GORDONSVILLE, Va., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- PBM Products, Inc., makers of Bright Beginnings(TM) infant formula with DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), has recently launched the first diabetic nutritional drink containing DHA. The patent-pending product is the only diabetic beverage offering the unique combination of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, amino acids, and other desirable nutrients essential for good health.
"We are pleased to offer a one-of-a-kind nutritional supplement with DHA that helps diabetics manage blood glucose levels and supports both eye and heart health," said Paul B. Manning, president and CEO of PBM Products. "This is a great drink for diabetics, but it can also benefit people who are not suffering from diabetes."
People who have diabetes are unable to produce or properly use insulin. Without the ability to produce insulin, diabetics cannot properly metabolize glucose. The most common causes of death among diabetics are heart disease and stroke, which strike people with diabetes more than twice as often as they do people who do not have diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, 18.2 million people have diabetes in the U.S., where the disease is the sixth leading cause of death.
PBM formulated its DHA diabetic nutritional drink to help diabetics manage their glucose levels and maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. The drink also contains lutein, which may have a beneficial effect on the human eye, and L-arginine, an amino acid that has been found to help diabetics by reducing inflammation. Meijer(TM) is already selling the drink in its supermarkets, and other retailers will be offering it as a store brand product in the near future. Current flavors include vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, and PBM is creating butter pecan and toffee flavors.
In the past two decades, randomized trials have shown that omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA, significantly decrease mortality from cardiovascular disease. In fact, the American Heart Association now recommends that everyone should consume omega-3 fatty acids for cardiovascular benefits.
Dr. Barbara Levine, Associate Professor of Nutrition in Clinical Medicine and Director, Nutrition Information Center, Weill College of Medicine of Cornell University, has been studying DHA and its affects on lowering triglycerides and raising HDL (good cholesterol) in overweight and obese patients with metabolic syndrome. In the course of her research, she has found that Americans are not consuming enough DHA in their diets.
"Omega-3 consumption in the United States is very low," she said at a July press conference. "Yet we now know that it directly impacts cardiovascular disease and has been linked to dementia, inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases."
All polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3's, are termed essential fatty acids because they are critical for good health. Omega-3 is derived from food such as fish, eggs, varieties of algae, and certain nuts; it must be obtained from the diet because the body cannot produce its own supply. High levels of contamination from pollution have placed many fish on the FDA health warning list.
DHA in the PBM diabetic nutritional drink is manufactured by Martek Biosciences Corporation, which extracts the omega-3 component from microalgae. This DHA does not contain levels of mercury, pesticides, or industrial chemicals that may be associated with some fish or other fish oils.
The launch of the first diabetic product with DHA reflects PBM's commitment to improving the diabetic way of life with state-of-the-art nutritional offerings. PBM has already donated over $1 million to diabetes research with the aim of giving everyone with diabetes the opportunity to live a life free from the constraints of insulin management. Additionally, Manning created the Islet Replacement Research Foundation, a voluntary nonprofit grant maker and supporter of diabetes research. The goal of the foundation is to bring together dedicated scientists who support ambitious research projects to find a cure for diabetes and eradicate insulin dependence.
Diabetes requires careful monitoring and management of blood sugar levels that can be very difficult. The disease carries the constant threat of secondary complications including blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, nervous system disease, high blood pressure, dental disease, and skin disorders. It often results in a reduction of quality of life and shortening of the average life span.
"Insulin is not a cure for diabetes," said Manning, "which is why diabetes research is PBM's primary charity. At the very least, we hope our new nutritional drink will extend the many benefits of DHA to diabetics and help them better manage this disease."
PBM Products, Inc.CONTACT: Joe Shields, Director of Public Relations of PBM Products,Inc., +1-800-959-2066 ext. 131, jshields@pbmproducts.com