Nobel† Laureate Dr. Louis Ignarro Played Key Role In Developing Formula
Herbalife International announces the launch of Nite works™, a
dietary supplement that contains key ingredients that assist the
cardiovascular system in boosting its own natural production of
nitric oxide.* The patent-pending formula was developed in
conjunction with Louis Ignarro, Ph.D., who received a 1998 Nobel
Prize in Physiology/Medicine for his research on nitric oxide
and its impact on cardiovascular health.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a molecule produced naturally in the body's
endothethial cells, which line the inside of the arteries. NO
is responsible for dilation of arteries that increase blood flow
thereby enhancing vascular elasticity and exercise capacity.
Studies have also shown that young, healthy and athletic
individuals produce more endothelial NO, compared with older,
sedentary and unhealthy individuals.
While numerous studies have shown the impact of NO in the body,
not many people are familiar with it. In a survey conducted for
Herbalife by NFO1, 67% of respondents indicated they had heard
of nitric oxide yet less than 1% of the respondents could
correctly identify that nitric oxide was a blood circulation
aid. Only 5.9% understood that increasing their nitric oxide
levels could improve their cardiovascular health. 24% of the
respondents confused nitric oxide with laughing gas (nitrous
oxide).
More than 100,000 miles of blood vessels and arteries run
throughout the body, nourishing every organ and tissue with
oxygen and nutrients, while also helping eliminate waste, hence
the importance of NO and a healthy vascular system. Today's
all-too-common lifestyle of poor diets and little exercise,
coupled with aging, are all factors that can contribute to
cardiovascular and other health problems. Obesity is becoming a
worldwide health crisis, with two thirds of the adult population
in the U.S. being overweight. Since Dr. Ignarro was awarded the
Nobel Prize, more than 17,000 studies have been conducted by
scientists on the biology of NO. Ignarro, who also directs the
Centre for Vascular Biology at UCLA, is committed to improving
cardiovascular health and has spent the past several years
translating his research into usable applications for consumers.
Nite works™ was designed to help boost endothelial production of
NO, but is ever more important for individuals with less than
optimal lifestyles.
"Nitric oxide is a very important messenger, or signalling
agent in the body, in terms of providing cellular
protection," said Dr. Ignarro, currently a professor of
pharmacology at University of California (UCLA). "Researching
nitric oxide for the past 30 years and making the discovery that
it is important for cardiovascular health is not the same as
making this knowledge available to the public at large. I agree
with Herbalife's philosophy of the importance of cellular
nutrition and that corresponds with my desire to translate this
science into a product that everyone can benefit from.
"Dr. Ignarro formulated Niteworks™ based on his special
understanding of the pharmacology of NO and cardiovascular
health. Nite works™ contains: an amino acid complex for NO
production, an antioxidant package for NO protection, and other
heart-healthy ingredients*. The amino acid complex includes: L-arginine,
which is transported into endothelial cells to produce NO, and
L-citrulline, which is transported by a different mechanism and
then is recycled into L-arginine, creating more NO. This
different mechanism is important because when the L-arginine
transporter sees too much L-arginine, it stops absorbing, so
less L-arginine in the systems means less NO production. The use
of L-citrulline in Niteworks™ makes it unique compared to other
products in the market. The antioxidant package includes both
vitamin E and vitamin C which protect NO against free radical
destruction and which have been experimentally demonstrated to
work synergistically with L-arginine to produce enhanced levels
of NO, and alpha lipoic acid which helps recycle these vitamins.
Heart-healthy ingredients include folic acid and the more
bioavailable cacium folinate to reduce homocysteine*. Niteworks™
also contains lemon balm, an herb that assists in relaxation*.
Exercise increases the production of NO. But even with a regular
exercise regimen, the body may not produce sufficient quantities
of NO to maintain normal levels in unhealthy cells. Natural
sources of L-arginine can include nuts, fruits, dairy and meats,
while natural sources of L-citrulline can include melon rinds
and cucumbers. A low-fat diet also helps increase the body's
production of NO. However, it can be difficult to get as much of
the amino acids from natural sources as is contained in
Nite works™.
Due to the high levels of antioxidants in Niteworks™, Herbalife
is one of the first companies to offer a product bearing FDA's
new qualified antioxidant health claim that 'consumption of
antioxidant vitamins may reduce the risk of certain kinds of
cancer.'**
Niteworks™ is taken at night, when the body's own production of
NO is likely to be at its lowest. It is a lemon-flavored powder
that is mixed with water or juice before bedtime.
About Louis Ignarro, Ph.D.In addition to being a Nobel™
Laureate, Dr. Ignarro received the Basic Research Prize of the
American Heart Association for his outstanding contributions to
the advancement of cardiovascular science in 1998. Dr.
Valentin Fuster, then president of the American Heart
Association, called the nitric oxide discovery "one of the most
important in the history of cardiovascular medicine." Among
his many distinctions, he was inducted into the National Academy
of Sciences in 1999 and into the Academy of Arts and Sciences
the following year. Dr. Ignarro is a new member of Herbalife's
Scientific Advisory Board.
1Herbalife commissioned the survey, which was conducted by NFO
Plog Research, Inc., a subsidiary of NFO WorldGroup. The survey
was conducted June 6 - 8, 2003 by telephone among 612
respondents who were drawn from a national sample of adults aged
18 and older. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 4
percentage points.*These statements have not been evaluated by
the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.**Some
scientific evidence suggests that consumption of antioxidant
vitamins may reduce the risk of certain forms of cancer.
However, FDA has determined that this evidence is limited and
not conclusive.†The Nobel Prize is a registered trademark of The
Nobel Foundation.
