The NJ-based health and beauty company has largely manufactured and marketed hair, nail and skin care products for the last 40 years but saw a whitespace in the growing brain care category.
“At CCA we observed a lot of different supplements in the brain health category but none that were addressing the root cause of cognitive dysfunction—oxidative stress,” Chris Dominello, president and CEO of CCA Industries, Inc., told NutraIngredients-USA. “Neutein has a novel formula that uses natural plant-based antioxidants, which have been shown to target oxidative stress and lead to clinically relevant improvements in short-term memory, focus and attention.”
With Singletary as spokesperson, Neutein hopes to raise awareness not only among American football players but also among all those looking to boost their cognitive function in an $8.5 billion brain health supplements market.
The eye-brain axis
Created by Dr. Mike Roussell, founder of Substance Nutrition, Neutein is marketed for improved working memory, short-term memory and sustained focus with added benefits of protecting eyes from digital blue light and mitigating sleep-related problems.
“Neutein is made up of two clinically studied, plant-based ingredients, Neumentix and FloraGLO Lutein, that work on the eye-brain axis through multiple and complementary modes of action that support the health and functioning of neural tissue by reducing oxidative stress, protecting neuronal cells, supporting healthy neurotransmission and neuronal communication, promoting new neuronal growth and enhancing neurotrophins such BDNF and nerve growth factor,” Dominello explained.
He stressed the importance of multiple methods of action as key to long-term enhanced neural performance and overall brain and eye health and cited research establishing the eye as an anatomical extension of the brain, the connection between poor vision and cognitive decline and the shared sensitivities to oxidative stress.
“By addressing these connections, cognitive health moves beyond just talking about memory but encompasses how we can keep our brains healthy,” Dominello added.
The science
The two branded ingredients in the Neutein formula (900 mg Neumentix and 12 mg of FloraGLO Lutein in a two-capsule serving) have been extensively studied for their effects on various end points of eye and brain health. Both are manufactured by Des Moines, Iowa-based ingredients supplier Kemin Industries.
Introduced 25 years ago as researchers were beginning to understand the importance of carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health, FloraGLO Lutein distinguished itself in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), which found it to be more effective than beta-carotene or omega-3 in reducing age-related macular degeneration. Neumentix, introduced in 2014, is a phenolic complex extracted from spearmint used to promote new brain cell growth, support working memory and improve sleep measures.
“To date, there are over 100 clinical studies on FloraGLO Lutein and 11 of those are focused on the role of FloraGLO Lutein in the brain of healthy adults,” Dominello said. “In addition, we have 19 publications on Neumentix. Currently, there are no studies that have combined both ingredients together.”
The spokesperson
The new partnership with Singletary seeks to raise awareness about the importance of brain care across demographics, whether to ward off age-related memory loss or to provide a mental edge for peek performance. Singletary, a middle linebacker and top tackler for the Bears from 1981 to 1992, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.
“Balancing my busy schedule has never been better with Neutein,” Singletary said. “I’ve always had the gift of intense focus on what I am doing, but Neutein has helped me multitask much more easily. I’m very passionate about brain health, especially as a former football player. I’m excited to bring awareness to Neutein’s benefits for cognitive health through this partnership.”
In turn, CCA will also support Singletary’s charity Changing our Perspectives, a non-profit that works to bridge educational and healthcare gaps in under-resourced communities.
Neutein – which initially launched in Jan. 2017 as Cerevan and was rebranded in 2019 – is currently sold on Neutein.com and Amazon. There are also plans to make the move into retail shortly.