Seattle Gummy Company

Recent aging studies have shown that caloric restriction and fasting have a prolonging effect on lifespan. A compelling new study by a team of Japanese researchers has offered an incredibly thorough examination into the metabolic alterations that occur in human blood during fasting, revealing a fascinating array of changes that could point to a variety of health benefits.

The research set out to exhaustively analyze the metabolic profile of blood samples as subjects underwent an extensive stretch of fasting. Four healthy participants were recruited and subjected to a long fast, with blood samples taken at three points in the process: 10, 34 and 58 hours after commencing fasting.

The researchers identified 44 different blood-based metabolites significantly increasing in abundance after 58 hours of fasting. Alongside known markers signaling the body is moving to utilizing alternative energy stores, such as butyrates and branched-chain amino acids, an interesting increase in anti-oxidant metabolites was found suggesting that the response could be an evolutionary defense against the oxidative stress put on the body during fasting.

Other previously unidentified metabolites revealed in the study signaled enhanced mitochondrial activity. This discovery adds weight to a compelling Harvard study from last year that suggested that fasting could increase longevity and promote healthy aging by kickstarting youthful plasticity in mitochondrial networks.

Interestingly, three specific metabolites known to be associated with aging and longevity – leucine, isoleucine, and ophthalmic acid – all increased in levels after fasting. Prior study has revealed these specific metabolites essential for maintenance of muscle and antioxidant activity decrease with age and are found in notably low levels in the elderly. This result suggests the possibility of a rejuvenating effect by fasting.

One of the biggest limitations in this particular study was the small sample size. Although the ultimate increases in metabolites were consistent across all four subjects, how quickly those metabolites peaked did vary from person to person. The researchers note that further work in more subjects will hopefully resolve any questions over individual metabolic respond patterns.

Thanks for reading.

Journal Reference:

Teruya T. et al., Diverse metabolic reactions activated during 58-hr fasting are revealed by non-targeted metabolomic analysis of human blood

Scientific Reports, volume 9, Article Number: 854 (2019)https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-36674-9#Sec10

SEATTLE, Washington – Mocca Shots High Caffeine Gummies by Seattle Gummy Company (SGC) are now available on campuses in four universities:

University of Washington in Seattle WA (http://www.ubookstore.com)
Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY (https://bookweb.syr.edu)
Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA (http://store.swarthmore.edu/home)
Haverford College in Haverford, PA (http://haverfordbookstore.com/home.aspx)

Acclaimed as an energy product with the highest caffeine concentration available on the market, each Mocca Shots dark chocolate gummy packs 100mg of caffeine, the equivalent of a regular cup of coffee. SGC’s Mocca Shots are unique to the market with is all natural, non-GMO and vegan ingredients, bringing college students performance, convenience and flavor in one powerful gummy. Benefits include:

Quick absorption, reduced jitters:The caffeine in Mocca Shots™ is absorbed faster than other products via mucosal absorption, and the combination of active ingredients improves focus and alertness while reducing the caffeine jitters.
Delicious taste:SGC’s patented technology masks bitterness while bringing out the delicious taste of dark chocolate.
Non-spill convenience:Mocca Shots™ come in a convenient resealable pouch with 2 gummies, so you can carry the equivalent of two cups of coffee in your pocket, and they don’t spill.

The caffeine in Mocca Shots™ works 5x faster because ingredients are absorbed through mouth mucosa, by-passing the normal digestive process. “As a result,” says Dr. Connie Wan, CEO, “next to an IV, Mocca Shots are the fastest way to deliver caffeine directly into the blood stream.” SGC’s Functional Gummy® Delivery System is key to masking caffeine’s unpleasant taste and anxious side-effects while improving absorption and bioavailability. This allows you to feel the caffeine kick within minutes of taking the product.

Why Chocolate Gummies? Caffeine increases alertness, focus, cognition and attention but often with jittery side-effects. Research shows that caffeine and cocoa together do the same trick but with enhanced focus and reduced anxiety. The combination results in a clean and focused energy without the jittery feeling associated with other caffeinated products. “Feedback we get confirms the science behind Mocca Shots,” says Dr. Connie Wan. “Customers love the clean energy feeling and are amazed at how quickly and effectively Mocca Shots work when they are painfully fatigued or need to be productive. For students, Mocca Shots helps with the focus without the jittery side effect from traditional junk-filled energy drinks, and” Dr. Connie Wan then added, “nor the needs to go to the bathroom in the middle of the exam.”

Try a sample pack of Mocca Shots High Energy Gummies for just $9.99: https://seattlegummy.com/product/mocca-starter-pack/

About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNCTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

The use of herbs in North America has increased dramatically over the last decade and ginseng is one of the most widely-used ones. The name “ginseng” refers to American (Panax quinquefolius) as well as Asian or Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) — both belong to the genus Panax and have a similar chemical makeup. Both Asian and American ginsengs contain ginsenosides, which are the substances thought to give ginseng its medicinal properties.

