Oral Supplement in Older Adults to Support Physical Fitness and Mental Well-being

Cucumbers have been anecdotally claimed to have anti-inflammatory activity for a long time, but the active principle was not identified. idoBR1 is an iminosugar amino acid isolated from fruits of certain cucumbers, Cucumis sativus (Cucurbitaceae), which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory activity. IminoTech Inc in the USA has produced a quality-controlled cucumber extract containing measured idoBR1 (Q-actin™) that has given good results in osteo-arthritis from oral use. The investigators are aiming to recruit a cohort (n = 50) of middle aged and older adults (\>50 years) who will be randomised into Q-actin (2 x 10 mg gummies daily) or placebo (2 x 10 mg gummies daily) supplementation for 12 weeks. Using hand grip strength and the Nine-Hole Peg Test (9HPT) the investigators will measure physical strength and finger dexterity respectively. The investigators will measure generic quality of life with the EuroQol 5 Dimension 5 (EQ-5D) questionnaire, sleep quality, diet choices and collect urine samples for the investigation into the chemical composition (metabolomics). Randomisation will be blinded, and the participant and the researcher will not know what group participants in until after the completion of the study, then it will be disclosed.