Nutraceutical Industry News Briefs 57752

In the News

Virgo Announces 2008 Dates, Locations for SupplySide East, West

PHOENIX—Virgo Publishing announced SupplySide East 2008 will return to the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ, April 28 to 30 and SupplySide West 2008 is set for Oct. 22 to 24 at The Venetian & The Sands Expo in Las Vegas, NV.

More information is available at www.supplysideshow.com.

CRN Presses for Innovations in Nutrition Research

WASHINGTON—Various nutrition experts are encouraging other members of the scientific community to consider the full spectrum of scientific research methods for garnering results in food and dietary supplement trials. Because dietary supplements can provide benefits outside of randomized clinical trial (RCT) parameters, scientists emphasized the importance of observational studies, among other research techniques.

“We cannot ignore all the other research—case-control and cohort studies, and other epidemiological data—as these studies often point us in the direction indicating where further research should be focused,” said Steve Mister, president and chief executive officer (CEO), Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), at a recent scientific symposium presented by CRN. “The research community needs to re-evaluate how to most efficiently and productively conduct nutrition research.”

Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., professor in the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at TuftsUniversity, commented on the situation during this year’s SupplySide East trade show: “As with each research approach, there are inherent limitations to the use of RCTs, particularly when testing the effectiveness of preventive nutrition.” Blumberg added most RCTs test very specific and narrow questions under a particular set of conditions, making it difficult to tie results to the general population. Robert P. Heaney, M.D., of Creighton University’s Osteoporosis Research Center, and a speaker at The Workshop symposium, said though RCTs rank highest among different research methods for studying efficacy, they are typically limited in their relevance to the general population and may impose many constraints that are ill-suited to testing nutrients, including vitamins. With these and other demonstrated shortcomings of RCTs and other EBM methodologies, the most efficacious approach seems to be a rounded consideration of all trial data.

Gadot Acquires Majority of Pharmline

FLORIDA, N.Y.—Gadot Biochemical Industries Ltd., Haifa Bay, Israel, acquired 85 percent of the shares of Pharmline Holding, a private ingredient supplier based here. Financial details were not disclosed, although Pharmline’s 2006 revenue was listed as $37 million; the deal should be completed by late June.

“The acquisition of Pharmline is in line with Gadot’s growth strategy—focusing on the nutraceutical and functional food markets,” said Jacob Zack, chief executive officer (CEO) of Gadot (www.gadotbio.com). “Pharmline is an important link in the supply chain to these markets and this acquisition will enable Gadot to diversify its products line and to broaden its customer base in North America.”

Gadot currently supplies crystalline fructose, citrate sales and enrichment minerals, while Pharmline is a broad supplier of dietary ingredients and fine chemicals, with specialization in custom formulations and contract manufacturing technologies. According to Gadot execs, the move will enable the company to expand its ingredient offerings for the nutraceuticals industry and broaden its reach into the functional food industry, with the aim of providing processed, custom-made ingredients and premixes.

NBTY Recalls Shark Cartilage Product

BOHEMIA, N.Y.—NBTY Inc. is recalling three lots of shark cartilage capsules, manufactured in 2004, because they may be contaminated with Salmonella. The product was distributed to consumers through mail order, Internet and retail stores throughout the United States; the capsules were packaged for various divisions of NBTY. Affected lots include

This issue was discovered during routine testing of the product; testing on additional batches of Shark Cartilage did not show any evidence of contamination. No illnesses have been reported to date. Customers may return product back to the place of purchase for a full refund. Customers may also contact the company with questions and to obtain information on how to return the product at (800) 217-7668.

