Fenugreek Fights Heartburn

NORTH BERGEN, N.J.FenuLife®, marketed by Frutarom Inc., reduced heartburn symptoms when the fenugreek fiber extract was taken before two meals per day in a new study (Phytother Res. 2011 Jan;25(1):88-91. DOI: 10.1002/ptr.3229). Additionally, the water-soluble fiber was considered a safe alternative to pharmaceutical acid-reflux and heartburn medications.

The pilot study followed subjects, aged 32 to 62 years, who were non-smoking males (n=21 males) and non-pregnant females (n=24) that were experiencing heartburn after three to eight meals per week for at least a month, but were not taking prescription drugs intended to treat this condition. Subjects either took FenuLife 30min before two meals/d for two weeks (500 mg per capsule, four capsules per serving), the conventional over-the-counter (OTC) antacid ranitidine (75mg, twice/d), or a placebo. Subjects were allowed to use two to four tablets of chewable calcium carbonate (TUMS E-X®, 750mg CaCO3 per tablet), supplied free of charge, as a rescue for very severe heartburn.

The researchers found FenuLife diminished heartburn severity based on symptom diary results and reduction of ranitidine use. The placebo produced some statistically significant effects, but the fiber product's effects differed significantly from the placebo. Most subjects in the fenugreek group showed two to three symptom-free days at the end of the second intervention week. The number of symptom-free days at the end differed significantly between the fenugreek and placebo groups. This was not the case for the placebo versus the positive control. Moreover, the researchers noted FenuLife effects were generally similar to the results produced by ranitidine.

FenuLife is a naturally sourced, unique galactomannan ingredient manufactured from deodorized fenugreek and containing more than 75-percent soluble fiber. Because of its unique molecular structure, FenuLife resists enzymatic degradation in the stomach maintaining its therapeutic properties. FenuLife was originally developed to improve the blood glucose response.

The results clearly suggest that naturally derived FenuLife is a safe and effective alternative with comparable benefits to pharmaceutical acid reflux/heartburn medications," said Laurent Leduc, vice president of the Health Division and Marketing for Frutarom USA.

According to Frutarom, FenuLife employs a triple mechanism to fight heartburn and acid reflex: first is an anti-reflux effect that prevents the viscous mass from seeping back up the esophagus to the throat (reflux). The second is an anti-secretory effect to inhibit excessive acid production in the stomach. Finally, it has an anti-ulcer effect via galactomannans, which form a gel-like layer on the surface of the stomach wall acting as a barrier against corrosive HCl, pepsin and food components.

Heartburn usually occurs when acid from the stomach flows upward into the esophagus and causes a painful and burning sensation in the chest and sometimes other locations. Typically, heartburn occurs when a sphincter fails to hold stomach acid away from the esophagus.

The authors of this study said anecdotal evidence has suggested fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) offers heartburn relief. The fiber from fenugreek, a plant in the family Fabaceae, is speculated to expand in the digestive tract to form a barrier to acid rising into the esophagus.