Herbal Dossier: Boswellia
We have all burned incense at some point for its delightful aroma. But did you know that incense has more benefits than just smelling good? In this article, we will update you on what incense exactly is, what health benefits it has, and the latest developments in the field of incense dietary supplements.
Incense comes from a medium to large tree that preferably grows in dry warm places such as northern India, as well as dry African and Arabian countries like Sudan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The scientific name for this tree is Boswellia serrata, but commonly this rare deciduous tree is, quite logically, called the incense tree.
From the moment the Boswellia tree is about 4 years old, incense can be harvested from it. To do this, the papery bark is removed or incised, allowing the viscous white resin to drip from the bark. The droplets solidify and crystallise into amber-coloured resin granules. These granules, which are manually removed from the tree, are called pure incense. Officially, we should refer to the Boswellia resin as a gum resin: resin is only soluble in alcohol, and gum only in water. Boswellia gum resin dissolves in both liquids. This gum resin or incense is used in perfumes and incense blends, but has also been applied for thousands of years in Indian Ayurvedic medicine.
The use of Boswellia gum resin, or simply Boswellia, as a supplement to a healthy diet, has several positive effects on health.
Health Benefits of Boswellia
The use of Boswellia gum resin, or simply Boswellia, as a supplement to a healthy diet, has several positive effects on health. These effects are attributed to the boswellic acids contained in the gum resin. There are about 12 different boswellic acids known, some of which have very powerful effects. AKBA (3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid) has the most significant effect, followed by KBA (11-keto-β-boswellic acid).
Extensive research has been conducted into the effects and mechanism of action of boswellic acids. The positive outcomes of these studies show that Boswellia has been popular for centuries for a reason, and today this gum resin is gaining even more popularity, especially in the Western world. Boswellia contributes to the maintenance of flexible muscles and joints*, is good for normal stomach function*, and supports bowel function*. This makes Boswellia very suitable for use by, for example, seniors, but of course, everyone can benefit from the advantages of Boswellia. For those using medication; like all other herbs, Boswellia can, in some cases, interact with regular medication. Therefore, it is advisable to be well informed in advance.
* Health claims pending approval by the European Commission.
How do you choose a high-quality Boswellia product? Because AKBA is such a powerful active substance in the gum resin and its positive effects have been scientifically proven, the quality of a Boswellia extract is determined by the AKBA content it contains. The best Boswellia extracts on the market are those extracts where the exact amount of AKBA is known. And, the more AKBA in the extract, the stronger the effect. These are known as AKBA-standardised Boswellia products. Some Boswellia products on the market are standardised on the total boswellic acids or not standardised at all. In these products, the exact amount of AKBA is unknown. This makes it more challenging to properly assess the quality and effectiveness of the Boswellia product.
AprèsFlex®, the ‘next-generation’ Boswellia supplement
AKBA is a substance that is not easily absorbed by the body. Additionally, a Boswellia extract often contains no more than 2-3% AKBA. This makes the bioavailability of AKBA low. In other words, very little AKBA enters the bloodstream, and thus very little AKBA is available for the target cells. Fortunately, clever scientists have found a solution for this. They have developed Boswellia extracts with higher bioavailability, with a stronger effect in the body.
The company Laila Nutra has been particularly focused on this task and discovered, after testing various compositions, that very good absorption and high bioavailability are achieved when a Boswellia extract with a high AKBA content (20%) is combined with other components from the gum resin; the non-volatile oils. The exact mechanism behind this is not entirely clear, but what we do know is that a composition like that of AprèsFlex closely approximates the natural situation. In nature, you always find various types of active substances in herbs that enhance each other's effects. This creates a synergy that increases the overall effect in the body.
Comparative research shows that AprèsFlex is up to 50% more absorbable and therefore much more effective than the regular Boswellia extracts on the market. Rightly so, a product to keep an eye on. Especially if the health benefits of Boswellia appeal to you and you could benefit from the effects of this remarkable herb.
Written by: Adina van der Zwaag
