Ambrotose LIFE

Functional

• Aloe vera extract inner leaf gel powder includes Manapol^®, a polysaccharide found in aloe vera gel. A unique ingredient exclusive to Mannatech, Incorporated, Manapol is extracted from fresh, washed and filtered gel by a specialized extraction method that yields insoluble fibers and stabilized, high molecular weight (MW) soluble fibers rich in long-chain mannose sugars – beta-(1-4)-acetylated polymannans. Many attribute the benefits of topically and orally-applied aloe vera gel to its polymannan content.* The MW of over 20% of Manapol is >800,000. It also contains the monosaccharide sugars glucuronic acid, glucose, galacturonic acid, xylose, galactose, glucosamine, fucose, rhamnose and arabinose, and small amounts of protein, calcium, potassium and sulfate 1,2,3.

• Arabinogalactans are a class of long, densely branched high-molecular weight polysaccharides extracted for commercial uses from the bark of the Eastern and Western Larch trees, Larix larcinia and Larix occidentalis. Their monosaccharide constituents include galactose, arabinose, glucose and mannose 1. Larch arabinogalactans are an excellent source of prebiotic soluble dietary fiber 2, 3. Numerous inedible and edible plants are rich sources of arabinogalactans 3. Arabinogalactans are found in some food plants, including corn, carrots, tomatoes, pears, wheat, radishes, and red wine 3, 4.

  A human randomized double blind, placebo-controlled multi-dose trial concluded that “a dose of 1.5 grams/day of a proprietary larch arabinogalactan can significantly increase the IgG antibody response to tetanus vaccine compared to placebo” in healthy subjects 5. In fact, two human double blind, placebo-controlled trials indicate that higher doses of this arabinogalactan (4.5 grams) can enhance the response to a bacterial (pneumococcal) challenge 6, 7.

  Larch arabinogalactans are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)(www.FDA.gov) as generally recognized as safe (GRAS)(21CFR172.610).

• Ghatti gum, a mixture of complex polysaccharides, comes from the bark of Anogeissus latifolia, a large tree native to India and Sri Lanka.  Monosaccharide constituents include arabinose, galactose, mannose, xylose and glucuronic acid.  Ghatti gum is used in supplements, foods, drugs and cosmetics.  It contains as much as 80% soluble dietary fiber 1,2.

  Most gums are believed to be largely degraded in the colon 3.  Test tube studies have demonstrated the fermentation of ghatti gum by the beneficial human bacteria species Bifidobacterium 4,5.  Ghatti gum is considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (www.fda.gov) and is permitted for use as a food (21CFR184.1333).

• Glucosamine HCl is a salt of the amino monosaccharide, glucosamine. Glucosamine exists naturally in human cartilage (the tough tissue that cushions joints) and in some fungi and algae.1,2,3,4,5 Commercially produced glucosamine is made from shellfish4,6,7 or may be produced from plant sources.8,9 Specific plants provide vegetarian sources of Glucosamine HCl. Supplemental glucosamine has been used and studied for a number of years in Europe. In the U. S., it has gained popularity as a dietary supplement.10,11 The amount of absorption of orally administered glucosamine through the intestines is somewhat unclear. Muniyappa et al. 2006 12 states: “Although the limited absorption of orally administered glucosamine is not widely acknowledged, it has long been known that the active transport of glucosamine in the small intestine does not occur.”13 Following an intravenous dose of 800 mg in humans, the fraction not metabolized (broken down, used, or absorbed) or incorporated into plasma protein was excreted, mainly in the urine.5 Glucosamine that is not absorbed through the intestine may be utilized by colonic bacteria 13,14,15. There appears to be minimal concern for some side effects (i.e. gas).3,4,7 Clinical studies have consistently reported that glucosamine seems safe.7 One study used a standard dose of oral glucosamine at 1,500 mg/day for 6 weeks 12 and the usual dosing schedule is 500 mg, three times daily in many other studies.2,5,7,10 Glucosamine hydrochloride, taken orally (by mouth) for 1 to 2 years is possibly safe for most adults, as cited by numerous studies reported from the Natural Medicines database.6 Glucosamine HCl (veggie) means that this this ingredient is manufactured without using any animal derived materials and is suitable for a vegan or vegetarian diet.

