New superfood? Herbal extract supports nutrition during pregnancy

18 Apr 2019 --- French company Luzerne Recherche Développement (L-RD) has released a new herbal ingredient that targets nutrition during pregnancy, as well as tackling malnutrition. Luzixine is a 100 percent natural extract of French alfalfa leaf (Medicago sativa). With research backing its nutritional value, the company says it is a novel “superfood.”

“In Europe, Luzixine has received regulatory approval as a novel food for food supplements. Elsewhere it is used as a superfood and a meat substitute for undernourished populations,” Valentine Claudon, Development Manager, L-RD, tells NutritionInsight. 

Fighting malnutrition and supporting sustainability
The nutritional benefits of Luzixine have been studied in three clinical studies conducted in Peru, India and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on populations with specific deficiencies (anemia or chronic malnutrition). It is rich in proteins, omega 3, calcium and a range of other micronutrients. 

Luzixine Supplements“We have conducted two clinical studies, one in Peru and the other in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, that showed that 10g of Luzixine per day allowed a faster normalization of malnutrition markers (protidemia and albuminemia) than milk powder, which resulted in a reduction in anemia,” Claudon explains.

Another clinical study conducted on teenage girls in India showed that the consumption of 10g of Luzixine per day allowed for the correction of iron deficiency and anemia, according to Claudon.

The extract is made using sustainable farming practices that promote local economies, while taking into account biodiversity, the soil and the local population. Minimally processed, the French alfalfa extract is also clean label, GMO-free, gluten-free and vegan.

Benefits during pregnancy
Motherhood is a period during which the mothers-to-be should pay attention to their diet and ensure that they consume all the nutrients necessary for the baby to develop properly. Luxizine is touted as supporting nutrition during pregnancy and after, as it is rich in high organic quality protein and particularly rich in vitamin B9, calcium and iron.

Epigenetics has identified the link between adult health and the child’s first 1,000 days of life, from conception to two-years-old. Previous studies have also shown that during this period there is a window of sensitivity during which the environment – nutritional, physical, socio-economic, nervous, etc. – as well as lifestyle can impact the genome. This may create a lasting impression on the genome that can influence the future health of the individual, in a favorable or unfavorable way.

During these 1,000 days, a child goes through a phase of experience rapid development, both physical and intellectual. As a result, malnutrition of a pregnant woman or, conversely, overnutrition increases the risk of obesity, diabetes or cardiovascular disease in her future child.

The company says that essential nutrients during pregnancy include:

• Vitamin B9 for the normal development of the fetus’ nervous system. 
• Calcium for bones and teeth, vitamin D that helps the body to fix calcium, and which the synthesis through the sun is often insufficient. 
• Iron for the growth of the placenta and the fetus.
• Iodine for the good development of the brain.

“Pregnant women have specific nutritional needs not only for themselves but also for their baby. Luzixine is rich in some of the most important nutrients during pregnancy: folic acid, a key factor in cell division. A deficit in folic acid at a decisive stage in the development of the embryonic nervous system can result in serious malformations, such as neural tube closure abnormalities,” notes Claudon.

More research on the matter
The importance of fatty acids in women’s nutrition and especially during pregnancy is increasingly being highlighted by an emerging body of science. 

According to research from the University of Kansas (KU) and the KU Medical Center, daily supplementation of 600mg of DHA omega 3 fatty acid during pregnancy can help prevent the development of high blood pressure in obese or overweight offspring during early childhood. 

In the same space, an omega 3 DHA target blood level of 5 percent or higher reduces the risk of preterm birth, according to another study. Additionally, regularly eating fatty fish during pregnancy could boost the development of an unborn child’s eyesight and brain function, according to a small-scale study led by Kirsi Laitinen of the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital in Finland. 

Nutrient supplementation during pregnancy is supported by a number of studies with one noting that women in resource-poor settings, taking a daily nutritional supplement before conception or in early pregnancy may provide enough of a boost to improve growth of the fetus. 

By Kristiana Lalou