Managing Blood Glucose Levels
Gencor shared news of its published double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial that backs its branded ingredient Gencinia, an extract of Coccinia Cordifolia, for managing blood glucose levels when used as part of a healthy diet. Published in the Phytomedicine Plus Journal, the study examined how Gencinia may impact blood glucose levels over 12 weeks. The trial included 48 prediabetic adults aged 27 to 73. The group received either 1,000mg/day of Gencinia or a placebo. Glucose metabolism markers were taken at baseline, week six, and week 12.
The finding at 12 weeks: There was a significant difference between the Gencinia-supplemented group and control group in fasting blood glucose levels and two hours post-prandial glucose levels. In a previous study, 1,000mg/day over 60 days improved fasting blood glucose and post-prandial levels in subjects aged 35-60 years.
“More and more people are turning to the natural products industry for blood glucose support, and Gencinia is a strong ingredient to help manage blood sugar levels,” R.V. Venkatesh, Gencor Co-founder. “We are happy with these results and plan to investigate further how natural ingredients can help manage glucose levels for improved well-being."
Improving Joint Health with MSM
Clinical research conducted in Japan revealed that OptiMSM, a branded Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) from Balchem Human Nutrition & Health, can support improvement in overall joint health and comfort relative to placebo. The results are seen even with a low dose of 2 grams per day. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, published in the scientific journal Nutrients, evaluated 88 healthy adults who were experiencing mild pain in the knee joint(s), and consumed 2g of OptiMSM or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. Study subjects were evaluated at 4, 8, and 12 weeks for pain and stiffness in the knees during daily life activities. Researchers assessed reports of pain when walking or when ascending or descending stairs, any variance in range of motion, and fluid build-up in the joints.
The finding: At the end of the 12 weeks, evaluations measured through the JKOM (Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure) scoring system showed significant reductions in morning pain, nocturnal pain, pain while standing, and overall health condition in the MSM group compared to the placebo group. Some of the benefits were seen earlier: Nocturnal pain and pain while standing were reduced after 8 weeks of MSM consumption.
“We are particularly excited about this study as it was the first carried out on healthy adults, and to highlight OptiMSM’s potential to be effective at just two grams per day,” said Eric Ciappio, Ph.D., RD, Strategic Development Manager and nutrition scientist for Balchem Human Nutrition & Health, in a press release. “We are fully committed to leading the way with industry-leading clinical studies, and this trial provides us with the confirmation that all the benefits reported from clinical and pre-clinical studies on patients with ostheoarthritis could be applied to healthy adults, changing the landscape of joint health formulations.”
Lauren Eisen, Strategic Marketing & BD Manager, added: “Joint health is a priority for people across multiple generations who are proactively seeking ways to ensure a good quality of life as they age. In addition, according to the World Health Organization by the end of the decade one in six people worldwide will be over 60, which presents the opportunity to prioritize staying active. High-quality, innovative ingredients like OptiMSM will play a pivotal role in joint health segment growth.”
Soothing Stress Levels with Ashwagandha
Sabinsa announced clinical findings on Shagandha, its branded 2.5% USP grade Ashwagandha root ingredient. In the 60-day double-blind, placebo-controlled study, which was published in the journal Medicine, 54 individuals were randomized and 50 completed the study. The finding: Shagandha (2.5% withanolides), with a 500mg once daily dose, can ease stress and anxiety by reducing morning salivary cortisol levels and increasing serotonin in healthy individuals with mild to moderate symptoms.
“The world’s population is living through extraordinarily stressful events, and many are turning to natural remedies to help them cope,” remarked Dr. Muhammed Majeed, Founder and Chairman of Sabinsa Corporation. “Just as we’ve seen with Curcumin C3 Complex, published clinical studies help both consumers and healthcare practitioners understand the safety and efficacy of standardized herbal extracts. This is just the most recent example of Sabinsa’s long history of conducting clinical studies on herbs to confirm and expand upon traditional knowledge of their benefits.”
