A recently published study shows promising results for cranberry helps in managing overactive bladder in women
According to a study just published in The Journal of Urology, Naturex’s proprietary full spectrum cranberry ingredient Flowens® may help alleviate frequent urination, a bothersome symptom of overactive bladder in women. The publication comes after the recognition received earlier this year for Flowens®, which was named Ingredient of the Year – Healthy Ageing at the 2020 NutraIngredients Awards.
Conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, the randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled human clinical trial demonstrated a significant effect for Flowens® in healthy women aged 18-60 over a six-month period. Women taking a daily 500mg dose of Flowens® experienced two fewer daily episodes of frequent urination than those in the placebo group.
Improved quality of life
The results of the trial demonstrate the positive impact of cranberry consumption on overactive bladder (OAB) in women. OAB is not a disease but a constellation of symptoms. It is defined by the International Continence Society as the presence of “urinary urgency, usually accompanied by frequency and nocturia, with or without urgency urinary incontinence, in the absence of urinary tract infection or other obvious pathology.”
OAB affects more than 30 million women and men aged over 40 in the US alone(1). Prevalence rates range from 9% to 43% in women and 7% to 27% in men(2).
Emilie Fromentin Ph.D., Head of Explore Health, Wellness & Nutrition said: “OAB symptoms vary from slight to severe and can greatly affect a woman’s quality of life. This study shows how women consuming Flowens® could experience a reduction in both frequencies and the sensation of urgency associated with OAB. These findings build on the positive results of a previous study that demonstrated the benefits of Flowens® for reducing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men. This latest trial provides more clear evidence of the efficacy of this proprietary ingredient when consumed to improve urinary tract health.”
New market opportunity
Dan Souza, Global Product Manager added: “For six years now, Flowens® has been helping men to improve their quality of life by reducing Low Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) typically associated with prostate issues. It has full regulatory compliance and it has been awarded seven proprietary men’s health claims.
This new study involving women widens the potential of our full spectrum cranberry product by demonstrating that it offers benefits for a further health condition that affects a completely different demographic group.”
He continued: “With this new study we can significantly broaden the potential for Flowens® without the need to create a new ingredient that would be subject to additional approval cycles prior to launch. This brings many benefits – perhaps the most important of which is speed to market.”