Necessity is the mother of invention (innovation), a commonly used proverb when someone comes up with a way to do things better or hasn’t been done previously. This proverb is not limited to ultra-technical fields and is now quite the driving force for innovation in the dietary supplement industry. Culturally, we seek to make things bigger, better, stronger and constantly look for ways to improve on what we already have. Imagine if Henry Ford had never come up with his idea to have a moving assembly line. His innovation reduced the time it took to build a car from more than 12 hours to less than two hours, helped lower the cost, and improved his automobiles’ quality. You may not have heard of Julio Palmaz, but he was an interventional vascular radiologist known for inventing the balloon-expandable stent. Some say this is one of the most important inventions of all time. Out of necessity comes invention.
“Necessity is the mother of invention” resonates in the dietary supplement
We know that indigenous people have been using plants for health benefits for thousands of years, and now modern science is proving the safety and effectiveness of these plants. Science also demonstrates what compounds in those plants provide the actual health benefits, how much should be taken, and so much more. A great example of this is the tomato. Casual observation of people and cultures who consumed more tomatoes than others showed improved health and decreased health issues than those who didn’t consume tomatoes. As researchers dug deeper into the tomato and these health advantages, they discovered one compound (lycopene) that provided health benefits in these areas; immune health, prostate health, infertility challenges in men, cardiovascular health, skin health, and eye health.
Since learning of these multiple health benefits from consuming tomatoes (lycopene), researchers looked at what quantity of tomatoes, what form (cooked, raw, etc.), and the absorption of the key compound lycopene. They found that to get the biggest bang from tomatoes, tomatoes needed to be cooked or consumed with a fatty meal to improve the absorption of the lycopene. They also found we needed to consume over 4 ounces of tomatoes to get a therapeutic dose of lycopene daily. For most of us, that would mean eating 2 to 3 Roma tomatoes daily (keeping in mind they should be cooked or eaten with a fat(s) too). For most, this is not a reasonable request either due to the quantity, availability, and even preference for tomatoes in general. Therefore, people seek to take the supplement lycopene daily.
Taking a lycopene supplement is more convenient and assures you that you are consuming enough lycopene to receive the potential health benefits. Having said this, there is still concern over the absorption and availability of the supplemental form of lycopene. This is where we see “necessity” fueling the research to “invent” a “better” way to improve the bioavailability of lycopene. Bioavailability is the rate and extent of an active compound are absorbed and reaching your circulation. Without good bioavailability, you could consume a basket of tomatoes and not receive the benefits you seek. The same holds for the supplement forms of lycopene. Just because you take a supplement does not assure you lycopene will be absorbed and reach your circulatory system. This is where the “invention” of
SibeliusTM: LactoMato shines.
SibeliusTM: LactoMato vs. Other Lycopene supplements
SibeliusTM: LactoMato is a unique form of lycopene in which lycopene is embedded in a whey protein matrix. This may sound technical, but simply put, they take lycopene and implant it inside whey protein to help reduce the particle size of lycopene. This reduction in particle size is believed to be the reason SibeliusTM: LactoMato has improved bioavailability compared to other sources of lycopene. As stated above, you will get better absorption and enhanced amounts in circulation by enhancing the bioavailability.
Sibelius™: LactoMato Specific Health Research
The goal of improving the bioavailability is to help support improved health, which is another area in which SibeliusTM: LactoMato has been researched. Granted, there have been many studies on lycopene in general, as mentioned in the second paragraph of this article. Still, Sibelius™ sought to do research specific to SibeliusTM: LactoMato in the areas of male infertility and cardiovascular health.
Sibelius™: LactoMato and Cardiovascular Health
Anytime we can consume either a food or supplement to support a healthier cardiovascular system, we take steps in the right direction to decrease the risk factors for developing cardiovascular problems. Two separate studies show multiple benefits for supporting cardiovascular health; decreasing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (one of the bad forms of cholesterol) and improving endothelial function. Let me translate what these two areas mean.
Decreasing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol
To break this down, we need to understand what oxidation is and why oxidation of LDL cholesterol is bad for cardiovascular health. The best example of oxidation would be something rusting. If your car rusts, it begins to break down and eventually can fall apart. Concerning LDL cholesterol oxidizing (rusting), this process triggers inflammation, leading to plaque formation in your arteries. Oxidized LDL can also increase the number of triglycerides the body produces, increasing the fat deposited in the body. None of these are good things for our health and especially our cardiovascular health.
Improving Endothelial Function
The endothelium is a thin layer of cells (called endothelial) that line the inside of your heart and blood vessels. Endothelial cells release substances that control whether your blood vessels relax or contract. They also release enzymes that regulate blood clotting and how platelet stick together or to the inside of blood vessels. If endothelial cells do not function properly, it leads to constricting large blood vessels, poor circulation, and cardiovascular health problems.
Another study evaluated the impact of taking 350mg of Sibelius™: LactoMato in 36-patients who suffered a cardiovascular event and were stable on statin therapy and a placebo group of 36-healthy volunteers. The results showed that after just 8-weeks of taking Sibelius™: LactoMato, the endothelial function was restored to similar levels as the healthy volunteers.
SibeliusTM: LactoMato and Infertility Study
Sperm motility and morphology
Like above in the cardiovascular benefits section, to get a complete understanding of Sibelius™: LactoMato’s impact on infertility, we need to break down both motility and morphology. Sperm motility is the amount of sperm that can swim forward. If you haven’t ever seen a sperm cell, it looks like a tadpole and has a tail to make it “swim” just like a fish. If sperm cells are not mobile, they can’t make the journey to reach the egg for fertilization. Morphology refers to the percentage of sperm that have the proper shape and size. Abnormal shape and size will impact the ability to fertilize the egg. As we can see, motility and morphology play essential roles in the man’s part of infertility.
A recent study showed that SibeliusTM: LactoMato improves sperm motility and morphology in healthy men in just 12 weeks. The study looked specifically at sperm health. The men took either placebo or 700mg of Sibelius™: LactoMato daily for 12 weeks.
Putting a Bow on It
The enhanced absorption and bioavailability of SibeliusTM: LactoMato makes it the preferred form of lycopene either as a stand-alone ingredient or in combination with other cardiovascular or prostate health ingredients. SibeliusTM: LactoMato reminds me of the BASF slogan, “At BASF, we don’t make a lot of the products you buy; we make a lot of the products you buy better.” SibeliusTM: LactoMato doesn’t make lycopene; it makes lycopene better!