The new Stasis Kids range includes separate daytime and nighttime formulas for children taking prescription stimulants. The nighttime product contains L-theanine, magnesium glycinate and other nutrients, with melatonin available separately for parents who want to use it.
Dan Freed, founder and CEO of Stasis and Thesis, said the idea came from conversations with parents who were familiar with the adult range.
They were looking for support at particular points in their children’s day, he said, especially in the late afternoon and at bedtime.
The company decided against adapting its adult formula. Instead, it developed two products, one intended to support calm and mood during the day and another for relaxation and sleep at night.
Ingredient selection and research
The nighttime blend includes magnesium glycinate, zinc, L-theanine, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. The daytime formula contains 300 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha, 200 mg of L-theanine and 30 mg of saffron, along with vitamin D3, vitamin B12 and selenium.
Freed said the company looked for ingredients with research involving children, rather than relying entirely on studies conducted in adults.
That influenced its choice of ashwagandha. Stasis used KSM-66 instead of the extract in its adult supplement because of an eight-week placebo-controlled pediatric study at the same 300 mg daily dose.
But Freed was careful about what those studies could establish.
“Ingredient-level evidence tells you each piece is reasonable. It doesn’t prove the finished product works, and I don’t think anyone should claim it does.”
The company has surveyed families using an earlier version of the product and is conducting further research on the current formulation. Freed did not share results from those studies.
Stasis also worked with a consultant specializing in children’s supplements to review the ingredient combinations and doses. Freed said the process involved considering the differences between younger children and teenagers, rather than treating them as a single age group.
The company said it checks doses against National Institutes of Health upper intake limits and uses third-party testing to assess active ingredients and contaminants.
Drawing the line on medication claims
Although the supplements are intended for children taking stimulants, Freed said Stasis does not claim they treat ADHD or reduce medication side effects.
“We don’t say it treats or prevents ADHD. We don’t compare it to medication, and we don’t claim it offsets medication side effects.”
He said the company encourages parents to speak to their child’s doctor before using the products and makes its ingredient doses and supporting research available for those conversations.
“On pediatricians, they know the child and we don’t,” Freed said. “We tell every parent to talk to their child’s doctor before starting.”
