Weight loss ingredient driving good growth at Integrity

A cinnamon extract said to cause weight loss has boosted sales at Florida-based Integrity Nutraceuticals, leading to further expansion plans at the firm.

Integrity said sales of its flagship ingredient Cinnulin PF, a water extract of cinnamon, increased 388 percent in 2005, helping overall revenue at the company to grow by 146 percent during the year.

The company, founded in 1999, expanded its office and warehouse space by 6,500 square feet in June to meet strong demand and will be adding several members to its team in coming months.

It has also introduced two new, patent-pending products for the weight loss sector: i-FAS503, a combination of herbs that has been shown to inhibit fatty acid synthase, and Razberi-K, a ketone found in red raspberry that has demonstrated anti-obesity properties, according to Integrity.

With 30 percent of American adults classified as obese (with a body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or over), and almost 65 percent overweight, the weight loss sector is booming and companies are continually searching for new products to sustain the momentum.

Cinnulin was given a boost when the results of a human trial last year showed that pre-diabetics taking the supplement experienced significant decreases in fasting blood glucose levels, increases in lean body mass and reduction in overall body fat.

A new trial beginning this month with the US Department of Agriculture and the University of Hawaii will study the effects of Cinnulin in type 2 diabetics.