Claimed to be the first of its kind in Australia, the product named Calm Water combines high-dose L-theanine, magnesium, schisandra berry extract, prebiotics, and B and C vitamins to reduce neurological overstimulation, regulate cortisol levels, and dissolve physical tension.
Following a soft launch in December 2025, it was officially rolled out at Savvy’s website and selected wellness and grocery retailers across the country in February this year.
Brand founder Mark Curry told NutraIngredients that unlike many functional beverages that include only trace amounts of active ingredients for label appeal, Calm Water uses significantly higher levels, often more than 10 times of those in typical beverages or powdered products.
The formulation addresses both physical and mental aspects of stress, helping restore balance during periods when emotional resilience is stretched, such as before an important event.
Calm Water also looks to answer to the rising demand in stress support solutions for women during perimenopause and menopause, where hormonal fluctuations can elevate cortisol, heighten emotional sensitivity, and disrupt sleep cycles.
The challenges faced by women experiencing hormonal stress, fatigue and cognitive strain go beyond tiredness, and extend to feelings of being overwhelmed while still needing to function.
According to Curry, a key feature of Calm Water is its ability to reduce stress and anxiety without sedation, so women can continue to work, parent, and make clear decisions rather than “switch off”.
“It helps to regulate cortisol, and one particular group with erratic levels of cortisol is women going through perimenopause and menopause. Whether it’s hot flushes, sleep issues or mood swings, at the crux of it is unregulated levels of cortisol that are hiking randomly because of huge hormonal shifts in the body,” he said.
“There are many different people that the product can help. It is for all genders, but there is one specific group that we really wanted to celebrate the benefits for—there will always be a time where women experience perimenopause and menopause, and most people can relate to that because we have a mom, an auntie or a friend who has gone through or is going through it.”
Filling the ‘functional relaxation’ gap
Based on Curry’s observations, there is a big unmet gap in the “functional relaxation” category, whereby a product helps people mitigate stress and anxiety while remaining mentally bright and focused.
This led to the development of Calm Water, a functional beverage formulated with science-backed ingredients and comes in a convenient ready-to-drink format.
Importantly, Savvy wanted to create a product that allows people to maintain effective energy around the clock as many calming products in the market are, in fact, sedatives.
“Energy is not just having a boost from stimulants, herbs and vitamins, but also the ability to ‘turn off’—regulate the nervous system, have quality sleep, let the body rest—so you can ‘turn on’ again the next day. It’s a holistic approach to better living,” said Curry.
He emphasized that Calm Water does not have subduing or sedative effects due to its ingredients’ activity in upregulating gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) while elevating alpha brain waves.
“People often think it’s good advice to consume herbal teas, such as chamomile tea, and products containing valerian root, passion flower or lemon balm, but all of these are sedatives and will make you sleepy. That is not how you want to perform in the day.”
Another common issue pointed out by Curry is that many people drink coffee to help them get things done when it actually worsens the problem.
“It provides you with energy but also raises cortisol levels. You don’t just want to have more energy, instead you want to have a sense of uplift and be able to accomplish your tasks.”
At the same time, Curry believes there remains a lack of awareness regarding the concept of food as medicine.
“People aren’t fully aware that nutrition can help them deal with their mood challenges. They think of food as something that affects the physical and not the mental, so they make a lot of choices based on their waistlines or muscles,” he explained.
“The idea of having functional foods, vitamins or minerals to help you feel grounded is strange to many, so we want to popularize the idea that taking positive steps towards considering nutrition will have amazing benefits for mental health.”