D-Mannose
500 mg / 120 vcaps

MORE INFORMATION

What is Mannose?

Technically known as D-Mannose, this is a simple six-carbon sugar. Mannose is a stereoisomer that is a mirror image of Glucose and naturally occurs as a monosaccharide (simple sugar) in fruit like blueberries and cranberries, as well as in other plants and fungi. NOW’s pure Mannose is derived from corn, white and sweet potatoes, beech or birch woods and has a caloric value (similar to other sugars) of four calories per gram. Mannose exists in two forms – alpha and beta. The alpha form is mild and sweet, while the beta form is bitter. The natural manufacturing methods for Mannose results in a mixture of these two forms; yielding a product that is mildly sweet with a slight bitter aftertaste.

Does Mannose act like sucrose once digested?

Although Mannose is a simple sugar and is absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract, it is absorbed at a slower rate than most sugars and is not readily converted to glycogen for storage. A substantial amount of Mannose is absorbed into the bloodstream and, after passing through the kidneys and bladder, is excreted into the urine.

How do you monitor the quality of your Mannose?

It is not certain just what is a “perfect” alpha- to beta- Mannose ratio, but an initial sweet taste indicates the ratio is sufficiently good. Mannose is analyzed to determine its purity. This is to preclude any dilution with other sugars, such as dextrose or sucrose. However, this analysis does not differentiate between the alpha and beta forms. NOW specifies that our mannose will exceed 99% purity and taste mildly sweet with a hint of a slightly bitter aftertaste.

Where is your d-Mannose obtained from? Cranberries?

Cranberries do contain some mannose, but are not a commercial source of isolated mannose. NOW® d-Mannose has no additives and is free of formaldehyde and other impurities. It can be produced via a simple conversion of glucose (derived from corn or potatoes) using enzymes or extracted from Birch and Beech trees; not extracted from fruit.

Why D-Mannose?
D-Mannose is a simple six-carbon sugar also sold as Seminose or Carubinose. Mannose is a sterioisomer of Glucose and naturally occurs as a monosaccharide in fruits like pineapple and cranberry as well as in the glycoproteins of many plants and fungi.
NOW Foods’ pure Mannose is produced by the isomerization of glucose derived from NON-GM corn, white and sweet potatoes. It has a caloric value of 4 calories per gram and is a minimum of 98% pure, the remaining being mostly moisture. The purity and identity have been verified by a third party laboratory using a specific HPLC method to ensure no contamination with other sugars. Microbiological and heavy metal testing are performed to further ensure that this product is completely safe for human consumption. NOW Foods has taken many steps in order to guarantee that its Mannose is the purest product available today.
Though Mannose is a simple sugar and is absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract, it is absorbed at a slower rate than most sugars and is not readily converted to glycogen for storage. A substantial amount of Mannose is absorbed into the bloodstream mostly unchanged. After passing through the kidneys, it is excreted into the urine and continues its journey through the ureters, bladder and urethra where it performs a valuable service to support and maintain a healthy urinary tract before exiting the body.