Benefit of Proactive Bone Health Strategies
Findings published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research suggests that simple strategies to strengthen bones, implemented by healthy as well as at-risk populations, could lead to a substantial decrease in hip fractures. As Gnosis by Lesaffre shared, the researchers analyzed data from the Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study, which is one of the longest-running studies on osteoporosis in the world with more than 3,000 individuals aged 60+ tracked over time for fracture incidence and risk factors. Using that data, researchers found that between the first cohort in 1988–92 and the second in 1999–2001, bone mineral density (BMD) increased by 3% while there was a 45% decrease in hip fractures (a decline typically associated with a 10% rise in BMD).
Gnosis is spotlighting the findings because they show the importance of being proactive about supporting bone health and are indicative of how protecting against loss of BMD is critical to health and well-being. "At Gnosis, we offer clinically validated ingredients that support health and well-being on numerous fronts," says Xavier Berger, Global Market Manager. "From a bone-health perspective, our MenaQ7 Vitamin K2 as MK-7 is leading the charge."
Ahiflower Oil Replaces Key Tissue DHA in Mice Comparably to Marine DHA
A brain lipid research team at the University of Toronto determined that dietary Ahiflower (Buglossoides arvensis) oil forms newly synthesized omega-3 DHA and replaces it in key tissues like liver, adipose, and the brain in mice with comparable efficiency as from "preformed" marine-based DHA. The findings were published in published in the journal BBA - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids. The researchers concluded, “Our findings indicate that Ahiflower oil may be a useful plant-based dietary source for maintaining tissue DHA turnover comparably to dietary DHA.”
Outlining the findings in a press release, Natures Crops International, the exclusive worldwide producers of Ahiflower oil, explained that though dietary Ahiflower oil contains DHA, "it is efficiently forming DHA in the tissues in which the mammal body naturally makes it, stores it, or deploys it from plant-based ‘precursor’ omega-3’s to support key cell membrane, immune, and neurotransmitter functions. Due its highest-available omega-3 SDA (stearidonic acid) content, which bypasses a key rate-limiting step in the liver, this research indicates how regeneratively farmed Ahiflower oil can help in the overall societal challenge of overcoming recognized omega-3 deficiencies but without harm to marine ecosystems or reliance on genetically modified crops."
Study co-author Greg Cumberford, VP Science & Regulatory, Natures Crops International, said observed, “For many decades, consumers and practitioners have been told that all plant-based omega-3 sources convert ‘inefficiently’ to longer-chain DHA. This new research indicates that the story with Ahiflower oil is more nuanced. Even though dietary Ahiflower oil does not raise circulating DHA levels, it is clearly forming liver, adipose, and brain DHA quite efficiently in mice, with comparable efficiency as purified marine DHA."
Reducing Blood Alcohol Content
Results from a product test of Safety Shot show the patented beverage significantly reduces blood alcohol within 30 mMinutes compared to control. Study volunteers (males and females from a variety of ethnicities and races) were served alcohol for one hour, then asked to stop drinking for 30 minutes. Subject then went through a variety of sobriety tests and were given a breathalyzer to measure their blood alcohol content (BAC). Immediately following the tests, volunteers drank 6 oz. of Safety Shot; after 30 minutes the same sobriety tests were repeated. The control group participants were allowed to drink for at least one hour; after a wait of approximately five minutes, they rinsed their mouth with fresh water two times to ensure that there was no residual alcohol in the mouth and throat. Control participants then took a breathalyzer, waited at least 30 minutes without a drink, and took a second breathalyzer test.
