Abstract
BackgroundA new dietary supplement, Fatigue Reviva™, has been recently developed to address issues related to amino acid depletion following illness or in conditions of sub-health where altered amino acid homeostasis has been associated with fatigue. Complex formulations of amino acids present significant challenges due to solubility and taste constraints. This initial study sets out to provide an initial appraisal of product palatability and to gather pilot evidence for efficacy.MethodsMales reporting symptoms of sub-health were recruited on the basis of being free from any significant medical or psychological condition. Each participant took an amino acid based dietary supplement (Fatigue Reviva™) daily for 30 days. Comparisons were then made between pre- and post-supplement general health symptoms and urinary amino acid profiles.ResultsSeventeen men took part in the study. Following amino acid supplementation the total Chalder fatigue score improved significantly (mean ± SEM, 12.5 ± 0.9 versus 10.0 ± 1.0, P<0.03). When asked whether they thought that the supplement had improved their health, 65% of participants responded positively. A subgroup of participants reported gastrointestinal symptoms which were attributed to the supplement and which were believed to result from the component fructooligosaccharide. Analysis of urinary amino acids revealed significant alterations in the relative abundances of a number of amino acids after supplementation including an increase in valine, isoleucine and glutamic acid and reduced levels of glutamine and ornithine. Discriminant function analysis of the urinary amino acid data revealed significant differences between the pre- and post-supplement urine excretion profiles.ConclusionsThe results indicated that Fatigue Reviva™ was palatable and that 65% of the study group reported that they felt the product had improved their health. The product could provide an effective tool for the management of unexplained fatigue and symptoms of sub-health. Further product development may yield additional options for those patients susceptible to fructooligosaccharide.
Highlights
A new dietary supplement, Fatigue RevivaTM, has been recently developed to address issues related to amino acid depletion following illness or in conditions of sub-health where altered amino acid homeostasis has been associated with fatigue
The more severe cases of sub-health may present as conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia
This first stage of product development investigated the use of Fatigue RevivaTM over a thirty-day period in a group of healthy men experiencing some symptoms of sub-health
Summary
Sub-health was defined as subjects experiencing reduced energy levels, change in sleeping patterns, increased incidence of infections and loss of vitality. Subjects who reported experiencing symptoms of sub-health but were otherwise healthy were recruited from patients of health practitioners and from the general public. Participants were required to take 20g of the amino acid based dietary supplement (Fatigue RevivaTM) blended in 100 ml of water each day for 30 days. Participants were assessed for fatigue using the Chalder fatigue scale [19] (11-items, Likert scored). Participants were assessed for current general health and well-being using an 86 item questionnaire developed and extensively used by the current research team [20,21,22]. The sample size was based upon the research team’s experience of amino acid profiling and the effects of supplementation in humans and was projected to provide sufficient power to determine whether the supplement had the potential to alter amino acid homeostasis. All participants provided informed written consent before taking part in the trial
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