Poll reveals knowledge gap around metabolic health

24-May-2023 - Last updated on 25-May-2023 at 00:45 GMT

Related tags metabolic health Avocado phytonutrient Chromium

SP Nutraceuticals has released the results of a recent poll showing that North Americans know little about metabolic dysfunction but suffer widely from its symptoms. The Canadian company suggests that AvoB, a novel bioactive found only in certain avocados, may hold the key to restoring insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels to improve metabolism naturally.

“We are seeing a knowledge gap when it comes to metabolic health,” said Paul Spagnuolo, PhD, associate professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario and founder at SP Nutraceuticals. “Metabolic health is central to overall health, and emerging research has shown how AvoB can support mitochondria health at the cellular level to support metabolic health, which can have significant physiological benefits.”

Dr. Spagnuolo isolated AvoB during the course of his leukemia research and launched the compound as main active ingredients in the company's line of Metavo-branded supplements in 2020.

The knowledge gap

Through an online survey commissioned from The Harris Poll earlier this year, SP Nutraceuticals found that nearly half of the 3,045 U.S. and Canadian respondents were “not aware that the metabolic system is the backbone of health” and that nearly three in four “have experienced at least one issue related to their metabolic health in the past year”.

The survey also identified that most had limited knowledge about the common symptoms and detrimental long-term effects of untreated metabolic dysfunction, “with nearly two in five North Americans (38%) not knowing that metabolic issues can cause everyday health complaints like brain fog, food cravings, and energy slumps, and roughly the same proportion (37%) not knowing that it can cause serious health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke”.

Those who experienced at least one issue related to metabolic health in the past year also reported that metabolic dysfunction negatively impacted many facets of their social and professional lives.

AvoB to the rescue

Dr. Spagnuolo’s clinical research since 2019 shows that AvoB works as a metabolic modulator that enters the mitochondria and inhibits excessive fatty acid oxidation, which is a dysregulated metabolic pathway in obese and insulin-resistant individuals.

“By inhibiting fatty acid oxidation, AvoB enables proper metabolism of fats and carbs which improves insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility allowing the body to better utilize fuel sources,” he explained.

In addition, SP Nutraceuticals released a white paper on Metavo, which looked at chronic conditions like diabetes and metabolic syndrome and how AvoB and chromium work together to restore insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels. Research continues into different AvoB formulations to zero in on absorption and bioactivity profiles.

AvoB is sourced from the pulp of Hass avocados grown on sustainable farms across the U.S., Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and Peru; but Dr. Spagnuolo shared that not all avocados are created equal.

“We have found that only a subset of avocados contains AvoB and have thus developed a unique method to detect AvoB in avocados to ensure that all doses of Metavo contain a standard amount of this bioactive,” he said.

Metavo to market

Metavo is sold as a veggie capsule or smoothie mix – packaging freeze-dried powder with chromium as sidekick to increase insulin signaling and improve glucose uptake.

The metabolism booster first launched on the Metavo website, followed by listings on Amazon.com in 2021 and Walmart.com in 2022. It first entered drug and health stores in Canada and made its U.S. retail debut in late 2022, with placements in select CVS stores and plans to launch into several health food stores and regional grocers.

Dr. Spagnuolo said that sales continue to grow quarter-over-quarter as more people become aware of their metabolic health and how to take control of it.