The finding: The average reduction in percentage of BAC when Safety Shot was administered was 0.079% BAC/hour compared to 0.01% BAC/hour for the control group (which did not drink Safety Shot), with a statistically significant p-value of .02428. “The results of this volunteer study confirm the findings of a number of volunteer studies and clearly demonstrate that Safety Shot reduces blood alcohol content at a statistically significant level and did so at a much faster rate than the rate of people who did not drink Safety Shot,” said Dr. Glynn Wilson, Safety Shot Chief Scientific Officer. “While we are very pleased with these results, this was a small study in which volunteers were not very closely monitored. We have started a double-blinded placebo controlled clinical study in order to obtain a body of data that demonstrates the clinical benefits of Safety Shot for people who consume alcohol, as well as those that don’t, as its nootropic formula is designed to improve brain function and clarity for anyone who drinks it.”
A human clinical pilot study published in Antioxidants demonstrates that a new pharmacist-developed topical format, called Glutaryl, is a fast acting, non-invasive and effective way to replenish glutathione levels.
Replenishing Glutathione Levels with Topical Spray
Auro Wellness shared news of a human clinical pilot study published in Antioxidants that shows Glutaryl is a fast acting, non-invasive, and effective way to replenish glutathione levels. Glutathione is the body’s master antioxidant and plays an important role in detoxification.
In the placebo-controlled study (which was conducted at Western University of Health Sciences and led by Vishwanath Venketaraman, Ph.D.) 30 healthy participants received either topical glutathione (GSH) or a placebo. Subjects were sprayed four times twice a day for three days topically on the abdomen. Blood draws were collected prior to application, and at one, four, and 72 hours post-initial topical application.
Topical Glutaryl application was found to elevate cellular GSH levels at the 72-hour mark, as measured by four distinct cytokine markers; decreases in the oxidative stress marker MDA were also observed. Blood taken from participants was also inoculated with Mycobacterium avium (M. avium), a bacteria known to cause blood-based infections, the company reported. Results of this in vitro portion of the study demonstrated enhanced bacterial clearance at four hours and 72 hours after topical Glutaryl application.
Developed by a team led by pharmacist, researcher, and global glutathione expert Nayan Patel, PharmD, Glutaryl uses patented sub-nano absorption technology. “Most glutathione supplements available are capsules and liposomal liquids," Dr. Patel explains. "As soon as they go through your mouth to your digestive system, your stomach breaks down the protein into various amino acids. Glutaryl delivers glutathione intact through your skin.” For more from Dr. Patel, view his educational session Brain Fog and Blue Moods: How To Detox Your Body To Boost Your Brain Function from the Naturally Informed event Stress and Mental Wellness: Mastering the Market, available to view on demand.
Improving Skin Barrier Strength with Tomato Extract
Lycored’s Lumenato contains protective qualities that improve the skin barrier, collagen, and ceramide condition after 12 weeks of daily supplementation, according to research published in Dermatologic Therapy. The branded ingredient, which is sourced from Lycored’s golden tomatoes, is made up of colorless carotenoids (beta-carotene, zeta-carotene, phytoene, and phytofluene) and healthy lipids for a synergistic effect that creates an ideal microenvironment for skin structure support, the company says. A healthy skin barrier function is needed to keep harmful external elements like pollution or bacteria away, as well as for improving moisture retention and trans epidermal water loss (TEWL).
About the study: Subjects included 59 healthy women aged 35-55 of varying ethnicities (Caucasian, Latino) and skin types (II, III, IV). The women had a baseline TEWL of ≥12G/M2/Hr and were split into two groups to receive Lumenato soft gel capsules (10mg total carotenoids) or placebo for 12 weeks, daily. Results showed significant improvements over the placebo across skin barrier strength, firmness, and elasticity. The supplement group saw a 10.4% reduction in TEWL, and skin barrier strength improved by 59.9%, meaning more resilient, supple and radiant skin. Skin firmness and elasticity also improved by 9.34%, and 11.6%, respectively. Lycored said this visible through a decrease in fine lines, wrinkles, and skin sagging. For more on science from Lycored: Wellness & Beauty from the Inside Out
“The benefits of Lumenato start on the inside and work their way to the skin’s surface," said Elizabeth Tarshish, Ph.D., Head of Claims and Clinical Affairs, Lycored. "It not only improves internal systems like collagen and ceramide protection but ripples outward to the skin barrier for skin radiance and glow. Since a majority of the population deals with skin barrier disturbances during winter or summer, we’re pleased to learn that this unique carotenoid formulation is promising to support health and enhance beauty from within after only three months.”
