Manufacturing Cranberry Benefits into Supplements

Cranberry extract can help in many areas of wellness, but today we are focusing on this superfood’s potential benefits in terms of brain, urinary, heart, and surprisingly, oral health.

What is in cranberries?

Cranberries are high in plant-derived nutrients called polyphenols, which have been suggested to promote brain function and protect against disease-causing mechanisms. They are high in Vitamin C, catechin, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins (PACs). They are rich in antioxidants and have antibacterial effects, making their extracts a great component in a dietary supplement. Due to these properties, cranberry can help you target consumers with all different types of health concerns, ranging from high cholesterol to bladder problems, and of course, cognitive function. In relation to the study discussed above, Dr. Vauzour reports, “Past studies have shown that higher dietary flavonoid intake is associated with slower rates of cognitive decline and dementia. And foods rich in anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, which give berries their red, blue, or purple colour, have been found to improve cognition.” Imagine what more research focused on cranberry intervention with brain function can lead to for those dealing with dementia and other cognition-impairing conditions. Imagine what a cranberry supplement can do for your customers!

What is dementia?

Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, problem-solving skills, language, and other cognitive abilities that become severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s is the most common precursor to dementia. Most, if not all, readers of this article either know someone who has dealt with dementia or has someone in their family who has or had the condition. The findings resulting from the UEA study could help so many people and their families better direct dietary intake, further proving the positive impact nutrition has in store. 

How many people does dementia affect?

Today, it is estimated that around 5.8 million people have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, including 5.6 million individuals aged 65 and older and about 200,000 under the age of 65 with younger-onset Alzheimer’s. More, Lead Researcher from UEA’s Norwich Medical School Dr. David Vauzour reported, “Dementia is expected to affect around 152 million people by 2050.” Especially since there is no known cure for the condition, it is very important to pursue modifiable lifestyle interventions, such as diet and supplementation, that could help lessen the impact of dementia.

The study

The UEA research team studied the benefits of consuming the equivalent of a cup of cranberries a day among 50-80-year-olds. For 12 weeks, half of the participants consumed freeze-dried cranberry powder, equivalent to a cup of 100 g of fresh cranberries, daily. The other half consumed a placebo. 

The results

It was determined that consuming cranberries significantly improved the participants’ memory of everyday events that involved visual episodic memory, neural functioning, and delivery of blood to the brain, aka brain perfusion. Dr. Vauzour states, “We found that the participants who consumed the cranberry powder showed significantly improved episodic memory performance in combination with improved circulation of nutrients such as oxygen and glucose to important parts of the brain that support cognition—specifically memory consolidation and retrieval.” Considering that just a 12-week cranberry intervention had the ability to produce a notable difference in memory and neural function, researchers are very much encouraged to continue unveiling the beneficial power of cranberry and cranberry extract. 

Cranberry and UTI’s

The antioxidant proanthocyanidins in cranberry extract discussed above can also help individuals with urinary tract infections, aka UTIs. The high content of PACs in cranberries may help prevent certain bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract walls, thereby working to prevent infection. In a 2016 review, found that medical professionals most commonly recommend cranberries for women with recurrent UTIs. A 2014 study involving 516 participants found that taking a cranberry extract capsule twice daily reduced the incidence of UTIs.

Cranberry supplements for heart health

A 2019 systematic review established that supplementing cranberries in one’s diet could help manage several risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including systolic blood pressure, which is blood pressure during a contraction of the heart muscle. This review also indicated that cranberry supplements may help lower body mass index and improve levels of HDL, the good cholesterol. Another 2019 study assessed 78 people who were overweight or obese. It showed that consuming a single dose of a low-calorie cranberry beverage with a high content of plant compounds every day improved blood sugar regulation, increased levels of HDL, and moderated chemical signs of inflammation.

Cranberry for oral health?

Perhaps the most unknown benefit of cranberries is their potential effect on oral health. They have been shown to help keep teeth guarded from bacteria that could lead to tooth decay. This is thanks to cranberry’s composition of PACs and polyphenols, with which your brand could do more research on and create a custom cranberry formula to benefit customers.

Cranberry supplement formats

Cranberry extract or cranberry powder can be manufactured into vegetarian capsules, vegan capsules, vegan gummies and more! Considering that there are nearly 80 million vegans worldwide, it is safe to say that you would have promising prospects from people interested in taking say, a vegan-friendly cranberry gummy that contains no hidden animal byproducts in the Other Ingredients section. The type of cranberry product you make is really up to you, your customers, and your business goals.

Manufacturing cranberry extract into supplements

Your dietary supplement line could benefit from offering consumers a path to better cognitive function with cranberry supplements. Individuals concerned about neurodegeneration are those who will be ready for your high-quality product manufactured and fulfilled through a credible supplement service provider. You must remember that there are plenty of other cranberry supplements on the market and you will need an aspect or two to separate your brand from the rest. If you partner with Makers Nutrition, then you can guarantee customers a level of quality like no other. Should you decide to take the vegan gummy route, then you can also promise your customers a delicious flavor that appeals to the masses. Our advanced flavor systems have won us awards and attracted many clients whose previous service providers failed their expectations. Rather, at Makers Nutrition, we like to exceed client expectations and show them the treatment they should have been receiving all along.

Hope for the future

While more research is certainly underway, the UEA study is one of the first to examine cranberries and their long-term impact on cognition and brain health in humans. Now knowing other findings in different areas of health, we encourage clients to diversify their offerings, as doing so casts a wider net among consumers. Introducing a high-quality custom cranberry supplement to your customers would be a great way to do just that! 

Makers Nutrition and Natural Supplement Manufacturing

You may be thinking, why Makers Nutrition? We know you have multiple supplement manufacturers to choose from. They may have a great track record, but they certainly do not have our strong suits. We guarantee fresh, high-quality products produced in a state-of-the-art, GMP-compliant facility every single time your supplement is manufactured, packaged, and fulfilled. Our experts source the finest raw materials to ensure optimal satisfaction with finished products, and our graphic designers can fix up a perhaps trite label or create an original, depending on your needs. Makers Nutrition’s goal is to be the company our clients need, and we don’t quit. 

If you have questions regarding our MOQs, pricing, and the process of how we can help your business thrive, then call 1-844-625-3771 to speak with one of our product specialists today!