Improvement in mood, oxidative stress, fatigue, and insomnia following supplementary management with Robuvit®.

BACKGROUND

Oxidative stress (OS) plays a substantial role in inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, causing cellular damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. OS also contributes to aging and severe neural disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Previous registries have documented a reduction in OS levels with Robuvit® (Horphag Research, Ltd.), an extract from wood of the French oak (Quercus robur) that provides a decrease of OS as well as relief from chronic fatigue syndrome. The aim of the present registry was to investigate the influence of Robuvit® on a group of subjects presenting with mood disorders, oxidative stress, fatigue, and insomnia.

METHODS

Forty patients were recruited from a selection of patients with high OS levels as assessed with the d-ROMs test. Twenty-two subjects formed the control group following the standard management plan. The remaining 18 subjects formed the Robuvit® supplementation group. They received three capsules of Robuvit® 100 mg per day, for 8 weeks.

RESULTS

Tolerability to the supplementation with Robuvit® was overall good, and no safety concerns were raised. Mood tests showed a significant general improvement in 13 out of 16 items of the BMIS (P<0.05) in the active treatment group. Oxidative stress levels decreased significantly with Robuvit® supplementation after 4 and 8 weeks. Fatigue and insomnia score were also significantly better in supplemented subjects (P<0.05). No changes were observed in controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The observed decrease in OS levels in our patients is probably the result of the antioxidative activity of Robuvit®, and, more precisely, of its active metabolites, the urolithins and ellagic acid.