Ingredients

The water-soluble tomato extract: Fruitflow®

Fruitflow® is a breakthrough anti-thrombotic ingredient extracted of the jelly around the seeds of sun-ripened tomatoes. It is the first natural, scientifically sustantiated solution for healthy blood flow.

Water-soluble tomato concentrate (WSTC) contains naturally occurring anti-platelet compounds which have been shown to suppress blood platelet activity in healthy people after consumption. Consuming WSTC reduces platelet aggregability, thereby maintaining the blood in a fluid and low coagulable state (change to a solid or semi-solid state). This helps to maintain healthy blood flow, by preventing micro-aggregates forming within the circulation, and by preventing the adherence of platelets to blood vessel walls or fatty plaques. Platelet function is not completely suppressed, and an appropriate level is maintained so that platelets can aggregate upon vascular injury.

DSM’s Fruitflow® is the world’s first natural, scientifically supported solution for healthy blood flow, with an Article 13.5 health claim approved by the EU Commission on the basis of a positive EFSA opinion.¹ Derived from tomato concentrate, Fruitflow® is a water-soluble, highly concentrated form of bioactives that contains over 30 known antiplatelet compounds and is suitable for use in food supplements.

Fruitflow® has been evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority and was granted the first approved Article 13.5 (proprietary) health claim in 2009: “Fruitflow® helps maintain normal platelet aggregation, which contributes to healthy blood flow.”²

Multiple human trials confirm Fruitflow® reduces platelet aggregation safely:

• No side effects reported
• Works in 97% of subjects
• Starts to work within 1.5 hours and continues for 12 to 18 hours
• When taken regularly on a ’once per day’ basis, the effect is continuous

Three major factors in cardiovascular disease: cholesterol, blood pressure and platelet aggregation are the cause of blood clots. Fruitflow® technology is a functional food ingredient addressing platelet aggregation. Platelets can become “spiky” i.e. more prone to clotting due to a variety of factors like stress, overweight, high cholesterol. ’Spiky’ platelets tend to stick together and form a blood clot. This process is reversible at the point when platelets become ’spiky’. This is where Fruitflow® takes action. After forming a blood clot the process can no longer be reversed.

Fruitflow® works by keeping blood platelets smooth to avoid aggregation inside blood vessels while it does not disrupt the rest of the blood clotting process so clotting will still take place as usual after injury.

In addition to promoting good blood flow, there is initial scientific evidence to support the role of Fruitflow® in wider heart health. A study from the University of Oslo has shown Fruitflow® to have a positive effect on blood pressure, another important pillar of good cardiovascular function.

Fruitflow® at its best

• natural blood thinner
• naturally maintains healthy blood circulation
• maintains healthy blood
• prevents blood clots

The goodness of red grapes: resveratrol

Resveratrol is present in more than 70 plant species, primarily in the skin and seeds of red grapes. This plant compound is derived from red grapes that has antioxidant-like properties. It is also present in products that are made from red grapes, such as red wine and juice.

Resveratrol is a compound that belongs to polyphenols’ stilbenoids group, consisting of two phenol rings that are connected by an ethylene bridge. The human body metabolizes the compound quickly, it is fat-soluble. Resveratrol helps the body detoxify harmful molecules, much like antioxidants.

A 2015 review concluded that high doses may help reduce the pressure exerted on artery walls when the heart beats.³ That type of pressure is called systolic blood pressure, and appears as the upper number in blood pressure readings. Systolic blood pressure typically goes up with age, as arteries stiffen. When high, it’s a risk factor for heart disease. Resveratrol may accomplish this blood-pressure-lowering effect by helping to produce more nitric oxide, which causes blood vessels to relax.^4,5

Resveratrol has a positive effect on blood fats. It seems to influence cholesterol levels by reducing the effect of an enzyme that controls cholesterol production. LDL oxidation contributes to plaque buildup in artery walls. As an antioxidant, resveratrol also may decrease the oxidation of ’bad’ LDL cholesterol.

Resveratrol at its best

• antioxidant effects on free radicals
• cardioprotective effects
• neuroprotective effects
• anti-inflammatory activity

The powerful bioflavonoid: rutin

Rutin is a bioflavonoid, or plant pigment, that is found in certain vegetables and fruits. Apples are full of rutin. Buckwheat, most citrus, figs, and both black and green tea also contain rutin. Rutin is found in many foods like asparagus, red pepper, cherries, aronia berries and citrus fruits, among others and its abundance is characteristic for the inflorescence and leaves of many herbs such as rue, rosemary, dandelion or sage, and black and green tea are rich sources of rutin.^{6, 7, 8, 9} Its common name derives from Ruta graveolens, a plant that contains high amounts of rutin, however other names such as rutoside, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside or sophorin have also been used. Rutin, composed of quercetin and the disaccharide rutinose (rhamnose and glucose), is a flavonol glycoside widely distributed in plants.

Since oxidative stress, inflammation and weakened vessels are strongly related to heart diseases, many research studies have demonstrated multifactorial activity of rutin that positively affects different aspects of cardiovascular health.¹⁰ The list starts from the inhibition of LDL oxidation and further progression of atherosclerosis.^{11, 12} In addition, rutin has been found to stimulate nitric oxide (NO) production in endothelial cells (cells of the inner blood vessel wall) resulting in vasodilation (widening of blood vessels), which is crucial for healthy blood flow and the resulting blood pressure lowering effect. ^{13, 14}

Additionally, rutin exerts antihypertensive effect through inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), which plays a key role in the regulation of arterial blood pressure, and is a main target for medications like captopril and imidapril.¹⁵

To put it simply Rutin has been found to have the ability to inhibit blood clot formation.^{16, 17} It has been noticed that rutin inhibits both platelet accumulation and fibrin generation during thrombus formation. This is important since clots occur in both arteries and veins. Rutin can be considered as a natural, safe and effective solution in many cardiovascular problems.

Rutin at its best

• Antioxidant effects
• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Vascular benefits
• Cardiovascular health promotion
• Neuroprotection
• Diabetes
• Eye health