Cognitive function

View from the Editor's Chair

Where’s the innovation in dietary supplements? Part 1: From supply chain to new science

15-Feb-2018 By Stephen Daniells

A couple of years ago the CEOs of some of the industry’s specialist retailers were lamenting what they saw as a lack of innovation in dietary supplements, but there is much to be excited about in dietary supplements and innovation is everywhere.

GOED’s Ismail: Critics cannot dismiss the totality of evidence for omega-3s with a single trial

14-Feb-2018 By Stephen Daniells

The next few years could be a turbulent time for the omega-3 industry with results from several very large randomized control trials due to be published, but regardless of the results the totality of the evidence still supports significant benefits from...

Ismail implores omega-3 industry to show leadership in supporting science, consumer research

12-Feb-2018 By Hank Schultz

In his final address to the omega-3 sector as a whole, outgoing GOED executive director Adam Ismail said the industry has unlimited potential, which it can reach only if it bands together to control its message and support the ingredients’ health benefits...

Niagen may prevent neurological damage, improve cognitive and physical function, says NIH mouse study

08-Feb-2018 By Stephen Daniells

Nicotinamide riboside, a vitamin B3 derivative, may prevent neurological damage and improve cognitive and physical function in a new mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, according to researchers at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the US National...

Legacy citrus bioflavonoids maker to take ingredients in new, condition specific direction

07-Feb-2018 By Hank Schultz

Ingredients by Nature has rebranded its citrus bioflavonoids in preparation for emerging science that will support new condition specific applications, a company executive said.

Kids need choline too: Supplement start-up BestCholine launches choline gummies

07-Feb-2018 By Adi Menayang

Gummies can make it easier for children to get adequate choline into their bodies, said mother and entrepreneur Sarah Kline, founder of BestCholine.

Adaptogens, CBD and nootropics rise as consumers consider their emotional & mental well-being

07-Feb-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

More products boasting the energy-managing, cognitive-enhancing and mood-moderating effects of adaptogens, CBD and nootropics will break out in 2018 as consumers continue to seek holistic and preventive ways to manage their mental health, according to...

NEWS IN BRIEF

LifeVantage rides wave of single-serve supplements with Vitality Stack Packets launch

30-Jan-2018 By Adi Menayang

Multi-level marketing supplement firm LifeVantage is now offering a single-serve packet format for its Vitality Stack line.

NutraIngredients-USA 2018 predictions, Part 1: The microbiome, adaptogens, nootropics & more

30-Jan-2018 By Stephen Daniells

As the New Year begins, NutraIngredients-USA looks at some of the big trends, hot ingredients, and strong influences affecting the US dietary supplements industry in 2018.

Innovation in Dietary Supplements forum scheduled for tomorrow

29-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

Where does the tide of innovation stand in dietary supplements? An online forum set for 11:30 AM Eastern time tomorrow hosted by NutraIngredients-USA will seek to answer this question.

Could SAD be new marketing angle for probiotics?

26-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a surprisingly common complaint, and might provide another avenue for probiotic manufacturers to market their products, a nutritionist has said.

Aker finally achieves scale necessary to boost growth of krill category, CEO says

25-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

In a relentless pursuit of 'scale', Aker BioMarine has now become the world's undisputed leader in krill oil supply. The purpose is not mere aggrandizement, but rather, to have the necessary wherewithal to grow the category with science...

FTC, FDA jointly crack down on firms making illegal opioid withdrawal treatment claims

25-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

Two federal agencies announced a crackdown yesterday on companies marketing dietary supplements to consumers trying to overcome opioid addictions.

Curcumin trial bolsters brain-boosting link

25-Jan-2018 By Will Chu

A dose of curcumin supplements twice daily is enough to enhance memory and mood in people with mild, age-related memory loss, according to a UCLA study.

Your Super brings line of functional ‘superfood’ powders to US market

24-Jan-2018 By Adi Menayang

Offering a line of functional powders made of freeze-dried, plant-based ingredients, Your Food is entering the US—a market with a consumer base that is relatively more familiar with smoothies, milkshakes, and functional powders.

Coffee effect on arteries could depend on two compounds

19-Jan-2018 By Tim Cutcliffe

The impact of coffee drinking on heart disease risk could depend on the amounts of two different compounds in the beverage, say researchers.

