Joanna Cosgrove08.09.10
The dietary supplement market is flush with products promising immune system support. When one globe-trotting Florida businessman sought to ward off a cold that came on after a particularly long trip, he found relief in the form of a mix of supplement powders. So began the start of how his quest for immune support—both for himself and for his active family—blossomed into a full-fledged business.
Rudy Beeck was travelling extensively from Miami to Spain with his scientist colleagueas who were working to develop pharmaceutical treatments for asthma, emphysema and arthritis. Upon arriving in Spain he said he would often feel the pressures of a cold developing from the long flight, change in temperatures and stress of travel. “The scientist I was working with taught me that the best way to remain healthy under stress was to support the immune system, so I started taking a mixture of beta-glucans, lactoferrin and L-glutamine that he would prepare for me,” he recalled. “I remained healthy on that trip and many other trips that followed.”
He became such a believer in the concoction that his wife, Josie, and oldest daughter, Manuela, began taking it too. His twins, Camila and Rodolfo, however, weren’t so keen on the taste. “In fact, Rodolfo told me he would rather get sick than take the powder,” he said. “That’s when I got the idea to formulate the powder into a chewable product that was effective and convenient for adults and that children would most likely try and enjoy.”
He named the resulting product Xigo (pronounced chee-go) after the ancient Asian concept for “life force.”
After a positive review on the formula by a top immunologist from the University of Texas, Xigo was ready to go to market as the first immunity supplement of its kind.
“Xigo is made up of three key ingredients that have a long history of supporting the immune system but have never worked synergistically in a one-dose product until now,” said Mr. Beeck. “We formulated it as a chewable for convenience and speed, and added stevia and flavorings for a great taste.”
Mr. Bleeck explained that the three ingredients in the patent-pending formula include beta-glucans, which “work to help the body detect harmful viruses, bacteria and activate the immune system;” L-glutamine, an amino acid that “fuels immune cells to better defend the body from attack;” and lactoferrin, a complex protein “that helps deter future attacks by remembering repeat offenders and responding quickly to prevent viruses from rapidly multiplying.”
Poor nutrition, excessive stress and lack of sleep are just some of the challenges for on-the-go families, making children and parents more susceptible to the common cold. Proper supplementation for immune health can help counter some of life’s inevitable obstacles.
“Being part of an active family, I know it’s not easy for parents to make sure everyone is getting plenty of sleep and eating the right foods,” said Mr. Beeck. “Our goal with Xigo Health is to give families the freedom to be busy without the fear of getting sick while helping them maintain a healthy, active life.”
Mr. Beeck said what differentiates Xigo from other immune support products currently on the market is that they “fill an unmet need in the immune category as our formula works with the both the innate and adaptive immune systems.”
Set to debut in select health food stores nationwide on September 1, the Xigo family of products consists of three SKUs.
Xigo Daily Immune Defense provides immune support with 490 mg of beta-glucans, L-glutamine and lactoferrin formula in a chewable tablet. The formula also includes zinc for “oxidative stress support” and beta-carotene for “improved absorption."
Xigo Maximum Immune Defense is an extra-strength formula that provides 800 mg of beta-glucans, L-glutamine and lactoferrin in a chewable tablet.
Xigo Daily Immune Defense for Children delivers ongoing immune support for kids with 245 mg of beta-glucans, L-glutamine and lactoferrin in a chewable tablet. This product also includes zinc and beta-carotene.
Affirming Effectiveness
In an effort to establish Xigo’s effectiveness in the relief of symptoms from the common cold, Mr. Beeck and his company, Xigo Health, recently intiated a 140-person, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study of the Xigo Maximum Immune Defense formula.
According to information on file with ClinicalTrials.gov, the study start date was March 10. Study participants aged 18 through 50 will be given on Xigo pill three times daily (or a placebo) to access Xigo’s impact on symptoms associated with the common cold.
“Based on several years of anecdotal clinical evidence which has shown that XIGO is effective in alleviating the symptoms of the common cold, the findings of which are supported by competent and reliable evidence from in vivo and in vitro and clinical trials studies on each of the individual active ingredients of the formulation, it has been proposed that XIGO, when administered orally, has a direct stimulatory effect on multiple components of the immune system,” the researchers conducting the study wrote. “It is proposed that this stimulation increases both the immune cell population as well as its functionality and this will be observed in cells and molecules from both the innate and adaptive responses.”
Researchers expect the study to conclude next month—just after the start of cold and flu season.
