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by Richard F. Staack, Ph.D.
Background
According to the most recent statistics from
the American Heart Association, cardiovascular
disease (CVD) is a primary or contributing
cause to more than 1.4 million
deaths in the United States each year.
Cardiovascular disease has been the number
1 killer for the past 100 years and claims as
many lives each year as the next 14 leading
causes of death combined. The cost of
cardiovascular disease for 2004 has been estimated
projected to reach $386 billion,
including health expenditures and lost productivity
resulting from morbidity and mortality.
As CVD holds steady as the top disease,
it is certain that a large percentage of health
conscious consumers are seeking a natural
solution to the cholesterol problem without
the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs.
Sytrinol™—Patented Synergistic Formula
Sytrinol is a patented proprietary formula
derived from natural citrus and palm fruit
extracts. Sytrinol combines citrus polymethoxylated
flavones (PMFS), palm
tocotrienols and other proprietary constituents.
This combination results in a synergistic
effect for significantly lowering total
cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride
levels. Sytrinol has also been shown to
increase HDL levels. Additionally, Sytrinol is
a powerful antioxidant with numerous heart
health benefits and plays a significant role as
an anti-inflammatory.
What are polymethoxylated flavones?
Polymethoxylated flavones are a sub classification of citrus flavonoids that are highly
methoxylated. This process occurs naturally
and results in a more
biologically active
molecule. This is especially
true for tangeretin
and nobiletin, two of the
primary polymethoxylated
flavones in Sytrinol. There is over
25 years of documented research evidence
that these particular bioflavonoids
deliver heart health benefits.
Tocotrienols are the other proprietary
ingredient in Sytrinol and are a group of
minor dietary constituents that have been
studied for their effect on heart health.
Tocotrienols are naturally occurring analogues
of tocopherol (natural vitamin E) and are
found mainly in palm oil and cereal grains.
Sytrinol Proven Benefits
Over 12 years of science and research
focusing on the relationship between polymethoxylated
flavonoids, tocotrienols, and
cardiovascular health have resulted in the
development of Sytrinol. The benefits of
Sytrinol have been shown in vitro, in vivo,
and in multiple clinical studies. In these
studies, hypercholesterolemic subjects consumed
150 mg of Sytrinol twice per day (300
mg/day) and were instructed to keep the
same dietary habits and maintain their
caloric intake during the study. Fasting blood
samples were drawn at the onset of the study
and at the end of four weeks for analysis of
total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and total
triglycerides. The results of the clinical
studies were all similar in their effect with an
average reduction of total cholesterol by
25 percent, LDL cholesterol by 23 percent
and total triglycerides by 28 percent.
Additionally, the LDL/HDL ratio was significantly reduced in all clinical studies by an
average of 24 percent. SourceOne Global
Partners, the international distributors of
Sytrinol, is committed to continued research
regarding the heart health benefits of this
cutting-edge formula. They have just completed
phase I (12 weeks) of a three phase,
double-blinded, randomized 24-week study
on 120 hypercholesterolemic subjects. The
results are even more compelling than the
previous clinical studies on Sytrinol’s heart
health benefits.
An additional and very important benefit
of Sytrinol that cannot be claimed by other
cholesterol lowering supplements is the antiinflammatory
component. Inflammation is
indicated as one of the main culprits in cardiovascular
disease. Epidemiological studies
show that cardiovascular disease is affecting
younger individuals, one third of those are in
good health and their cholesterol is within
normal range. Both men and women in this
group can suffer from sudden heart attacks
with no warning signs or risk factors known
to cause heart disease. Recent research is
establishing that inflammation may cause C
reactive protein (CRP) to be produced in the
body, a known marker for sudden heart
attack. Specific polymethoxylated flavones
have a wealth of science indicating their antiinflammatory
properties dating back to the
1960s. It is theorized that the citrus
flavonoids found in Sytrinol, particularly the
PMFS, would likely have an effect on CRP.
Researchers have shown that the presence of
CRP in the body is a more reliable predictor
of a pending heart attack than any other traditionally
known risk factor for heart disease.
Scientific American, a leading U.S. science
magazine, devoted an entire feature article in
the May 2002 issue to the causes of heart disease.
Finally, Sytrinol has been shown to be a
powerful antioxidant. The tocotrienols in
Sytrinol are considered to have a higher
antioxidant activity than tocopherols and the
polymethoxylated flavones are powerful
antioxidants themselves.
Mechanisms
SourceOne believes in and promotes a
healthy lifestyle by recommending lifestyle
modifications to reduce cholesterol levels.
Unfortunately, estimates show that 75 percent
of people suffering from high cholesterol
levels are not able to use diet to control
their cholesterol because their liver produces
high amounts of cholesterol regardless of
dietary cholesterol intake.
Contrary to popular belief, cholesterol consumed
in the food is minor compared to the
amount of cholesterol produced in the body.
Only 20 percent of cholesterol comes from
the foods we eat and 80 percent is produced by
the liver.
For cholesterol lowering supplements
there are essentially two categories of activity,
divided fairly equally in the market today.
The first category comprises mechanisms of
action that are reactive, such as phytosterols.
