Shaklee Selects Jeong-Su Kim, Ph.D. for First Brain Health Research Grant, Launches New Study

PLEASANTON, Calif. - June 29, 2015 - PRLog -- Shaklee, a leading, global health and wellness company, selected Jeong-Su Kim, Ph.D., Associate Director of Center for Advancing Exercise and Nutrition Research on Aging (CAENRA) and Associate Professor in Florida State University (FSU)’s Department of Nutrition, Food & Exercise Sciences (NFES), for the first Shaklee Grant Program for Brain Health Research.

The Shaklee Grant Program for Brain Health Research is a newly established program within Shaklee’s existing Grants Program. The purpose of the new program is to help scientists learn more about the role of dietary supplements in supporting brain health. Shaklee issued a request for proposals in October 2014. The review committee selected Dr. Kim’s proposal based on its scientific merit, relevance to the research interests of the program, and Dr. Kim’s professional and academic qualifications.

“Since our inception, Shaklee has been committed to supporting nutrition research, including evaluation of our products by well-qualified academic investigators,” said Bruce Daggy, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Research & Development and Chief Science Officer of Shaklee. “Research in the area of cognitive health is a growing focus for us as it affects a broad range of adults, from college students who need to improve their focus on their studies, to older folks who have concerns about maintaining long-term brain health. Our goal for this study is to empower scientists, and individuals, with new and greater information on nutrition’s role in helping to keep us mentally well—and Dr. Kim shares in this vision.”

Dr. Kim will be executing the study with a team of esteemed colleagues, which will include Bahram Arjmandi, Ph.D., RD, Margaret A. Sitton Named Professor at FSU and Director of CAENRA. CAENRA is a new center within the College of Human Sciences at FSU. The mission of CAENRA is “to understand the relationship between exercise, nutrition, and healthy aging.”

“My area of focus is in the overall function of aging—both physical and mental as the two are closely linked,” said Dr. Kim. “As a scientist, I’m intrigued by Shaklee’s brain health product and appreciate their commitment to supporting scientific research. There are a lot of interesting and significant findings to be made from this particular study: dietary supplements can improve brain function and memory, and improved brain function could improve motor skills and balance. I’m excited for what we’ll discover.”

The design of the study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial of MindWorks® in healthy adults.

MindWorks is a dietary supplement, developed and recently launched by Shaklee, to support short- and long-term cognitive health. MindWorks contains key ingredients that have three important benefits*:

1.     Immediate improvement in memory and focus 3X better than the control group.**

2.     Protect against age-related mental decline, as shown in a clinical study to reduce brain shrinkage rate, a common consequence of aging, by 30% over two years.***

3.     Support healthy circulation, which is important for the delivery of oxygen and key nutrients to the brain.

The study will start in July 2015 and take place at FSU in Tallahassee, Florida. The grant is funded by proceeds of MindWorks.

For more information about the grant visit www.shaklee.com or contact grants@shaklee.com.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. (cid:77C45FD0-BD43-4E48-903D-A97A459D5CB9)

** At six hours versus control.

*** Based on a two-year study of 223 adults with mild cognitive impairment.

About Shaklee

Shaklee Corporation is a leading health and wellness company with a long history of pioneering advances in nutritional science. Founder, Dr. Shaklee pioneered one of the first multi-vitamins nearly 100 years ago. The company developed one of the first soy protein isolate formulas over 50 years ago and introduced one of the first biodegradable laundry detergents without phosphates over 40 years ago. Shaklee was the first company in the world to obtain Climate Neutral® certification and fully offset its carbon emissions, resulting in a net-zero impact on the environment. Shaklee has published more than 100 scientific publications, 90 in peer-reviewed journals that support the safety and efficacy of their products and key ingredients. Shaklee products have powered more than 120 Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal athletes and Shaklee provided rehydration drinks to the NASA space program for 20 years. Shaklee products are designed to support and improve their customer's health, and Shaklee's relationship selling model offers flexible business opportunities for those that choose to share products with their families, friends and communities. The company is based in Pleasanton, California. For more information, visit www.shaklee.com.

About Bruce Daggy, Ph.D.

Bruce Daggy serves as Senior Vice President, Research & Development and Chief Science Officer for Shaklee. He is primarily responsible for the scientific support of Shaklee's robust portfolio of products including nutrition, personal care and household products. His career spans 30 years in global roles within consumer healthcare. In nutrition, his work has ranged from developing leading nutritional supplements in India to providing sports nutrition products to elite athletes. Daggy has a Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry from Cornell University and a B.A. in Biology from University of Virginia. He has authored more than 80 publications and abstracts, and has developed 13 patents in his name. He serves as Adjunct Professor in the Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences Department of Florida State University. He is a member of the American Society of Nutrition, a Fellow in the American College of Nutrition, and has assisted the Obesity Society, the American Diabetes Association, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and other healthcare organizations in a variety of volunteer capacities.

About Jeong-Su Kim, Ph.D.

Jeong-Su Kim, Ph.D., is Associate Director of Center for Advancing Exercise and Nutrition Research on Aging (CAENRA) and Associate Professor in Florida State University (FSU)’s Department of Nutrition, Food & Exercise Sciences (NFES). Prior to joining the faculty at FSU in 2007, Dr. Kim received his B.S. degree in Physical Education from Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea, his M.S. from the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State University, and Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. He served as a Post-doctoral Fellow for the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine at University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama in 2003 and 2004. Dr. Kim serves as a faculty advisor for Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA Florida State University Chapter, 2008 – Present) and for the FSU Field Hockey Club (2010 – Present).