BENEO and Boehringer Ingelheim Develop a Food Supplement Especially for Endurance Athletes

Like the whole frubiase product range, frubiase SPORT Ausdauer is an instant drink. Palatinose is ideally suited for this: it is non-hygroscopic, it remains dry and dispersible even when stored for a long time and at high temperatures without lumping.

22 Jun 2010 --- Boehringer Ingelheim’s Product Manager, Bernhard Wiegratz, is happy for collaborations that create synergies, because they play a part in his employer’s continuing success. Boehringer Ingelheim researches, develops, produces and markets pharmaceuticals and food supplements on a global scale and is one of the twenty biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Its close co-operation with other companies also plays a significant role in creating innovations and added value. This was the case when Bernhard Wiegratz contacted BENEO with a new product idea just under two years ago. His goal was to produce a food supplement especially for endurance athletes within the long established brand, “frubiase”.

In the search for a suitable ingredient for his new product idea and when reading numerous specialist journals and conducting internet research, the functional carbohydrate, Palatinose (isomaltulose), caught the attention of Bernhard Wiegratz. Since its launch about four years ago, this low glycaemic source of energy has become established on the market and is already included in numerous products. It is particularly in the field of sports nutrition where the nutritional properties come into their own: the same energy as sucrose with a slower metabolisation guaranteeing prolonged energy and a blood sugar level which remains stable for a long time and rises only slightly. This is what makes the functional carbohydrate so interesting for endurance athletes.

For Bernhard Wiegratz, this was the ideal ingredient to expand the successful frubiase SPORT product range by adding a product especially for endurance athletes which not only replaces the athlete’s lost vitamins and minerals but also optimises energy supply during intensive endurance training. This is why he contacted BENEO in August 2008 to put his idea into action. “Mr. Wiegratz knew exactly what he wanted when he contacted us,” remembers BENEO’s Gerhard Fuchs. “He mainly asked questions about clinical studies and about the precise mechanism of Palatinose. It quickly became clear to him that he had found the right carbohydrate with Palatinose. We went on to support him with numerous studies in sports medicine and information about technological and nutritional properties so that he could also apply for approval to implement his product idea. Six months later, the product was on the market.”

Like the whole frubiase product range, frubiase SPORT Ausdauer is an instant drink. Palatinose is ideally suited for this: it is non-hygroscopic, it remains dry and dispersible even when stored for a long time and at high temperatures without lumping. The functional carbohydrate also dissolves quickly in water and has a mild sweetness. At the same time, its sweetness profile is comparable to sucrose but with slightly less sweetness. In addition, Palatinose also has antioxidative properties and so can further increase the long-term stability of products. This is particularly important for biologically active substances like vitamins and minerals.

“I am convinced that Palatinose provides the full package,” is what Bernhard Wiegratz says about the functional carbohydrate. “With regard to production engineering, it is really easy to handle. Furthermore, the nutritional properties fully meet the requirements of our athletic target group as Palatinose has been proven to provide prolonged energy as well as supporting an increased expenditure from  lipid storage. The staff at BENEO have given me expert support and advice during the development phase so we have been able to complete this project ahead of schedule.”

The German Sport University Cologne has also been closely involved in the development of frubiase SPORT Ausdauer to ensure that the requirements of the target group were met. When the product profile was being developed, intensive talks were held with experts from the German Sport University and a trial was carried out at an early phase of product development. This ensured that the product properties best met the requirements of endurance athletes.

Sixty-six percent of frubiase SPORT Ausdauer is made up of Palatinose. Per portion (40g), this amounts to approx. 26 grammes. When dissolved in half a litre of water and drunk before or during sport, it supplies muscles with prolonged energy. The reason for this special property lies in the biochemical composition of Palatinose: due to its very stable molecular bond, the functional carbohydrate is broken down gradually and energy in the form of glucose is transported little by little into the body cells. The blood sugar level is more constant after consuming Palatinose as metabolisation is smooth and slow and this is a vital requirement for endurance performance.

In addition to providing prolonged energy, Palatinose promotes fat oxidation. Various studies examined the effect of the functional carbohydrate on blood sugar and insulin levels, on free fatty acid content in blood and on energy produced from the body’s carbohydrate and  lipid storage. To do this, one of the things measured was the so-called respiratory quotient (RQ) which is the ratio of oxygen consumed to carbon dioxide released. The RQ has various values depending on the proportion of metabolised substrates (carbohydrate burning: 1, fat burning: 0.7). The result is that, with Palatinose and even when at rest, a considerably higher concentration of mobilised fatty acids could be measured in comparison to the control drink. A lower proportion of energy produced from carbohydrates was also recorded while the fat oxidation rate increased significantly.

In addition to Palatinose, frubiase SPORT Ausdauer contains a high dose and targeted combination of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. This ensures the body is replenished with what it has used up during sporting activities. When used as part of a balanced and varied diet, the lime-flavoured effervescent power can help cyclists, runners and triathletes to improve their performance.    

Trainers of the national marathon team, made up of the best marathon runners in Germany, also confirm that frubiase SPORT Ausdauer constitutes a strong product for the target group: “In endurance sport, it is not only preparation which makes the difference between winning or losing because, without a continual supply of energy, the best-trained body is not capable of achieving peak performance. This is why we recommend frubiase SPORT Ausdauer to our athletes. With the ideal combination of vitamins, minerals and trace elements and the innovative carbohydrate, Palatinose, it is perfectly suited for training and race events.”

frubiase SPORT Ausdauer has been on the market in Germany since February 2009 in a 440-gramme dose and is only available from pharmacies. Marketing is supported by extensive PR and marketing campaigns, including numerous marathon sponsorships and competitions. frubiase is also on the world wide web: in a blog on the website, www.frubiaseSPORT.de, amateur and professional athletes, runners and medical and training experts comment on all aspects of running, training, nutrition and sport.