naturopathydigest.com -- Demystifying ORAC (Antioxidant) Claims: The Gold Standard

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Demystifying ORAC (Antioxidant) Claims: The Gold Standard

By Rick Nappi, DIHom, FBIH

Oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) finally is starting to enjoy its day in the sun via news articles, television, magazines, anti-aging specialists, doctors and product manufacturers from the cosmetic industry to the nutraceutical industry.

The term ORAC is better known by the buzz word "antioxidants." This science is turning heads throughout the medical community due to research that suggests antioxidants might play an important role in preventing many degenerative diseases, or at the least slowing down the aging process or the momentum of disease. As with all positive rewards that come with good science, there also will be busloads of quasi-experts who lack a full understanding of the science, or who for the purpose of exploitation or marketing, augment, omit or outright deceive.
Because the ORAC protocol is a complicated topic and since there is new data coming out every week, as the founding chairperson for Oracwatch.org (an independent, voluntary monitoring and listing organization for the ethical use of ORAC claims by manufacturers of raw materials and health-related products), I could write volumes on this topic, but for the purposes of this piece, I will give you the facts to empower you to have a sound understanding, in ordinary terms, of what makes a good ORAC (antioxidant) claim, and the red flags that point to a false, misleading or confusing claim.
The Real Players in ORAC
Drs. Ronald Prior and Guohua Cao developed the original ORAC assay while at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Brunswick Laboratories, in collaboration with the USDA and Dr. Prior, continued the original work that led to the new and current standard protocol for ORAC testing.
Brunswick Laboratories holds the patent on this testing protocol and continues to work closely with the USDA on this important research. In 2002, Dr. Prior, Brunswick Laboratories and I were growing increasingly concerned about widespread reports of fraudulent antioxidant claims being made by product companies trying to cash in on the positive antioxidant research. We all knew something had to be done to draft a universal language that would be understandable by all, and eradicate this pervasive assault by unethical product companies skewing the research to benefit their marketing campaigns, exploiting data in less-than-truthful statements about antioxidants, and/or confusing the topic with technical excerpts from scientific data.
Through this dialogue the answer became clear: We needed to create an unbiased, neutral organization that could act as a clearing house for the purpose of dispensing accurate information to the public. Also, we wanted to create a public listing service whereby companies could voluntarily submit the results of their ORAC assays online, so that the professional and general public would have a reliable source by which to verify the antioxidant claims made by product manufacturers. This organization is now known as Oracwatch.org. The groundwork was laid in 2002, and the Web site launched in 2003. I wrote what is called "The Gold Standard" for antioxidant claims in close collaboration with mutually accepted guidelines set forth by Dr. Prior of the USDA and Brunswick Laboratories. For reliable ORAC information, the previously mentioned sources should be the first three places to look to find accurate answers or to ask questions regarding ORAC.
The Gold Standard
"The Gold Standard" currently is the universal language guideline one should follow if making a product that carries an ORAC (antioxidant) claim. Likewise, it also should be the standard by which doctors and the general public follow when making a decision or trying to verify an antioxidant claim.
Brunswick Laboratories should be the laboratory that conducts the test. I do not personally benefit from recommending them in any way. The reasoning behind recommending them is elementary. They own the patent, they co-invented the new and current ORAC assay testing procedure, they have been a major contributor to this science, and they are the only laboratory that can conduct this test in the U.S.
Lot and Batch Testing
A legitimate ORAC antioxidant claim is only as good as the current batch and lot number a product manufacturer is making or that a consumer is purchasing. In order to qualify for "The Gold Standard," a manufacturer must test each new lot and batch of any product produced that claims to have antioxidant value, to ensure that the consumer is getting what is claimed in that particular bottle purchased, with that specific batch and lot number on the bottle.
A lot and batch is defined as a finished product in distribution in the marketplace, not to be confused with a pilot batch or sample, which is not a finished product for sale in the marketplace. Only after production and distribution can we be assured the claim being made is current. Once the batch and lot is in distribution, a manufacturer would then submit an unopened bottle of the product in commerce to the testing laboratory. The results of that test would then be the legitimate, current ORAC value for that batch and lot number. When the number of bottles for that batch and lot are exhausted in commerce, the manufacturer would then make another production run of the same product, identifying it with a new batch and lot number, and follow the same procedure in preparation for testing as was done for the first batch.
