Enzymatica AB: New ColdZyme study in elite athletes confirms preventive effect and reduced duration of illness
News
Lund April 9, 2018
New ColdZyme study in elite athletes confirms preventive effect and reduced duration of illness
Enzymatica is now publishing the results of a second study1 in which elite athletes used ColdZyme® Mouth Spray to protect against and reduce the symptoms of colds. The results of the study show that 81 % of colds were reported as milder and/or shorter than usual when using ColdZyme. Among participants who did not catch a cold, 69 % reported that ColdZyme had prevented or may have prevented the cold.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the user experience of ColdZyme among elite athletes. Thirteen competitive athletes in Sweden, training professionally or at an amateur level, participated in the study. The participants completed electronic diaries weekly on the occurrence of common colds, cold severity and their user experience of ColdZyme over the course of three months. The study was carried out in April to June of 2017.
When asked whether they had experienced any effect of ColdZyme on colds, the participants reported that 43 % of colds were experienced as both milder and shorter than usual, 24 % were reported as shorter, 14 % were reported as milder and 19 % were reported as "don't know." None of the participants reported "no effect." When participants who did not report any colds in the previous week were asked if they thought that ColdZyme had prevented them from catching a cold, the majority, 69 % of participants, gave a positive answer.
"Only 12.5 % of the participants with a cold were unable to train during the cold. This indicates that use of ColdZyme may be an easy and practical method for competitive athletes to alleviate or prevent infections caused by a common cold virus, thereby avoiding lost training and competition days," says Fredrik Lindberg, CEO of Enzymatica.
The results of the study are well in line with the first study of competitive athletes that Enzymatica published in the summer of 20172, showing that ColdZyme users reported less sick days, milder symptoms and improved quality of life compared with untreated common colds.
Respiratory infections are the most common illnesses among elite athletes. Studies have shown that colds and upper respiratory tract infections are more common among high-performance athletes than among individuals who exercise moderately3, 4. There is also a well-established correlation between heavy training and reduced immunity5. Upper respiratory tract infections, such as colds, are among the primary causes of missed training sessions among British competitive athletes in 30 different Olympic sports. Moreover, upper respiratory tract infection has been reported as the most common medical diagnosis affecting athletes in both the summer and winter Olympics6.
References
- Nelson et al, User experience of ColdZyme Mouth Spray against common cold in competitive athletes, OJRD, 8, 13-20, 2018. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojrd.2018.82002
- Clarsund et al, Evaluation of ColdZyme Mouth Spray for the Protection against Common Cold in Elite Athletes, Open Journal of Respiratory Diseases, 2017, 7,103-109. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojrd.2017.73010
- Spence, L., Brown W., Pyne, D., Nissen, M., Sloots, T., Mccormack, J., Locke, S., A Fricker, P. (2007) Incidence, etiology, and symptomatology of upper respiratory illness in elite athletes. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 39, 577-86. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31802e851a
- Gleeson, M., and Pyne, D. (2016) "Respiratory inflammation and infections in high-performance athletes." Immunology and cell biology, 94, 124-131. https://doi.org/10.1038/icb.2015.100
- Walsh, N. and Oliver, S. (2016) "Exercise, immune function and respiratory infection: An update on the influence of training and environmental stress." Immunology and cell biology, 94, 132-139. https://doi.org/10.1038/icb.2015.99
- Alonso, J., et al. (2012) "Determination of future prevention strategies in elite track and field: analysis of Daegu 2011 IAAF Championships injuries and illnesses surveillance." British journal of sports medicine, 46, 505-514. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2012-091008
For more information, please contact:
Fredrik Lindberg, CEO, Enzymatica AB
Tel: +46 (0)708-86 53 70 | Email: fredrik.lindberg@enzymatica.com
About Enzymatica AB
Enzymatica AB is a Swedish life science company that develops and sells medical devices for infection-related diseases. The products are based on a barrier technology that includes marine enzymes. The company's first product is ColdZyme® Mouth Spray, which can prevent colds and reduce the duration of disease. The product has been launched in about ten markets. The strategy is to continue to grow by strengthening the Company's position in existing markets and expanding into new geographic markets through established partners. The company has its headquarters in Lund and is listed on Nasdaq First North. For more information, visit: www.enzymatica.com.