Speaking with NutraIngredients at SupplySide Global, Dr. Ralph Rühl, CEO of Berlin-based Ciscarex, outlined the discovery of the new vitamin, which came about from work on nuclear receptors alongside colleagues from France and Spain. Together, the scientists have over 20 years of experience each in retinoid and carotenoid research and have published over a dozen scientific papers on this topic.
Nuclear receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors that control gene expression to regulate a variety of biological processes, including cell proliferation, development, metabolism and reproduction.
Nuclear receptors like the vitamin D receptor (activated by vitamin D), the thyroid hormone receptor and PPAR receptor (activated by fatty acids) need a binding partner—the Retinoid X Receptor (RXR). A ligand was first proposed in 1992, but it was not until 2015 that Dr. Rühl and his collaborators identified the ligand, which he said “was “conclusively accepted by the scientific audience.”
“But when there is a ligand, then there must also be a nutritional precursor,” Dr. Rühl explained. “We, at first, proposed these two nutritional precursors in a high-ranking nutritional journal, and then later in the year 2021, we established and reconfirmed that there are two nutritional precursors, which means this is likely a vitamin.
“This kind of RXR is important for many signaling pathways, and in our case, it is very important for brain and nerves functionality.”
Vitamin A5
The pro-vitamin is found in leafy vegetables, and a 2024 paper in Nutrients estimated that about 66% of Europeans are below the suggested vitamin A5 daily intake levels of 1.1 mg provitamin A5.
“This may be associated with non-optimal protection for general brain and nerve health,” the researchers wrote.
“We further recommend a general increase in daily vitamin A5 intake, preferably via a balanced and healthy dietary pattern rich in vegetables, or alternatively, via food fortification/dietary supplementation, such as relevant for other vitamins, in order to assure sufficient vitamin A5 intake for optimal maintenance of good mental health and reducing the high prevalence of major neurological diseases, focusing on countries with a predominant Westernized lifestyle,” added the authors of the 2024 paper.
Recognition
Proposing a new vitamin candidate is one thing, having it recognized is very different considering that the last vitamin to be recognized was vitamin B12 in 1948. The four criteria for a vitamin include: 1) It must be an organic substance, 2) essential for health, 3) needed in small amounts and 4) the body must either not synthesize it or not produce enough to meet needs, requiring dietary intake to prevent deficiency diseases
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the authority responsible, Dr. Rühl noted, but it can only act if mandated by its member states or organizations like the European Commission. The team is in ongoing discussions with EU authorities, aiming for formal evaluation by WHO. They have already published scientific criteria supporting vitamin status and believe vitamin A5 meets all requirements.
Having built the science, the company is now moving forward with commercialization. Ciscarex holds patents and trademarks for citamin A5 and is aiming for global marketing to reach doctors and nutritionists.
Watch the video for the full interview.