• Gum tragacanth comes from the stems and branches of the flowering plant Astragalus gummifer. The raw gum is made up of two polysaccharides. Monosaccharide constituents include galactose, arabinose, xylose, fucose, rhamnose, and galacturonic acid 1,2. Gum tragacanth has been approved for use in pharmaceuticals in the U.S. since 1820 and in foods since 1925 2,3. Most gums are believed to be largely degraded in the colon 4,5. Test tube studies have demonstrated that gum tragacanth can be digested by a number of bacteria that inhabit the human colon, including the beneficial Bifidobacteria species 5,6,7. Gum tragacanth is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is commonly added to foods (21CFR184.1351).

• Modified citrus pectin. Pectin is a type of polysaccharide found in the cell walls of many plants and assists in making plants rigid 1, 2. Pectin offers gel-like capabilities 1, 2. Citrus pectin is the pulp and peel of citrus fruits 3, 4. A few sources note that shorter-chain, modified citrus pectin (MCP) may be absorbed in smaller quantities due to water solubility (dissolvability) 1, 5. In the U. S., Pectin has been Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) 3.

• Rice bran is made from the bran layer, underneath the hull layer of rice, Oryza sativa. The bran, or byproduct obtained while milling rice, makes up about 1/10th of the weight of rice grain 1,2 Rice bran, the outer brown layer, includes rice germ that is removed from the starchy endosperm via the milling process 1,2. Rice bran contains dietary fiber 3. Rice bran oil is a popular “healthy oil” in Asia, Japan, and especially India 3,4,5. Rice bran, as a co-product of milling, contains about 15-20% fat and 11-15% protein 6. Humans have been enjoying grain foods, including rice, for the past thousand years 7. For two-thirds of the population of the world, rice is the staple food 8. A number of studies reported in the Natural Medicines database, professional monograph on rice bran 9 show safe use in studies of up to 5 years.

• Sodium alginate, the sodium salt form of alginic acid and gum, is primarily extracted from cell walls of brown algae 1. Algin is extracted from Macrocytis pyrifera, giant kelp 2. Alginates are polysaccharides 2, 3. The composition of alginate includes proportions of β-D-mannuronic acid and α-L-guluronic acid linked by 1-4 glycosidic bonds 3. Algin (sodium alginate) provides both flexibility and strength to the tissue of brown seaweed because of its gelling properties 2. For thousands of years, seaweed has been used as food for animals and humans 2. Sodium Alginate is likely safe with oral use of amounts found typically in foods 2, 4. Sodium Alginate is affirmed as GRAS for specific functional use as described in FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (21CFR184.1724) 5, 6.

• Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) is a type of edible brown algae consumed for thousands of years, particularly in Asia 1. In Japanese and other Asian cultures, the ingestion of brown seaweed in the diet averages up to 3 g per day 1. Wakame use includes condiments and soup bases or fresh in salads, rolls or stews for its nutritional content, flavor and texture. Undaria is also a part of Chinese and Ayurvedic (Indian) traditional medicine 2.

  Undaria pinnatifida is rich in fucoidans and polysaccharides that contain large amounts of fucose and other monosaccharides, including galactose, mannose and glucose 3,4. Undaria pinnatifida is largely made up of soluble (dissolvable) carbohydrates 5,6.

  Undaria is partially digested in the human gut 5 and test tube studies have shown that fibers from brown algae could be fermented by human fecal bacteria 6. The serum uptake of fucoidans has been minimally assessed to date 7. Undaria pinnatifida has been consumed as a food and traditional medicine in Asia for thousands of years, indicating a safe precedence for human consumption 1,8.

