Embria, Ankeny, IA, is the brainchild of parent company Diamond V, a leading producer of animal nutrition products. As the story goes, in the mid- to late-1990s company executives noticed that employees who worked in the manufacturing facility had unusually low sick leave rates when compared with employees working in its two other facilities. As a result, Diamond V employees filed significantly fewer health claims than employees of similarly sized companies, which resulted in the company’s health insurance rates remaining relatively static at a time when most companies were experiencing double-digit increases in their health premiums.

“These two realizations made us wonder why our workers were so healthy,” said Paul Faganel, president, Embria. “And, since it appeared that the employees involved in the manufacturing process were the ones who seemed to be so healthy, we [concluded] that it was the product we were manufacturing that was affecting their immunity. It was a real light-bulb moment.”

At the center of the company’s discovery was a proprietary fermentation and drying process that produced a very complex product. Since the product was for animals and not fit for human consumption, the next several years were devoted to research to determine if a fermentation product could be developed in a dose acceptable for human consumption.

“It was incredibly exciting as the data started rolling in and it became clear to us that we could manufacture a very unique, all-natural immune health ingredient, which we hoped could help people stay healthy and maintain a high quality of life,” said Mr. Faganel. “In December 2004, our Board of Directors approved the formation of Embria Health Sciences, which was officially formed in January 2005.”

Borne out of years of research and development, eXselen was the first ingredient to launch. Shortly thereafter, EpiCor, a proprietary yeast ingredient, made its debut in the supplement market. “EpiCor is our flagship product because it is so unique. There are several products on the market that can boost the immune system, but EpiCor is unique in that it is backed by clinical data showing it can balance the immune system,” Mr. Faganel explained. “When out of balance, the immune system may react inappropriately by providing either a suppressed or boosted immune response at the wrong time.

“For example, seasonal allergies are the result of the immune system responding to a challenge (in this case, pollen) with a boosted response when, clearly, a more suppressed response would be appropriate,” he continued. “Likewise, when one suffers from winter ‘crud,’ a boosted immune response is appropriate to help the body fight off infection. EpiCor has been clinically shown to work with the body to educate, if you will, the immune system so that it can provide the right response at the right time.”

Prior to taking the helm at Embria, Mr. Faganel said he was drawn to the nutraceuticals industry early on during his career with Diamond V. “I believe we each have a responsibility to ourselves to manage our own health and I’m hoping that if I take care of myself today I’ll age better. And with the rising costs of healthcare, I want to be proactive about taking care of myself. Don’t get me wrong,” he said, “there is a place for pharmaceutical and OTC products, but I find that natural supplements are a perfect choice for managing my health on my own (such as seasonal allergies).”

Since its launch a few years ago, EpiCor has branched out beyond supplements to be included in many other delivery systems, such as gummies, chews, liquids and other popular formats. Due to its GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status, EpiCor can also be formulated in a wide variety of foods and beverages. “EpiCor’s GRAS determination confirms that EpiCor is safe for use in all food categories at the impressive inclusion rate of up to 3 grams per serving in all food categories, allowing food and beverage manufacturing companies to include EpiCor at a highly efficacious level in all food and beverage offerings,” Mr. Faganel pointed out.

In terms of research, Embria continues to fund many research projects featuring EpiCor. A recently completed human clinical (randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled) on EpiCor demonstrated that it decreases some of the symptoms associated with seasonal allergies, such as nasal congestion. According to Mr. Faganel, the findings of this study, combined with an earlier human clinical that looked at EpiCor’s affect on colds and flus (Urologic Nursing, 2008;28(1):50-55) solidifies the company’s positioning of EpiCor as a true immune balancer. “This scientific validation of our immune balance platform is exciting because it clearly demonstrates this important concept,” he said. “A balanced immune system is better able to respond appropriately to the many challenges it faces on a daily basis—whether it’s lack of proper sleep or nutrition, travel, personal problems, strenuous exercise, or anything that stresses you,” he said. —R.W.

Embria Health Sciences
2105 SE Creekview Drive
P.O. Box 559
Ankeny, IA 50021
Telephone: 515-963-9100
Fax: 515-964-9004
E-mail: info@embriahealth.com
Website: www.embriahealth.com
Finding the Right Balance