"Oxidative stress is now recognized by scientific research to be associated with more than 200 diseases,"¹ as well as being the root cause of aging. More than 93,000 published scientific research papers on oxidative stress are on file at the National Institutes of Health Library, and are available online at www.pubmed.gov.
Up to now the primary tools to alleviate oxidative stress have been external or "exogenous antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, carotenoids, and a long list of other compounds capable of reacting stoichiometrically with oxygen reactive species such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. The results of studies with supplemental [external] antioxidants have been quite disappointing overall."² In general, direct antioxidants do not effectively fight excess free radicals and the resulting damage of oxidative stress.
In contrast to the relative ineffectiveness of exogenous antioxidants, new published peer-reviewed studies on Protandim®, a synergistic formulation of five medicinal plants, show a 40 to 70% reduction in oxidative stress in 30 days of oral supplementation. This new approach is a discovery by LifeVantage Corporation (LFVN) to increase the human body’s endogenous (internal) production of antioxidant enzymes. Antioxidant enzymes neutralize free radicals on an approximate 1:1,000,000 ratio, while antioxidants supplied externally neutralize at best on a 1:1 ratio. Damage from excess free radicals are the root cause of cellular damage and cause of oxidative stress. Further, the biochemical definition of aging is ever increasing oxidative stress.
The ability of the flagship product, Protandim®, to increase internal production of antioxidant enzymes effectively reduces the age dependent increase in oxidative stress and biochemically returns cellular age to that of a 20 year old. Working as a powerful Nrf2 Activator, Protandim acts as a ‘master switch’ regulator to over 3000 genes, 500 of which are often referred to as “survival genes”. TheNrf2 Synergizer™ Protandim® is the first Nrf2 Activator on the market.
The following independent studies have gone through the rigorous peer-review process, are double-blind, placebo controlled and have been published in major research journals:
All study publications are public and archived on www.pubmed.gov
FDA studies in progress can be found on www.clinicaltrials.gov
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| Click here for full abstract |
A Fundamentally New Approach to Antioxidant Therapy¹¸ ²
Free Radical Biology and Medicine (2006)
Abstract: We conclude that modest induction of the catalytic antioxidants SOD and catalase may be a much more effective approach than supplementation with antioxidants (such as vitamins C and E) that can, at best, stoichiometrically scavenge a very small fraction of total oxidant production.
Summary: Protandim® completely eliminates the usual age related increase in cell aging markers by decreasing the indicators of oxidative stress (TBARS) by 40% in 30 days, and by increasing cellular production of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) by 30% and catalase (CAT) by 54% by 120 days.
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
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| Click here for full abstract |
Synergistic Induction of Heme Oxygenase-1 by the Components of an Antioxidant Supplement Protandim®
Free Radical Biology and Medicine (2009)
Abstract: Protandim® is a supplement formulated with the objective of combining multiple phytochemicals at low non-toxic doses to gain synergy for induction of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. All components together produced a strongly synergistic induction of around three to ninefold, greatly exceeding the sum of the parts, and strongly suggesting this may be an effective method for the induction of antioxidant enzymes.
Conclusion: Protandim® produces a 300% increase in the cellular production of glutathione. As a key antioxidant, glutathione plays critical roles in the regenesis of other antioxidants (vitamins C and E), liver detoxification and elimination, and tissue repair. Further, Protandim® was shown to be a Nrf2 Activator. Findings show nuclear translocation of Nrf2 to the Antioxidant Response Element sites of genes on the DNA. Nrf2 then “re-tunes” the associated genes to function optimally.
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
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| Click here for full abstract |
Protandim, a Fundamentally New Antioxidant Approach in Chemoprevention Using Mouse Two-Stage Skin Carcinogenesis as a Model
PLoS One Journal (2009)
Abstract: Biochemical and histological studies revealed that the Protandim diet suppressed tumor promoter – induced oxidative stress, cell proliferation, and inflammation. “Overall, induction of antioxidant enzymes by Protandim® may serve as a practical and potent approach for cancer prevention.”
Conclusions: Protandim® supplemented mice showed a 33% reduction in skin tumor incidence and a 57% reduction in tumor multiplicity. The mice receiving the diet without Protandim® supplementation developed cancer tumors 100% of the time.
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
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Chronic Pulmonary Artery Pressure Elevation is Insufficient to Explain Right Heart Failure
American Heart Association Journal, Circulation (2009)
Clinical Perspective - Protandim® can prevent Right Ventricular (RV) dysfunction and pathological remodeling in the setting of persistent pressure overload. “Induction of myocardial nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 and heme-oxygenase 1 with a dietary supplement (Protandim®) prevented fibrosis and capillary loss and preserved RV function despite continuing pressure overload.”
