Last week’s big news included a new NIH study that dismissed taurine status as a biomarker of aging, menopause-friendly product certification program MTick’s expansions into Australia and Canada, and NutraIngredients publisher’s acquisition of a leading scientific conference for probiotics and prebiotics.
NIH study pours cold water on taurine for longevity
Scientists from the National Institute on Aging at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a paper that concluded that circulating levels of the amino acid taurine are unlikely to be a good biomarker for aging.
Analysis of blood samples from humans, monkeys and mice, reporting that taurine levels often increased or remained constant with age.
Researchers also found inconsistent associations between taurine levels and functional biomarkers of healthy aging, such as muscle strength and body weight, which varied depending on context and species.
“On the basis of these findings, we conclude that low circulating taurine concentrations are unlikely to serve as a good biomarker of aging,” they wrote in Science. “Moreover, we surmise that the efficacy of taurine supplementation to delay aging or broadly treat aging-related conditions may be context dependent.”
A link between taurine and lifespan was reported in 2023, with a paper by scientists from Columbia University in New York writing that taurine supplementation with the compound was associated with a 12% increase in healthy lifespan in animals.
The study, which was also published in Science, garnered a lot of attention in the mainstream media, with headlines such as: Common energy drink ingredient taurine ‘may slow ageing process’ (The Guardian), Is taurine the ‘elixir of life’? Maybe, if you’re a worm, mouse or monkey (CNN), Can Taurine, Found in Energy Drinks, Slow Down Aging? (The New York Times) and Can Taurine Slow Aging? Here’s What the Latest Science Says (Time).
William Reed acquires IPC scientific conference
William Reed, publishers of NutraIngredients and organizer of the Probiota series of conferences, announced the acquisition of the International Scientific Conference on Probiotics, Prebiotics, Gut Microbiota and Health (IPC), a leading scientific conference for the interactive exchange of state-of-the-art knowledge for probiotics and prebiotics.
This strategic acquisition supports William Reed’s commitment to the microbiome community and its valued partnership with the International Probiotics Association (IPA), while complementing Probiota as a platform for sharing the latest science around probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics and live biotherapeutics for maintaining health and preventing diseases.
The program for IPC is organized by a scientific committee of over 20 experts in probiotics, prebiotics, the microbiome and microbiology from across the globe. The 18th International Scientific Conference on Probiotics, Prebiotics, Gut Microbiota and Health – IPC2025 will take place June 24 to 26 in Athens, Greece.
“William Reed has a proven commitment to the microbiome sector with our Probiota series,” said Elaine Marshall, managing director of Global Brands at William Reed. “IPC is a widely respected and prestigious event that represents an engaged community of scientists presenting cutting-edge science. This creates new opportunities for our coverage of this sector.”
Norbert Bomba, co-founder and owner of IPC, added: “Seeing IPC enter this next chapter with a strong partner gives me confidence that its legacy will not only be preserved but meaningfully expanded. I look forward to witnessing how this new alliance will further elevate the impact of evidence-based microbiome science worldwide.”
Menopause certification program MTick rolls out in Australia
MTick, a certification program for menopause-friendly products, is slated to launch in Australia by next year, having establishing itself in its UK home market.
Supplements, cosmetics, apparel and other products that have met the certification criteria will include with MTick symbol front of package.
To qualify, the product must be supported by evidence-based claims, consumer trials or innovative technology to prove its efficacy in helping with at least one of the 48 recognized signs and symptoms of menopause.
These symptoms include brain fog, irritability, loss of concentration, hot flushes and loss of bone density.
According to GenM, the movement behind MTick, the main idea is to help women easily identify and access menopause support products.
Since its launch in October 2021, 120 brands and nine retailers have come onboard in the UK. The brands include Haleon, Holland & Barrett, Menopace Vitabiotics and Optibac.
Having achieved success in the domestically, the company now wants to introduce MTick into other parts of the world, including Australia and Canada by next year.
“We have chosen these markets in particular as they are just behind the UK in their awareness and visibility of the menopause, and their consumers are demanding trusted solutions to support their menopausal journey, which we know we can deliver through the GenM collective and the MTick,” Heather Jackson, CEO and co-founder of GenM, told NutraIngredients-Asia.
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