ABC's HerbClip research reporting service now numbers more than 7,000 publications

17-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

The American Botanical Council passes a significant milestone this week with the publication of the 7,000th Herb Clip Research Summary. The service helps stakeholders keep abreast of the rapidly expanding body of botanical ingredient research.

Confusion abounds for adaptogens, says expert

17-Jan-2018 By Stephen Daniells

Industry and consumer interest in adaptogens is on the rise, but the list of actual adaptogens may be a lot smaller than many think, says a leading expert.

Start-up Birdnip launches nootropic supplement… for dogs

16-Jan-2018 By Adi Menayang

With powdered Bacopa monneri, Rhodiola rosea, shiitake mushroom, kelp, carrot and beet, start-up Birdnip wants to improve cognitive function in dogs with its debut product Nootrodog. But will a nootropic supplement for our four-legged friends have legs?

Bayer fails to make case for qualified health claim linking vitamin D consumption to MS risk reduction

16-Jan-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Once again FDA has denied Bayer’s request to approve a health claim linking vitamin D to the reduced risk of multiple scleroris on the grounds that the available scientific evidence does not meet the agency’s high standards for support.

PEEK INSIDE: IPAWC + PROBIOTA 2018, BARCELONA 7-9 FEBRUARY

Depression: A new role for probiotics in nutritional psychiatry?

15-Jan-2018 By Tim Cutcliffe

The possibility that probiotics could be a new tool in fighting depression is gaining increasing attention in nutritional psychiatry, says Caroline Wallace ahead of her talk at the IPA World Congress + Probiota 2018 next month.

Ismail to step down as GOED leader

11-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

After more than 10 years guiding the most successful organization of its type within the supplements industry, Adam Ismail has announced he will step down as the executive director of GOED at the end of February.

Mt. Angel Vitamins rides on nootropic wave with launch of Brain Boost

10-Jan-2018 By Adi Menayang

As consumer interest in boosting cognitive performance continues, more products are launched in the nootropic category. The latest addition to the category comes in the form of Oregon-based supplements company Mt. Angel Vitamins’ Brain Boost.

Study on Chinese children suggests eating more fish boosts sleep which in turn improves IQ scores

10-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

A recent population cohort study on Chinese schoolchildren suggests that higher fish consumption improves cognitive function via a novel mediating mechanism: improved sleep.

Gut bacteria could counteract depressive tendencies: Animal data

09-Jan-2018 By Nathan Gray

Certain strains of lactic acid bacteria could help prevent the type of depression linked to unhealthy lifestyles, according to researchers in Denmark.

Higher choline doses during pregnancy may boost infant brain function: Cornell study

08-Jan-2018 By Stephen Daniells

Children of mothers given choline supplements during pregnancy at doses double the recommended level displayed significantly higher information processing speeds at all ages, says a new study.

Sessions opens door for stepped up cannabis enforcement; effect on CBD sphere unclear

05-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

A move announced yesterday by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions to allow federal prosecutors to pursue marijuana enforcement cases further unsettles the regulatory underpinning for those companies seeking to use hemp derivatives for nutritional products.

What’s on NutraIngredients-USA's calendar for 2018?

04-Jan-2018 By Stephen Daniells

From weight management to deep dives into sports nutrition, multivitamins, beauty-from-within, personalized nutrition, botanicals, omega-3s, probiotics, and more, Nutraingredients-USA’s 2018 editorial calendar of special editions spans the hottest trends...

Maternal use of folic acid and vitamins linked to reduced autism risk in children

04-Jan-2018 By Will Chu

Mothers, who use folic acid and multivitamin supplements before and during pregnancy, appear to reduce their offspring’s risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a study from Israel.

China trial reveals ginkgo biloba's cognitive benefits for stroke survivors

04-Jan-2018 By Gary Scattergood

Ginkgo biloba may be more effective at boosting memory and the brain's 'command and control' function in stroke survivors than the use of aspirin alone, according to a small clinical trial in China.

Canadian firm Hempco plans move into CBD extraction as it absorbs losses from S. Korea market retreat

03-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

Canadian manufacturer Hempco says it will capitalize on new cannabis laws coming into force to move beyond foods based on hemp seeds into the market for CBD ingredients. The strategic play will help offset losses from a debacle in South Korea, where low...

Selenium may protect against epileptic seizures, mouse study suggests

03-Jan-2018 By Tim Cutcliffe

The presence of selenium in an enzyme involved in fighting oxidative stress may be critical in preventing epileptic seizures, finds a new study in Cell.

