The company, called MitoSynergy, says its ingredient, branded as Cunermuspir, provides nutrition with the optimum blend of oxidative state and proper chelation, for better delivery and absorption into the body. The company will debut the ingredient at the upcoming SupplySide West trade show in Las Vegas, NV.
“The idea is based on what I call ‘molecular electron nutrition,’ ” Charlie Barker, founder and CEO of MitoSynergy told NutraIngredients-USA. “I came to this ingredient looking for something that would help my nephew after he broke his neck.”
Barker said he came across the ingredient, first developed in Egypt, while searching for something that would help regenerate his nephew’s damage spinal tissue. Copper’s role in helping the mitochondria synthesize ATP was an important part of the story.
“We all get stuck on looking at minerals just on the chemical reaction and have lost perspective of looking at their electrical properties,” Barker said.
Oxidation status
Copper is an important mineral in the body for a variety of reactions, including organ functions and cellular metabolism. While copper insufficiency is rare, Barker says that most of the copper that shows up added to foods and dietary supplements is fully oxidized, which makes it less available for use in the body. Barker said this leads to free copper in the body, which at high levels could be toxic.
In Cunermuspir, the copper is surrounded by vitamin B3. This prevents the metal’s oxidation, Barker said.
“I think what you see more is toxicity rather than deficiency. The other copper ingredients for use in supplements are blue or green in color. Ours is a reddish brown, more like what you think copper should look like. It has not completed its oxidation process; it still has electrons to give,” Barker said.
Mitosynergy offers finished products featuring the ingredient for sale on its website. But Barker said the company is looking to act as an ingredient supplier for other supplement manufacturers.
Barker said the company will be releasing for publication the results of their completed clinical trials at SupplySide West 2014. Among the variables tested in this symptoms-based questionnaire were safety and effect on fatigue. Barker said Cunermuspir proved to be completely safe and was shown to improve participants’ fatigue by 48% over the placebo.
“With Cunermuspir, we have developed a superior way to deliver copper into the body,” said Mallory Blair, Ph.D., Scientific Director of MitoSynergy, who will be presenting the results of the study. “Our goal is to make this technology more accessible and affordable.”