The blend of fibers, proteins and macronutrients has shown promise in increasing satiety, reducing calorie cravings and aiding aid weight loss in a small-scale preliminary study involving 42 subjects looking to lose weight, said Indevex. Findings showed weight loss of between 1.7kg and 3.3kg over the 8-week period when subjects drank the shake three times a day ahead of meals.
The research formed part of wider on-going clinical trials in Sweden and China on Indevex’s proprietary blend – made up of pea protein, whey protein, egg albumin, omega 3/6 whole eggs, apple, rosehip and sugar beet or glucomannan fiber. In addition to weight loss, Indevex was also investigating the impact the shake had on blood sugar levels for type 2 diabetes patients and metabolic parameters in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
The company will publish a review paper and full study on its preload findings within 6-12 months.
Indevex medical adviser Magnus Sederholm said the satiety findings were particularly interesting in a weight loss market that was predominantly focused on starvation cures.
“I think the most important thing is that this shake is based on quite another strategy; namely you use satiety as the mode of action, not starvation… This is creating a feeling of wellness and satiety which is the driving force behind weight reduction,” he told NutraIngredients.
“The preload – it’s a head start. The result is that you have fewer cravings for unhealthy calories; that’s proven.”
The weight loss study founds 65% of subjects reported reduced meal size after using the NGC shakes for eight weeks.
Sederholm said the blend followed the low-GI, high protein concept proven in the European Commission’s Diogenes Project to promote weight loss. Each 18 g serving contained 7.6 g protein, 1.8 g fat, 1.5 g fiber and 5.2 g carbohydrates – providing 71 kcal energy and a GI of less than 30.
10 years to develop the patented blend
Sederholm acknowledged there were other satiation preload concepts on the market, but said Indevex’s blend – that took 10 years to develop – made this product interesting.
“All proteins have different bioavailability. Pea is probably the most satiating, but whey is the most rapid. And with the macronutrients as well – the acids and fibers - we think the combination is good.”
Indevex tested two versions of the shake – NGC Preload that included sugar beet and NGC+ that had lower sugar beet levels and incorporated 1 g of glucomannan per serving, enabling an EFSA health claim.
Findings in the 8-week study showed the mix with glucomannan promoted more weight loss – between 3-3.3kg, compared to 1.6-1.7kg loss with the sugar beet blend.
Sederholm said Indevex would therefore move forward with a focus on the NGC+ blend, given the results. “At least when it comes to weight reduction, it’s ideal.”
In-depth mode of action trials to come…
Sederholm said Indevex’s research so far was interesting as it focused on end points that were relevant to users or patients, like weight reduction and glucose levels, but said there would be more in-depth research conducted in the future.
“There’s a lot of research that we’ve started where we’re looking to mode of action – at what the individual ingredients are doing,” he added. This work, however, could take another decade to complete, he said.