Stomach health is easy to take for granted. A properly functioning gut is a balanced environment in which stomach acid is secreted to break down food, and mucus is produced to protect the stomach lining from the acid. But when there is too much acid or not enough mucus, the stomach is ripe for the formation of ulcers. When the stomach lining is compromised, no one can ignore the accompanying pain and discomfort. Alexsyn Inc. has developed a nutraceutical to help stop the pain and start the healing.

According to a 2018 CDC report, 14.8 million people in the United States were diagnosed with ulcers. That number is equivalent to the entire population of New England. Imagine those six states - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont - filled with people experiencing red-flag symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating, and acid reflux.

This staggering number and wide-spread prevalence of ulcers can be partly attributed to the long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve). These NSAIDs turn off the inflammatory response that causes pain, but in the process, it also shuts down the mucus production necessary for a balanced stomach environment. Once the mucus production is shut down, and the stomach lining is left unprotected, it can be damaged by the acid.

While ulcers are most often caused by long-term NSAID use, they can also be a result of stress. Stress is often blamed for increased acid production when in fact it causes decreased mucus production. This decrease leaves the stomach lining vulnerable to ulceration by the acid.

Common treatments for ulcers include histamine 2 blockers (H2) like Famotidine and Cimetidine as well as proton pump inhibitors (PPI) such as Omeprazole.  The PPI and H2 solutions rely on reducing acid production in the stomach. The flaw in this approach is that humans need stomach acid to properly digest food and absorb nutrients.

Alexsyn’s Amend GI™ offers a unique and natural ulcer solution. By stimulating collagen and fibronectin production, the ulcer is able to heal while reestablishing the balance of acid and mucus. The primary ingredients found in Amend GI™ are Centella asiatica and chitosan. Both have been traditionally used for wound healing. C. asiatica belongs to a plant family native to Asia and parts of Africa that has the ability to increase collagen production by local contact. Studies of the C. asiatica found the plant speeds up collagen production by 40%. This increased collagen production rebuilds the mucosal layer in the stomach lining enabling cells to migrate and repair the wound.

The second main ingredient in Amend GI™ is chitosan. Chitosan is a sugar extracted from chitin, one of the most plentiful biological substances in the world - second only to cellulose.  Chitosan makes up the exoskeletons of insects, all shellfish, and the cell walls of fungi.  Chitosan is an ingredient commonly used to promote blood clotting in wounds and in burn dressing.

The final ingredients used in Amend GI™ are β-carotene and vitamin C. Both play strong supporting roles in the healing process. β-carotene helps to increase wound strength by increasing the rate of re-epithelialization and restoring epithelial structure. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect against cell damage. It is also a natural anti-inflammatory and is able to create strength in the new collagen that is formed.

Amend GI™ is a nutraceutical that can be used when a flair-up of stress causes ulcer symptoms or a long-term use of an NSAIDs is required. It offers fast relief of the pain and symptoms associated with ulcers.