Zynamite goes water soluble with non-stim energy for functional beverages
Developed by PLT innovation partner Nektium Pharma (Las Palmas, Spain), the ingredient is a mango leaf (Mangifera indica) extract marketed and science-backed as a non-stimulant alternative for enhanced mental and physical energy.
“Zynamite has been an exciting ingredient since its introduction in 2018, with broad consumer appeal in both the cognitive and sports/active nutrition categories,” said Devin Stagg, chief operating officer at PLT Health Solutions. “This innovation will allow the experiential nature of this ingredient to be used in beverages and other trending delivery systems.”
The new formulation, called Zynamite S, is designed for applications that call for neutral taste, solubility, heat stability and transparency including ready-to-drink beverages and shots.
The sports and energy drink boom
Following up on the success of Zynamite in a broad range of consumer products, Nektium created the new water-soluble grade to meet the growing market for workout drinks with cross-functional benefits.
“Non-stim products are becoming a hot topic, and there is high demand for alternatives that deliver rapid power and energy that consumers can really feel,” said Bruno Berheide, commercial and partnership director at Nektium. “Our new Zynamite S allows manufacturers the opportunity to formulate innovative beverages that can help consumers ‘get in the zone’ and perform at their best.”
Zynamite S is presented as standalone or combination ingredient and as ideally positioned to tap into the increasing overlap between energy and sports drinks. PLT cites Innova Market Insights research showing that out of the 56% of consumers worldwide who regularly use hydration products in conjunction with their exercise routines, more than a third use energy drinks.
“Consumer products companies are examining the potential for hybrid combinations of sports and energy beverages as the lines between these two is blurring,” Steve Fink, vice president of marketing at PLT, told NutraIngredients-USA. “But this water-soluble, neutral tasting ingredient can also be used in gummies and other taste-sensitive applications.”
What the science says
Zynamite is backed by 10 preclinical and clinical trials to date, which support the ingredient as a safe and fast-acting bioactive for stimulating mental energy, physical performance and workout recovery without the heart rate or blood pressure spikes.
In 2020, a clinical study published in the journal Nutrients provided evidence that a single dose of Zynamite significantly improved cognitive function and performance across a battery of cognitive tasks including accuracy of performance, accuracy of attention and long-term (episodic) memory.
“Market interest for a non-stimulant energy solution has been strong as the energy solutions market has grown and matured,” Fink said. “Zynamite-containing formulations were also studied in sports performance settings as Zynamite PX, which is Zynamite combined with quercetin.”
These clinical trials showed that Zynamite-quercetin combo works along multiple molecular pathways to boost exercise performance in healthy men and significantly improved mean circuit lap time in highly-trained Greek national basketball players within an hour of supplementation.
Its ergogenic effects have also been studied in combination with other ingredients including tiger nut, luteolein and caffeine.
