NMN, berberine supplement targets affluent healthy aging segment
The product, called Rebesana, which costs over $150 for a one-month supply, was developed under the aegis of spinal surgeon Dr. Carl P. Giordano, M.D., co-founder and chief science officer of parent company Educated Life Choices LLC.
Powerful starting lineup of ingredients
His goal was to assemble a formula that included a superstar lineup of the most well-researched anti-aging supplement ingredients to target gene pathways associated with aging.
“We all know that aging is inevitable, but aspects of it can be slowed and even reversed helping people live more active lifestyles as they age,” Giordano said in a press statement. “Scientists from around the world have identified that targeting the three longevity gene pathways is the most effective way to slow and reverse aspects of aging.”
Relevant: New data confirms how TikTok has driven the sales boom of berberine
The formula is made from NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), quercetin, resveratrol, berberine and astragalus. Giordano said he chose these ingredients because he believes they work together to reset the aging clock at the cellular level.
"We formulated Rebesana with these ingredients that can truly maintain cellular tissue and advance the biological clock," he said. "We can fight the external signs of aging all day long, but fundamentally changing the health status at the molecular level is the true fountain of youth."
The company's view on the NMN situation
NMN has recently become a hot topic in the news due to a controversial decision by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The agency concluded that NMN should not be sold as an ingredient in dietary supplements because there is an application to study it as a drug.
This decision has sparked strong opposition within the industry, and the Natural Products Association (NPA) and the American Natural Health Alliance have also submitted a citizen petition.
Giordano said the NMN situation has some similarities to what happened with NAC.
More than a year ago, FDA issued a formal policy of enforcement discretion on NAC, which was approved as a drug in 1963, but which had been on the market as a supplement for decades.
The precedent set in that situation, in which the agency was citing a drug approval that long predated the inauguration of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act in 1994 (DSHEA), has been a source of significant concern within the industry.
“Ultimately, the FDA recognized their error and reversed their decision,” Giordano told Natural Products Insider in an email. “Presently, something similar is occurring where many organizations in the supplement arena and numerous lobbying groups are pushing for a similar outcome. Today, the FDA has not enforced its position on NMN. NMN is still frequently bought without a prescription on Amazon and other websites.”
Earlier this year, however, Amazon instituted a policy prohibiting the sale of NMN in supplements on its platform.
In the field of anti-aging, data inference is often an indispensable step.
As for the research basis of these components, Giordano, the formula designer of an anti-aging product, stated that he must rely on data inference. To prove the effects of these components on humans, it is necessary to conduct decades of follow-up studies on the population.
"These molecules basically extend the lifespan of all organisms that use them," he told "Natural Product Insider". "At present, we cannot clearly state that we can extend human lifespan because we must conduct a follow-up study on humans for approximately another 50 years to make such a clear statement."
"However, these benefits seem too significant and important, so we cannot wait 30 years, 40 years, or 50 years to obtain clear proof," Giordano added.
For high-priced supplements targeted at consumers who actively pursue health
Using high-quality ingredients to combine multi-component formulas is not cheap, which may limit the final market of this supplement to those who are highly concerned about optimal health and have the ability to achieve these goals.
The price of this supplement by Rebesena is $151 per month. The website claims that this price will soon rise to $189 per month. Another factor that may limit the applicability of this supplement to only highly motivated consumers is its dosage. Giordano said that to reach an effective dose, six tablets of this supplement need to be taken daily.