Curcumin BDM30 Approved by Health Canada

Photo © iStockphoto.com/Kenishirotie

Rhema Health Products Ltd. (Coquitlam, BC, Canada) announced that its proprietary anti-inflammatory dietary supplement ingredient Curcumin BDM30 has been approved by Health Canada. The ingredient, which was already available in the United States market, is said to be more powerful than standard curcumin (Curcuma longa) in helping to relieve inflammation and discomfort related to joint pain. The company says its effectiveness is due to increased levels of bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC).

Rhema says research has shown that elevated levels of BDMC specifically target inflammation, though it is typically only found in trace levels in standard curcumin extract (a 95% blend), at concentrations between 0.5% and 1.5%. By contrast, BDMC contains a 30% concentration of BDMC, which Rhema says is 60 times higher than concentrations in curcumin 95% and is the highest concentration of BDMC on the market. As such, the company says BDMC30 thus can help resolve symptoms of joint inflammation much more quickly by neutralizing “a key protein in the nucleus of cells that switches off production of inflammatory proteins.”

In addition, Rhema says that BDMC30 is 125 times more powerful of an antioxidant (based on ORAC measurements) compared to standard curcumin, and 80 times stronger of an antioxidant than astaxanthin.

Approval for BDM30 comes on the heels of recent research conducted by Franco Cavaleri, PhDc, chief science officer, The Rhema Group. The studies demonstrated the potential for the modified curcumin extract to aid in regulation of inflammation while also enhancing the efficacy of the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin extract, Rhema says. Of his findings, Cavaleri says: “Instead of trace levels of BDMC in standard curcumin, we can now provide 30% BDMC and dramatically enhance anti-inflammatory relief, which could not be done reliably before using low doses of curcumin.”

Curcumin BDM30 is now available on the Canadian market.