Biosential
Biosential® Inc. was founded in 1999 by Craig Hudson, MD and his wife Susan Hudson and is based in Toronto, Ontario. The aim was to develop products comprised of natural ingredients that mimic the effect of pharmaceuticals but maintain the look, feel and biological integrity of food products.
After 7 years in research and development Biosential’s first product, Zenbev® Drink Mix, was launched in Canada. Zenbev is an organic, powdered beverage mix that combines a strategic protein with a carbohydrate to deliver a food source of tryptophan efficiently to the brain. The protein is derived from pumpkinseeds which have been crushed to remove their oil and milled to a fine powder which further concentrates the tryptophan but does not alter its biochemical structure. The carbohydrate source is dextrose providing the vehicle for the tryptophan to cross the blood brain barrier.
Once tryptophan is in the brain it responds to the available light. In daytime conditions tryptophan naturally metabolizes to serotonin which lowers anxiety. In darkness tryptophan metabolizes to serotonin and then to melatonin, allowing the brain to produce its own sleep hormone.
Biosential has invested heavily in research and development beginning with laboratory studies conducted at the Guelph Food Technology Centre. The resultant protein/carbohydrate formulation was tested in a clinical study where it was compared to synthetic tryptophan with carbohydrate and to a placebo. The formulation performed comparably to the effect of synthetic tryptophan on most variables and actually out-performed the drug in reducing the number of night-time awakenings and the amount of time subjects were awake in the middle of the night. (Protein source tryptophan versus pharmaceutical grade tryptophan as an efficacious treatment for chronic insomnia, Nutritional Neuroscience, April 2005: 8(2): 121-127). Further clinical testing was conducted for social anxiety. (Protein Source Tryptophan as an Efficacious Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Pilot Study, Canadian Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology, September 2007:85(9): 928-32). Zenbev® Drink Mix, a certified organic, powdered beverage mix, was developed directly from this research.
Early on, the principals of Biosential recognized that investment in research and development must be protected by a significant investment in Intellectual Property defence. As a food product, the Zenbev formulation is both novel and unique and as such, was patentable. There are currently 25 patents on the Zenbev formulation with more patents pending. Unlike synthetic tryptophan, natural source tryptophan is safe and approved for sale in Canada in accordance with the Natural Health Product (NHP) Directorate. Zenbev was granted a Health Canada NPN number in 2009.
Zenbev® Drink Mix was launched in Canada in September 2004. Zenbev RestBites, a chewy, chocolate coated square based on the efficacious Zenbev formulation, was introduced in 2009. In 2010 a new flavour of the Zenbev powder was introduced. Natural Chocolate flavour now compliments the original Natural Lemon Flavour. Biosential products are currently available in Health stores in Canada, the United States and six European countries.