Robuvit French oak wood extract supports post-surgery recovery: Study

The peer-reviewed study, published in the journal Nutrients​, found that supplementation with Robuvit improves general health, mood and social functioning of patients within four weeks of a surgical procedure.

Straight outta France

Sébastien Bornet, VP Global Sales & Marketing at Horphag Research, the exclusive Robuvit supplier, told NutraIngredients-USA​ that the antioxidant extract comes from France. 

“Robuvit is a patented natural extract derived from the Quercus Robur species of French oak wood, rich in ellagitannins, roburins and other flavonoids, which are unique to this specific oak genus. Grown in the Massif Central region in France under strict sustainability rules, Robuvit is extracted using water for a safe and environmentally friendly production process.”​

Study details 

The study included  66 female patients who had just undergone hysterectomy surgery. Participants were supplemented with 300mg of Robuvit daily for eight weeks.

Researchers compared results to a placebo control group using a questionnaire and biochemical analysis of blood samples. Evaluations took place before supplementation began, after three and seven days, as well as four and eight weeks post-surgery.

“The recovery period following an invasive surgery is critically important. It can affect a patient’s mental health, and their ability to perform daily physical tasks as their body recuperates. Nearly 15 percent ​of patients experience post-operative complications during the recovery period and studies show significantly higher risk of depression for women who have undergone this surgery,”​ said family physician and nutritional health expert Dr. Fred Pescatore. “This study showing evidence that Robuvit, a natural antioxidant, can support that recovery, including the mental health aspects, represents a step forward for post-operative recovery.”​

Following four weeks, participants in the Robuvit supplementation test group showed improved physical and mental health recovery compared to the placebo test group, including:

• 18% improvement of general ability to perform physical tasks (compared to 3% decline in the placebo group)
• 17.5% improvement in ability to take part in social activities (compared to 7.4% decline in the placebo group)
• 12.5% improvement of energy and mood (compared to 2.3% improvement in the placebo group)

While certain dietary supplements can impact factors such as absorption and  metabolism, Bornet said no toxic effects or negative drug interactions were observed or reported in 20 clinical trials and no side effects have been reported.

Oxidative stress 

Pescatore explained that oxidative stress is the body’s response to an imbalance of antioxidants and free radicals which can be triggered by inflammation from a surgical procedure. “High levels of oxidative stress can cause the body to take longer to recover and can affect mood.” ​

Robuvit is one antioxidant that appears to be a promising way to reduce oxidative stress. After eight weeks of supplementation, a blood sample analysis showed decreases in oxidative stress levels in participants who supplemented with Robuvit. There was just over a 6% increase in oxidative stress in the Robuvit test group, while the placebo group experienced a 57% increase. 

Pescatore said the results are promising: “I’m particularly encouraged by the improvement of oxidative stress levels for participants who supplemented with Robuvit. The improvement in the Robuvit test group shows that this antioxidant helps the body recover more efficiently and supports mood.”​

Bornet echoed a similar sentiment, telling NutraIngredients-USA, “The findings of this new research for post-surgery recovery are encouraging and we expect researchers will continue to explore the benefits of Robuvit in future studies.” ​

“These findings bear further exploration given what they represent for millions of patients,”​ added Pescatore.

Source: Nutrients​

2020 Mar 27;12(4). pii: E913. doi: 10.3390/nu12040913​

“The Oak-wood Extract Robuvit® Improves Recovery and Oxidative Stress after Hysterectomy: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Pilot Study”​

Authors: V. Ferianec et al.