Supplier taps gut health benefits of glucosamine
GlucosaGreen is a glucosamine ingredient made via a patented ‘direct fermentation’ technology using glucose as a feedstock. Most glucosamine in the market is derived from leftover shellfish shells primarily from shrimp farming.
And most glucosamine up to now has been marketed for joint health. Along with chondroitin, glucosamine has been one of the mainstays of that market for decades.
Pilot study supports new indication
But a new pilot study commissioned by TSI and published in the journal Nutrients has shown that the ingredient can have significant functional gut benefits.
The subjects in the double blind, placebo controlled crossover study took 3000 mg of GlucosaGreen or a placebo for three weeks, with a two-week washout period between arms. The 11 subjects (6 men and 5 women) provided stool scores via the Bristol Stool Chart, reported on gut comfort parameters via questionnaires and also provided stool samples for microbial analysis.
“GLU significantly reduced stomach bloating and showed a trend towards reducing constipation and hard stools. Phylogenetic diversity (Faith’s PD) and proportions of Pseudomonadaceae, Peptococcaceae, and Bacillaceae were significantly reduced following GLU consumption. GLU supplementation significantly reduced individual, total branched-chain, and total amino acid excretion, with no glucosamine being detected in any of the fecal samples. GLU had no effect on fecal short-chain fatty acids levels. GLU supplementation provided functional gut health benefits and induced fecal microbiota and metabolome changes,” the authors reported.
Sustainability advantages
Pete Mazzilli, director of marketing and product development in the TSI Group division that is responsible for GlucosaGreen, said the ingredient has a strong sustainability story to tell.
“Producing GlucosaGreen versus glucosamine from shellfish reduces waste water and solid hazardous waste generation by 98%. It dramatically reduces the need for hazardous chemicals in the treatment process,” Mazzilli told NutraIngredients-USA.
He also said that consumer trends augur well for prospects of this fairly new ingredient.
“Current consumer trends are demanding more branded ingredients, sustainably produced products, plant based diets, transparency, and more convenient dosage forms, as well as those products that potentially promote gut health and healthy aging. GlucosaGreen is the only product we know of that checks all those boxes,” he said.
TSI Group will be highlighting GlucosaGreen at its booth No. 2639 at SupplySide West.
Source: Nutrients
2021, 13(7), 2180; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13072180
Impact of Glucosamine Supplementation on Gut Health
Authors: Moon JM, et al.