News in Brief

Kemin adds patent to Neumentix spearmint extract IP portfolio

02-Jan-2018 By Stephen Daniells

The US Patent and Trademark Office has granted a patent to Kemin to support the technology behind its lines of spearmint, KI110 and KI42, used in the company’s cognition-enhancing ingredient, Neumentix.

Guest Article

For herbs, 2017 was a very good year

20-Dec-2017 By Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council

The past year had been a good one for the industry, with sales rising toward $8 billion and supporting clinical evidence for the category continuing to accrue.

NattoPharma spins off pharma division to take vitamin K2 into the drug realm

20-Dec-2017 By Stephen Daniells

After building the science and market for its MenaQ7 vitamin K2 ingredient in the dietary supplement space, NattoPharma is spinning off a new pharmaceutical entity to take K2 into targeted therapeutics.

Study finds anti-depressant potential in saffron, botanical expert calls results ‘encouraging’

14-Dec-2017 By Adi Menayang

Saffron fared better than a placebo in improving depression symptoms among mothers with mild post-partum depression, say researchers at the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in Iran.

OmegaQuant gets official imprimatur for Omega-3 Index test

14-Dec-2017 By Hank Schultz

Official FDA acknowledgment of a test for omega-3 levels could boost the overall market, according to experts.

Firms making opiod treatment claims don't represent responsible industry, experts say

13-Dec-2017 By Hank Schultz

Dietary supplements took another hit in the mainstream press with an article in The New York Times that highlights supplements that claim to help treat opiod addiction. Trade organizations concurred the practice is illegal, while rueing the article’s...

KGK Science publishes new measures of cognitive function for supplements RCTs

12-Dec-2017 By Stephen Daniells

A new global index that combines endpoints from studies of dietary supplements for brain health may help to scientifically validate claims being made on products, says its developers at KGK Science.

Chamomile extract may improve sleep among the elderly: RCT

11-Dec-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Daily supplements of a chamomile extract may improve sleep quality in the elderly, according to results of a randomized trial that supports the efficacy of chamomile.

Nicotinamide riboside may boost mitochondrial energy production and memory in Alzheimer's Disease

11-Dec-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Nicotinamide riboside, a vitamin B3 derivative, may improve mitochondrial energy production and improve memory, according to a new study on lab mice.

Looming Canadian regulatory change keeps hemp investment interest high

08-Dec-2017 By Hank Schultz

Interest in hemp-derived products is driving increasing investment and M&A activity in the sector, according to financial news sources.

CRN extends funding of NAD program

07-Dec-2017 By Hank Schultz

The funding arm of the Council for Responsible Nutrition has renewed its support for the NAD dietary supplement advertising review program for an additional three years.

Under the radar ingredient raises warning flags in Canada

07-Dec-2017 By Hank Schultz

Products containing lithium orotate—a salt of a mineral that has been used to treat psychiatric disorders—have been the subject of two Health Canada warnings this year. Yet similar products are freely for sale south of the border, and don’t seem to be...

Teenage microbiome disruption linked to multiple sclerosis trigger: Mouse data

07-Dec-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Gut bacteria dysbiosis during young adulthood may be involved in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Early onset psychosis associated with key vitamin deficiencies: New research

04-Dec-2017 By Gary Scattergood

New research has discovered that early psychosis is associated with nutritional deficiencies, specifically in folate and vitamin D, revealing new avenues for improving the health of millions of people affected worldwide.

Ashwagandha, ginseng found to mimic off-label anti aging effects of two drugs

01-Dec-2017 By Hank Schultz

A computer modeling study has identified ashwagandha and ginseng as among the top dietary ingredient candidates that mimic the anti-aging effects of two common drugs.

GOED and William Reed announce global events partnership to support omega-3 industry

21-Nov-2017 By Stephen Daniells

The Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) and William Reed, publishers of NutraIngredients, are pleased to announce a collaboration to expand the number of global touchpoints for the omega-3 community.

Review details growing scientific backing for curcumin benefits

20-Nov-2017 By Hank Schultz

Even if one excludes the many studies on curcumin that have disease end points, the research backing for the health benefits of this potent suite of polyphenols continues to grow, the authors of a review paper assert.

FDA’s Gottlieb warns against kratom’s dangers, says botanical must go through drug process

15-Nov-2017 By Hank Schultz

FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb has warned about the ‘deadly risks’ associated with kratom and has said the agency “must use its authority to protect the public from addictive substances like kratom.”