For Release: March 1, 2001
For More Information Contact:
Jeff Nedelman: 703.938.6011
Level Best(tm) Begins Clinical Trial At Joslin Diabetes Center of Harvard University Medical SchoolCDC Declares Diabetes is "Unfolding Epidemic"
BELMONT, MA., . . March 1 . . The President and Chief Executive Officer of Functional Foods, Bob Jones, announced today that Level Best(tm), a diet supplement for glucose management and heart health, is undergoing a 16 week prospective randomized-crossover clinical trial of patients with diabetes and high cholesterol at Joslin Diabetes Center of the Harvard University School of Medicine, one of the country's most prestigious diabetes research centers. This news follows the recent announcement from the Centers for Disease Control that nearly 7 percent of the US population in 1999 was diagnosed with the disease.
"The rapid increase in the incidence of diabetes is a major public health crisis. People who have both diabetes and high cholesterol are at a high-risk of developing heart disease. We need to explore aggressive prevention programs and better treatment measures, including the use of functional ingredients," said Joan Hill, RD, CDE, Director of Education of the Joslin Diabetes Center of Harvard University's Medical School.
"The aim of this study is to determine if consuming a new beverage/tablet combination made with these nutrients, twice a day with lunch and dinner, will improve blood sugar and blood lipid levels. Many of the patients we see are using diet supplements such as chromium and ginseng. This study gives us the opportunity to test a group of nutrients which already been shown to be individually effective," Hill said.Bob Jones said, "We are proud to have one of first products evaluated at such an outstanding research center. Patients and health care providers want to see 'top of the line' science independently validating product claims. This research project will help consumers and clinicians make choices based on the best science available."
Level Best (tm) is designed to help patients meet the goals of therapy for diabetes, which include maintaining healthy blood glucose levels and heart health. The product includes several nutrients that have been clinically shown to manage fasting blood glucose levels. These nutrients include fiber from psyllium, and fructose and barley, due to their unique ability not to increase blood glucose and insulin levels great amounts. Red yeast rice is included because it has been shown to manage healthy blood lipids. Willow bark augments the body's natural blood clotting system.
The study is a randomized double-crossover 16-week study of 20 individuals with type 2 diabetes and cholesterol levels greater than 200 mg/dL. Initially, all patients will be instructed in a diet for type 2 diabetes and a healthy heart from Step 1 of the National Cholesterol Education Program.
Functional Foods, Inc., a Boston area company, develops and sells scientifically sound functional foods and dietary supplements that improve specific healthcare conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. Its management team is experienced in the field, and its Scientific Advisory Board consists of doctors affiliated with Harvard Medical School. For more information, please call 1.800.600.9095 or contact our website at www.functional foodsinc.com.
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