“Missing puzzle piece” in joint health: Bioiberica unveils research on Mobilee at Vitafoods Europe 2021

06 Oct 2021 --- Bioiberica is sharing new scientific backing for its joint health ingredient, Mobilee, at Vitafoods Europe 2021. The research adds to a body of evidence supporting that Mobilee – a hyaluronic acid (HA) matrix ingredient – can improve biomarkers of joint health conditions such as osteoarthritis. 

Speaking to NutritionInsight from the show floor, Bioiberica’s head of human and animal health R&D unit Daniel Martinez Puig, explains the findings elucidate why Mobilee is so useful for joint health treatments. 

“This study was very focussed on synovial fluid. It helps us explain why the product has been helping alleviate so much discomfort in joint pain in human subjects.” 

“This is mechanistic information,” says Martinez Puig. “We have already seen improved mobility and muscle function, but we needed to find out a bit more about how it works in terms of synovial fluid and increasing the concentration of HA.” 

Discovering how to increase HA concentrations is essential as they are responsible for the viscosity of joints and can help avoid friction between joint surfaces. 

The Bioiberica team at Vitafoods Europe 2021.Testing Mobilee’s efficacy
The randomized, double-blind study was conducted on 55 dogs after receiving joint surgery. A control group was given a placebo, and a second group was orally administered the Mobilee supplement for ten weeks following surgery. 

Synovial fluid samples were obtained before surgery and at 10 weeks postoperatively to measure key biomarkers of osteoarthritis, including HA, haptoglobin, nitric oxide and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1). 

The findings show that Mobilee “significantly improved” biomarkers of osteoarthritis in the group that received the supplement. After 10 weeks, there was also a significant increase in HA concentration in the synovial fluid and a decrease in PON-1 concentrations compared to baseline. 

The company says the findings represent a “significant breakthrough” in the management of joint health conditions. 

Humans and animals alike 
Martinez Puig explains that the study examined Mobilee’s effectiveness on dogs since their joint structure is a good model for humans. 

“What happens in dogs is similar to humans. However, we also want to improve the health of dogs and in vetenerial health. Many pet owners whose dogs had suffered trauma were asking for better joint health treatment at vetenerial hospitals, and we wanted to answer this call,” he says. 

Vanessa Villareal, Bioiberica’s product manager for Mobilee, also tells NutritionInsight that the research is an example of the company’s commitment to creating solutions for both human and animal well-being. 

“Many people don’t realize this, but the findings from clinical scientific research on dogs can often provide useful insights that can be explored further in relation to human health too.” 

Younger consumers are being drawn to joint health products by holistic attitudes toward health, says Bioiberica.

Synovial fluid 
Martinez Puig asserts that advancing how synovial fluid levels relate to joint health is essential in producing effective treatments. This applies to tackling joint deterioration associated with aging as well as instances of trauma. 

“What happens in the synovial fluid is that it begins to reduce throughout the aging process. So, for people at a certain age, in which they naturally have less, and then more friction builds in the joints.” 

Similar occurrences can result from injuries and physical traumas, Martinez Puig continues, for which Mobilee can provide lacking synovial fluid and reduce the pain of joint friction. 

Joint health goes mainstream 
Villareal asserts joint health and mobility is fast becoming a mainstream topic for consumers. 

Once confined largely to senior consumers concerned with defending against the effects of aging, younger consumers and athletes are fast learning that preserving joint health is essential general well-being. 

“What we have realized is that the consumer is changing – or rather, they have been changing their perception of joint health,” says Villareal.  

“People are not just focusing on joints but are more thinking about mobility in general. We’re also thinking about muscles, tendons, joints and how they work together.” 

Recently, Bioiberica rebranded its entire healthcare portfolio to reflect “constant innovation” in the mobility market. 

Vitafoods Europe 2021 is the company’s first opportunity to showcase in person the newly designed and renamed products, says Martinez Puig.

NutritionInsight also spoke with industry experts from Gnosis by Lesaffre, Lipoid and PharmaLinea who share their expectations of their respective hybrid events. Meanwhile, representatives from Kerry and Kyowa Hakko Europe discussed their decisions to present only virtually, while spokespersons at Carbery and Mibelle unfold their views on the upsides of a solely physical exhibition.

Stay tuned for more NutritionInsight coverage live from Vitafoods 2021. 

, with additional reporting from Katherine Durrell, from Vitafoods 2021 in Geneva, Switzerland

By Louis Gore-Langton

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