The claims cut across pain / discomfort, range of motion, and actual physical ability and are applicable to Foods with Function Claims (FFC) containing the blend.
The blend, commercially available under the name TamaFlex, is supplied by NXT USA.
The company recently managed to secure the claims with its Japanese partner Octroll which it also owns a 50 per cent stake in.
Schiff Vitamins is an example which has incorporated the blend into product – in this case, its Move Free Joint Health Ultra coated tablets.
Another example is GNC with its TamaFlex Fast Acting product.
The blend is also already used in products made by Japanese companies, including Fuji Yakuhin Co Ltd’s product Laforth.
However, with the approval, FFC products containing the blend can now make three types of joint health claims related to 1) pain / discomfort, 2) range of motion, and 3) actual physical ability.
Speaking to NutraIngredients-Asia, Hiroyuki Tanaka, CEO of Octroll, gave an example including all three claims: “This product contains curcumin and proanthocyanidins derived from tamarind.
“It has been reported that curcumin and proanthocyanidins derived from tamarind have the function of reducing discomfort in the knee joint, increasing the range of motion, and supporting bending and straightening of the knee, as well as the function of helping walking ability (ability to walk long distances in a certain amount of time, walking speed, and going up and down stairs), which tends to decline with age.”
The ability to make three types of joint health claims gives the blend an edge over ingredients which could only make one claim.
“As compared to other FCC ingredients for the joint health, the advantage of using TamaFlex is that we can use show triple joint health benefits based on just one ingredient, which is a very unique point of TamaFlex,” said Tanaka.
This could also translate to cost efficiency to manufacturers making joint health products, he said.
“Some ingredients can make one or two of joint health related claims, so manufacturers sometimes use two ingredients with synergistic effects so that they can make more claims on their products, which however, can be a big impact to costs,” he explained.
Some of the local Japanese firms which have secured FFC claims for their products containing TamaFlex are Locabo Works, Sanuki Kenko Honpo, and Fraijeu.
Asked the target audience, Tanaka pointed out that the ageing population would be a key target, as it is a growing mass market. Another area of interest is to formulate the blend into sports nutrition products.
Mechanism of actions
The blend works in dual action, providing both fast acting and long-lasting benefits by interacting with two enzymes, Tanaka pointed out.
First, turmeric root interacts with the COX-2 (Cyclooxygenase-2) pathway to promote a quick response.
In particular, the COX-2 enzyme “helps the body process fatty acids involved in natural body processes, influencing the formation of certain compounds that might help to alleviate joint discomfort.”
Second, tamarind seed supports the 5-LOX pathway, which could prolong the benefits with a gradual onset of the effects.
So far, the blend is backed by three clinical trials conducted among the Indian population.
One of the studies, published in Food & Nutrition Research last year, reported that 30 days of supplementing 250mg of TamaFlex was associated with improvements in pain, joint stiffness, physical function, aerobic capacity, and endurance.
In addition, the total Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score was significantly improved after five days of supplementation.