Ginseng is considered an “adaptogen” in herbal medicine, meaning it is an herb that helps the body to deal with various kinds of stress. Most ginseng studies have used Panax ginseng (Asian ginseng). There are some evidences suggesting that Panax ginseng may:

help boost the immune system
reduce the risk of cancer
improve mental performance and well being

Laboratory studies in animals have found that American ginseng is effective in boosting the immune system, and as an antioxidant. Other studies show that American ginseng might have therapeutic potential for inflammatory diseases. A recent study from the University of Toronto just added one more disease that Ginseng may fight against, diabetes.

The researchers from the University of Toronto have found that taking American ginseng before a meal reduces blood sugar in people both with and without diabetes. The study appears in the April 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, a publication of the Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA).

In the clinical study conducted by the UT researchers, the participants, both diabetic (Type 2) and non-diabetic, consumed capsules containing three grams of ground American ginseng either 40 minutes before or during a glucose test meal. Among participants with Type 2 diabetes, those who took the ginseng capsules experienced a 20% reduction in blood sugar levels compared to when they took placebo capsules. Among non-diabetic participants, similar reductions were only seen when the ginseng capsules were taken before, not together, with the test meal, suggesting that the timing of administration may be important.

Ginseng is a common herb as well as a food item in Asia. My favorite dish when visiting Seoul is Ginseng Chicken soup. With all these wonderful properties that the herb possesses, you might want to add this herb into your dietary regime too.

Thanks for reading.

Dr. Connie Wan

Journal Reference: Vladimir Vuksan; John L. Sievenpiper; Vernon Y. Y. Koo, American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L) Reduces Postprandial Glycemia in Nondiabetic Subjects and Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, JAMA Internal Medicine, Arch Intern Med. 2000; 160 (7):1009-1013. doi:10.1001/archinte.160.7.1009

About SGC: SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNCTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, contact [email protected], call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

Human cognitive function tends to decline as we get older. Many researches have shown that risk of dementia is reduced by higher fruit and vegetable intake, and that cognitive function is better preserved in healthy older adults with a diet rich in plant-based foods. The consensus from the scientific community is that flavonoids, which are abundant in plants, are likely to be an important component in causing these effects.

In a study by the researchers from the University of Exeter of UK, 26 healthy adults aged 65-77 were divided into two groups: 12 were given concentrated blueberry juice, rich in flavonoids, — providing the equivalent of 230g of blueberries — once a day, while 14 received a placebo. Before and after the 12-week period, participants took a range of cognitive tests while an MRI scanner monitored their brain function and resting brain blood flow was measured.

Compared to the placebo group, the blueberry group showed significant increases in brain activity in brain areas related to the tests. Specifically, the study showed that with just 12 weeks of consuming 30ml of concentrated blueberry juice every day, brain blood flow, brain activation and some aspects of working memory were improved in this group of healthy older adults.

Blueberries are sweet, nutritious and wildly popular. Often labeled a “superfood,” they are low in calories and incredibly good for you. Blueberries are believed to contain one of the highestantioxidant content of commonly consumed fruits and vegetables with the main antioxidant compounds as flavonoids. The Exeter study seems to reinforce the existing belief that flavonoids benefits the brain function in older adults.

For an all-around nutrition solution, check out Functional Fruit Blueberry at https://seattlegummy.com/product/functional-fruit-multivitamin/

Thanks for reading.

Journal Reference: Joanna L. Bowtell, Zainie Aboo-Bakkar, Myra Conway, Anna-Lynne R. Adlam, Jonathan Fulford. Enhanced task related brain activation and resting perfusion in healthy older adults after chronic blueberry supplementation. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 2017; DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2016-0550

About SGC: SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNCTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, contact [email protected], call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

Ginkgo biloba has a long history of use in treating blood disorders and memory issues. In Chinese traditional medicine, Ginkgo biloba is often used for cognitive enhancement or to alleviate cognitive decline. The extract of the Ginkgo biloba is rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids and terpenoids. Laboratory studies have shown that the extract improves blood circulation by opening up blood vessels and making blood less sticky.

A recent study, published in Neural Regeneration Research, provides one additional explanation for the herb’s cognitive enhancing function. It seems that Ginkgo biloba is capable of promoting neural stem cells growth and therefore combat cognitive decline and impairments due to old age.

Led by Professor Jiwei Wang from Weifang Medical University, the research team studies the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract using a rat model with vascular dementia. In the experiment, rats were supplemented with Ginkgo biloba extract at 50mg/Kg per day for a period of time. Over the course of the treatment, the rats learning and memory abilities were assessed using the water maze. In addition, the endogenous neural stem cells in rats’ brain were measured.

Researchers found that Gingko biloba extract significantly improve learning and memory in the rats. In addition, the analysis showed that the number and proliferation of neuronal stem cells were significantly higher in rats given the extract. The researchers concluded that Ginkgo biloba extract may be used to treats memory loss and cognitive impairments in patients with senile dementia.

Thanks for reading.

