Ingredients by Nature touts the power of citrus flavonoids in prediabetes and healthy aging

09 May 2024 --- Amid growing rates of diabetes and prediabetes, Ingredients by Nature spotlights the potential of its patented Eriomin supplement to maintain healthy blood glucose levels, insulin sensitivity, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) levels and prediabetic gut microbiota. Eriomin is a citrus flavonoid blend composed of Eriocitrin — a flavonoid found in lemons and oranges — and the bioflavonoids hesperidin and naringin. 

Nutrition Insight discusses the potential of the supplement and its scientific support with two representatives of Ingredients by Nature, Doug Lynch and Dr. Thais Cesar. 

“We’re fortunate because the company that we represent has been talking about the benefits of citrus bioflavonoids since the 1930s,” highlights Lynch.

“Furthermore, we’re the company showing through multiple clinical trials that we have efficacy. It’s very unusual for an ingredient company to have one human clinical trial, much less three and a fourth on the way. The fact that we have the clinical trials is a major plus.”

Dr. Cesar, who has led these clinical trials and is a scientific adviser to the company, explains that trials have shown anti-inflammatory benefits as “the flavonoids contained in Eriomin are potent antioxidants that combat oxidative stress.” 

“They can be used in multiple conditions, especially the metabolic conditions and syndromes, such as prediabetes and obesity.”

Healthy aging 
The latest research on Ingredients by Nature’s Eriomin indicates its potential to support liver function and the aging liver based on the ingredient’s anti-inflammatory properties. 

The study, published in the BioFactors Journal, evaluated the impact of Eriomin four weeks of supplementation on the liver of elderly rats. This organ is highly susceptible to the oxidative processes of aging. 

The findings suggest a substantial and beneficial antioxidant potential of lemon flavanones in aging livers by highlighting Eriomin’s ability to modulate redox regulators in the liver, alleviate oxidative stress and reduce persulfidation levels. This mechanism regulates diverse biological processes. 

At the recent Natural Products Expo West, we talked to Doug Lynch and Dr. Thais Cesar from Ingredients by Nature.More specifically, Eriomin supplementation enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the liver, including glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and catalytic glutamate-cysteine ligase. In addition, the supplement helped increase the activity of a nuclear transcription factor critical in cellular defense against oxidative stress and maintaining redox homeostasis — a balance of reactive oxygen species generation and elimination. 

“Eriomin has exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in both young and adult animals and humans,” highlights Dr. Cesar. 

“Inflammation linked to the aging process (inflammaging) is damaging and a major risk factor and marker for serious age-related conditions. Longevity is an exciting and rapidly growing area for nutraceuticals, and as such, we wanted to assess Eriomin’s effectiveness in the aging process.”

Prediabetes management 
Dr. Cesar and Lynch underscore the potential of Eriomin in prediabetes. Recently, a clinical trial with prediabetes patients showed that gut microbiota changes promoted by the supplement were related to a lower glycemic level and increased GLP-1 production. 

Participants were randomly divided into two groups, receiving either a capsule of Eriomin (200 mg/day) or a placebo for 12 weeks. 

“After three months, we saw an improvement in the glucose levels in the blood by decreasing glucose levels, while insulin sensitivity increased,” explains Dr. Cesar. “That’s very important for people with prediabetes because they don’t have diabetes yet, but if they don’t treat it, they are going to develop the disease.” 

“Another significant discovery was that the levels of GLP-1, a hormone produced by the intestine cells, increased.”

The researchers found a 6% decrease of hyperglycemia — when blood glucose levels are too high — and a 22% increase of GLP-1 blood levels. 

Moreover, the profile of intestinal microorganisms showed changes in gut microbiota composition, reducing the growth of microorganisms associated with intestinal dysbiosis and increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria. 

Dr. Cesar adds: “Currently, we are working with some patients being treated with a common drug called Metformin. We are doing this fourth clinical trial, combining this classic medication with Eriomin. We want to see how Eriomin can contribute to this medical treatment to provide more patient benefits.” 

Eriomin supplementation reduced blood glucose levels and increased GLP-1 in prediabetic patients in three months.GLP-1 agonists 
Lynch underscores that with the high rates of prediabetes in the US, solutions to target the condition are crucial. “Finding natural solutions to these problems will be a constant driver in this industry.”

“One in three adults in the US are prediabetic. This is not a disease; it’s the gateway to a disease. And if 33% of us have that status of prediabetes, it’s not a disease, it’s a natural state.”

“The US government issued us a patent saying that we boosted GLP-1 levels, and we have multiple trials showing that as well as anti-inflammatory benefits,” he continues. “All these things together create a compelling message to consumers that the science here is top-notch.”

Lynch notes that the company benefits from “powerful pharmaceutical companies spending billions of dollars to promote why GLP-1 is an important mechanism to talk about.” 

Although traditionally a diabetes medication, GLP-1 agonists are increasingly being heralded for their weight loss benefits. Research has also linked the medicines to cardiovascular health benefits. 

At the same time, industry experts caution that the weight loss benefits of these medications are temporary as consumers stop taking the drug due to high costs. 

Instead, some companies are highlighting their natural solutions to weight loss. For example, Ayana Bio will develop plant cell-derived saffron to support the spice’s potential in weight management, highlighting that supplement companies increasingly look for products with activity for GLP-1 in the Ozempic trend. 

By Jolanda van Hal