Conclusions: “Protandim® also prevented the death of heart cells and significantly lowered osteopontin (OPN-1) levels by more than 50%.” Protandim® has the ability “to effectively activate the transcription factor Nrf2, a signal to the cell’s DNA to increase expression of a network of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic genes.” Nrf2 preserves the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and prevents RV failure without modifying lung angioproliferation.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
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| Click here for full abstract. |
The Dietary Supplement Protandim® Decreases Plasma Osteopontin and Improves Markers of Oxidative Stress in Muscular Dystrophy Mdx Mice
Informa Healthcare (2010)
Abstract: “Oxidative stress is a significant pathologic factor in DMD.” After 6 months of Protandim® supplementation, a 48% decrease in plasma TBARS was seen, plasma OPN [osteopontin] was decreased by 57%, plasma antioxidant enzyme PON 1 activity was increased by 35%, and 38% less signal abnormality was shown.
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
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The Chemopreventive Effects of Protandim: Modulation of p53 Mitochondrial Translocation and Apoptosis during Skin Carcinogenesis
PLoS ONE Journal (2010)
Abstract: Our results that suppression of p53 and induction of MnSOD may play an important role in the tumor suppressive activity of Protandim.
Results: MnSOD, highly inducible by Protandim, is effective in the suppression of tumor promotion. Previous findings were confirmed and extended that “Protandim® modulates tumorigenesis via the induction of endogenous antioxidant enzymes.” Additionally, “Protandim utilizes multiple mechanisms to modulate cell proliferation and aptosis in vivo and in vitro, which both contribute to tumorigenesis, therapies in chemoprevention.”
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
Results: Protandim® inhibits the formation of IH and the increase in cellular proliferation in HSV cultured ex-vivo. Further, Protandim® attenuates rise in superoxide (O) levels in HSV, attenuates rise in lipid peroxidation (4-HNE) levels in HSV, enhances increases in the activities of HO-1, total SOD and catalase in HSV, enhances the protein level and immunofluorescent intensity of catalase in HSV, blocks medial thickening as well as cellular proliferation in established ex-vivo model of the early stages of vein-graft disease. These abilities of Protandim®, as demonstrated in HSV harvested from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, makes it an attractive candidate for future consideration as a pharmacological treatment of vein-graft failure.
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
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| Click here for full abstract. |
Protandim Attenuates Intimal Hyperplasia in Human Saphenous Veins Cultured Ex Vivo via a Catalase-Dependent Pathway
Free Radical Biology and Medicine (2010)
Abstract: Human saphenous veins (HSV) are widely used for bypass graphs despite their relatively low long-term patency. The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling in intima hyperplasia (IH), an early stage pathology of vein graft disease, and to explore the potential therapeutic effects of up-regulating endogenous antioxidant enzymes in segments of HSV cultured ex vivo in an established ex vivo model of HSV IH. Protandim®, known to activate Nrf2 and increase the expression of endogenous antioxidant enzymes in several in vitro and in vivo models, was used in this study.
Results: Protandim® inhibits the formation of IH and the increase in cellular proliferation in HSV cultured ex-vivo. Further, Protandim® attenuates rise in superoxide (O) levels in HSV, attenuates rise in lipid peroxidation (4-HNE) levels in HSV, enhances increases in the activities of HO-1, total SOD and catalase in HSV, enhances the protein level and immunofluorescent intensity of catalase in HSV, blocks medial thickening as well as cellular proliferation in established ex-vivo model of the early stages of vein-graft disease. These abilities of Protandim®, as demonstrated in HSV harvested from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, makes it an attractive candidate for future consideration as a pharmacological treatment of vein-graft failure.
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
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| Click here for full abstract. |
The Role of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase in Skin Cancer
Enzyme Research (2011)
“The induction of antioxidant enzymes via dietary administration of Protandim® modulates both TPA-mediated cell proliferation and p53-mediated apoptotic signaling. Therefore, it can be concluded that oxidative stress forms a mechanistic linkage between cell proliferation, inflammation, and apoptosis, suggesting that potent multimodal antioxidant inducers may potentially be utilized with conventional chemotherapeutics.”
Universities and Institutions around the world continue to initiate and fund their own trials investigating its anti-aging and health-promoting capabilities. These include:
· Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
· Children’s Hospital, Denver
· University of Florida
· University of Kentucky
· University of Michigan
· University of Minnesota
· Vanderbilt University
· Glamorgan University, Wales
· Sahigrenska University Hospital, Goteborg, Sweden
· University of Toronto/St. Michelle’s Hospital, Canada
· University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic
· Mexican Institute of Social Security, Mexico City
· National Institute of Arthritis and Musculo Skeletal and Skin Diseases