Tracking Hygiene Before vs. After the Pandemic
In a study conducted by Xlear and Spry, 41% of respondents on LinkedIn and 39% on Instagram said they only wash their sinuses when they’re sick. That led the company to question: If our upper airways are a launchpad for infection and transmission of bacteria and viruses to others, why are we not rinsing our sinuses daily? Irrigating the nose and sinuses has proven efficacy against sickness, reducing symptoms and shortening symptom duration.
Xlear and Spry also sought out data on oral care, and found that 100% of respondents on X (formerly Twitter) and 92% on LinkedIn share that they are more adamant about their oral care after the pandemic, whether that be brushing, flossing, or using other oral care products such as xylitol-based gum or mints.
Easing Mild Hypertension with Aged Black Garlic Extract
The blood pressure balancing effect of Pharmactive Biotech Products SLU’s ABG10+ has been confirmed in a clinical study. The randomized, triple-blind controlled trial, published in Nutrients, involved 81 volunteers with Stage 1 hypertension and who were already on blood pressure-reducing medication. Over a 12-week period, subjects received 250mg of ABG10+ daily, which provided 0.25mg of S-allyl cysteine (SAC), or a placebo. No changes were made to diet or lifestyle; subjects were instructed to continue taking their blood pressure medication. The finding: Aged Black Garlic (ABG10+) supplementation helped better control blood pressure levels, with reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure of 1.8 mmHg and 1.5 mmHg, respectively. In addition, ABG10+ supplementation may boost the release of nitric oxide and increase the body’s antioxidant capacity. ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) activity seemed to be reduced, according to Pharmactive, and lower blood uric acid levels also were observed.
NR Supplementation on Individuals with Parkinson’s
ChromaDex Corp. shared results of a phase I randomized, double-blind clinical study analyzing the safety of high-dose nicotinamide riboside (NR) supplementation on individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study was part of the ChromaDex External Research Program (CERP), which donated the company's patented NR ingredient Niagen, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) precursor, for the advancement of the research. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications,
The finding: Supplementing individuals with PD with high-dose (3,000 mg daily) Niagen NR was short-term safe, greatly increased whole blood NAD+ levels, augmented the NAD+ metabolome, and was associated with a significant clinical improvement, ChromaDex reported.
“Results of this study build on previous research conducted by our lab, demonstrating that oral NR therapy increases NAD+ levels in the brain of individuals with PD and this is associated with ameliorated brain metabolism and mild clinical improvement,” said Prof. Charalampos Tzoulis, Professor of Neurology and Neurogenetics, Director of the K.G Jebsen Center for Translational Research in Parkinson’s disease, and Co-Director of the Neuro-SysMed Research Center, University of Bergen and Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. “Abnormal energy metabolism due to dysfunction in the mitochondria has been linked to PD and is believed to play a role in the initiation and progression of the disease. Our previous findings have nominated NR as a potential disease-modifying therapy for PD, which will not only target and rectify disease-specific processes, but may also optimize neuronal metabolism and fortify neurons, rendering them more resilient against age-related stress and neurodegeneration. However, to harness the full therapeutic potential of NR, we need to explore higher dose regimens. This study establishes the short-term safety of 3,000 mg NR daily and allows the clinical community to explore high-dose options in future therapeutic trials. As for conclusive proof on the therapeutic potential of NR in PD, we look forward to the results from our year-long NO-PARK phase II/III study on 400 persons with PD, which is already ongoing at our Center, and estimated to conclude by the end of 2024.”
