NutraIngredients-USA Global Round-up: Medtronic acquires Nutrino, plus fish oil and vitamin D3 benefits for athletes

26-Nov-2018 - Last updated on 26-Nov-2018 at 14:49 GMT

It’s a global industry and there’s a lot happening. We know it’s not always easy keeping up with everything that’s happening around the world that could impact the US dietary supplements industry. The answer? Our weekly round-up of key news from across the globe.

1. Nutrino acquired by Medtronic

US nutrition data firm Medtronic announced its acquisition of Nutrino Health, building on a collaboration formed in June 2016 in which both firms co-developed apps designed to monitor glucose levels according to the patient’s reaction to certain foods.

Israel-based Nutrino has made a name in the industry as pioneers in using artificial intelligence (AI) to power its personalized nutrition analysis platform called FoodPrint.

The agreement will see Nutrino's comprehensive food database, food analysis system and nutrition-science expertise added to Medtronic’s array of medical device technologies.

“Bringing Nutrino and their nutrition-related expertise into our organisation will give us a substantial differentiator in the diabetes industry and accelerate our progress to help people with diabetes live with greater freedom and better health,” said Hooman Hakami, executive vice president and president of the Diabetes Group at Medtronic.

For more on this, please click here.

2. Fish oil-protein supplementation may boost athletic performance, recovery

A new study from New Zealand indicated that a combination of fish oil and protein may reduce lower body muscle soreness, reduce fatigue and maintain lower-body power over a longer period.

Researchers from the University of Otago (NZ) and the University of Stirling (Scotland) report that 1,546 mg of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (551 mg EPA and 551 mg DHA) plus 15 grams of protein produced benefits that were also observed in rugby match play performance, especially when the period between matches was short.

Data published in the European Journal of Sport Science indicated supplementation over five weeks of pre-season training, produced likely / moderate beneficial effects in lower body muscle soreness, as well as likely / moderate beneficial effects performance and fatigue.

“In terms of practical relevance, the moderate beneficial effect of adding fish oil to a protein-based supplement on muscle soreness translated into the better maintenance of explosive power in elite Rugby Union players during pre-season training,” the study concluded.

For more on this study, please click here.

3. Vitamin D’s immune benefits for athletes

A study by scientists at University of Louisiana at Monroe (US), Kyung Hee University (South Korea) and Texas A&M University (US) indicated that vitamin D3 supplementation may alleviate symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in athletes, especially during winter training.

Data from vitamin D-insufficient male taekwondo athletes showed that 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day for four weeks during winter training led to 256% increases in serum vitamin D levels, and this increase was linked to diminished URTI symptoms, including runny nose, sneezing, and coughing.

“Vitamin D3 supplementation may be effective in reducing the symptoms of URTI during winter training in vitamin D-insufficient taekwondo athletes,” wrote the authors in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Sports Nutrition Summit 2019

Sports nutrition will take center stage at the upcoming NutraIngredients-USA Sports Nutrition Summit, January 23-24 in San Diego, hosted in association with the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN).

For more information and to register, please click HERE.