Healthy aging

Nestlé files patent for cocoa extract allergy treatment

03-Apr-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Nestlé has filed an international patent for cocoa polyphenols as a treatment or prevention of eosinophilic esophagitis – an allergic reaction of the esophagus.

Olive oil polyphenol backed for selective anti-cancer potential

03-Apr-2015 By Nathan Gray

A phenolic compound known as oleocanthal can selectively kill cancerous cells while leaving healthy cells intact, say researchers, who suggest their novel findings may explain why olive oil is linked to decreased cancer risk.

Folic supplements could help elderly fight heat problems: Study

02-Apr-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Folic acid supplements could help prevent heat-induced cardiovascular events in elderly people by improving blood vessel dilation, say researchers.

What do we know about caffeine and Alzheimer's?

01-Apr-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

It is ‘imperative’ more research is conducted on the potential benefits of caffeine in the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease, say scientists.

Youngevity records strong revenue growth but stock price continues to languish

31-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

Youngevity International, a company that is both a network marketing firm that sells nutritional and personal care products and a vertically integrated gourmet coffee roaster, reported a 57% increase in annual net revnue amid plans to expand its geographical...

Better science needed to prove S-equol menopause potential

31-Mar-2015 By Niamh Michail

S-equol’s potential for menopause relief is ‘tantalising’ – but limited by inadequate clinical evidence, says a review into the soy-based isoflavone.

Special Edition: VitaFoods South America

Rising health trend in Brazil creates opportunity for supplements, healthy foods, analyst says

30-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

The demand for health food and dietary supplements in Brazil is being driven by consumer trends in the country, according to recent market research presented by Mintel.  Almost a third of Brazilians who consume healthy products would like to see a wider...

Leaf colour determines lettuce's antioxidant effect

30-Mar-2015 By Niamh Michail

Antioxidants in red-leaf lettuce are fast-moving while green-leaf antioxidants are slow - but this does not affect the benefits of the nutrients, say researchers. 

Perrigo settles latest of glucosamine class action suits

27-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

A recent class action settlement will affect the way certain glucosamine supplements are marketed. The most recent settlement applies to the labeling of supplements sold by Walmart, Supervalu and Walgreens.

New web portal aims to ease entry of US-made supplements, foods into Chinese market

27-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

As the middle class continues to grow in China, penetrating this market becomes a priority for US brands.  Negotiating that bewildering process may have gotten a little easier with the launch of a web portal whose express purpose is to peddle ‘Made in...

ChromaDex succeeds in boosting ingredient sales by 182% in face of continuing losses

26-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

ChromaDex Corp. continued to make progress on its transformation from a company based solely on testing services to a branded ingredient supplier, registering a 182% increase in ingredient sales in its 2014 fiscal year.

Digitek is creeping onto the nutrition scene - and it's bringing big potential with it

26-Mar-2015 By Annie-Rose Harrison-Dunn at the University Medical Centre Groningen, the Netherlands

Health apps, home tests and other digitek are the future of nutrition research and public health strategies, according to top researchers in the field. 

Equivocal study on Finnish women doesn't dim Vitamin D's role in lessening falls among elderly, experts say

25-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

A new vitamin D/exercise study on falls among older women has confirmed the vitamin’s role in bone health but falls short of a ringing endorsement for supplementation. But it’s one data point among the many that still point to the importance of getting...

Zinc status linked to immune responses and chronic disease, researchers suggest

24-Mar-2015 By Nathan Gray

Zinc deficiency could play a role in chronic diseases that involve inflammation, especially in older adults, says new research.

Kyowa Hakko research underpins notion that cognitive decline now No.1 concern about aging

20-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

New research commissioned by ingredient supplier Kyowa Hakko confirms what other recent surveys have shown: The specter of cognitive decline now looms largest in consumers minds when they consider the slings and arrows of aging.  And cognitive hiccups...

Three-year project to turn olive nutrients into functional foods

20-Mar-2015 By Niamh Michail

Polyphenols and antioxidants from olives are to be transformed into functional foods used to fight Alzheimer’s and brain ageing as part of a three-year German research project.

Nutritional supplement shown to be effective in reducing female hair loss

19-Mar-2015 By Andrew MCDOUGALL

Hair loss is a distressing thing for anyone, and is particularly so for women, but scientists have found that taking a nutritional supplement can improve the overall scalp coverage and hair condition.

Special edition: Beauty from within

In the eye of the beholder: Where does the EU stand on beauty claims?

18-Mar-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Unlike health claims, ‘beauty from within’ claims are regulated post-market and only when challenged – and how this process goes will depend on the case and the member state concerned.

