Azumio Teams Up With Berkeley Test, Develops Nitric Oxide Test Strip Reader In Argus
For the first time ever, users can quantify nitric oxide levels from their smartphone, monitoring the vital bioactive that maintains healthy blood pressure and increases athletic endurance
PALO ALTO, Calf., Nov. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Azumio, the leading provider of consumer health and fitness apps, today announced that it has added a Nitric Oxide Test Strip Reader to its all-in-one fitness platform Argus, making it the first mobile app to measure the vital bioactive identified as a key to maintaining healthy blood pressure, increasing athletic endurance, and delaying vascular aging. Using salivary nitric oxide test strips, available from Berkeley Test, Argus users can now use their smartphone camera to capture, measure, and record their nitric oxide status.
The 1998 Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded for the discovery of the important role that nitric oxide plays in cardiovascular health and wellness. Since then, many published clinical studies have further documented the impact of dietary sources of the nitrate-rich vegetables. As the body ages, it loses the ability to make nitric oxide, which increases the importance of relying on dietary sources. Plant-based diets, such as the National Institute of Health's DASH Diet – rich in leafy greens such as arugula, kale, and spinach – have been found to help supplement the body's supply of nitric oxide.
To assess whether individuals on these diets are successfully processing nitric oxide-potent foods, Berkeley Test provides an inexpensive and easy-to-use disposable saliva test strip for monitoring the conversion of plant-derived nitrate to nitrite, a necessary step in the production of nitric oxide through this dietary pathway.
In less than a minute, the consumer has actionable feedback regarding their diet, enabling them to make dietary lifestyle adjustments. Americans typically fall far short of the recommended 4-6 daily servings of heart-healthy vegetables. Within two hours of eating nitric oxide-potent foods, saliva levels can be assessed and dietary adjustments made. The new Argus Nitric Oxide Test Strip Reader not only takes the guesswork out of measuring the color changes, but also records readings for later comparison and analysis while enabling users to see whether their bodies are properly processing and absorbing these vital nutrients.
"Calorie counters just don't tell the whole story," says Azumio's CTO Peter Kuhar, "They are based on averages, with no regard for whether the natural food source is rich in the necessary bioactive ingredient and whether the body has properly metabolized it for a beneficial outcome. Now, consumers have the ability to measure metabolites in saliva, allowing Argus to immediately inform users about the value of what they eat, helping keep track of the benefits of the plant-based portion of their diets."
Instead of simply recording calories and nutrients that represent averages published by food manufacturers, the new Nitric Oxide Test Strip reader represents a breakthrough for dietary management apps in helping consumers better understand whether the foods they are eating are producing the desired effect.
By using advanced sensor technologies on your smartphone, Argus is the only all-in-one mobile platform that provides a holistic picture of a user's lifestyle. Weight management programs and the new food calorie counter leverages all key features of Argus, including steps and GPS activity, sleep tracking, biofeedback data such as heart rate and orthostatic test, new food database, video guided workouts, group challenges and social community dedicated to health and fitness. Argus also connects with several third-party wearable devices, Withings smart scale and Apple HealthKit.
Argus is available as a free app on App Store and Google Play. To enable the Nitric Oxide strip reader in Argus, join the public beta here.
About Azumio
Azumio is a leading global health company that empowers millions across the world to achieve their healthiest and happiest selves. With more than 80 million downloads, the company has pioneered a platform of advanced mobile health and fitness apps that measure and build health insights to help people reach their goals. A global community of millions encourages each other daily by sharing their personal activities, feats, and stories on Azumio's platform. Based in Palo Alto, California, Azumio is venture-backed by Founders Fund, Felicis Ventures, and Accel Partners. Join the community at www.azumio.com.
Media Contact for Azumio:
Mark de la Vina
Consort Partners
[email protected]
Tel: +1 415 282 4795
SOURCE Azumio
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