Stress—whether it comes from everyday pressures or intensive training—affects mental health, performance, and recovery. While exercise improves mood, it also generates physiological stress (cortisol, oxidative stress, inflammation).
Innolphae®, the first anti-stress sensory active ingredient, offers a breakthrough solution thanks to a unique mode of action: the retro-nasal pathway.
1. When sport becomes a source of stress
• Effect of exercise on cortisol: moderate physical activity reduces cortisol and improves sleep, but intense exercise strongly stimulates the HPA (Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal) axis and cortisol secretion1+2.
• Neuroplasticity and resilience: exercise promotes neurogenesis and BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), improving cognition and resilience to stress3.
• A delicate balance: depending on its intensity, exercise can be beneficial… or cause chronic stress4.
2. Daily stress: an ongoing challenge
Mental fatigue, cognitive overload, lack of sleep: chronic everyday stress creeps up on us insidiously, sometimes proving more harmful than acute stress. It affects our mood, concentration, and overall health.
3. Innolphae®: scientifically validated sensory innovation
• Retro-nasal route: Innolphae® molecules activate the olfactory receptors in the oral cavity and directly reach the emotional centers of the brain (amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex)5+6.
• Action on serotonin: restoration of the electrical activity of serotonin neurons to a level equivalent to that of non-stressed individuals.
• Proven results: anxiolytic effects, reduction of chronic and acute stress, benefits on neurogenesis.
• Key advantages: effective within 7 days, without dependence or addiction.
Sport + Innolphae®: a winning combination
• Sport naturally promotes well-being,
• Innolphae® reduces associated stress,
• Together, they optimize recovery, improve performance, and strengthen consumer loyalty through a unique sensory experience.
Innolphae® is ushering in a new era in stress management: one in which sensory perception is applied to well-being.
Fast, effective, and distinctive, this innovation has already been adopted by visionary laboratories.
Want to try it out in your projects?
Innolphae® is the sensory innovation that changes the game!
📚 Bibliographic references
- Buffart, L. M., van Uffelen, J. G. Z., Riphagen, I. I., Brug, J., van Mechelen, W., Brown, W. J., & Chinapaw, M. J. M. (2022). Effects of physical activity on cortisol levels: A systematic review and meta-analysis in breast cancer survivors. Psycho-Oncology, 31(8), 1230-1242. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35777076/
- Engert, V., Kok, B. E., Puhlmann, L. M. C., Stalder, T., Kirschbaum, C., & Singer, T. (2021). Effects of physical exercise on the cortisol stress response: Intensity matters. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 129, 105248. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34175558/
- Loprinzi, P. D., Frith, E., Edwards, M. K., Sng, E., & Ashpole, N. (2019). Neurobiological effects of physical exercise. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 99, 29-44. Synthèse accessible ici : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurobiological_effects_of_physical_exercise
- The Guardian. (2025, April 18). The truth about stress: The benefits of the good kind – and the exercise that makes it worse. The Guardian – Life and Style. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/apr/18/truth-about-stress-benefits-of-the-good-kind-exercise-that-makes-it-worse
- Herz, R. S. (2012). Influences of odors on mood and affective cognition. Physiology & Behavior, 107(3), 765-773. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938412000947
- Kobayashi, M., Saito, S., & Kobayakawa, T. (2021). Retronsal olfaction and its role in human emotional perception. Journal of Physiological Sciences, 71(1), 22. https://jps.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12576-021-00822-0