A new study has widened the potential of Naturex’s full spectrum cranberry product by demonstrating its benefits on a completely different demographic group: women.
“While male and female urinary health needs may vary, similar complaints can be seen in both Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and overactive bladder (OAB). Bladder symptoms such as urinary frequency and urgency affect both men and women,” said Dan Souza, Global Product Manager, Naturex, part of Givaudan.
“Our understanding of the mechanism at work led us to believe that Flowens should help alleviate these symptoms in women in much the same way it has helped in men. As shown through published clinical trials, full spectrum cranberry ingredients like Flowens may help alleviate many of the urgency and frequency symptoms associated with these conditions.”
Souza explained that existing cranberry ingredients, such as full spectrum cranberry ingredient Pacran, have been proven to be effective in supporting women’s urinary health. “So the decision to study the effect of Flowens in women was a logical next step.”
Flowens is produced from sustainably grown cranberries sourced from a supply chain that has achieved Gold Status in the Naturex Pathfinder Program, according to Souza. He added that it is also sold with a Naturex ID Pack to validate its botanical identity.
Earlier this year, Flowens was named Ingredient of the Year in the Healthy Aging category at the 2020 NutraIngredients Awards.
The study
The study, published in The Journal of Urology, was conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine. The randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled human clinical trial included healthy women ages 18 to 60. The women were split into two groups, a placebo group and another group who took 500 mg of Flowens daily over six-months.
The female study comes after a similar study on males that was conducted in 2015.
Findings
The results demonstrated the positive impact of cranberry consumption on overactive bladder in the women who took a daily dose of Flowens. The women reported experiencing two fewer daily episodes of frequent urination compared to those in the placebo group.
Market
“The patented Flowens ingredient itself remains unchanged and the study results fully support the use of our current formulation in women. This decision also provides an advantage to our customers as they will benefit from the existing regulatory approvals and claims, considerably speeding up time-to-market. Manufacturers can choose how their product is marketed to female consumers, offering many possibilities. For example, Flowens can be combined with other ingredients, such as probiotics that may contribute to urinary health in women,” explained Souza.
Souza added that Naturex is currently working with a number of dietary supplement manufacturers to create products specifically designed for women. “This new study significantly broadens the potential for Flowens without the need for additional approval cycles. Thus we should be seeing these new products on the market in the coming months.”
“With this new study we can significantly broaden the potential for Flowens without the need to create a new ingredient that would be subject to additional approval cycles prior to launch. This brings many benefits – perhaps the most important of which is speed to market.”
Souza said Flowens taps into the growing consumer demand for non-pharmaceutical, natural solutions that address urinary health challenges. “Given that the market for pharmaceuticals that ease OAB is forecast to be worth $6.5 billion by 2024, we see a huge sales potential for Flowens.”
Source: The Journal of Urology
PMID: 32945735 DOI: 10.1097/JU.0000000000001384
“Efficacy of Daily Intake of Dried Cranberry 500 mg in Women with Overactive Bladder: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study”
Authors: A. Cho et al.