People in Brief

PL Thomas added two key account managers to its food sales team: James E. Bernard and David I. Marciniak. ... Bill Capsalis was hired as senior vice president and Barry Hirsch hired as account manager at The Fresh Ideas Group. ... InterHealth Nutraceuticals promoted Gary Shap from Eastern sales manager to director of sales for the United States and Canada. ... Nutrition 21 formed a Scientific Advisory Board, which includes: Robert Golden, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health and vice chancellor for medical affairs, University of Wisconsin; Louis Ignarro, Ph.D., distinguished professor of pharmacology, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA School of Medicine; Francine Kaufman, M.D., director of the Comprehensive Childhood Diabetes Center and head of the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Children's Hospital Los Angeles; and Ron Krauss, M.D., senior scientist and director of Atherosclerosis Research at the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute. ... Penta Water Co. appointed Dennis F. O’Brien as its new chief executive officer (CEO). ... Solbar Industries Ltd. hired Fred Kosanke as sales and market development executive, North America, and selected Paul Hargarten as its North American market development applications manager. ... Michelle Barry, Ph.D., was named president of Tinderbox, a new culture/trend group at The Hartman Group. ... PALATINIT GmbH tapped Tonja Lipp as technical sales manager for PALATINIT of America, its North American subsidiary. ... Jorn Dyerberg, Ph.D., M.D., a pioneer in the discovery of the health benefits omega-3s through his studies of the Inuit population, will be the medical and scientific adviser for omega-3 fish oils at Cognis Nutrition & Health. ... Reed's Inc. hired two new regional sales reps: Mark Slepak, East Coast sales representative, and Erin Kliphardt, West Coast sales representative. ... Bob Bremer joined Sabinsa Corp. as sales director to coordinate sales and business development activities for the company in the Eastern United States. ... Bob Ahn, vice president of key accounts in the Coatings & Building Materials Group at The E.T. Horn Co., received the Outstanding Contributor award from Behr Process Corp. ... Celsius Holdings Inc. hired Erin Heit as its marketing vice president. ... Margaret Lawson, vice president of science and innovation at D.D. Williamson, received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section. ... Pharmachem Laboratories Inc. named Courtenay Turner product manager for amino acids. ... Kathleen M. Jordan, M.S., R.D., joined Shuster Laboratories as associate director of business development. ... Integrated Marketing Group appointed Clint Curry to the position of public relations coordinator. ... Kelly J. Kennedy was named chief financial officer (CFO) at Elephant Pharm. ... DSM selected Frank DeJianne to serve as senior marketing manager, responsible for sales and marketing of its Fabuless® ingredient to the dietary supplement, non-dairy food and beverage industries in North America. ... Maigread Eichten, chief operating officer (COO) at New Sun Nutrition, was promoted to president and CEO; Dick Lamb, the company’s founding CEO, will now serve as non-executive chairman of the board of directors. ... GELITA AG announced three new members were elected to its supervisory board: Christoph Kirsch, Gunther Niethammer and Jorg Siebert; Siebert was also selected as chairman of the board. ... Gillian Christie, founder and CEO of Christie Communications, received an NBJ Business Achievement Award.

Government News

FDA Issues Alert on Two Sex Products

WASHINGTON—The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised consumers not to purchase or use True Man or Energy Max products, which are touted as sexual enhancement products and as treatments for erectile dysfunction (ED), but promoted and sold as dietary supplements throughout the United States. According to the agency, both are illegal drug products that contain potentially harmful, undeclared ingredients, substances called analogs that have similar structures to active ingredients in approved prescription drugs. FDA is encouraging consumers to discontinue use of these two products and consult their health care professional about approved treatments for ED.

FDA chemical analysis revealed Energy Max contains thione analog of sildenafil, a substance with a structure similar to the active ingredient in Viagra, an FDA-approved drug for ED. Similarly, they found True Man contains a thione analog of sildenafil or piperadino vardenafil, an analog of vardenafil, the active ingredient in Levitra, another FDA-approved prescription drug for ED. Neither the thione analog of sildenafil nor piperadino vardenafil are components of approved drug products.

The danger, according to FDA scientists, is the undeclared analog ingredients in True Man and Energy Max may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels; men with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take nitrates.

“These products threaten the health of the people using them because they contain undeclared chemicals similar to the active ingredients used in FDA-approved prescription drug products,” said Steven Galson, M.D., MPH, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “The risk is even more serious because consumers may not know these ingredients can interact with medications and dangerously lower their blood pressure.”

Dingell Chides FDA’s Abilities to Protect Public Health

WASHINGTON—Industry critic Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.), chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, criticized current actions against the recent food safety problems with imports from China, questioning the ability of federal agencies, namely the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to properly handle the task. In a statement made in the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation’s hearing into food safety issues, Dingell stated whether a recent food safety issue involving wheat, rice, or corn-based proteins, the common denominators were deliberate contamination and origination trading partners in China.