Public information on the NO-PARK study can be viewed at neuro-sysmed.no and at www.clinicaltrials.gov.
“PD affects more than 10 million people worldwide,” noted Rob Fried, CEO of ChromaDex. “This research not only demonstrates the safety and tolerability of high-dose Niagen NR but also highlights its ability to significantly increase NAD+ levels and potentially improve the clinical severity of PD."
Boosting Mood with Prebiotic Chicory Root Fiber
Intake of the prebiotic dietary fiber oligofructose, alone or in combination with the human milk oligosaccharide 2’fucosyllactose, has been shown to promote a significant increase in Bifidobacteria in the gut, according to a press release from BENEO. The company said this can result in substantial improvements in mood in healthy adults with mild to moderate feelings of anxiety and depression.
In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-designed study, 92 healthy subjects with mild to moderate levels of anxiety and depression were split into four groups of 23 and given either 8g of oligofructose plus 2g of maltodextrin per day, 8g of oligofructose plus 2g of 2’fucosyllactose per day, 2g of 2’fucosyllactose plus 8g of maltodextrin per day, or 10g of maltodextrin per day.
The findings, which are published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: At the end of the four-week intervention period, participants taking the prebiotic oligofructose on its own, or in combination with 2’fucosyllactose, experienced significant increases in beneficial gut bacteria, including Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Roseburia and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, compared to the control group. The groups taking oligofructose also significantly outperformed the control group in improvements in several mood state parameters.
BENEO offers the prebiotic chicory root fiber Orafti Oligofructose, which is natural, non-GMO, and clean label.
Innovating Next-Gen Sports & Recreational Rehydration
New clinical research conducted by Monash University shows that two amino acid formulations from Entrinsic Bioscience (EBS) successfully protected the GI barrier during exercise-induced heat stress and provided faster recovery from "leaky gut." EBS said the study demonstrates the potential for next-generation sports and rehydration beverages, powered by the company's Ultra-Hydrating HeatDefense formula. This formula promotes dual action rapid rehydration with new levels of heat protection during sports, physical exertion, and high heat stress, the company explained. In addition, the formula harnesses the power of eight times the number of electrolyte transporters, resulting in more complete and faster rehydration, EBS reported, adding that the formula will provide consumers superior electrolyte and water absorption with increased heat protection, immune support, and inflammation reduction during exertional heat stress.
"This is the first study to demonstrate the meaningful impact our Ultra-Hydrating HeatDefense formula can have for consumers of sports and functional beverages," said Neil Fawkes, M.D. "They provide new, targeted GI benefits and protection while simultaneously addressing the need for rapid rehydration."
Dr. Fawkes added: "It has been proven in multiple clinical studies that physical exertion and heat stress can lead to dehydration, gastrointestinal damage and increased intestinal permeability which allows the leakage of harmful bacteria directly into the bloodstream, fueling systemic inflammation and other performance-reducing side effects."
Improving Dental Health with an Oral Probiotic
Th oral probiotic BLIS M18 (S. salivarius M18) has been shown to promote dental health among various age groups, according to Blis Technologies Limited. The company said the findings underscore the potential of BLIS M18 as an oral probiotic for improving the health of teeth and gums.
One clinical trial, published in the journal Nutrients, involved 61 young adults (aged 18-25). There was significant improvements in gum health markers after a four-week intervention with BLIS M18, including noticeable enhancements in oral hygiene levels and reduced gingival bleeding, the company shared. In a second, year-long study that published in Paediatric Dentistry and Dental Prophylaxis, 90 preschoolers with dental caries repeated 3-month applications of BLIS M18. The result: substantial improvements in oral health indicators, including reductions in caries and gingivitis indices.
"We're excited about the implications of these latest studies, further substantiating the role of BLIS M18™ in oral health improvement," said Chief Technology Officer, John Hale, in a press release. "The findings reflect a further step forward in validating the efficacy of BLIS M18 as an effective oral probiotic supplement for teeth and gum health."