• Quality and Safety
  • Naturally gluten-free.
  • Free from soy, dairy, artificial flavors, artificial colors,
  • MSG, preservatives
  • Naturally sourced
  • Contains naturally sourced ingredients
  • Patented formulation
  • Suitable for vegetarians
• Benefits
  • Rich in high molecular weight polysaccharides
  • Rich in polysaccharides > 1.4 million daltons
  • Contains a standardized amount of high molecular weight acetylated mannans
  • Contains a standardized amount of acetylated mannans ≥ 1 million daltons
  • Includes a standardized amount of the very high molecular weight Acemannan polysaccharides (1-2 million daltons) as defined by the American Chemical Society
  • A blend of plant-sourced polysaccharides

• Advanced Ambrotose^® powder Human Open-Label Clinical Trial (2019)

  In an open-label, controlled human study conducted by Roca** et al.*** (2019), 20 participants, the active group, received a polysaccharide-based multi-ingredient supplement of 8 g/day Advanced Ambrotose® complex powder, (AA), (with Arabinogalactan, Aloe Vera extract, rice starch, ghatti gum, gum Tragacanth, Glucosamine HCl, Wakame algae extract), taken for 15 days prior to the marathon while the other 21 participants, the control group, received no supplement. Results showed that in the active group there were significant changes in salivary and systemic immunological biomarkers before as well as after the race. The authors’ findings suggest that Advanced Ambrotose may have a positive effect on immune response after a strenuous exercise.

  **Emma Roca, M. S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, is a doctoral candidate for a Biochemistry, PhD, to be achieved in June 2019.
  ***Author/author affiliations are below:

  This study was funded by an unconditional product grant from Mannatech, Inc. (Flower Mound, TX—previously Coppell, TX). The researchers in this study independently collected, analyzed, and interpreted the results from this study and have no financial interests in the results of this study.

  1 Emma Roca, Doctoral Candidate and Dr. Lexa Nescolarde, Research Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Jordi Girona, 1-3, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
  2 Dr. Elisabet Canto, Dr. Lidia Perea, and Dr. Silvia Vidal, Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  3 Dr. Lexa Nescolarde, Department of Electronic, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona,Spain.
  4,5,6 Dr. Antoni Bayes-Genis, Department of Cardiology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain; Department of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Research Program, Fundació Institut d’Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain.
  7 Dr. Oriol Sibila, Respiratory Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Autonomous, University of Barcelona and Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB SantPau), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

  Roca E¹, Canto E², Nescolarde L^1,3, Perea L², Bayes-Genis A^4,5,6, Sibila O⁷, Vidal S² (2019). Effects of a polysaccharide-based multi-ingredient supplement on salivary immunity in non-elite marathon runners. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 16:14

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• Ambrotose^® Powder Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial (2015)

  In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 73 healthy middle-aged adults, Dr. Talitha Best and colleagues from the University of South Australia and Swinburne University of Technology showed that, shortly after taking a single 4-gram serving of classic Ambrotose^® complex powder, subjects experienced significantly improved memory and performed significantly better on demanding cognitive tasks. The product had no effect on blood glucose levels.* 

  Best T, Howe P, Bryan J, Buckley J, Scholey A (2015) Acute effects of a dietary non-starch polysaccharide supplement on cognitive performance in healthy middle-aged adults. Nutr Neurosci 18(2):76-86.

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  This article can be accessed from PubMed.
• Multiple Product Open-Label Clinical Trial (2013)

  In a six-month, open-label human studyof 15 retired football players, intake of Mannatech products resulted in statistically significant improvements in numerous self-reported measures of physical and mental health, quality of life, memory, and elbow and knee pain reduction. Study participants took Mannatech’s Ambrotose^® complex powder, Omega–3 with Vitamin D3 capsules, Ambrotose AO^® capsules, PhytoMatrix^® caplets and PLUS^™ caplets. All of these products are gluten-free and NSF-certified. Authors include Mannatech scientists Drs. Robert A. Sinnott and Rolando L. Maddela, Dr. Sejong Bae of the University of North Texas Health Science Center and Dr. Talitha Best of the University of South Australia, Adelaide. 

