Keen on kiwis: Pharmactive elevates vegan sports nutrition with new extract ingredient

17 Jan 2023 --- Botanical and nutraceutical ingredient producer Pharmactive Biotech Products is introducing the KWD+ kiwi extract, positioning the ingredient across three key health demographics – sports enthusiasts, the elderly and vegans.

"The main challenge we faced was to obtain a natural and abundant source to help us develop an effective, versatile and useful protease for different audiences and applications. After multiple investigations, we concluded that Kiwi offers everything we were looking for,” Carlos Rodriguez, communication manager of Pharmactive Biotech Products, tells NutritionInsight.

KWD+, extracted from Actinidia deliciosa, has natural capabilities that promote protein digestion. The product is aimed at consumers who experience digestion or absorption problems or who struggle to reach the recommended protein intake.

Source of nutrients
Kiwi fruit, also called the Chinese gooseberry, is a tart, plum-sized berry packed with nutrients, such as vitamin C.

It has high antioxidant activity and a positive effect on digestion, which is attributed to the natural presence of actinidin, an enzyme that helps break down proteins and enhances their absorption.

The kiwis used in KWD+ are sourced from traditionally cultured kiwi fruits in New Zealand and manufactured at a GMP-approved facility in Spain. Pharmactive Biotech Products applies proprietary technology which concentrates the proteolytic enzymes five-fold more than fresh kiwi fruit. 

“Taking advantage of the traditional knowledge of this fruit that they have in New Zealand, we began an internal process of searching for the varieties of kiwifruit richest in protease, and from there, we developed our extract. In addition, the entire manufacturing process is controlled in our facilities and is GMP certified as well as other quality and environmental management certifications,” says Rodriguez.The extract promotes improved protein harnessing for sports professionals.

KWD+ is standardized to at least 0.15% actinidin, and 0.1% Aktinnamics, a set of characteristic kiwi antioxidants, mainly phenolic compounds, that have shown anti-inflammatory properties in vitro and in vivo, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. 

“The standardization of the actives in KWD+ allows us to establish a precise dosage to improve the digestion of some proteins difficult to digest, for example, gluten, soy protein, or beef muscle,” explains Alberto Espinel, director of IP & Open Innovation at Pharmactive. 

“Vegetarians and vegans can use the benefits of KWD+ to increase the biologic value of vegetable proteins and get more out of less.”

Beyond its ability to improve protein digestion, kiwi fruit also is believed to help gut function, gently improving motility while preventing discomforts during digestion, such as bloating or even pain. This is due to the inhibitory action of Aktinnamics on pro-inflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α.

Harnessing actinidin
The actinidin concentration of KWD+ is five times higher in KWD+ than in kiwifruit, which increases digestion in the stomach and small intestine. This proteolytic effect transforms complex proteins into simpler peptides, which may be associated with increased protein absorption.

Both animal models and bench studies have supported actinidin’s ability to improve the digestion of proteins in the stomach and small intestine, converting them into more digestible protein fractions called peptides.

In the sports nutrition arena, KWD+ could be instrumental in promoting a better harnessing of proteins among sports professionals and highly active adults. 

This could reduce excessive protein intake, especially among those involved in high-powered physical disciplines, such as powerlifting and bodybuilding.KWD+ could decrease excessive protein intake for people who practice high-powered physical disciplines such as bodybuilding (Credit: Pharmactive Biotech Products). 

KWD+ helps make the most of the proteins a sportsperson ingests to improve muscle recovery. “The assimilation of these proteins is faster and more efficient so that we can reduce the amount of protein ingested in the diet,” says Rodriguez.

In some sporting disciplines, a very high protein intake is often an essential nutrient for muscle recovery. It is common to use protein supplements that exceed the recommended daily dose of this macronutrient, even for those who perform these physical disciplines, which has been associated with intestinal discomfort, indigestion, dehydration, nausea, irritability and headaches.

“KWD+ may promote better use of proteins, improving their absorption, and probably reducing excessive protein intake and improving recovery,” Rodriquez explains. The product can be added to post-workout protein bars and shakes.

Pharmactive’s kiwi extract also targets aging populations as a means of helping support the maintenance of muscle mass. “People in their forties and older, especially women, can lose up to 1-2% muscular mass each year due to the gradual decline in protein absorption that unfortunately comes with aging,” asserts Jean-Marie Raymond, CEO of Pharmactive. 

KWD+ also can appeal to vegans who commonly find it difficult to achieve recommended protein intakes. This is mainly due to the lower bioavailability of many plant proteins. Common vegan protein sources, such as tofu, have a 64% bioavailability. 

The product merges into a range of galenic formulations, including soft gels, syrups, and powders and can be integrated into food and beverage applications. Pharmactive recommends a daily dose of 300 mg for daily maintenance of digestive well-being and 600 mg before a heavy meal. KWD is doping-free certified and also carries kosher and halal certifications.

By Inga de Jong