Positive Health Online

Struggled with Lockdown Weight Gain? Has your Fitness Slipped? Want to Take Control of your Weight Loss and Fitness Goals Fast? 

Anthocyanins – polyphenols† abundant in New Zealand blackcurrants and housed in the evidence backed dietetic supplement, CurraNZ, is the companion supplement for post-lockdown weight management. And thanks to peer reviewed research, CurraNZ is also recognised as:

• A heart health wonder;
• Exercise enhancer - helps boost the benefits of exercise, making activity easier.

Here are six reasons why CurraNZ is the go-to essential for supporting weight management and reaching your exercise and health goals fast, whatever your age or fitness level. 

1. Enhanced Fat Metabolism During Exercise

Research has shown that taking CurraNZ for just 7 days provides fat-burning adaptations equivalent to four weeks of exercise.[1] Not only that, the scientists at CurraNZ have discovered it’s even more effective in individuals with a higher body mass.[2]

Clinical pharmacist, Mike Wakeman from www.curranz.com  says: “This remarkable research development is great news for dieters, because overweight and unhealthy individuals have poorer fat-burning rates.

“Six[1,2,3,4,5,6] studies have shown that CurraNZ helps the body favour fat as fuel and it’s even more pronounced if you’re overweight, with increases of up to 106% in those with the highest body mass indexes.

“And all you need to do is consume one to two capsules daily, two hours before exercising to enjoy the natural fat-burning benefits. Plus, the effect improves with longer use – but must be taken daily.

“So, if you're looking to make those efforts really count, this amazing berry will naturally help you get the results you're after.”

2. Reducing Sugar Spikes

New research on CurraNZ has shown that the extract may help tackle obesity by reducing sugar spikes and improving insulin sensitivity.[7]

Clinical pharmacist, Mike Wakeman from www.curranz.com says:

“Insulin promotes the storage of fat and blocks its release from fat storage. So, if your insulin responses aren’t as they should be, then instead of losing weight, you’ll just keep gaining.

“Academic research shows that just two CurraNZ capsules daily for a week significantly improved insulin sensitivity by 22%, while also reducing harmful inflammation levels by 24%.

“Exercise and specific restricted diets can improve insulin responses, but it is a long process and often with bumps along the way.”

CurraNZ is an exciting low-effort way of helping improve glycaemic responses to meals – which is so important if you’re looking to lose weight.

3. Less Fatigue, Go Further

CurraNZ is a natural vasodilator, it expands the blood vessels and helps to lower stress in the cardiovascular system.[8,9,10,11,12]

The additional blood and oxygen supply makes it easier for working muscles and boosts endurance. 

Clinical pharmacist, Mike Wakeman from www.curranz.com says:

“Data shows this dilation effect from CurraNZ lowers blood pressure and increases blood flow up to a whopping 35% during exercise. This means muscles don't need to work so hard and you'll experience lower levels of fatigue.

 “Plus, with reduced pressure on the cardiovascular system, exertion is easier, which is a big winner for older and unfit people. 

“This brilliant cardiovascular boost from CurraNZ makes exercise easier and allows people to push harder, for longer, and get more out of each session.”

4. Fewer Aching Muscles

Clinical pharmacist, Mike Wakeman from www.curranz.com says:

“The polyphenols in CurraNZ and its effect on recovery enable your body to better handle exercise stress, so you can exercise more regularly.

“And the super berry supplement – CurraNZ – is proven for accelerating recovery from exercise[13,14,15,16] and avoiding the dreaded ‘DOMS’ – delayed onset muscle soreness – which can be a major setback to anyone throwing themselves into a new regime.”

5. Go Further, Without Trying Harder

Scientists tested the New Zealand blackcurrant extract on healthy but unfit, sedentary exercisers in a low-impact walking activity[17] – and found subjects went further, with improved mood responses. 

Clinical pharmacist, Mike Wakeman from www.curranz.com says:

“So what the researchers found was that blackcurrant extract helps make exercising easier as well as helping people exercise for longer without realizing it. The data revealed that those on the blackcurrants experienced less perceived exertion after 34 minutes of walking and had consistently higher feeling and mood scores than the placebo group, with individuals walking for two hours.

