A Powerful New Stress Reliever - Vitango - is Launched as Stress Levels Soar at Work and at Home

A breakthrough in stress relief has recently arrived with the introduction of a
novel herbal medicine that simultaneously boosts both composure and energy
KARLSRUHE, Germany--(Business Wire)--
Marketed under the trade name Vitango and now available from pharmacies, the
product is a special extract of a highly resilient plant called Golden Root
(Rhodiola rosea) that grows in the freezing conditions of Northern Europe and
Asia's mountain peaks.

The introduction of Vitango with its potent dual action on both the mental and
physical symptoms of stress and significantly greater safety and tolerability
compared to synthetic medicines, comes at a time when stress levels are
escalating and are considerably higher than they were five years ago1.

Work-related stress: a serious health problem

Pan-European studies have shown that, in the workplace, stress affects nearly
one in four (22%) employees in the European Union's 27 member states2, with many
citing high workload and lack of support as the main causes. "Work-related
stress is one of the biggest health and safety challenges that we face in
Europe." says Jukka Takala, Director, European Agency for Safety and Health at
Work, and "Studies suggest that stress is a factor in between 50% and 60% of all
lost working days." Long-term work stress exerts a substantial health toll,
accounting for an estimated 16% of male and 22% of female cardiovascular disease
in the EU3. It has even been shown that long-term job strain is worse for your
heart than gaining 40lbs in weight or aging 30 years4.

"Stress significantly interferes with health" comments Dr Mark Cropley, stress
expert andReader in Health Psychology at the University of Surrey. "We found in
our research that people with high job strain suffer more often from symptoms
such as anxiety, worry and fatigue than low job strain individuals."

Women more concerned

Whether at work or in the home, women are bearing the brunt of the stress
burden, as shown by a recent survey which reported that nearly 50% of women feel
stressed in their everyday lives compared to 40% of men5. In market research
carried out among over a thousand housewives and working mothers in several
European countries, 40% said they felt stressed "quite often" and 8% said they
felt permanently stressed6.

The plant that came in from the cold

Rhodiola rosea has been prized for its medicinal properties since antiquity.
Records show that the Ancient Greeks and Vikings used it to enhance strength and
endurance. In more modern times, Soviet astronauts and top athletes took it to
increase resilience and stamina. But it took some time for the potential of this
unique plant to come to the attention of Western scientists. Today the use of
Rhodiola rosea is backed up by a wealth of published studies and is endorsed by
many medical researchers.

Vitango contains the standardized Rhodiola rosea extract WS 1375. Manufactured
under carefully controlled conditions, it has undergone rigorous evaluation by
regulatory bodies in terms of safety and pharmaceutical quality. Vitango is a
traditional herbal medicinal product of Dr Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals, a
world leader in herbal medicines.

For further information please visit www.vitango-stress.com.

References

1. Ipsos, Omnibus polls 2003 and 2008. Referenced in OTC Bulletin, 11/2003,
07/2008

2. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. OSH in figures: stress at work
- facts and figures, 2009.

3. Work-related stress. European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and
Working Conditions, 2007.

4. Landsbergis P et al. American Journal of Epidemiology 2003; 157 (11):
998-1006.

5. http://www.bupa.co.uk/about/html/pr/131108_worried_women.html

6. Data on file, Dr Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals

Release Summary:

A breakthrough in stress relief came with the introduction of a novel
phytomedicine that boosts both composure and energy. Vitango is a special
extract of a plant called Golden Root (Rhodiola rosea).

Keyword Tags:

composure, energy, rhodiola, stress, work stress

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Available:http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6082576&lang=en

Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG
Dr. Jochen Muehlhoff
International Communications Manager
Phone: +49 721 4005 216
Email: jochen.muehlhoff@schwabe.de

Copyright Business Wire 2009