For a product to qualify for "The Gold Standard," the sample being tested must be a single serving size and mixed in whatever liquid it's recommended to be mixed in. Also, it should be mixed in the same amount of liquid being recommended for consumption. As an example, if the manufacturer recommends the serving size is 10 grams of product mixed in 8 ounces of water, then the independent laboratory conducting the test should be instructed to test the sample with the corresponding volume of product and water. This is the correct and only protocol for this step in the testing procedure.
Once again, companies that cannot provide you with this evidence while making an antioxidant claim, or that are giving an antioxidant claim on an entire bottle, whether liquid, powder, pill or capsule, should make you think twice about the integrity of that product. The bottom line is that I cannot think of any reason why a product manufacturer making an antioxidant claim would not proudly display its ORAC assay. The only reason not to is that the test did not yield the results desired, the test results didn't match the claim, or the company never did a test and is just making up an antioxidant value to deceive the consumer.
Why Is This So Important?
This is a vital process because of the raw materials being used in natural products consisting of organic raw materials such as fruits, vegetables and herbs. The raw materials for these types of products are grown and harvested throughout a calendar year, and during different times of the year there will be varied levels of antioxidant properties. Beyond that major fact, it's the only way to make sure a claim is current. This is one test that is only valid at the moment a batch/lot number is placed on the bottle. Additionally, there are other ingredients within a formulation that will affect the final antioxidant levels, plus or minus. If a manufacturer making an antioxidant claim can't produce an ORAC assay upon demand, signed and dated by the independent laboratory and scientist that conducted the test for the current batch and lot number for the product you are purchasing, you should question the legitimacy of such a claim. If the manufacturer doesn't have this documentation, it cannot determine the antioxidant value; thus the claim would have to be fraudulent.
Consumer-Friendly Disclosure
At Oracwatch.org, we receive hundreds of requests weekly regarding a broad range of questions pertaining to ORAC. One of the similar thread questions we get is: "What does a manufacturer mean when they are promoting an antioxidant claim?" There are many ways to disclose this value. However, if a manufacturer wants to qualify for "The Gold Standard," there is only one answer. This antioxidant claim must be in the form of a "per serving" value. This is the only way to ensure that a consumer can determine the antioxidant level they will be getting. With this format, a doctor can make his recommendation of servings per day, depending on his or her protocol, for that particular patient. Manufacturers that strive to this standard have achieved "The Gold Standard" and can proudly display the Oracwatch.org certified seal on their product labels and promotional materials.
Setting New Standards
As an industry that has many disciplines and educational backgrounds, we certainly are all working toward making "integrative medicine" the model that will ultimately provide all living beings with longer and healthier lives. I compel all doctors to demand the facts from manufacturers who make these types of claims and don't just believe the words on a promotional ad slick. Finally, for the sake of full disclosure, as a partner in an FDA-approved cGMP pharmaceutical laboratory in New York that makes antioxidant claims on some of its products, I do not exclude myself from "The Gold Standard." In fact, I was the first manufacturer to jump through the hoops and begin batch and lot testing. Responsible doctors owe it to their patients, and you will see the greatest rewards in the overall improvement of your patients' health.

About the Author: Rick Nappi is the founding chairman of Oracwatch.org, a not-for-profit overseeing organization that has set new standards in the nutraceutical industry. Among his considerable and diverse professional accomplishments and affiliations, Rick is president/CEO of Doctors For Your Health, Inc., and is a partner in Venus Pharmaceuticals International. He assists in product formulation for a wide variety of laboratories and private corporations behind the scenes and has served as health consultant for numerous celebrities and entertainers.
Rick is also the founder and current acting director for the "ULCA Nutritional Program," a nonprofit 501(c)(3) N.P.R.O. based in New York servicing the indigent community through nutritional solutions and innovative approaches to food bank inventories.