This type of supplement lowers cholesterol
by blocking its absorption in the gastrointestinal
tract. The overall reduction in cholesterol
is between 8¨C15 percent, less than
half as effective as Sytrinol. Additionally,
phytosterols have no effect on triglycerides,
inflammation or antioxidant activity while
Sytrinol does.
The other category comprises the proactive
ingredients such as policosanols. Unfortunately,
the mechanism of action is not completely
understood and results are inconsistent.
Additionally, the issues of borrowed science
and product standardization have raised questions
about the policosanols available in the
North American market. Most of the supporting
science was conducted in Cuba with a
policosanol material that is not available in the
U.S. There is tremendous variability in the
policosanols that are available and few have
any supporting science to validate their safety
and efficacy.
In contrast, the multiple mechanisms of
Sytrinol represent another strong feature that
provides compelling benefits. Sytrinol has
three different and complementary mechanisms
of action in the body that deliver the
heart health benefits.
- Polymethoxylated flavones decrease apolipoprotein B, the structural protein needed for endogenous synthesis of LDL cholesterol.
- Polymethoxylated flavones (tangeretin and nobiletin) decrease diacylglycerol acetyl transferase, a liver enzyme needed for endogenous synthesis of triglycerides.
- Tocotrienols inhibit HMG CoA reductase, the liver enzyme responsible for endogenous synthesis of cholesterol.
Together, the triple action of these mechanisms
work synergistically to produce a total
cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride
lowering effect greater than any other natural
supplement on the market today. Sytrinol is
shown by research to be more effective among
individuals with a genetic predisposition to
hypercholesterolemia, because it actually alters
the level of cholesterol produced.
Sytrinol can also be combined with other
ingredients, such as phytosterols. Phytosterols
work as a natural cholesterol blocker in the
gastrointestinal tract while Sytrinol works on
blocking the synthesis of cholesterol inside the
body. This suggests that when used together, a
more pronounced cholesterol lowering effect
would result.
The pharmaceutical alternative for hypercholesterolemic
people is to use cholesterollowering
medications called statins. The term
statin is a common term used for this drug category
because they all end with the suffix
“-statin.” Commonly used drugs in this category
include atorvastatin (Lipitor), cerivastatin
(Baycol), lovastatin (Mevacor),
pravastatin (Pravachol) and simvastatin
(Zocor). Statins are the top-selling drugs in
America with projected sales in 2004 to reach
$19 billion; however, statins are associated
with many negative side effects including liver
problems, cancer, nerve damage and depletion
of CoQ10. The “statin” drugs work on the
enzyme, HMG CoA reductase, the rate-limiting
enzyme responsible for cholesterol synthesis.
CoQ10 also shares this same biosynthetic
pathway. Therefore, one unfortunate consequence
of consuming a statin drug is the unintentional
inhibition of CoQ10 synthesis. Statin
drugs in the end could predispose the patients
to heart disease by lowering their CoQ10
status, the very condition that these drugs are
intended to prevent. High cholesterol is being
diagnosed in younger individuals than more
ever before, raising the specter that people
could be taking statin drugs for their entire
adult lives. The consequences of taking a statin
drug for 50 or more years are not known, however
their side effects are. The cumulative
effect of these side effects for such an extended
period cannot be beneficial. Another consideration
is that statins should be reserved for individuals
with chronically high cholesterol levels
who are at serious risk, whereas a more benign
solution should be adopted for individuals
who just have elevated cholesterol and simply
want to get their levels back into a normal
healthy range. Sytrinol works by a natural
breakdown of HMG CoA reductase by
increasing the rate at which the enzyme molecules
degrade and thereby reduces total cholesterol
without any of the side effects associated
with statins. The needs in the marketplace are
clear and Sytrinol represents an exceptional
solution.
Consumer Friendly
The ease of compliance for the consumer is a
major area of consideration for a successful
natural heart health product. Sytrinol meets
this qualification because consumers can take a
regimented dosage protocol that fits easily into
their daily routines. Consumers do not have to
take Sytrinol prior to, immediately following
or directly with their meals and as a result, are
more likely to take the correct dosage and continue
using the product over a long period of
time. Most other cholestrol lowering products
are less than half as effective as Sytrinol since
they only act to block absorption of cholesterol
that comes from food, therefore, they must be
taken with meals. The flexibility of dosing and
ease of compliance will be very appealing to
the consumer as they are much more likely to
enjoy greater satisfaction and positive results.
Sytrinol can be taken in small capsules, tablets,
or soft gels, all of which are easy to swallow
because of the low dosage. Sytrinol will also be
available in functional foods, bars, and beverage
products.
Richard Staack, Ph.D. is the vice president of
Business Development, Technology and Science at
SourceOne Global Partners.
Dr. Staack has 15 years of experience in the
dietary supplement and functional food area. He
was the assistant director of Human Nutrition
Research Program for NCBA responsible for developing
and managing clinical trials. He was a senior
scientist for Henkel Nutrition & Health, responsible
for scientific information on pycnogenol,
isoflavones, vitamin E and other product lines.
Dr. Staack received his Master of Science and
Doctorate in Nutritional and Biochemical
Toxicology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-
Champaign. He is associated with numerous professional
affiliations and has published several
articles on nutrition and toxicology in peer
reviewed journals.
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