Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1998. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PR Newswire; June 29, 1998
"People who are wasting away because of sickness or disease lose their ability to properly fight the disease," said Dr. Robert Clark, M.D., Director of Ambulatory HIV Services at Nassau County Medical Center in East Meadows, N.Y., and the chief researcher in the Juven clinical trials. "The study proves that Juven helps people stop muscle loss, and even restore lost muscle, without taking steroids or growth hormone."
The clinical study conducted by Dr. Clark involved AIDS patients who had lost at least five percent of their body weight during the preceding two months and compared patients taking Juven to those taking a placebo in a double-blind test. Patients taking Juven gained an average of six and one-half pounds over eight weeks, five and one-half pounds of it muscle. The placebo group continued to lose muscle at an average one and one-half pounds during the eight-week period.
When early test data began to show extraordinary gains, the scientists behind the test became skeptical. "You don't see results this positive in human testing with this type of product," said Steven L. Nissen, D.V.M., Ph.D., an Iowa State University professor and founder of MTI BioTech, Inc., Ames, Iowa, the company developing Juven. "We designed the product to protect these patients from further loss, so we assumed that as our body of data grew, the results would level out. Instead they just got stronger. By the time the last patient finished the study we had the most tested product of its kind with research that goes well beyond FDA requirements for this type of product."
Currently weight loss in AIDS patients is treated with a number of different options including anabolic steroids and human growth hormone. Growth hormone has achieved muscle growth results similar to those of Juven, but side effects can include musculo-skeletal discomfort and more serious problems. "We have found no significant side effects with Juven," Dr. Clark said.
The cost of Juven is significantly less than current therapies. A 15-day supply of Juven can be purchased directly from MTI BioTech for $89 by phone at 877-465-8836 or over the Internet at http://www.juven.com. The Hospital Formulary Pricing Guide lists the wholesale price of growth hormone at $1,750 per week, nearly 40 times the cost of Juven.
As a nonprescription product, Juven may be recommended by a physician but does not require a doctor's order.
The FDA classifies the three main ingredients in Juven as natural, nutritional products. "We knew that all three ingredients in Juven, HMB, L-glutamine, and L-arginine, were safe and independently supply key building blocks for the muscle cell," Dr. Nissen said. "But the dramatic and surprising results led us to our working theory that the proper combination of these individual nutrients leads to a powerful synergistic effect that maximizes muscle regrowth."
The key ingredient in Juven is beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), which is produced in small amounts by the human body as it breaks down the amino acid leucine. HMB was discovered by Dr. Nissen after years of research at Iowa State University. It has since been extensively documented for its muscle-building properties. Because HMB helps prevent muscle breakdown, it quickly became one of the fastest-selling supplements in the bodybuilding, exercise, and sports markets.
L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in muscle and a primary fuel source for immune and intestinal cells. Maintaining a high concentration of glutamine in muscle tissue is critical for preventing muscle protein loss.
L-arginine is also an important amino acid which is used for both protein synthesis, wound healing, immune system activation, and muscle function.
As the population ages and medical knowledge advances, the health risks associated with muscle loss are becoming more widely recognized. When infection or disease attacks, the body uses muscle as its main source of energy to fight the illness. As lean tissue is lost, the chance of dying from illnesses like pneumonia increases dramatically. Thirty percent muscle loss is almost always fatal.
SOURCE MTI BioTech, Inc. Web Site: http://www.juven.com
CONTACT: Sharon Wiederanders of MTI BioTech, Inc., 877-478-2000, sharon@juven.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: Dr. Nissen and others involved with the study will be available for interviews on Tuesday, June 30 at Palexpo booth #7516 in Geneva, Switzerland at the 12th World AIDS Conference.
980629
PR980626
Copyright © 1998 - PRNewswire. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through PRNewswire, Permissions, 810 Seventh Ave., 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10019 http://www.prnewswire.com.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1998. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1998. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .