Formulating Antioxidant Products

Formulating Antioxidant Products
by Judi Quilici-Timmcke, M.S.

Formulatingantioxidant products that will prove to be good sellers is an increasinglydifficult task, since there are already millions of these types of products soldin every market, from mainstream supermarkets to health food stores and evenover the Internet. In fact, targeting just the antioxidant properties does notprovide enough sizzle for purchase; there needs to be a specific focus.Successful products will feature antioxidants with good research to supportsubstantial structure/function claims that are incorporated into a formula thatsupports a specific health issue or region of the body.

Antioxidants are compounds that protect against the damaging effects of freeradicals, which cause oxidative damage to the bodys tissues. Free radicalsreact chemically and can damage cell membranes; free radical damage has beenassociated with many disorders, including age-related diseases, such ascardiovascular disease and cancer. (For more on the research behindantioxidants, see related story.)

Unfortunately, the average personwould have a hard time defining an antioxidant, and most consumers wouldntbuy one without asking advice because they may not be truly convinced they needit. Even if they are aware of what an antioxidant is, they may not know whichone is best for them. Consumers have told me there is so much informationavailable that it is very confusing.

When a company asks me to develop a powerful antioxidant product, I encouragethem to add antioxidants to a product that targets a specific market (i.e.,sports nutrition) or that supports a body system, organ or specific region ofthe body. The other possibility is to incorporate well-researched antioxidantsinto a multiple vitamin/mineral product.

There are many vitamins, minerals, herbal extracts and specialty nutrientsthat possess antioxidant potentialvitamin A, beta-carotene and othercarotenoids; vitamin C and E; the minerals chromium and selenium; botanicalextracts such as bilberry, ginkgo biloba, green tea, grape seed extract and pinebark extract; and specialty ingredients such as coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Many ofthese ingredients have research to show antioxidant benefits and support theirability to quench free radicals as dietary supplements.

It is much easier for the consumer to purchase an antioxidant product thataddresses a particular health or diet concern or one that targets a specificbody system. They can more easily relate to an antioxidant that protects orsupports a specific organ, tissues, or body system, such as antioxidants for eyehealth, the brain, heart or joints.

Among the antioxidants with target areas are:

Avoiding Pitfalls

One dilemma facing product formulators is the abundance of possible sourcesfor ingredients, all of which appear to have similar products. For instance,there are many grape seed extracts on the market, but a product formulatorshould confirm with his or her supplier about what research is available on thespecific ingredient if the finished product company is interesting in making aclaim on the product. Several companies have performed their own antioxidantanimal studies and/or supported various human clinical trials to supportdifferent body systems.

Selenium, for example, is a mineral with a primary metabolic function as anantioxidant; it also plays a role with vitamin E to protect the cell membraneand mitochondria. SelenoExcel (from Cypress Systems) is one form of seleniumwith multiple research studies demonstrating its benefits. One of the originaltrials administered 200 mcg/d selenium yeast to 974 men for 10 years (JAMA,276, 24:1957-63, 1996). It demonstrated that the selenium yeast group had a63-percent reduction in prostate cancer incidence versus the placebo group.

Another issue when formulating a combination product is to remember there aresome ingredients, such as iron, that may not be appropriate for everyone. Ironhas antioxidant properties, but in men over 40 it may act as a pro-oxidant. Itis important in formulating products to carefully consider the target market andbe sure that there are no safety issues with compounds that are selected for theformulas. Iron overload is an excess of iron stored in the body and is observedmore in men than women. A study in Finland showed that men consuming a diet highin iron increased their risk for heart attacks (Circulation, 86:803-11,1992). Men with ferritin levels higher than 200 mcg/L had twice the risk ofthose with lower levels. The excess iron circulates as ferrous iron through theblood uncontrolled by iron-binding protein and will act as a pro-oxidantdamaging tissues. This pro-oxidant effect is seen in aging, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Another new trend in product formulation is incorporating fruit- orvegetable-based products that provide antioxidants. Unfortunately, manycompanies position these products as whole food products, leading many consumersto believe they are actually consuming many of the ingredients from the actualfruit or vegetable source. They are not aware that the only benefit demonstratedby research would be antioxidant potential. A whole fruit or vegetable base usedfor marketing purposes should be examined a little closer before writingmarketing copy to confirm that the company is being truthful and honest with theconsumer.

In conclusion, unique antioxidant products that are good sellers arent theeasiest products to sell since there are so many already being sold on themarket. New products need to focus on using antioxidants with good research tosupport substantial structure/function claims and should be developed in aproduct to support a targeted group, body system, tissues or organs.

Judi Quilici-Timmcke is the president of Q-Tech Services Inc., providingconsulting and product formulation services for companies in the dietarysupplement industry. She was previously vice president of research anddevelopment for Weider Nutritions specialty market, and the head of productdevelopment for Rexall Showcase International. Quilici-Timmcke holds a mastersdegree in dietetics and exercise physiology.