American River Nutrition eyes structure-function claims for annatto tocotrienol following bone loss study

11 Jan 2022 --- A US study has revealed American River Nutrition’s annatto tocotrienol supplements may be able to keep bone loss at bay in post-menopausal women.

The results highlighted individuals who took the supplement had significantly higher tocotrienol levels and metabolites. The supplement is described to “keep bone loss at bay” via suppression of inflammation and oxidative stress.

“This is the first time that annatto tocotrienol was shown to globally affect the nutritional biochemistry in the human body, rather than treat a condition, as was the focus of prior studies,” says Dr. Barrie Tan, president of American River Nutrition. 

“This is the type of study structure-function claims are built upon, a Holy Grail in the dietary supplement industry that’s nearly impossible to reach.”The study has been described as a “Holy Grail” of the dietary supplement industry. 

Improving nutritional biochemistry?
The study was carried out in collaboration between Texas Tech University, University of California, Davis and Georgia State University.

“Annatto tocotrienol resets the body’s nutritional metabolism and redirects endogenous nutrient biochemistry. This study shows an unambiguous nutritional benefit of tocotrienol to everyone, especially for adults and post-menopausal women,” highlights Tan.

According to the findings published in Frontiers in Nutrition, annatto tocotrienol had a positive effect on nutritional biochemistry. Women in the treatment group had restructured biomembranes and modified phospholipid metabolism. This supports anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation, notes the study. 

“The present study supports our previous findings that tocotrienol supplementation helps reduce bone loss in post-menopausal osteopenic women by suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress,” says lead researcher Dr. Leslie Shen, Texas Tech University health sciences center. 

“In the 12-week trial, annatto tocotrienol supplementation resulted in significant metabolic changes, including modification of metabolites associated with the redox environment. Importantly, tocotrienol conserved methionine to increase cysteine and glutathione and decreased homocysteine,” the research notes.

767 biochemicals detected
The 12-week study used DeltaGold at a dosage of 600 mg per day, compared to a placebo. A total of 89 post-menopausal women were involved in the research. 

Scientists carried out metabolomic profiling, described as a systematic screening approach for evaluating the metabolic response to nutritional intervention. 

The study detected a total of 767 structurally named biochemicals and categorized them into six major categories, including amino acids, cofactors and vitamins, lipids, nucleotides, peptides and xenobiotics.The item appears to help prevent bone less in post-menopausal women. 

Growing tocotrienol research
Tocotrienol is found in vitamin E, which is a family of eight separate but related molecules. There are four tocopherols: alpha, beta, gamma and delta, as well as four tocotrienols: alpha, beta, gamma and delta.

“While alpha-tocopherol is found in most multivitamins and is supplemented in foods, a growing base of evidence suggests that vitamin E interferes with the uptake and function of tocotrienols. Tocotrienols are derived from three major sources, including annatto, palm and rice,” notes American River Nutrition. 

Tan previously told NutritionInsight that despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact across supply chains and finances, long-term investment in R&D is a “must” so as to take advantage of the opportunities posed by increased consumer interest in preventative health. 

Experts across industry previously spotlighted opportunities in post-menopausal women as a market ready for innovation. 

Research on tocotrienol revealed it exerts its protective effect on the brain via a novel pathway that involves both antioxidant and non-antioxidant functions.

By Andria Kades