A Powerful Flavonoid for Cholesterol Control

A study published in 2009 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown a spotlight on a powerful subsegment of flavonoids called anthocyanins. Medox USA (Miami Beach, FL) with developments from the Biolink Group has brought this powerful antioxidant to market in Medox®.

Medox is a patented, clinical, well documented, professional food supplement developed from 16 years of research at a Norwegian university in addition to continuing research taking place in university hospitals and universities in Norway, EU, Asia and the US.

Medox is not based on a standard berry extract but on a high technological, patented process, developed by the Biolink Group. The whole process of Medox is constructed to optimize on the few ortodihydroxy structured anthocyanins. These molecules are believed to carry the absolute highest biological potential among all anthocyanins.

The molecules in Medox, which is available in a vegetable capsule, are found in bilberries and in blackcurrant—both berry species are needed to give the unique biological structure and effect.

Recent clinical trials have confirmed extensive evidence that has shown many positive effects of anthocyanin consumption in blood lipid levels and prevention of atherosclerosis, said Raul G. Corredor, MD with Medox USA (Miami Beach, FL). “Reduction of the ‘bad’ cholesterol and increase in protective ‘good’ cholesterol blood levels was demonstrated after oral supplementation with the purified presentation of anthocyanins extracted from wild Scandinavian bilberries (vaccinium myrtillus) and blackcurrants (ribes nigrum), which make Medox unique in its ability to provide highly concentrated anthocyanins.”

A 12-week extensive clinical trial (double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled) performed by a team of scientists headed by Yu Quin and WenHua Ling at Sun Yat-Sen University and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2009, where 320mg of purified anthocyanins or placebo were administered to 120 dyslipidemic patients. Anthocyanins supplementation resulted in a 13.7 percent increase in levels of HDL cholesterol, and a 13.6 percent reduction in levels of LDL cholesterol.

“These results are even more significant when considered in the light that no other dietary or pharmacological modification was implemented (as it can be seen by the opposite deleterious change in blood lipid levels in the placebo group),” said Corredor, “suggesting that the observed effects are fully attributable to anthocyanin (Medox) supplementation.”

Medox is mainly marketed through therapists and other health practitioners as well as through pharmacies. The product is recommended by increasingly more doctors as well as the heart and lung associations in both Norway and Sweden. It has been on the market since 2001, without documenting any possible side effects, and introduced to the US market two years ago.