As the founder of several beverage brands, I am adamant that a founder needs to be the biggest fan of their own drink. Passion for and belief in your own product is the single biggest motivating factor for me as a beverage producer, and while it’s important to try out the competition, it is the drinks I make that tend to be my household staples. To that end, On the Brightside has become my go-to daily drinker both just as a replacement for diet soda and as a nice little mood lift.
There is a lot of science behind Zembrin®. That’s the biggest reason I picked this particular variant of kanna extract - my conviction that one should not consume functional ingredients without a clear understanding of their supply chain and base of knowledge. In these clinical studies, Zembrin® consumers showed significant improvement in key cognitive domains such as cognitive flexibility and executive function. An fMRI study showed that Zembrin® had a rapid effect on the threat and stress responses in participants. And the effects on nervousness before public speaking showed in about 30 minutes. And most importantly, toxicological studies show that it is safe to the point that the manufacturer has published a 50 page self-affirmed GRAS report showing up to 50mg should be Generally Regarded As Safe.
Picture of the kanna plant harvested to make Zembrin. Courtesy: zembrin.com
But even despite being clinical studies, Zembrin® is not a pharmaceutical and those are not effects everyone can necessarily expect - we don’t have large population studies on its effects yet, just interesting small-participant trials that, while very good indicators, are simply a foundation that larger studies should build on. So while I can’t say definitively that Zembrin® does all these things no matter who you are, I can share my own personal experience - and that’s what I’m going to do today.
Disclaimer: these are my personal experiences. Your personal experience with On the Brightside may vary.
What I noticed most about Zembrin®
We see reporting of active mood lift in about 75% of On the Brightside drinkers, which is good. I’m happy to say that I’m one of them. For me, drinking On the Brightside literally does make everything feel a little bit brighter. Like that feeling you get when the sun is out and you and the dog are having a great walk. For me it’s slightly euphoric, and definitely relaxing. The effect isn’t super long - maybe 30 minutes - but does recur on drinking more.
Get your Glow on
I personally feel this as well on the standard can-dose of 15mg that’s in our drink, whereas the studies of Zembrin® were all focused on 25-50mg daily in those studies - so that’s the relevant clinical threshold. It’s important to note everyone is different, and for some 25mg may not be necessary and for others it may be not enough. That’s the sort of thing we would learn in either more expansive or population based studies. But 15mg seems like a reasonable starting place if you want to drink two or three in a day or evening, which I often do.
When I tend to reach for these
There are two main times of day I like these - either late morning/early lunch time, after my coffee is done, or in the early evening as a post-work wind down. I’ve noticed the mood lift effect is strongest for me when consumed at my most caffeinated - I love the feeling of the combination. But the more interesting consumption time is at that end of day - it’s completely replaced having a beer or whiskey for me after a hard work day.
A lot of people replaced that end of day beer with 🪴, if you know what I mean. Notably, I never did. 🪴 for me has always been an “after the kids go to bed” occasion, because I don’t like the type of anti-social feelings I get when I’m with my kids. On the Brightside completely flipped that for me, and saved me a daily alcoholic drink (and those calories) - I feel more engaged with others after having one, but I still get that sort of capstone, unwind feeling at the end of the day.
What about executive function and cognitive effects?
These are a sordid bunch to untangle. What does executive function even mean?
I think unequivocally On the Brightside has helped me in one of the most stressful years of my life, but no drink is a panacea - it hasn’t cured me of anxiety or stress. But it does offer some bright moments.
Due to the incredible challenges of this year, I made my resolution for 2026 to be more focused on discipline than ever before. With so much going on in both personal and professional life, it’s never been more important for me to be focused and disciplined.
I can’t say for sure if On the Brightside drove that, or if it came from within, but here’s what I have managed to do this year related to self-discipline:
- Committed to a better diet and more consistent workout routine, resulting in losing 16 lbs - this also involved frequently waking at 3:20am to ensure I’d have enough time to get my workouts in;
- Committed to running as an exercise, finally achieving 5K+ distances for the first time in my life consistently;
- Disciplined focus on creating a healthy work and life schedule such that I can spend time with my family from 5:00p-8:00pm like it’s my job, and not miss the important moments with my little ones. The extra discipline to ensure that I put my extra work hours in the early AM or late PM to make this happen was worth it.
- Meditating for 10-15 minutes every day, to better aid in such discipline and control of my mind and body.
There’s a ton of other small things, but this “year of discipline” for me has been a huge growth and unlock - and I can’t help but wonder if my near-daily Zembrin® contributed to it.
Where I land on these
Like I said at the top, I’m the biggest fan of On the Brightside there is. These have made a huge difference in my life even just in cutting back on alcohol. On the Brightside has solved for me a problem that I have had for a long time - a truly pro social alcohol alternative that delivers some mood lift and relaxation, like your first drink of the night, without giving up on control or, as is in my case, saying something embarrassing.
If you haven’t checked them out, go try them at drinkbrightside.com. We offer 4-pack trial packs with free shipping and a 25% off deal if you want to go straight for a 12 pack. So there’s no reason not to at least give it a shot - if you’re looking for something new.
Cheers
Adam
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