Green Compass Her Jelly

In clinic the majority of my patients are in the midst of perimenopause and menopause. The approach is multipronged in these years and having many tools in the toolbox can be so important. The hormone shifts are inevitable — whether you’re navigating PMS in your 30s, perimenopause in your 40s, or the full transition of menopause in your 50s. The rollercoaster can bring mood swings, sleep disruption, nausea, hot flashes, headaches, and brain fog. Green Compass’s Her CBDA Nano Jellies were formulated to target these exact challenges — and the science behind them is impressive.

Let’s do a deep dive and look at how each ingredient works.

CBDA: Cannabinoid for Serotonin, Stress, and Inflammation

Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) is the raw, unheated precursor to CBD. Unlike CBD, which primarily modulates endocannabinoid tone, CBDA has a direct effect on serotonin (5-HT1A) receptors.

  • Anti-inflammatory: CBDA inhibits COX-2 enzymes, a pathway similar to NSAIDs, reducing pain and inflammatory signaling.

  • Anti-nausea: Through serotonin receptor modulation, CBDA has been shown to reduce nausea and vomiting more potently than CBD in preclinical studies.

  • Stress and Sleep: By enhancing serotonin tone, CBDA decreases stress reactivity and can promote more restorative sleep.

  • Hormonal Headaches & Brain Fog: Its dual action on inflammation and serotonin may explain why CBDA helps reduce migraine frequency and cognitive haze tied to hormonal shifts.

Think of CBDA as the hormone-support hemp compound your body didn’t know it was waiting for.

5-HTP: Direct Serotonin Support

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is the immediate precursor to serotonin, bypassing the complicated tryptophan metabolic pathway that often gets diverted under stress or inflammation.

  • Mood Regulation: By feeding serotonin synthesis directly, 5-HTP supports emotional stability and reduces irritability.

  • Sleep: Serotonin is the precursor to melatonin, so 5-HTP provides the foundation for circadian balance.

  • Hormone Crosstalk: Adequate serotonin tone helps regulate gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which cascades into estrogen and progesterone balance.

Clinical pearl: While many herbs regulate how serotonin is used, 5-HTP actually increases the serotonin available to begin with.

Ginger Root: Gut-Brain Relief

Hormone fluctuations often hit the gut first — nausea, bloating, and discomfort. Ginger root extract works at the level of 5-HT3 serotonin receptors in the gut, calming nausea signals before they spiral.

  • Nausea Relief: Especially effective for serotonin-triggered nausea during perimenopause and menopause.

  • Anti-inflammatory: Ginger dampens pro-inflammatory cytokines, complementing CBDA’s COX-2 inhibition.

  • Systemic Wellness: Its antioxidant activity supports resilience during hormonal transitions.

Chaste Berry: Hormonal Rhythm Stabilizer

Chaste berry (Vitex agnus-castus) has been used for centuries in women’s health. Modern research shows it acts on the pituitary gland, influencing prolactin levels and nudging estrogen/progesterone balance toward stability.

  • Hormone Balance: Supports luteal phase progesterone and reduces PMS or perimenopausal hormone swings.

  • Mood Swings: Stabilizes the estrogen-progesterone fluctuations that drive irritability.

  • Hot Flashes & Night Sweats: Traditional and clinical data support Vitex’s role in easing menopausal vasomotor symptoms.

Vitex is essentially a gentle conductor for the hormonal orchestra, keeping rhythm steady while other players do their work.

Vitamin B6: The Neurotransmitter Cofactor

Vitamin B6 is more than just an energy vitamin — it is an essential cofactor in neurotransmitter synthesis.

  • Converts 5-HTP → serotonin (crucial for this formula to work).

  • Helps convert dopamine → norepinephrine and glutamate → GABA, supporting both focus and calm.

  • Reduces PMS symptoms like mood swings and brain fog by optimizing neurotransmitter function.

Note: Some people need the active form (P5P), but most tolerate pyridoxine well at this dosage.

The Synergy Effect

The beauty in this formula isn’t in single ingredients, but in how they interact:

  • CBDA makes serotonin receptors more responsive.

  • 5-HTP ensures there’s plenty of serotonin available.

  • Vitamin B6 converts 5-HTP into usable serotonin.

  • Ginger prevents serotonin-related gut upset.

  • Chaste Berry smooths hormonal rhythms that influence serotonin stability.

Together, they cover neurotransmitter regulation, hormone stabilization, inflammation reduction, and gut-brain balance — the four pillars of hormonal well-being.

Why This Matters, by Decade

  • 30s: Stress resilience + PMS support (irritability, cramps, cycle-related mood changes).

  • 40s: Perimenopausal hormone swings — hot flashes, irritability, brain fog, and disrupted sleep.

  • 50s: Menopausal transition — hot flashes, night sweats, mood instability, joint inflammation.

And, two notes on this.

If you are on SSRI’s (serotonin reuptake inhibitors) such as meds like Zoloft or Celexa you will most likely want to avoid this product as the 5-htp can cause too much serotonin to circulate in the body. You could go straight CBDA if you want more support there!

If you are on progesterone hormone therapy vitex is an ingredient to be mindful of. It’s not contraindicated. Vitex naturally influences pituitary signaling, nudging estrogen/progesterone balance. Most women tolerate it fine, but in some cases it could slightly alter cycle patterns, spotting.

Tara Woodland