Herbal Dossier: Boswellia
We've all lit incense at some point for the delightful aroma it spreads. But did you know that incense has more benefits than just a pleasant scent? In this article, we'll update you on what incense exactly is, its health benefits, and the latest developments in incense dietary supplements.
Incense is derived from a medium to large tree that preferably grows in dry, warm places such as northern India, but also in dry African and Arabian countries like Sudan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The scientific name for this tree is Boswellia serrata, but colloquially this rare deciduous tree is quite logically called the incense tree.
From the moment the Boswellia tree is about four years old, incense can be harvested from it. To do this, the bark, which resembles paper, is removed or incised, allowing the sticky 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 what we call pure, natural 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, and has also been used 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 potent effects. AKBA (3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid) has the most significant effect, followed by KBA (11-keto-β-boswellic acid).
Much research has been conducted on the effects and mechanism of action of Boswellic acids. The positive outcomes of these studies show that Boswellia has been popular for centuries for good 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 taking medication; Boswellia, like all other herbs, can interact with conventional medication in some cases. Therefore, make sure to get properly informed beforehand.
How do you choose a good quality Boswellia product? Since AKBA is such a powerful active substance in the gum resin and the positive effects of AKBA 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 called AKBA-standardised Boswellia products. Some Boswellia products on the market are standardised on the total Boswellic acids or not standardised at all. With these products, it is not known how much AKBA they contain. This makes it more difficult 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 reaches 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 involved in this task and discovered after testing various compositions that very good absorption and high bioavailability is achieved when a Boswellia extract with a high AKBA content (20%) is combined with other components from the gum resin; the non-volatile oils. What exactly the mechanism behind this is is not entirely clear, but what we do know is that a composition like that of AprèsFlex approximates the natural situation as closely as possible. In nature, you always find different 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 thus much more effective than the normal Boswellia extracts on the market. Indeed, a product to keep a close 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
