It’s not because seven ate nine…

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By contributor Allie White.

If your only reference point for vitamins is the chalky, one-note chewables you choked down with breakfast every morning as a kid, read on.

If you’ve got a day-of-the-week pill case that you sort your myriad vitamins into Sunday night — and then choke down over the course of several mouthfuls every day — read on.

If your vitamin routine consists of a large jar of one-size-fits-all gummy multivitamins, read on.

If you’re vitamin-curious, read on.

Here’s the thing about vitamins: they’ve come a long way in the last few years. They’re also a highly personal experience (or at least should be). And when it comes to ingredient integrity and science-backed benefits, they can be all over the map which makes it extremely hard to know exactly what’s going into the stuff that’s then going into your body.

Luckily, there’s a solution to this supplement opacity — a company making science-back, herb-derived, genuinely-make-you-feel-great vitamins. Oh, and they’re gummies, so not a hint of chalk in sight. Read on for seven reasons you should be adding No. 8 to your daily wellness routine. (And no, it’s not because seven ate nine.)

1. They’re quite literally vitamins for your brain.

At the heart of No. 8 are nootropics, natural compounds that improve cognitive brain function. According to co-founder and CEO Trina Chan, “nootropics are like vitamins for your brain, [improving] cognitive functions like memory, motivation, concentration, and attention.” Need more proof this stuff is the real deal? The word “nootropics” derives from two ancient Greek words: νόος (nóos), meaning “mind,” and τροπή (tropḗ), meaning “turning.” Even the ancient Greeks knew what was up.

2. They actually taste really, really good…

Yes, it’s what’s inside that counts, but shouldn’t they taste good going down, too? In addition to being genuinely delightful to eat, the flavors of each No. 8 gummy just make sense: the Energy gummy tastes like ginger and yuzu, two extremely uplifting flavors. Calm is flavored with slightly sweet and refreshing lychee and pear. Matcha and mint combine for a grounding, herbal taste in Focus. The Sleep supplement is flavored with elderberry and peach — just the right notes borrowed from perennial favorite Sleepytime tea.

3. …the ingredients are top shelf…

Not only are they delicious (like, the-risk-of-eating-the-entire-jar-like-candy delicious), they manage to do so while being vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, low sugar, and without using artificial sweeteners or synthetic fillers.

Chan also notes that while there are two types of nootropics — synthetic (e.g. Adderall or Piracetam) and natural (e.g. coffee beans or L-Theanine, which is derived from tea leaves) — “No. 8 products only contain natural nootropics.”

4. …and the formulations are incredibly specific to the purpose of each gummy.

When we asked Chan to walk us through the hero ingredient in each of the four formulations, she delivered beyond our wildest dreams.

Sleep: “Formulated with a low dose of Melatonin and vitamin B6 to help deal with jet lag, irregular sleep habits, and anything else that keeps you up at night.”

Focus: “Formulated with Sharp-PS®, a plant-based form of phosphatidylserine derived from sunflower seeds to enhance memory and concentration.”

Energy: “Formulated with caffeine (from green tea) and L-Theanine to improve alertness without the jitters.”

Calm: “Formulated with Sensoril Ashwagandha to reduce symptoms of anxiety associated with stress.”

5. They’re not like the other supplements, they’re cool supplements.

And by “cool,” we mean intensely researched, extremely transparent, and wholly committed to ensuring results for anyone who uses No. 8. “At No. 8, we only use natural nootropics that have proven efficacy in randomized, double-blind clinical trials in healthy adult humans,” says Chan. Each formula is developed alongside No. 8’s Wellness Advisors, an impressive mix of neurosurgeons, neuropsychiatrist, and clinical Neuropsychologists, as well as biomedical literature the company makes readily available.

“This level of transparency was crucial to ensure customers [are] given as much information as possible to determine whether this is the right product for them,” says Chan.

6. Unlike a lot of supplements that focus only on physical results, No. 8 takes a holistic approach.

According to Chan, taking care of your mind should be as routine as brushing your teeth. “Brain health and mental health are interconnected. You can be eating the healthiest diet and exercising regularly, but if your connection to yourself is broken, it can manifest in physical and mental ailments,” she says. So incorporating scientifically-proven tools like nootropics and “thoughtful habits” into your daily routine can “measurably improve how [you] feel every single day.”

This is precisely why No. 8 is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where one of the main principles is that mind, emotion, spirit, and physical body “form a miraculously complex, interrelated system that is powered by life force or vital energy known as qi.”

7. They are the first to admit that No. 8 products alone can’t “cure” everything.

“[We] place so much emphasis on holistic educational content — daily habits that can minimize anxiety, ways we can slow down cognitive decline and memory loss, etc — [because] learning these tools can have a profound impact on how we are able to show up for ourselves and people we love,” says Chan.

“Self-care is different for each individual. No. 8 gummies are there to help enhance the healthy habits that [every individual] has cultivated.”