“Only 10% of participants in the placebo group walked further than 10km, compared with 30% of participants in the blackcurrant group.”

Another study showed that runners supplemented on CurraNZ were able to run up to 15% further before reaching exhaustion in a high-intensity, intermittent running[18] test.

6. Energy And Immunity

Blackcurrants have broad-spectrum benefits that help stimulate the immune system[13,19,20] and support cell function.[14,21] As a result, the high-potency blackcurrant extract – CurraNZ - is great for improving energy and helping the body during times of stress. Stress is bad news for our immune health as it can make people’s bodies susceptible to coughs, flu and colds.

Dosing Guidelines for Health and Fitness

Health

• 1 capsule daily for general health and wellbeing
• Additional anti-inflammatory, glycaemic and immune support: 2-3 capsules daily.

Sport

• Recovery: 1 capsule (under 75kg) or 2 capsules (over 75kg) two hours before exercise. If you forget, or are training early in the day, then take as close as possible to exercising.
• Fat burning/performance: 1-2 capsules (irrespective of weight) two hours before exercise. Must be taken daily, for a minimum of seven days.

CurraNZ has 27 published studies including

• 12 studies looking at performance and recovery in sport and exercise, 6 studies looking at fat oxidation and 6 studies looking at cardiovascular effects;
• CurraNZ helps your body prepare and take care of itself thanks to the anthocyanins found naturally in blackcurrants. And because of New Zealand’s strong sunlight, high UV levels and cold winters, CurraNZ blackcurrants contain the highest anthocyanin levels in the world.

