An innovative casein hydrolysate has displayed some promising stress-relieving benefits.
According to the Leatherhead Food Research Association, stress is one of the top three health concerns in Europe.
In the USA, 48 per cent of consumers are concerned about stress. Absenteeism, loss of productivity, social problems and accidents lead to a significant economic cost for society, and to increasing psychotropic drugs misuse. Moreover, the most common psychotrops used by consumers occurs further side effects, such as dependency, tolerance or memory loss.
In response to this, ingredient manufacturer, Ingredia has launched PRODIETF200, a milk protein hydrolysate with scientifically proven anti-stress properties.
PRODIETF200 is a result of ten years of research and close collaboration between Ingredia and public (CNRS, INRA, Université de Nancy) and private research laboratories. Observing the calm state of a baby after drinking milk, researchers at Nancy-based Laboratoire des Biosciences de l'Aliment aimed to identify a relationship between milk consumption and any calming effect resulting from this.
Reproducing and optimising proteolytic digestion in the digestive tract, Ingredia and the Université de Nancy developed a milk casein hydrolysate. They tested firstly its potential anxiolytic effect on rats, and subsequently checked it in vitro on biological receptors. In this way they exposed the anxiolytic-like activity of a bioactive peptide.
Researchers then purified this decapeptide, identified it and tested the activity of the same peptide chemically synthesized.
Ingredia researchers designed a food-grade process to manufacture an industrial casein hydrolysate and evaluated the anxiolytic-like activity in vivo.
Ingredia wanted to market a food grade ingredient with clearly proven anti-stress properties but without side effects.
Firstly, scientists examined and quantified PRODIETF200 activity and efficacy after oral absorption by male Wistar rats. These tests were run alongside others using a placebo and with a chemical anxiolytic (from the benzodiazepins family) to provide model control.
Secondly, the researchers checked the rats to see if PRODIETF200 caused any of the side effects associated with chemical anxiolytics, for example dependency, memory loss and tolerance.
Finally, in human clinical trials, INGREDIA tested the stress-relieving effects of PRODIETF200 after oral absorption in healthy subjects. These studies were made within the framework of established medical paradigms, measuring psychometric and haemodynamic parameters and determining quantities of saliva or plasmatic cortisol and plasmatic adenocorticotropic hormone (biological stress indicators).
These studies have clearly established the efficacy of PRODIETF200 against the effects of stress. It is already sold in Europe, in North America and in Asia as dietary supplements in tablet and capsules form. PRODIETF200 may also be incorporated into food products such as chocolate and beverages as it is a free-flowing water-soluble powder.
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Ingredia is based in Arras, France. www.ingredia.com