  Sinnott RA, Maddela RL, Bae S, Best T. (2013) The effect of dietary supplements on the quality of life of retired professional football players. Global J Health Sci 2(5):13-26.

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  This article can also be accessed from PubMed.
• Ambrotose^® Powder Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial (2012)

  Dr. Talitha Best (University of South Australia [UniSA] and Swinburne University of Technology), Associate Professor Eva Kemps (Flinders University) and Dr. Janet Bryan (UniSA) showed that, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving more than 100 healthy adults, individuals who consumed Ambrotose^® complex powder reported numerous health and well-being benefits following 12 weeks of intake, compared with subjects taking a placebo. Gastrointestinal effects were also among the perceived benefits reported by individuals who consumed Ambrotose complex powder.* 

  Best T, Kemps E, Bryan J (2012) Perceived changes in well-being following polysaccharide intake in middle-aged adults. Applied Res Qual Life, 7(2):163-82.

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• Ambrotose^® Powder Open-Label Clinical Trial (2011)

  In an open-label human dosing study, Dr. Azita Alavi, a Research Fellow at the Sir Joseph Hotung Centre for Musculoskeletal Disorders, Division of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, St. George’s University of London, U.K. and colleagues showed that intake of Advanced Ambrotose^® powder resulted in a significant shift towards increased sialylation in the N-glycosylation profile of the serum of healthy adults. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study which has shown that dietary changes can affect serum glycosylation profiles. Co–authors include St. George’s University researchers Professor John Axford, Dr. Edward Tarelli and Dr. Owen Fraser, and Professor Martin Bland, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, UK. 

  Alavi A, Fraser O, Tarelli E, Bland M, Axford J. (2011) An open-label dosing study to evaluate the safety and effects of a dietary plant-derived polysaccharide supplement on the N-glycosylation status of serum glycoproteins in healthy subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr, 1-9.

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  This article can also be accessed from PubMed.
• Ambrotose^® Powder Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial (2010)

  Dr. Talitha Best (Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia) showed, in a trial of 109 healthy middle-aged male and female adults, that Ambrotose^® complex powder (4 grams/day for 12 weeks) significantly improved memory and improved psychological well-being.*

  Best T, Kemps E, Bryan J (2010) Saccharide effects on cognition and well-being in middle-aged adults: A randomized controlled trial. Developmental Neuropsychology 35(1):66-80.

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• Ambrotose^® Powder Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial (2009)

  Drs. Atiya N. Stancil and Leslie H. Hicks, both of Howard University in Washington, D.C., published this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigating the impact of Ambrotose^® complex on the brain function of 62 healthy young adults. The study showed that a single, one-tablespoon serving of Ambrotose complex significantly improved visual discrimination and working memory. 

  Stancil AN, Hicks LH (2009) Glyconutrients and perception, cognition, and memory. Perceptual Mot Skills 10:259-270.

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• Ambrotose^® Powder Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial (2008)

  Dr. Talitha Best (Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia) showed that, in a trial of 45 middle-aged male and female subjects, a single 7 gram serving of Ambrotose^® complex powder suggested potential enhancement effects of memory performance.* (Note: this serving is 1.75 times the recommended dose [4 grams/day] for this product). 

  Best T (2008) An investigation of saccharide effects on memory performance. J Nutr, Health and Aging 12(9)657-662.

