Medigreen brings healthy weight-control to Japan

The Taiwanese botanical research and development company formed a $9m partnership with nutraceutical and lifestyle company Sohard last week. The agreement will see its integrated metabolic weight control formulation MT4 used in Sohard's branded weight control product 'Green Diet' from October 2007. The partnership requires Medigreen to supply Sohard with MT4 for three years, and opens up new sales in the high-potential Japanese market, which is frequently ahead of the curve in use of healthy food and supplement ingredients. "Japanese society has traditionally held a high regard of those who look after their own health, including their weight. For example, a company tends to respect more an employee who can manage his or her own weight",​ said Kenji Igarashi, president of Sohard. Speaking in terms of the current weight-control trend in Japan, Igarashi said that most products focus on delivering low calorie products which might cause people to lose weight too quickly, or end up causing malnutrition. ​ ​"MT4 works on a different philosophy. We've seen how MT4 can help a person lose between two to four kilograms per month without​ diet limitation or​ any side effects,"​ he said. MT4 is a blend of botanically-derived material: Hawthorn fruit, said to have a cholesterol-lowering effect; hydroxycitris acid-rich Garcinia cambogia fruit for appetite control; Nelumbo nucifera leaf for an anti-obesity and anti-oxidative effect; apple fiber and polyphenol to inhibite pancreate lipase and triglyceride anbsorption; and rosemarinic acid. The company claims that MT4 will work to improve different areas of consumer health, whilst managing their weight. Said to also control cholesterol levels, the ingredient relies on the integrated control of the body's biochemical metabolism to achieve the weight control process. Metabolic integration stresses safety and balance and regulates the body's metabolism without relying simply on reducing calories. Likewise, research undertaken by the company allegedly indicated that MT4 reduced triglyceride and LDL- Cholesterol concentrates in human blood - an indication of its health benefits. The two companies signed the deal at the recent BioTaiwan 2007 International Exhibition - which is part of a week-long festival of life science focused conferences and events that take place in Taipei annually.