References

1. New Zealand blackcurrant extract enhances fat oxidation during prolonged cycling in endurance-trained females. Strauss, JA, Willems, MET and Shepherd, SO (2018) European Journal of Applied Physiology. ISSN 1439-6327
2. Daily and Not Every-Other-Day Intake of Anthocyanin-Rich New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Alters Substrate Oxidation during Moderate-Intensity Walking in Adult Males, was published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, October 2020, https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2020.1841356
3. Intake Duration of Anthocyanin-Rich New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Affects Metabolic Responses during Moderate Intensity Walking Exercise in Males was published June 2020 in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2020.1783421
4. New Zealand Blackcurrant Improves Performance and Fat Oxidation in Cyclists, Willems ME1, Myers SD, Blacker S, Cook MD. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2015 June 30.
5. Dose Effects of New Zealand Blackcurrant on Substrate Oxidation and Physiological Responses During Prolonged Cycling, Matthew David Cook, Stephen David Myers · Mandy Lucinda Gault · Victoria Charlotte Edwards · Mark Elisabeth Theodorus Willems, Eur J Appl Physiol (April 2017) 117:1207–1216DOI 10.1007/s00421-017-3607-z
6. Dietary supplementation with New Zealand blackcurrant extract enhances fat oxidation during submaximal exercise in the heat, Ania M. Hiles, Tessa R. Flood, Ben J. Lee,∗, Lucy E.V. Wheeler, Rianne Costello,Ella F. Walker, Kimberly M. Ashdowna, Matthew R. Kuennenc, Mark E.T. Willems, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sports, March 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2020.02.017
7. Short‑term, but not acute, intake of New Zealand blackcurrant extract improves insulin sensitivity and free‑living postprandial glucose excursions in individuals with overweight or obesity, A. Nolan · R. Brett · J. A. Strauss · C. E. Stewart · S. O. Shepherd. European Journal of Nutrition, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-020-02329-7
8. New Zealand Blackcurrant Alters Physiological Reponses and Femoral Artery Diameter during Sustained Isometric Contraction. Matthew David Cook, Stephen David Myers, Mandy Lucinda Gault and Mark Elisabeth Theodorus Willems, June 2017 Nutrients 2017, 9(6), 556; doi:10.3390/nu9060556
9. Cardiovascular function during Supine Rest in Endurance-Trained Males with New Zealand Blackcurrant: A Dose-Response Study, Matthew David Cook, Stephen David Myers · Mandy Lucinda Gault · Victoria Charlotte Edwards · Mark Elisabeth Theodorus Willems, 1 3Eur J Appl Physiol (2017) 117:247–254DOI 10.1007/s00421-016-3512-x
10. Upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase by cyanidin-3-glucoside, a typical anthocyanin pigment. Xu JW, Ikeda K, Yamori Y (2004). Hy-pertension 44, 217-222.
11. Effect of black currant anthocyanins on the activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in vitro in human endothelial cells. Edirisinghe I1, Banaszewski K, Cappozzo J, McCarthy D, Burton-Freeman BM. J Agric Food Chem. 2011 Aug 24;59(16):8616-24. doi: 10.1021/jf201116y. Epub 2011 Jul 28.
12. Intake Duration Effects of New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract on Cardiovascular Responses During Moderate Intensity Exercise in Males (P23-015-19) Mark Willems, Pelin Bilgic, Stefano Montanari, Mehmet Sahin Current Developments in Nutrition, Volume 3, Issue Supplement_1, June 2019, nzz043.P23-015-19, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzz043.P23-015-19
13. Consumption of an Anthocyanin-Rich Extract Made From New Zealand Blackcurrants Prior to Exercise may Assist Recovery from Oxidative Stress and Maintains Circulating Neutrophil Function: A Pilot Study Roger D. Hurst 1*, Kirsty A. Lyall 2, Joanna M. Roberts 3, Anton Perthaner 3, Robyn W. Wells 2, Janine M. Cooney 2, Dwayne J. Jensen2, Natalie S. Burr 1 and Suzanne M. Hurst 1*. Frontiers In Nutrition doi: 10.3389/fnut.2019.00073
14. Daily consumption of NZBCE for five weeks supports recovery through management of Oxidative Stress and inflammation: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Pilot Study. Roger D. Hurst 1, Kirsty A. Lyall 2, Robyn W. Wells 2, Gregory M. Sawyer 1, Dominic Lomiwes 1, Nayer Ngametua1 and Suzanne M. Hurst 1*. Frontiers in Nutrition doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.00016
15. New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Enhances Forearm Muscle Oxygenation During and Following Isolated Exhaustive Forearm Exercise in Intermediate-Level Rock Climbers, S Fry, J Potter, I Perkins, C Paterson, M Willems, C Gloucester. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2019-0365
16. New Zealand blackcurrant extract enhances muscle oxygenation during repeated intermittent forearm muscle contractions in advanced and elite rock climbers, * Simon Fryer1, Dave Giles2, Ellis Bird3, Keeron Stone1, Craig Paterson1, Jiří Baláš4, Mark ET Willems3, Julia A Potter3, Ian C Perkins3. European Journal of Sports Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2019-0365Timed consumption of a New Zealand blackcurrant juice support positive affective responses during a self-motivated moderate walking exercise in healthy sedentary adults.
17. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-019-0300-0, Dominic Lomiwes1†, Birgit Ha2, Nayer Ngametua1†, Natalie S. Burr1†, Janine M. Cooney3†, Tania M. Trower3, Greg Sawyer1†, Duncan Hedderley1†, Roger D. Hurst1 and Suzanne M. Hurst1*†
18. New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Improves High-Intensity Intermittent Running. Perkins IC1, Vine SA, Blacker SD, Willems ME. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2015 Mar 26.
19. The Signaling Pathways, and Therapeutic Targets of Antiviral Agents: Focusing on the Antiviral Approaches and Clinical Perspectives of Anthocyanins in the Management of Viral Diseases, Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2019 doi: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01207. Pardis Mohammadi Pour 1, Sajad Fakhri 2, Sedigheh Asgary 3, Mohammad Hosein Farzaei 2* and Javier Echeverría 4
20. Biological activities of selected polyphenol-rich fruits related to immunity and gastrointestinal health. Food Chem. Denev P1, Kratchanova M et al, 2014 Aug 15;157:37-44. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.02.022. Epub 2014 Feb 12.
21. Polyphenolic phytochemicals – just antioxidants or much more? D. E. Stevenson, R. D. Hurst Cell. Mol. Life Sci.DOI 10.1007/s00018-007-7237-1, 2007

Notes

†Polyphenols: Polyphenols are found naturally in plants and more than 8,000 have been identified. The name polyphenol derives from the Ancient Greek word (polus) meaning ‘many’ or ‘much’, while the word phenol refers to acids with a specific chemical structure and numerous bioactive properties. The term polyphenol has been in use since 1894.