A preclinical study of Flexovital in a mouse model.
A peer-reviewed study published in the journal Nutrients examined Flexovital in a mouse model of cardiovascular, renal and metabolic syndrome. Below is the study design, the results reported in the article and the limitations stated by the authors themselves.
Three groups, twelve weeks.
Male C57BL/6J mice underwent either sham surgery or removal of one kidney. After recovery the animals were randomly assigned to three groups and followed for twelve weeks.
Control
Sham surgery and standard rodent chow. Reference group for normal function.
Disease model
Removal of one kidney plus a Western diet high in fat, sugar and salt.
Disease model + FLX
The same as above, but with Flexovital added to the drinking water throughout.
What was given.
According to the article, Flexovital contains the following per capsule. In the study it was given via the drinking water throughout the twelve-week period.
Mechanism of action according to the article
The authors state that L-argininee and L-citrullinee act as substrates for the body's nitric oxide production, and that beetroot extract contributes via nitrate. Rhodiola rosea is discussed as a possible contributing factor, but the mechanism is described as incompletely understood.
The article states explicitly that the combined formulation means the contribution of individual ingredients cannot be separated out.
What the study reports.
Below are the values given as figures in the text of the article. The remaining outcomes appear in the article only as charts, and are therefore given in the authors' own wording.
Tubular injury in kidney tissue
Scored 1–10. Tissue samples were assessed by a histopathologist who did not know which group they came from.
Values from the article's discussion section: 1.0 in the control group, 6.6 in the disease model and 4.5 with Flexovital.
Body composition
Body composition deteriorated in the disease model. According to the article, that deterioration was largely absent in the group given Flexovital.
IL-6, a marker of inflammation, measured 0.03 ± 0.05 with Flexovital against 0.14 ± 0.26 in the disease model. The difference was not statistically significant.
Organ system by organ system.
The following parameters appear in the article only as charts, without figures in the text. They are therefore given in the authors' own wording.
The publication.
Carvalho LRRA, Tydén M, Shimari M, Zhuge Z, Schiffer TA, de Oliveira Monteiro MM, Lundberg JO, Weitzberg E, Andersson DC, Fellström B, Carlström M. Protective Effects of the Food Supplement Flexovital in a Model of Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome in Mice. Nutrients 2024;16(23):4105.
The study was carried out at Swedish universities. Bengt Fellström, who developed Flexovital, is a co-author and is stated in the article to have a financial interest in Bioconcept AB. This appears in the article's declaration of competing interests.