Natto for heart: Singapore brand Lifestream expands award-winning cardiovascular range with vegan formula

04-Mar-2021 - Last updated on 04-Mar-2021 at 02:12 GMT

Lifestream expands cardiovascular range with vegan formula and healthy ageing support ©Lifestream

Singapore-based nutraceutical firm Lifestream Group has expanded its cardiovascular supplement range VesseCLEAR with a vegan product that is also touted to offer a broader range of support for healthy ageing.

The supplement (VesseCLEAR CX) sold under the Labo Nutrition brand is the second product from the VesseCLEAR line.

The original supplement was VesseCLEAR EX, launched in 2018, and contains Nattokinase (NSK-SD40) which is extracted from non-GMO soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis natto, and elastin F, a peptide extracted from bonito fish.

However, Dr Crystal Goh, senior scientific officer at Lifestream Group, said evolving consumer trends meant they had to formulate a vegan version.

“More people are increasingly practising vegetarianism whether for religious or health reasons, and this reflects in the rising interest for vegan supplements.”

So, the company replaced elastin F with Gamma oryzanol (branded: Oryza Gammax), which is extracted from non-GMO rice bran oil. The Gamma oryzanol ingredient also supports a wide spectrum of health ageing issues including cardiovascular, mental and muscle health.

Top killer

The VesseCLEAR CX supplement is targeted at people with, or at risk of, compromised cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Cardiovascular disease is the top cause of death globally, and the most common reason for heart attacks and strokes are blockages.

Nattokinase has been clinically studied for some of its effects on health markers. For instance, supplementation of nattokinase significantly decreased blood pressure in pre-hypertensive people after eight weeks, lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in hypertensive people, dissolve blood clots, improves blood flow within three hours of administration, normalise high blood viscosity (support healthy blood viscosity), and most recently studied for its properties in fighting against viral infections (support immune system).

It was found safe to be administered alongside blood thinners.

For Gamma oryzanol, some of the key properties reported in clinical studies include reducing cholesterol and triglycerides, provide against oxidation of blood lipids which causes plaque formation, relieve menopausal symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety and heart palpitations, improve muscle strength, and reduce melanin levels in the skin (skin lightening).

In some animal studies, Gamma oryzanol was also studied to reduce brain inflammation, improve memory, and reduce blood glucose levels.

Sales channels

The VesseCLEAR series is manufactured in Japan, and currently sold in pharmacies in Singapore (Unity, Watson), as well as its online store, and e-commerce platforms (Amazon, Lazada, Q10 and Shopee).

Its VesseCLEAR EX supplement was awarded the best-selling cardiovascular supplement in Unity (2018 to 2020), and Watson (2020).

Lifestream also serves a small group of customers from US, Europe and Asia through its online channels.

Goh said the company is planning to expand channels to include more e-commerce sites, such as Facebook.

“We try to make it accessible to as many people worldwide, as our objective is to offer the best research proven ingredient at functional dosage to help customers address health issues.”