Journal Reference: Wang JW, Chen W, Wang YL. A ginkgo biloba extract promotes proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells in vascular dementia rats. Neural Regeneration Research, 2013; 8 (18): 1655-1662 DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.18.003

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

Goji berry, also called Lycium barbarum, Fructus lycii or Gouqizi, has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for thousands of years. In TCM literature, the herb is known for balancing “Yin” and “Yang” in the body, nourishing the liver and kidney and improving visual acuity.

Goji berry fruits have a variety of biological activities and pharmacological functions. The herb has been used in TCM for preventing and treating various chronic diseases including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cancer, hepatitis, hypo-immunity function, thrombosis, and male infertility. The amazing medicinal property of the herb causes the Ministry of the Public Health of China to approve this delicious berry fruit to be marketed as a botanical medicine.

Modern research has revealed various active compounds in goji berry, including goji berry polysaccharides. Previous studies have shown that goji berry polysaccharides can enhance exercise endurance capacity, reduce fatigue and exhibit antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo.

Regular physical exercise has many health benefits. Extensive research has shown that regular exercise lowers mortality, delays brain aging and reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. However, strenuous physical exercise is known to dramatically increase oxygen uptake, which leads to increased generation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. The free radicals and ROS are known to cause lipid peroxidation in cell membranes, DNA damage, and decreased antioxidant levels in muscle tissues and blood, leading to cellular and muscle damage.

Antioxidants are substances that help reduce the severity of oxidative stress either by forming a less active free radical or by quenching the oxidative reaction. Research suggests that dietary antioxidants may prevent muscle damage because they are able to detoxify some peroxides by scavenging ROS produced during exercise. Therefore, it only made sense that goji berry polysaccharides, due to their amazing antioxidant properties, may treat exercise-induced oxidative stress. It turns out that the animal studies showed exactly that.

To investigate such hypothesis, the researchers divided testing animals into four groups, i.e., one control group and three goji berry treated groups. The animals received the treatment for 28 days. On the day of the exercise test, animals were required to run to exhaustion on the treadmill. Body weight, endurance time, as well as oxidative stress indicators were measured.

The results showed that the body weight in goji berry treated groups were not significantly different from that in the control group before and after the experiment. After exhaustive exercise, the endurance time in goji berry treated groups was significantly prolonged compared with that in the control group. The oxidative stress indicators in the goji berry treated groups were significantly reduced compared with that in the control group. The collective results indicate that goji berry was effective in preventing oxidative stress after exhaustive exercise.

The take home message is that – do consider including goji berry in your exercise dietary regime. The herb not only tastes delicious but also may do wonders to your sports performance.

Thanks for reading.

Journal Reference: Xiaozhong Shan, Junlai Zhou, Tao Ma and Wiongxia Chai, Lycium barbarum polysaccharides reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2011; 12(2): 1081-1088. doi: 10.3390/ijms12021081

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.

Human age—this fundamental rule of life is for the sake of species survival; and no —no one can stop it. Yes—we all know this at an abstract level. However, when it comes down to the individual level, none of us wants to age. For me personally, it’s really just about feeling great and looking great for as long as I can so I don’t have to face the reality of aging.

To slow down the aging process, we need to understand the process of aging first. Unfortunately, there isn’t one slam-dunk theory capturing the “truth” of aging. There are many scientific theories. In the next few posts, we will discuss each theory. This post is about the free radical theory of aging—the most popular of them all.

The free radical theory of aging: Free radicals, or Reactive Oxygen Species (ROD), are the toxic byproducts of normal cell metabolism in an oxygen-rich world, which is a world we are living in. Natural substances within cells such as antioxidants can clean up and neutralize the dangerous free radicals. Those free radicals that escape the cleanup process damage DNA, proteins and mitochondria (organelles within cells that produce energy). The resulting damage, which is called oxidative damage, accumulates over time, leading to genome instability, and is considered the primary cause of the aging process.

Many skincare and anti-aging products are developed based on the theory that oxidative damage is the most important aspect of the aging. Check out a drug store shelf—you will find tons of products with the word “antioxidant” in the product description. The common antioxidants in skincare products are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Q10, and various phyto-antioxidants such as flavonoids, flavones, and polyphenols. All are effective with proper dosage and with regular consumption.

To counter oxidative damage caused aging, do load up antioxidants in your daily diet. Many fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants—because antioxidants are the plants’ natural defense against the oxidative damage to them. My personal favorite? Cocoa, i.e., dark chocolate! Dark chocolate is loaded with organic compounds that are biologically active and function as antioxidants. These include polyphenols, flavanols, catechins, among others. One study showed that cocoa and dark chocolate contained more antioxidant activity, polyphenols and flavanols than other fruits they tested including blueberries and Acai berries.¹Therefore, indulge in delicious taste of dark chocolate and fight the free radical caused aging as the an added benefit.

Thanks for reading!

Journal Reference: Crozier, SJ et al. Cacao seeds are a “Super Fruit”: A comparative analysis of various fruit powders and products, Chemistry Central Journal 2011; 5:5 DOI: 10.1186/1752-153X-5-5

To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.