GOED launches national omega-3s campaign based on successful test market trial

17-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

Building on a successful test run in North Carolina, the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) has launched a nationwide ad campaign to boost the profile of omega-3s.

Special edition: Beauty from within

Beauty From Within turns ugly for L’Oréal and Nestlé

17-Mar-2015 By Shane STARLING

It promised so much – the globe’s biggest cosmetic and food players L’Oréal and Nestlé applying serious marketing, research and NPD clout to drive a nascent category into the mainstream public consciousness. It was going to make beauty from within (BFW)...

Folic acid may help reduce stroke risk: 5-year study

16-Mar-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

A combination of folic acid and the medication enalapril may be more effective in reducing the risk of stroke in adults with hypertension than the medication alone, according to large-scale research from China.

Calcium works in synergy with hormone in bone formation: Mouse study

12-Mar-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

High dietary intakes of calcium in combination with hormone treatment may be a more effective way of boosting bone formation than the nutrient or hormone alone, according to research in mice.

Lutein and DHA ‘need attention’ as healthy aging bioactives: Tufts researcher

12-Mar-2015 By Stephen DANIELLS

A lack of attention on key bioactives like lutein and DHA, misinformation from the internet, and the medical community's focus on treatment rather than prevention are just a few of the issues that need to be addressed to promote healthy aging, says...

The increasingly youthful face of the ‘older’ consumer

12-Mar-2015 By Niamh Michail

‘Older consumers’ are not old age pensioners anymore. In fact, there is a growing market for supplements tailored to the specific needs of people as young as thirty, say experts.

Vertical integration positions Marine Ingredients to reap benefits of omega-3s turnaround

09-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

Marine Ingredients is poised to reap the benefits of the expected rebound in the market for omega-3s with the opening of a new extraction facility in Alaska and the integration of its newly acquired factory in Norway, which it bought from BASF.

New prebiotic may boost flu vaccine effects in the elderly: Study

09-Mar-2015 By Stephen DANIELLS

Supplements containing a combination of a new prebiotic called bifidogenic growth stimulator (BGS) and an established prebiotic (galactooligosaccharide) may enhance the effects of the flu vaccine, says a new study from Japan.

We shouldn’t recommend vitamin D supplements for chronic diseases: Researchers

03-Mar-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Vitamin D should not be recommended to prevent chronic disease because such benefits have not been confirmed and adverse effects of over-consumption can’t be ruled out, according to a review.

3-5 cups of coffee a day may help keep artery blockages away

03-Mar-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

People who consume between three to five cups of coffee a day may have a lower risk of coronary artery calcium build-up, which can lead to artery blockages, according to research published in the British Medical Journal’s publication Heart.

Heat-killed bacteria may offer immune support for the elderly

03-Mar-2015 By Stephen Daniells

Supplements containing heat-killed Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 bacteria may enhance the immune system of older people and protect them from infection, says a new study from Japan.

GRAS status will help ergothioneine gain foothold in healthy aging market, supplier says

26-Feb-2015 By Hank Schultz

Tetrahedron, a French R&D ingredient supplier, has announced self-affirmed GRAS status for its proprietary form of ergothioneine, which is branded as Ergoneine. Ergothioneine is an intriguing ingredient but one that has appeared in few products, and...

Myos Corp. to present mode of action data on Fortetropin myostatin inhibitor

25-Feb-2015 By Hank Schultz

MYOS Corporation, developers of muscle-health ingredient Fortetropin, have announced new data elucidating the ingredient’s mode of action that will be presented at a scientific conference in Boston. The new data shows the ingredient works in three different...

NIH survey of supplement use shows strong support for omega-3s, wavering commitment to joint ingredients and echinacea

24-Feb-2015 By Hank Schultz

A recently released survey by the National Institutes of Health showed significant shifts in how Americans were using dietary supplements in the years between 2007 and 2012.  Those shifts were ranged against results from earlier surveys done in 2002 and...

Proven ingredients, omega-3s for cross sell key to success in cognitive health space, marketing experts say

20-Feb-2015 By Hank Schultz

Marketers of cognitive support products experience some common pitfalls, according to experts at NutraScience Labs, the newly constituted marketing arm of Twinlab. Failure to rely on proven ingredients and lack of an omega-3 in the product lineup to provide...

High vitamin C intake may help elderly maintain immune cells

20-Feb-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Long-term high-dose vitamin C supplementation could help maintain immune functions in ageing, according to research in mice. 

ChromaDex builds potential anti-aging action of Niagen with first human data

17-Feb-2015 By Stephen DANIELLS

A single dose of nicotinamide riboside (NR) may significantly increases levels of NAD+, which is key to cellular energy metabolism and mitochondrial function, says a new study with healthy human volunteers using ChromaDex’s Niagen NR.