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• Ambrotose^® Powder Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial (2004)

  Drs. Chenghua Wang (Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, Canada), Joanne Szabo (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, ARK) and Roscoe Dykman (Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, ARK) showed, in a study of 20 healthy adults, that a one tablespoon serving of Ambrotose^® complex powder enhanced brainwave frequencies known to be associated with attention or alertness.* 

  Wang C, Szabo JS, Dykman RA (2004) Effects of a carbohydrate supplement upon resting brain activity. Integr Physiol Behav Sci 39:126-138.

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• Ambrotose^® Powder Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial (2002)

  Drs. Chenghua Wang and R.T. Pivik (University of Arkansas, Little Rock, ARK) showed, in a study of 20 healthy adults, that a one tablespoon serving of Ambrotose^® complex powder had a positive effect on brain waves associated with information processing.* 

  Wang C, Pivik RT, Dykman RA (2002) Effects of a glyconutritional supplement on brain potentials associated with language processing. Federation Proceedings: Experimental Biology Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana. April 20-24

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• Ambrotose^® Powder Preclinical Study (2012)

  Mannatech sponsored this research, conducted by outside experts, which showed that intake of Advanced Ambrotose^® powder had positive effects in the brain on the expression of genes associated with the regulation of learning, memory and mood (1)*. These preliminary findings are compatible with multiple controlled human clinical studies which indicate that intake of Ambrotose products provides significant cognitive benefits to healthy adults.*

  Nelson EN, Ramberg JE, Sinnott RA. (2012) Brain-specific effects of Ambrotose® products: a preliminary animal study to investigate cognitive benefits found in humans. Poster Presentation at the 10th Jenner Glycobiology and Medicine Symposium, The Hague, the Netherlands, March 31-April 3.

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• Ambrotose^® Powder In Vitro Prebiotic Study (2013)

  Scientists at ProDigest in collaboration with the Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET) at Ghent University, in Belgium conducted this study, the first to apply 16sRNA genes-based pyrosequencing in a Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) study. The pyrosequencing technique allowed the scientists to explore more deeply and confirm findings from a previous Ghent University study which showed that Advanced Ambrotose powder exhibited prebiotic effects along the entire colon. 

  Marzorati M, Maignien L, Verhelst A et al. (2013) Barcoded pyrosequencing analysis of the microbial community in a simulator of the human gastrointestinal tract showed a colon region-specific microbiota modulation for two plant-derived polysaccharide blends. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 103(2):409-20.

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  This article can also be accessed from PubMed.

• Ambrotose^® Powder In Vitro Prebiotic Study (2010)

  Drs. Massimo Marzorati and Sam Possemiers (University of Ghent and ProDigest, Ghent, Belgium) and their colleagues employed state‐of‐the‐art human gastrointestinal tract simulations and microbiological analyses to show that Ambrotose^® complex and Advanced Ambrotose^® powder exerted positive prebiotic effects.* Both products exhibited good selective fermentability throughout the entire colon and positive and selective bifidogenic effects. They also demonstrated the possibility of enhancing species belonging to Bacteroidetes, a phylum recently associated with body weight management.* 

  Marzorati M, Verhelst A, Luta G et al. (2010) In vitro modulation of the human gastrointestinal microbial community by plant-derived polysaccharide-rich dietary supplements. Int J Food Microbiol 139(3):168-76.

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• Ambrotose^® Powder In Vitro Prebiotic Study (2007)

  Dr. John Kalns and colleagues (Hyperion Biotechnology, Inc., San Antonio, TX) conducted an in vitro study demonstrating that human fecal bacteria can partially break down Advanced Ambrotose^® powder and two of its constituents (aloe vera gel polysaccharides and arabinogalactan). Bacteria identified that could best compete for these polysaccharides were Enterococcus species (a species that is a popular probiotic in some countries). 

  Sinnott RA, Ramberg J, Kirchner JM, et al. (2007) Utilization of arabinogalactan, aloe vera gel polysaccharides, and a mixed saccharide dietary supplement by human colonic bacteria in vitro . Int J Probiotics Prebiotics 2:97-104.

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  This article can also be accessed from PubMed.