Nutrition 21 self-affirms GRAS status of its inositol-stabilized arginine silicate (Nitrosigine)

An expert panel has affirmed the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status of Nutrition 21’s Nitrosigine ingredient for use in nutritional bars and beverages at daily doses up to 1,500 mg.

The affirmation was based on an extensive dossier of safety data that was compiled by Intertek, said the company.

“This newly affirmed GRAS status now enables functional beverage and nutritional bar manufacturers to utilize Nitrosigine and all of its clinically supported claims,” said Bill Levi Nutrition 21, LLC, Vice President, Strategy & Business Development.

“Nitrosigine is the perfect ingredient to formulate into sports nutrition products to help enhance performance through an entire workout. Fitness-focused consumers who want to get the most out of their training regimen, will appreciate that Nitrosigine is quickly absorbed by the body, taking effect in 30 minutes and lasting up to three hours.”

The US Food and Drug Administration accepted the ingredient as a New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) last year. Results of a study presented at the Experimental Biology 2014 conference indicated that the ingredient could boost nitric oxide levels in the body, which in turn can increase blood flow and improve cardiovascular and muscular health.

The data indicated that a single dose of Nitrosigine could significantly increase arginine and silicon levels, while also significantly increasing NO levels after 14 days of product consumption.

“The benefits seen with Nitrosigine can also be applied to other categories, including cardiovascular health and men’s health. Nitrosigine provides the benefits of arginine and silicon, with additional benefits from the unique combination,” said James Komorowski, MS, CNS, Vice President Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at Nutrition 21.