Sabinsa showcases weight management botanical-based formulas

01 Dec 2023 --- Health science company Sabinsa showcased its weight management formulas at Food Ingredients Europe 2023 this week. A clinical study was also published on its 2.5% withanolides US Pharmacopeia (USP) grade Ashwagandha root ingredient Shagandha for its stress management benefits.

“We are especially focusing on our innovative weight management products, the Cirpusins and Curcumin C3 reduct. These two are very innovative products. You cannot find equivalent products in the market,” Dr. Kalyanam N, president of R&D of Sabinsa, tells Nutrition Insight.

“Sabinsa is known for its innovation. The Cirpusins are excellent for weight management. They not only reduce the weight, but they also balance the lipid levels. Good cholesterol levels are increased, and subcosines have a very beneficial effect on leptin. Leptin sensitivity is very important and subcosines remarkably affect leptin levels.”

C3 reduct is the company’s first curcumin metabolite allowed in the EU. It is an AMPK activator. “It is perfect as a sports nutrient and we’re excited to present the evidence,” he says.

Botanical boost
Shagandha was highlighted at Sabinsa’s seminar. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a well-known Indian botanical used in Ayurvedic preparations since the Vedic era, dating back 3000–4000 years. In Ayurveda, ashwagandha is classified as a rasayana, meaning “rejuvenative tonic.”

A standardized Ashwagandha root extract alleviates stress and anxiety and improves the quality of life in healthy adults by modulating stress hormones. 

The Sabinsa-commissioned study, published in Medicine, suggests that Shagandha reduces stress and anxiety by decreasing cortisol and increasing serotonin in healthy individuals with mild to moderate stress-related symptoms, compared to the placebo group.Shagandha reduces cortisol and increases serotonin.

In the 60-day double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 54 individuals were randomized and 50 completed the study. The findings show that a 500 mg dose of Shagandha improved stress and anxiety by reducing morning salivary cortisol levels, an indicator of stress, and increased serotonin levels.

“The world’s population is living through extraordinarily stressful events, and many are turning to natural remedies to help them cope,” says Dr. Muhammed Majeed, founder and chairman of Sabinsa. 

NPD in the pipeline
New products in Sabinsa’s pipeline include a postbiotic offering, which it plans to launch in 2024. The company will also apply for new novel food approvals.

Meanwhile, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) granted Sabinsa’s Curcumin C3 Reduct’s Novel Food status earlier this year.

EFSA outlined that the product is safe for the target population at 140 mg daily. The company initially intended to market the item as a food supplement at a maximum dose of 300 mg per day for adults, excluding pregnant and lactating women.

In addition, Curcumin C3 Reduct has potential in oral care applications, according to a recent clinical trial. The findings build on previous research and show beneficial outcomes for mouth and gum-related conditions.

By Inga de Jong, with additional reporting by William Bradford Nichols