Portal J Repository | Health
Protandim reduces TBARS by 40%
Protandim is a patented dietary supplement marketed by LifeVantage Corporation (OTCBB: LFVN. The manufacturers of Protandim claim the product can indirectly increase antioxidant activity by upregulating endogenous antioxidant factors such as the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, as well as the tripeptide glutathione, and by activation of Nrf2, which induces the expression of various genes including those that encode for several antioxidant enzymes.
is Protandim a scam?
Protandim was invented by Paul R. Myhill and William J. Driscoll, and is produced under a manufacturing agreement with The Chemins Company of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The product consists mainly of a blend of 5 ingredients:
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) extract (225 mg)
Bacopa (Bacopa monniera) extract (150 mg)
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root (150 mg)
Green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract (75 mg)
Turmeric (Curcuma Ionga) extract (75 mg)
According to the manufacturer, the side effects of Protandim may include allergic responses, gastrointestinal disturbances (stomach ache, diarrhea, vomiting), headache, and rash of the hands and feet.
A non-randomized, non-controlled trial in human subjects, reported that Protandim increased the levels of the antioxidant enzymes SOD and catalase while reducing TBAR levels. The second study, conducted in isolated cells in vitro, demonstrated that Protandim increased glutathione levels.
A 2003 study showed that Nrf2 and heme oxygenase 1 are induced by low doses of curcumin (one of the principal ingredients in Protandim) in isolated kidney epithelial cells.
A 2008 review article noted that Protandim is one of many supplements that claim to act as antioxidants, but that changes in TBARS levels and increases in the levels of antioxidant enzymes in response to a treatment do not provide a reliable indication that the treatment has an antioxidant effect, since the same responses are produced by pro-oxidant compounds that induce oxidative stress. The authors suggested that measurement of isoprostanes might be a better indication of lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage to DNA.
A review by Science-Based Medicine of eight peer-reviewed studies found insufficient evidence to support its usefulness. Dr. Harriet Hall states, "We simply don’t know enough at this point to recommend Protandim for treatment or prevention of any disease, for anti-aging, for making people feel healthier or more energetic, or for anything else."
In 2009, LifeVantage was sued by Utah-based Zrii LLC, a marketer of nutritional fruit drinks endorsed by Deepak Chopra, based on allegations that LifeVantage had conspired with former Zrii executives to “ruin the company” and take it over “on the cheap” following a “mass exodus” of Zrii distributors to LifeVantage. The case was closed in December 2009 following LifeVantage’s settlement payment of $400,000 to Zrii.
On September 15, 2011, LifeVantage entered into an agreement with entertainer Donny Osmond to act as a spokesperson for the company’s products. The 2-year contract stipulates that the company will pay Osmond for various promotional appearances and video recordings and commissions for sales of LifeVantage products.
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