Wellmune
There are a couple of standout branded ingredients in the immune support space, with Wellmune from Kerry first up. It is a beta-glucan based ingredient derived from the cell walls of a proprietary strain of baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that ‘primes’ the innate immune system.
“Our proprietary research found that 79% of consumers associate the Wellmune brand with immune support and increased wellness,” Kerry’s Donald Cox, Ph.D, R&D Director – Wellmune (pictured) told us. “It also found, two-thirds of consumers indicate an interest in purchasing a product with Wellmune. The number is even higher (77%) among moms with kids age 12 or younger.”
“Wellmune’s clinical research consistently demonstrates significant immune benefits across several market segments including sports nutrition, healthy aging and families and children,” added Dr Cox. For children, a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences (6:518) found that 62% of children taking Wellmune in China were reported to have “good” health status compared to only 15% of the children taking a placebo.
The ingredient has also been studied for athletes, “to help keep them ready to train”, said Dr Cox. “In one study [presented at the American College of Sports Medicine], marathon runners taking Wellmune for four weeks experienced a 40% reduction in upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms,” he said.
“Recently, we’ve extended our research to a more general, “everyday” consumer—that is, individuals not necessarily performing up to the high intensity of trained athletes but who exercise and may still experience compromised immune health as a result. This research concluded that Wellmune could also positively impact the immunosuppression of this “less-active population” following moderate exercise.”