He noted as of the hearing, China wouldn’t let U.S. inspectors into the contaminated wheat gluten factories, much less disclose where the plants were located.. “The response of this Administration was simply to shut off imports only from the trading company that shipped the poisoned product,” he chided. “Chinese wheat gluten continues to pour into this country. Relying on imperfect testing at the ports, [FDA] gambles with the health of Americans so as not to disturb the trading profits of the Chinese.”

He reported there will be additional hearings held in May, in which legislators will call on FDA to account for their imperfect stewardship of public health. “I have watched the FDA chase too many imports with too few resources for too many years,” he said. “Whether the life-threatening product is a counterfeit drug or tainted food, the FDA lacks enough properly trained and motivated personnel to do an increasingly difficult job. Good people in the field continually report how disillusioned they have become with the management of the FDA. Some are resigning; some are being driven out. The FDA field management will be before us in a couple of weeks. They have some serious accounting to do regarding the game of roulette they are playing with the lives of Americans.”

IADSA Notches Victory on Codex Food Additives Standard

BRUSSELS—After two years of compiling technical data to support the need for several food additives at certain levels, members of the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA) victoriously reported the Codex General Standard for Food Additives has adopted the trade group’s proposed values at the Codex meeting in Beijing in early May. Nine food additives and their newly approved levels include: castor oil (1,000 mg/kg), polysorbates (25,000 mg/kg), polyvinyl alcohol (45,000 mg/kg), acesulfame potassium (2,000 mg/kg), aspartame (5,500 mg/kg), cyclamates (1,250 mg/kg), neotame (90 mg/kg), saccharin (1,200 mg/kg) and sucralose (2,400 mg/kg). According to IADSA, an additional 13 additives, including the sweetener aspartame-acesulfame, salt and various food colors, are due to be considered for inclusion next year.

“Due to IADSA’s submissions from information provided by our members, as well as active participation and dialogue with governments, these additives and various others used in food supplements are now being considered for their final adoption at levels currently used by the industry we represent,” said David Pineda, director of regulatory affairs for IADSA (www.iadsa.be).

Studies & Research

Echinacea For Immunity

ELMHURST, Ill.—Echinacea purpurea may support respiratory health in athletes, attenuating the normal drop in mucosal immunity associated with exercise (Int J Sports Med, DOI:10.1055/s-2007-964895). Researchers subjected 32 adults to an exercise protocol known to affect mucosal immunity; saliva was collected prior to and five minutes after exercise. Subjects then consumed a supplement with Echinacea purpurea or a placebo for four weeks before participating in the exercise test again. While both groups demonstrated significant exercise-induced reductions in salivary IgA (s-IgA) and the secretion rate of s-IgA at the start of the study, supplementation with Echinacea prevented such reductions in the intervention group during the second test. There was no difference in the number of upper respiratory tract infections between the groups; however, duration was only 3.4 days in the Echinacea group compared to 8.6 days in control participants.

Tart Cherry, Smart for Heart

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—Tart cherries appear to improve markers of cardiovascular health, including cholesterol, blood sugar and oxidative stress. According to researchers, animals given powdered tart cherries in their diet had lower total cholesterol, lower blood sugar, less fat storage in the liver, lower oxidative stress, and increased production of a molecule that helps the body handle fat and sugar, compared with rats that didn’t receive cherries as part of an otherwise similar diet.

Rats were fed either a carbohydrate-enriched diet or a diet that included either 1- or 10-percent cherries for 90 days; there were no toxic effects. By the end of the study, the rats given the 1-percent cherry diet had significantly lower total cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose and insulin levels than those of the rats that did not receive cherries. The same was true for those on the 10-percent cherry diet, compared with rats that received a diet with an equivalently high level of carbohydrates not from cherries.

Rats receiving cherries also had both a lower level of fat in their livers and a higher expression of the PPAR gene; the correlation between the two was dose-dependent. The researchers concluded the correlation between cherry intake and significant changes in metabolic measurements suggested a positive effect from the high concentrations of antioxidant anthocyanins found in tart cherries, but are not certain if cherry-rich diets might have a similar impact in humans.

