Curcumin and green coffee extract “immensely valued” for muscle injury repair, finds Zeus Hygia study

16 Nov 2021 --- Zeus Hygia’s green coffee extract and curcumin antioxidant formulation Gremin has been found to accelerate muscle injury repair. The blend is positioned as a performance ingredient in the sports nutrition segment across all age groups.

“Gremin is better in the resolution of skeletal muscle injury as compared to the simple physical mixture of curcumin extract and green coffee bean extract,” state the authors of the mouse study.

The researchers believe that the cytoprotective effects they observed in this study are exerted by the synergistic effects of both curcumin and chlorogenic acid (the major active of green coffee bean extract).

According to the study authors, while curcumin and green coffee have been shown to have beneficial effects individually, there were no previous studies to examine the synergistic effects of these compounds at an optimized ratio.Zeus Hygia focuses on locating and introducing previously undiscovered Indian herbs and extracts. 

Synergistic properties
Gremin was developed by embedding herbal extracts in a hydrophilic matrix system to ensure optimal efficacy and therapeutic benefits. It aims to deliver synergistic anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to support improving stamina and endurance through accelerating recovery and healing.

“Muscle repair and regeneration is a priority for athletes and active individuals who rely on being physically fit,” says Shankaranarayanan Jeyakodi, Zeus Hygia co-founder and one of the study authors.

The sports nutrition industry can play a major role here, with Innova Market Insights spotlighting the market potential. Notably, about 10% of US consumers purchase sports nutrition on a grocery shopping trip, with about 40% saying they have increased purchases of the category in the past year.

Limited options?
However, Jeyakodi continues that there are limited natural remedies for most common muscle soreness due to overuse and minor injuries during regular exercises or workouts. 

“Apart from vigorous exercise, even regular walking, jogging and other physical activities may also cause muscle soreness or injuries. Chronic inflammation may lead to the destruction of muscles.”

The study authors also write that there are few treatment options for muscle injury aside from symptomatic treatment. “In this study, we have demonstrated that a supplement of Gremin is highly beneficial for muscle injury treatment and could be of immense value for post-injury rehabilitation.”

Testing four groups
The study, which is now published in the Journal of Nutraceuticals and Food Science, used a mouse model of BaCl2-induced muscle injury to the right tibialis anterior (TA) muscles while the left TA muscle served as a contralateral control.

The subjects were divided into four groups of six mice – vehicle control, BaCl2 control, Gremin and reference compound. All except the vehicle were administered with BaCl2 injection to induce muscle injury. Gremin uses a platform technology wherein natural extracts are embedded into a core matrix to offer enhanced physio-chemical and in vivo characteristics.

The BaCl2-induced muscle injury model is the commonly accepted locally specific method for the study of muscle regeneration.

Gremin and the reference compound were administered at a dose of 200 mg per kg body weight daily for up to 17 days. The researchers assessed biochemical markers TNF-α, creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). 

Indicating muscle recovery
Results showed that those in the Gremin group exhibited reduced levels of LDH and CK enzyme biomarkers, indicating muscle recovery.

Gremin has also undergone a clinical study in healthy individuals, exhibiting “very promising” results. The study data is currently in the publication process with a peer-reviewed journal.

In May, Zeus Hygia also unveiled its patent-pending BioSolve Technology, which offers higher bioavailability for active ingredients by using food-grade encapsulating excipients. 

Edited by Katherine Durrell