Results of the 16-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study indicated that a daily 0.9 gram dose of the polyphenol blend was associated with significant HRQOL measures, including enhanced perceived physical (+11.2%) and mental health (+4.1%).
Decreases in body weight (-1.3 kg), body fat mass (-1.2 kg), and waist circumference (-1.1 cm) were also reported for the Fiit-ns group, according to findings published in Nutrients.
“The mechanisms of action likely involve improvements in vascular function via well-known antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of phenolic compounds,” wrote scientists from Fytexia (France), the Catholic University of Murcia (Spain), and the University of Montpellier (France).
“Such beneficial effects may be extended to other situations where HRQOL is impaired, particularly during the ageing process, where an imbalance of body composition and a loss of vitality and of physical functioning associated with a more sedentary lifestyle are commonly observed.”
An ingredient based on the Med diet
Beziers, France-based Fytexia launched Fiit-ns in 2011, and positioned towards sports nutrition products. The ingredient is a combination of selected fruit & vegetable extracts and vitamin B3.
The new study is the second clinical trial to be published using the ingredient. The first was published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition in 2015 (Cases et al. Vol. 66, pp. 120–125, doi: 10.3109/09637486.2014.971229). That study found that a 900 mg per day dose of Fiit-ns boosted metabolic functions, significantly reduced markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, led to weight loss, and boosted quality of life.
The new study focuses on health-related quality of life, which covers physical, psychological, and social domains of health.
“… the use of HRQOL assessment is particularly relevant and is increasingly widespread in clinical practices, predominantly for ageing populations and for the inherent expansion in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension,” explained the researchers, led by Fytexia’s Cindy Romain.
The new study included 72 overweight and obese but otherwise healthy individuals. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either the Fiit-ns supplement or a placebo for 16 weeks.
The results showed that the greatest contributors to the improvements in HRQOL were bodily pain, vitality, and general health.
“It is noteworthy that after the 16-week-long period of supplementation, both the vitality and the emotional well-being values improved to achieve the level of the reference norms of the Spanish age-specific population,” wrote Dr Romain and her co-authors. “Improvements in these different subscales and in both the physical and mental component scores must be considered as clinically significant, as it has been stated that absolute differences of 3–5 points are clinically relevant.”
In addition to the improvements in body weight and fast mass, the researchers also reported a 1.3% reduction in the Index of Central Obesity.
The polyphenol-rich supplement was also associated with significant increases in engagement in physical activity, as measured by the Metabolic Equivalent Task, compared to the placebo group.
“… as the beneficial effect of the supplement on HRQOL has been demonstrated, further investigations will have to be conducted in attempts to confirm the causal relationship between the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of the polyphenols metabolites and the mechanisms involved in improving vascular function,” added the researchers.
Source: Nutrients
2021, 13(2), 492, doi: 10.3390/nu13020492
“Sixteen Weeks of Supplementation with a Nutritional Quantity of a Diversity of Polyphenols from Foodstuff Extracts Improves the Health-Related Quality of Life of Overweight and Obese Volunteers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel Clinical Trial”
Authors: C. Romain et al.