03.01.10
Biothera’s Wellmune WGP, a natural carbohydrate that activates key immune cells, reduced the incidence of cold-like symptoms and improved the psychological well-being of individuals with stressful lifestyles, according to a new study published in Agro Food Industry Hi-Tech.
Previous clinical studies demonstrated that Wellmune WGP reduced the severity and duration of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms in physically stressed individuals as well as in non-stressed subjects.
In this double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, 150 people (45 men and 105 women, mean age 39 years, range 18-65 years) with moderate to highly stressful lifestyles consumed Wellmune WGP or a placebo each day for four weeks. The study measured both stress-related incidence of URTI symptoms (i.e., nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, sneezing, cough, fatigue, headache, general malaise and body aches) and psychological well-being, including levels of vigor, tension, mental clarity and fatigue.
After two weeks, 32% of the subjects in the placebo group reported URTI symptoms, compared with only 10% in the group taking 250 mgs of Wellmune WGP. At four weeks, 28% of the placebo group reported URTI symptoms, compared with 8% in the group taking Wellmune WGP.
The Wellmune WGP group reported a 41% increase in general health when compared with the placebo group over the four-week study period. In comparison with the placebo group, the Wellmune WGP group reported statistically significant increases in vigor and reductions in fatigue (38%), tension (19%) and confusion (15%).
The psychological health assessment was obtained with a Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire, a validated psychometric test that measures six moods states (vigor, fatigue, tension, confusion, depression and anger) using 65 adjective-based intensity scales. The POMS profile has been used in more than 2,900 health studies. For further information: www.wellmune.com