EUSTIS, Florida (May 28, 2003)—Saw palmetto extract produced by U.S. Nutra™, a leading manufacturer of supercritical fluid extracts for the dietary supplement and functional food industries, was recently certified as high quality by a major independent testing service company. According to tests conducted by ConsumerLab.com of White Plains, New York, U.S. Nutra USPlus™ saw palmetto liquid extract (90% fatty acids) met the high standards established for this important nutraceutical ingredient.

USPlus™ saw palmetto extract is an all-natural nutraceutical derived from the berries of Serenoa repens, a member of the palm family native to Florida. U.S. Nutra utilizes environmentally friendly carbon dioxide to extract and concentrate the full spectrum of health-promoting constituents in saw palmetto berries. Multiple clinical studies have proven that saw palmetto extract helps support normal prostate function in men.

U.S. Nutra submitted its saw palmetto extract to ConsumerLab.com for in-depth analysis to demonstrate that the ingredient met quality standards set by the nationally renowned certification company. According to Stephen Hill, Technical Services Manager for U.S. Nutra, test findings on the company’s saw palmetto extract exceeded specific quality criteria established by ConsumerLab.com and other science-based entities, such as the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP). “This credible third party validation confirms that U.S. Nutra saw palmetto extract is exceptionally high in the specific constituents believed responsible for the benefits of saw palmetto oil,” stated Hill. Specifically, the analysis revealed a fatty acid content of 91% and phytosterol levels of 0.3%. Details on the testing procedure and the listing of the approved U.S. Nutra saw palmetto liquid extract is posted on the ConsumerLab.com web site at www.consumerlab.com/results/rawing.asp.

“We congratulate U.S. Nutra for holding its product to this high standard,” stated Tod Cooperman, M.D., ConsumerLab.com President. “There are many products on the market that do not contain an ingredient of this quality.”

Mark Blumenthal, founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit American Botanical Council in Austin, Texas (www.herbalgram.org), noted that saw palmetto is one of the more thoroughly researched, efficacious, and safe dietary supplement ingredients available. “Saw palmetto has been clinically proven to provide a reasonable measure of relief from the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia—equal, in fact, to many pharmaceutical treatments. It’s also free of undesirable side effects. Saw palmetto enjoys a revered place among the useful plants native to the southeastern United States, as a botanical sold for centuries in global commerce.”

Stephen Hill can be reached at the main U.S. Nutra offices in Eustis, Florida at (352) 357-2004, or by e-mail at shill@usnutra.com

About U.S. Nutra
U.S. Nutra is the leading saw palmetto processor worldwide. The company owns and operates the only supercritical fluid extraction facility in North America devoted exclusively to production of high-value nutraceutical ingredients for the dietary supplement, functional food and cosmeceutical industries. U.S. Nutra also produces a number of other nutraceuticals, including astaxanthin (Zanthin® brand of astaxanthin complex), valerian, ginger, and rosemary, as well as a line of certified organic spice extracts. Visit the U.S. Nutra website at www.usnutra.com

About ConsumerLab.com
ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. It has no ownership or interest in companies that manufacture, distribute or sell consumer products. Subscription to ConsumerLab.com is available online. Contact Lisa Sabin, Vice President for Business Development, at lisa.sabin@consumerlab.com, for information on ConsumerLab.com’s Voluntary Certification program, group subscriptions or Technical Reports.

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