GNC revenue declines as company revamps pricing, product mix and corporate culture

13-Feb-2015 By Hank Schultz

GNC Holdings reported declining sales in the fourth quarter and for its full 2014 fiscal year. CEO Michael Archbold attributed the declines to changes in pricing, revamping of stores’ product mix and lower manufacturing volume in an effort to match inventory...

NBTY launches education campaign to revivify joint health category

13-Feb-2015 By Hank Schultz

Vitamin manufacturing giant NBTY has launched a effort to put a spring into the step of its venerable Osteo Bi-Flex brand with a marketing campaign to raise public awareness of joint health, a category that a recent study has shown to be declining.

Healthy or toxic? The conflicting images of antioxidants

11-Feb-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Benefit-risk ratios must be established for each antioxidant separately, considering risk groups and dosage, according to researchers reviewing polarised perceptions of vitamin E and beta-carotene.

Nattopharma's vitamin K2 ingredient makes splash in arterial health space with new product launch

10-Feb-2015 By Hank Schultz

Vitamin K2, recognized in recent years for its role in bone health, is now making a splash in the cardiovascular disease realm with the launch of a new product using Nattopharma’s MenaQ7 ingredient.

Weak omega-3s demand a blemish on FMC's nutritional sector revenues

06-Feb-2015 By Hank Schultz

FMC Corporation reported revenues in its health and nutrition sector of $828 million for its 2014 fiscal year.  Soft omega-3 demand for the year was a blemish on an otherwise robust sector performance, the company said.

Measuring the immeasurable? The challenges of researching mood and nutrition

04-Feb-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Mood is often assessed in nutrition research but it is ‘hard to define’ and ‘inherently subjective’, according to the researchers behind a review of mood-measuring methodology.

Stevia First expanding fermentation technology to ingredients beyond steviol glycosides

03-Feb-2015 By Hank Schultz

Stevia First Corp, producer of a fermentation-based steviol glycoside ingredient, is moving its technology beyond its namesake high intensity sweetener into new ranges of functional ingredients that the company is billing as “geroprotectors.”

Sleep: Consumers are looking for natural alternatives, but what's holding the category back?

30-Jan-2015 By Stephen Daniells

The overall sleep aid category is growing at an eye-watering 27% and is expected to hit $732 million in 2018, but natural products and dietary supplements only occupy a small portion of the market. NutraIngredients-USA explores the challenges and opportunities...

Canadian company uses nanotech to boost bioavailibilty of banaba leaf extract for blood sugar management

26-Jan-2015 By Hank Schultz

Toronto-based EastGate Biotech Corp. is taking a small approach to a big problem by applying nanotechnology to improve the bioavailability of a blood sugar management dietary supplement formulation. The company is ready for market in Canada with a newly...

Fucoidan boost performance and slows tiring during exercise: Mouse data

26-Jan-2015 By Stephen Daniells

Dietary supplementation with fucoidan from seaweed may delay fatigue during fatigue and boost overall endurance, says a new study from Taiwan.

Special edition: Blood sugar management

Glycaemic (GI) foods remain in obesity-diabetes niche but claims are changing game

22-Jan-2015 By Shane STARLING

Foods that help moderate blood sugar activity are gaining more traction with diabetics, the overweight and the obese – with new EU claims backing their promise to control hunger impulses. With 2bn people overweight or obese in the world, and type-2 diabetes...

Special Edition: Blood Sugar Management

Evidence continues to bolster polyphenols' blood sugar management story despite murky mode of action

22-Jan-2015 By Hank Schultz

Although the mechanism of action is somewhat unclear, polyphenols have a solid and growing body of research backing their effect on the regulation of blood sugar levels, experts say.

Special Edition: Blood Sugar Management

Medical foods for blood sugar management in limbo more than a year after FDA issued draft guidance

21-Jan-2015 By Hank Schultz

Medical foods formulated for diabetes are still in a state of limbo more than 18 months after the US Food and Drug Administration issued an updated draft guidance on the category in 2013.  After a comment period, the guidance has languished in a draft...

Special Edition: Blood Sugar Management

FDA rule offers only narrow field for blood sugar management claims, experts say

20-Jan-2015 By Hank Schultz

As obesity rates worldwide continue to rise and the related scourge of diabetes increases in lockstep, companies marketing ingredients in the United States intended to help consumers who find themselves sliding somewhere along this curve toward a full...

Supplement shows promising results in cognition, mood in large scale study

19-Jan-2015 By Hank Schultz

A recent large scale study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease confirms earlier results for a nutraceutical formulation branded as Perceptiv in showing improved performance on standardized tests and improved mood for subjects diagnosed with...