Mannatech, Incorporated (Nasdaq: MTEX), has awarded a grant to independent researchers to analyze a database of more than 1 million aging- and immune-related biomarkers to determine the relationship between changes in these measurements and the consumption of glyconutrients. The database contains biomarkers taken from more than 7,000 people who have consumed Mannatech's glyconutritional products over the last 13 years. It also contains biomarkers taken from more than 13,000 people who have consumed supplements from other companies during the same period. Researchers will compare changes in biomarkers between the two sets of consumers. 

Biomarkers are sophisticated medical measurements that are used to track changes in biological functions or conditions within the body that relate to aging and immunity. Analysis of the database will be conducted by the Health and Medical Research Center, a wholly owned subsidiary of Integrative Health Technologies, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: IHTI). 

'The database contains measurements from one of the industry's largest and longest-running longitudinal trials of the potential benefits of nutritional supplements,' said Dr. Harry G. Preuss, one of the researchers and former president of the American College of Nutrition. 'Our analyses will also go well beyond comparisons between glyconutrients and other supplements and will allow us to publish some heretofore unknown relationships between the millions of state-of-the-art measurements in the database.' 

Mannatech awarded its first grant to the Research Center in 1994 to examine the effects of glyconutrient consumption using widely accepted biomarkers for immunity and aging. These biomarkers include body fat, lean mass, bone density, blood chemistries and self-reported quality of life. 

'Our initial analysis of the data suggests that consumption of Mannatech's glyconutritional supplements may have contributed to positive changes in some of the important aging and immunity biomarkers,' said Gilbert R. Kaats, Ph.D., the team's lead investigator. 'Analyses of these short-term pilot studies in the database have indicated these glyconutritionals may help improve bone health, help maintain already healthy blood cholesterol levels and improve self-reported quality of life.' 

'Mannatech is eager to analyze scientific information spanning more than a decade of consumer use of our products,' said Robert A. Sinnott, Ph.D., Mannatech's chief science officer. 'We are confident that statistical analysis of this information will add to the growing body of scientific evidence supporting the benefit of glyconutrients on various parameters of health and well-being.' 

Professor Joel Michalek, another investigator and co-chairman of the Center for Epidemiology/Biostatistics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, said the analysis could significantly improve scientific understanding of biomarkers used to assess health and immunity. 

'It would be difficult to overstate the potential contribution our analyses can make to science and medicine,' Michalek said. 'Virtually no one has the kind nor the magnitude of the sophisticated tests and measurements contained in this database, particularly since it is a national sample of subjects. We believe dozens of scientific articles will emanate from our analyses.' 

Founded in 1993, Mannatech is a leading wellness company and a pioneer in the field of proprietary glyconutritional supplements and wellness products. In 1996, the company announced a ground-breaking formulation of a nutritional supplement comprised of a unique blend of plant-based saccharides, which are also known as glyconutrients ('glyco' is the Greek word for 'sweet').