et al., Nutrients, 2016

"Tryptophan supplementation can decrease anxiety and increase positive mood in healthy individuals."

Kikuchi et al., Nutrients, 2021
The HONE connection

Cottage cheese is particularly rich in tryptophan. The carbohydrates from honey help tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier more efficiently.

The connection you can feel

The Gut-Brain Axis

Your gut and brain are in constant communication through the vagus nerve, immune signals, and the neurotransmitters produced in your digestive system. What you eat directly shapes this conversation.

Key Research Findings

"The brain-gut axis is a bi-directional system linking emotional and cognitive centres of the brain with peripheral control of the gut. Serotonin is a key element of this axis."

Jenkins et al., Nutrients, 2016

"Central serotonin production represents just 5% of total serotonin synthesis, with the vast majority produced in the gastrointestinal tract."

Jenkins et al., Nutrients, 2016

"Gut microbiota influence on behavior is becoming increasingly evident, producing a possibility that alterations in the gut may be important in mood and cognition."

Jenkins et al., Nutrients, 2016
The HONE connection

The probiotics in Greek yogurt support gut health. Cultured dairy delivers beneficial bacteria alongside the amino acids your brain needs.

Key Principles

The science we build on.

01

Precursor availability matters

Your brain can only make neurotransmitters if the raw materials are present. Tyrosine hydroxylase (the enzyme that converts tyrosine to dopamine) is only about 75% saturated under normal conditions, meaning increased dietary tyrosine can boost synthesis.

02

Timing and combination affect uptake

Amino acids compete for transport across the blood-brain barrier. Carbohydrates trigger insulin release, which clears competing amino acids and gives tryptophan an advantage, just one reason the honey in HONE isn't just for taste.

03

Whole food matrices work differently

Isolated amino acid supplements behave differently than amino acids from whole food sources. Food provides cofactors, micronutrients, and a slower release profile that may support more sustained neurotransmitter production.

04

The gut is part of the equation

Over 90% of your serotonin is produced in the gut. The health of your digestive system, supported by fermented foods and fiber, directly impacts the neurotransmitter production that affects your brain.

Our Approach

Food, not supplements.

You could take isolated amino acid capsules. Many people do. But there's a reason we chose to build a food product instead.

Whole foods deliver amino acids alongside the cofactors that support their conversion—B vitamins, minerals, and other compounds that work together. They provide a sustained release profile rather than a spike. And they support gut health, which is increasingly recognized as central to brain function.

We're not anti-supplement. We're pro-food. HONE is designed to deliver the benefits of targeted amino acid intake through ingredients your grandmother would recognize.

Typical Approach

  • Isolated amino acids
  • Synthetic binders
  • Spike-and-crash absorption
  • Ignores gut health
  • Feels like medicine

The HONE Approach

  • Complete food matrix
  • Real dairy protein
  • Sustained release
  • Probiotic support
  • Tastes like food
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