The researchers presented their findings at Experimental Biology 2007 in Washington, April 27 to May 2.

Green Tea Neuroprotective in HIV Cases

TAMPA, Fla.—Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant compound found in green tea, greatly diminished the neurotoxicity of proteins secreted by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In the study, healthy mice were given doses of proteins known as Tat and gp120, which have direct toxic effects on neurons and cause the release of chemical messengers known as interferon-gamma cytokines, which interact with these HIV proteins to cause death of brain cells. As predicted, the mice developed brain damage closely resembling that seen in HIV-associated dementia in humans (behavioral changes, intellectual ability, memory and muscle coordination).

“These findings suggest that EGCG, the green tea-derived compound, may represent a new and natural compound for the prevention and treatment of AIDS dementia complex,” Brian Giunta, M.D., said. Added Abdul S. Rao, M.D., senior associate vice president for USF Health and vice dean for research and graduate affairs at USF College of Medicine: “The neuroprotective effects of EGCG may offer an alternative to existing mono or combination antiretroviral therapies that are known to have poor central nervous system penetration.” The study was presented May 1 at Experimental Biology 2007 in Washington.

CoQ10 May Not Slow Parkinson’s Progression

DRESDEN, Germany—Administration of small doses of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) increased plasma levels of the compound in older adults with mid-stage Parkinson’s disease (PD), however, it did not appear to slow disease progression, according to a new study in the Archives of Neurology (ePub May 14, 2007; DOI:10.1001/archneur.64.7.nct60005).

CoQ10 is an antioxidant and active agent in the mitochondria, which has led to suggestions that it may exert neuroprotective activity in disorders linked to mitochondrial defects or oxidative stress, such as PD. Previous research has suggested CoQ10 may exert protective effects in early PD, although the mechanism of action was not fully clarified.

The new study was conducted by the German Coenzyme Q10 Study Group, coordinated out of the Technical University of Dresden and set in several German movement disorder clinics. For the three-month intervention, 131 patients with mid-stage PD without motor fluctuations and on stable anti-Parkinson treatment were randomized to receive either a placebo or nanoparticular CoQ10 (100 mg three times daily). Patients were evaluated by the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) at baseline and once a month. Researchers used the intent-to-treat principle in analyzing the data; 106 subjects completed the study (55 in the CoQ10 group and 51 on placebo).

At study’s end, the mean changes of the sum UPDRS parts II/III score were -3.69 for the placebo group and -3.33 for the CoQ10 group, which were not statistically significantly different. CoQ10 treatment was considered to be safe and well-tolerated, and increased plasma levels of the compound similar to 1,200 mg/d of standard CoQ10 formulations.

“Although we demonstrated a significant increase in plasma levels of CoQ10 toward levels observed with high doses of standard CoQ10 formulations in Parkinson’s disease and other disorders, our study failed to show improvement of Parkinson’s disease symptoms and did not meet its primary or secondary end points,” which were changes on scales that measured Parkinson's disease symptoms and their effects on physical and mental functioning, the authors wrote. “Our study further demonstrated that 300 milligrams per day of nanoparticular CoQ10 is safe and well-tolerated in patients with Parkinson’s disease already taking various anti-parkinsonian medications.” The study was supported by a grant from the German Parkinson Association and MSE Pharmazeutika GmbH, Bad Homburg, Germany, which formulated and packaged the CoQ10 and matching placebo.

GTPs vs UVB

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Researchers out of the University of Alabama, here, found the oral administration of green tea (Camellia sinensis) polyphenols (GTPs) via drinking water or the topical application of the GTP epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) prevents solar ultraviolet-B (UVB)-induced skin tumor development in mice, mediated through several parameters.

In the review, published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (DOI:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2006.08.004), researchers discuss the most recent investigations and studies, outlining the following mechanisms of action that define and support the photoprotective efficacy of GTPs against UV carcinogens:

The reviewers concluded new information on the mechanisms of action strongly supports and explains the chemopreventive activity of GTPs against photocarcinogenesis.

Calcium, Vitamin D Good for Women

OAKLAND, Calif.—Calcium plus vitamin D (cholecalciferol) supplementation has a small effect on the prevention of weight gain, especially for those reporting previously inadequate calcium intake according to a Department of Health and Human Services-supported study.

The randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial (Arch Intern Med, 167:893-902, 2007) included 36, 282 postmenopausal women, aged 50 to 79 and already enrolled in the dietary modification and/or hormone therapy arms of the Women's Health Initiative clinical trial. Women were randomized at their first or second annual visit to receive a dose of 1,000 mg/d of elemental calcium plus 400 IU/d of cholecalciferol (vitamin D) or placebo. Change in body weight was then ascertained annually for an average of seven years.

Women receiving calcium plus cholecalciferol supplements had a minimal but consistent favorable difference in weight change (mean difference, –0.13 kg), compared to placebo. After three years of follow-up, women with calcium intake less than 1200 mg/d at baseline and who were randomized to supplements were 11-percent less likely to experience small weight gains (1-3 kg), and 11-percent less likely to gain more moderate amounts of weight (>3 kg; P for interaction for baseline calcium intake=.008).

Researchers concluded calcium plus cholecalciferol supplementation has a small effect on the prevention of weight gain, primarily in women who reported initially inadequate calcium intakes.

“Prevention of weight gain is an important public health goal, and caloric restriction and daily physical activity should still be considered the basic tenets of weight management,” the authors stated. “Further research should be undertaken to address the effect of calcium supplementation combined with caloric restriction and physical activity on weight gain prevention.”

Probiotics May Help Treat Serious GI Condition in Preemies

SUBIACO, Australia—Providing preterm infants with supplemental probiotics may help prevent necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), although more research is needed, according to a new review in The Lancet (369:1614-20, 2007; DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60748-X). NEC involves infection and inflammation that causes destruction of part or all of the bowel. It accounts for between 1 percent and 5 percent of neonatal intensive care unit admissions but is the most common and serious gastrointestinal disorder among hospitalized preterm infants.

In the new study, researchers followed the standard search strategy of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating efficacy and safety of any probiotic supplementation (started within first 10 days and lasting at least seven days) in preventing stage 2 or greater NEC in preterm infants with very low birthweight. Seven of 12 RCTs, including 1,393 infants, were included in the meta-analysis.

Using a fixed effects model, there was a lower risk (relative risk 0.36, 95 percent CI 0.20-0.65) of NEC in the probiotic group than in controls. Probiotics also reduced risk of death (RR 0.47) and shortened the time to full feeds (weighted mean difference 2.74 days). There was no significant difference in risk of sepsis between the groups. The researchers concluded probiotics may reduce the risk of NEC in preterm infants, but suggested the short- and long-term safety of the intervention should be assessed, including determining the dose, duration and type of probiotic for best results.

