DolCas Biotech LLC’s novel Curcugen curcumin formulation is being primed for the sports health sector. Newly armed with self-affirmed GRAS designation as a safe, functional food ingredient, Curcugen is poised to feature in a comprehensive portfolio of sports supplements and post-workout bars, shakes, and beverages. A new clinical study endorses Curcugen’s role as a compelling post-workout anti-inflammatory agent.
Results of clinical research published in the Proceedings of the Seventeenth International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Conference and Expo, December 2020, confirmed Curcugen’s positive anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and analgesic capacity on subjects engaging in acute exercise. In this double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, led by Neil Schwarz, PhD, 24 participants were randomized to either a daily dose of 500 mg of Curcugen or the equivalent dose in rice flour prior to an intense exercise protocol of 50 hurdles and 50 drop jumps. Joint range-of-motion (ROM), soreness, and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress where significantly better in the Curcugen group 72 hours post- exercise demonstrating its capabilities in accelerating post workout recovery.
Said Schwarz who acts as Associate Professor of Exercise Science at the University of South Alabama: “Following an exercise bout, acute serial supplementation with Curcugen at 500mg improved knee range-of-motion and thigh pain tolerance when compared directly with placebo. This is an interesting finding which warrants further investigation into the proper use of Curcugen for recovery after exercise.”
Added Dr. Shavon Jackson-Michel, Director of Medical & Scientific Affairs for DolCas: “Curcumin is not entirely new to the sports health industry. Curcumin most commonly appears in capsule and pill formulations. This could be due to its water-insoluble nature. While also applicable to conventional formats, like capsules and pills, Curcugen has been uniquely formulated with a self-dispersing mechanism that allows it to be easily integrated into powdered shakes and other functional applications, even at room temperature — perfect for on-the-go enjoyment.”
Over the last decade, the sports nutrition and supplement space has been making bold moves toward meeting heightened clean-label standards set by the growing pool of health-conscious, sports-active population. Formulators increasingly are exploring the botanical world for naturally derived sport performance boosters and post exercise recovery solutions to meet this growing demand. “Our raw material contains no non-turmeric or synthetic bio-enhancers, excipients, or binding agents,” confirms Jackson-Michel. “It also imparts a mild taste that serves to keep high-yield sweeteners at a minimum, with little need for masking agents.”
Science affirms the botanical’s unquestionable positive impact on mitigating the negative effects of high-intensity exercises. It appears that these exercises lead to an overwhelming free radical/oxidative stress response that incites tissue-damaging inflammation, subsequently prolonging healing and recovery. Curcumin has been found to offer superior antioxidant benefits to the tissues, quelling the inflammatory response. Studies have confirmed this effect via the reduced presence of blood serum inflammatory markers during the post-exercise period, and reports of reduced pain sided by a speedy return to physical activity when compared to placebo.
Curcugen’s recently awarded self-affirmed GRAS confirmation has deemed the ingredient safe for use in smoothies/shakes, nutrition bars, and yogurts at a dose between 210-1400 mg/day. For more visit dolcas-biotech.com
