Sea Buckthorn
Sea Buckthorn wasi1370/Pixabay

Second-generation entrepreneurial duo and brothers Dusty and Peter McMullin continue to build on their father Bruce McMullin's legacy as they now begin to advocate for the widespread introduction of Sea Buckthorn — a natural ingredient and highly effective component of Omega 7 — in their new range of female specialty supplements and functional foods.

Dusty, vice president of operations, and Peter, president at Sibu, play important roles within the company, and for nearly two decades, the brothers have been working alongside their entrepreneurial father to establish a trusted brand that not only markets to consumers but also educates them on the importance of natural supplements and introduce more sophisticated ingredients to an ever-evolving consumer landscape.

Founded by Bruce McMullin in 2004, Sibu Sea Berry Therapy is a natural specialty supplement company that aims to educate consumers and provide better accessibility to natural supplements that improve overall wellness and promote healthy living.

Building a dynamic brand required Dusty and Peter to leverage their father's experience in the natural supplement industry but further adjust their business approach as consumer trends evolved against the backdrop of technology and the Internet of Things (IoT).

"Today, perhaps more than ever before, we have near endless access to tools, resources and clinical research to help create a more informed understanding of how women's health and the general health of the public evolves," said Peter. "While this information and clinical data may be widely available, through the internet and digital research portals, it's not to say that consumers necessarily use these resources to remain informed about new developments that can help improve their health and well-being."

One such development is the launch of a natural Omega-7 specialty supplement that helps alleviate symptoms of vaginal atrophy like vaginal dryness. This is achieved through Sibu's proprietary T7 Premium Organic Himalayan Sea Buckthorn Oil.

Omega-7, also known as palmitoleic acid, is one of the main ingredients that makes sea buckthorn oil unique compared to other natural supplements and superfoods. It has been found that palmitoleic acid helps provide significant health benefits, including cardiovascular protection, and is beneficial for skin rejuvenation and mucous membranes.

Vaginal atrophy is the thinning and drying of epithelial tissue — the lining of the vagina — and is commonly one of the biggest challenges for females during menopause. As women begin to age, and approach menopause, vital urinary systems, such as the bladder, urethra and vagina begin to lose hormone receptors, including estrogen and testosterone.

Unlike symptoms such as hot flashes, that wane after some time, vaginal atrophy does not tend to go away, and these symptoms can occur for years before or after menopause.

Researchers found that between 1998 and 2011, urinary tract infections (UTIs) accounted for more than 7 million visits and hospitalizations annually. In fact, roughly half of all women experience at least one UTI by the time they turn 35, while 20% of women between 18 and 24 experience one urinary tract infection at least every year.

Contrary to popular belief, hot flashes and weight gain aren't the only major symptoms women experience during menopause; in fact, roughly 17% of women assigned female at birth between the age of 18 to 50 have reported problems with vaginal dryness, often even before menopause takes place.

The "winning" component, as Dusty said, is using premium quality, 100% Himalayan Sea buckthorn oil. One research study of roughly 116 post-menopausal women with vaginal dryness who are taking three grams of sea buckthorn oil daily over three months experienced significant improvements in vaginal tissue integrity.

Peter said he and Dusty, including their team at Femininity, spent months and countless hours researching ingredients and perfecting their formulas to create a highly effective supplement that's plant-based, GMO-free and gluten-free.

"We worked tirelessly. At one stage, we thought we might as well give up. However, Dusty and I started experimenting with active ingredients, including Himalayan Sea Buckthorn, which is now an active component in our specialty supplements, to provide women with a menopausal solution," said Peter.

These developments haven't been without the guidance of their father, as Dusty and Peter explained how creating wellness products that are natural, safe and serve a greater portion of the community is at the heart of their business.

"Our father has always been someone who looks to serve other people, looking for innovative ways in which he can give back to his community," said Dusty.

Creating a lasting positive impact is at the heart of their business, but more importantly, allowing to establish a positive influence that gives consumers the ability to learn and become more informed about the products they are using and what the lasting effects are.

This, along with the growing consumer need for healthier and more natural options, including vegan, or animal-free products has enabled Dusty and Peter to recognize an opportunity in the market.

For decades, women have been sold on the idea that they need to change their diet, eat less and do different exercises to look and feel better during menopause. "Instead of creating this environment, where women are constantly being told what to do and what drugs to take without clarification, we rather look to promote effortless natural well-being and help destigmatize the understanding around menopause," they shared.

In an ever-changing consumer landscape, where the knowledge and research related to menopause struggles to find its way down to buyers, perhaps looking in the most unfamiliar places and returning to more natural ways of living could provide women with simpler, yet effective alternatives that can promote their health and boost their overall well-being, regardless of their age.

"We have set out to continue nurturing the legacy of our father, his entrepreneurial tenacity is what has helped keep us motivated, despite the hardships we've endured. We are working endlessly to improve on what we have already accomplished, but further bring more informed and accessible insight about how natural ingredients such as Sea Buckthorn can become a winning component for a better, and more balanced life," said Peter.