Studies in Brief

In patients with phenylketonuria (PKU), fish oil supplementation enhanced n-3 LC-PUFA levels and improved motor skills (J Pediatr, 150, 5:479-84, 2007). ... There is potential for nanotechnology to improve the therapeutic value of molecules like coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)—facilitating its usage as first line defense and revolutionizing its role in current medical therapy (Eur J Pharm Biopharm, Mar 19, 2007; ePub ahead of print). ... Severely low vitamin D status is common among Pakistani immigrants in Denmark, although low vitamin D status is not associated with bone markers or bone mass among relatively young Pakistanis (Eur J Clin Nutr, DOI:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602753). ... Eight plant extracts from South Africa may hold value for treating hypertension, particularly wild garlic (American Physiological Society Meeting, April 28 to May 2, 2007). ... Overweight and obese women have lower folate and B12 levels compared to women of normal weight (Eur J Clin Nutr, DOI:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602771). ... Data obtained from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey found 45 percent of women aged 45 to 57 years had used some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy within the last 12 months. The odds for use of CAM were almost twice as high for women with menopausal symptoms in the past year (Menopause, 14, 2:300-307, 2007). ... Selenium did not prevent the occurrence of skin lesions linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) in organ transplant recipients (Eur J Dermatol, 17, 2:140-5, 2007). ... Antioxidant supplementation does not affect certain reactive oxygen species integral to the activity of certain chemotherapy drugs, thereby not interfering with chemo (Cancer Treat Rev, DOI:10.1016/j.ctrv.2007.01.005). ... In a trial comparing the effects of various doses of folate on human blood vessels, low doses improved vascular function and redox parameters; high doses had no additional effect (Circulation, ePub April 2007). ... L-arginine may improve functional recovery of the heart after ischemia, independent of its effects on nitric oxide (NO) (Heart Lung Circ, DOI:10.1016/j.hlc.2007.02.092). ... Overweight, premenopausal women receiving recommended or higher than recommended levels of daily calcium as part of an energy-restricted diet did not lose bone mass over a six-month period (Am J Clin Nutr, 85, 4:972-80, 2007). ... Despite the consistency of effects seen in trials of wholegrain oats, the positive findings should be interpreted cautiously as many trials identified were short term, of poor quality and had insufficient power; and most were funded by companies with commercial interests (Cochrane Database Syst Rev, DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD005051.pub2). ... A mixture of the amino acids leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine and threonine resulted in glycemic and insulinemic responses closely mimicking those seen after whey ingestion in the absence of an additional effect of glucose-dependent insulinotrophic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide (Am J Clin Nutr, 85, 4:996-1004, 2007). ... A review found no evidence that the Chinese herb Dan Shen promotes recovery after stroke (Cochrane Database Syst Rev, DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD004295.pub3). ... Iron supplementation may increase oxidative stress in premature infants and should be given separately from vitamin C-containing supplements (Free Radic Biol Med, 42, 10:1591-8, 2007).

Financial News

US, Mexico Sales Spark Herbalife Record 1Q

LOS ANGELES—Herbalife International (NYSE:HLF) reported first quarter revenues rose 11.5 percent to $508.1 million, due largely to continued growth in several of the company's largest markets, including the two largest, the United States and Mexico—which reported net sales growth of 22.5 percent and 12.6 percent, respectively. On the strength of the sales increase, net income climbed to $41.2 million or $0.55 per diluted share, compared to $38.7 million, or $0.53 per diluted share earned in the first quarter of 2006.

“We are pleased to report our 13th consecutive quarter of double-digit, year-over-year revenue growth and another record quarter for revenue and earnings,” said Michael O. Johnson, chief executive officer (CEO). “This performance was driven by the strength of our independent distributors, the success of their daily methods of operation, our products and our employees.”

Among the quarter highlights, the company received notification in March from China's Ministry of Commerce that it had received a direct-selling license, allowing the company to conduct a direct-selling business in Suzhou and Nanjing in the Jiangsu province. More than six million people live in Suzhou, the fifth largest Chinese city (based on gross domestic product), and approximately eight million people live in Nanjing, the second largest commercial center in East China after Shanghai.

Nu Skin Delivers Solid 1Q

PROVO, Utah—Nu Skin Enterprises (NYSE:NUS) posted a solid 3-percent increase in revenues to $273.6 million and flipped earnings to a gain of $10.5 million or $0.16 per share from a loss of $10.3 million or $0.15 per share posted a year ago. Despite an overall flat performance in North Asia, management expressed particular satisfaction with the company’s steady progress in Japan, as well as double-digit revenue growth in South Korea. China turned in modest improvements, while the United States and Southeast Asia made steady gains.

We continue to see a positive impact on earnings from our transformation efforts initiated in 2006,” said Truman Hunt, president and chief executive officer (CEO), referring to the roughly $32 million in asset repairment, restructuring and related charges that plagued the first quarter last year. “In addition, we remain focused on the 2007 objectives presented to shareholders last November. Given first-quarter results, we are confident that we can deliver on our overall 2007 revenue growth, margin expansion and shareholder value goals.” He noted Nu Skin (www.nuskinenterprises.com) utilized its balance sheet and strong cash flow to repurchase approximately $46 million of stock (or 2.7 million outstanding shares) during the quarter to improve shareholder value.

Despite the rebound from last year, there is still some restructuring to be done. “Keeping with our commitment to reduce losses in unprofitable markets, we will be restructuring our Brazil business during the second quarter of 2007," said Ritch Wood, chief financial officer (CFO). "We estimate restructuring and other charges in Brazil to negatively impact second-quarter earnings per share by approximately $0.03.”