Energy

College students more likely than general population to use dietary supplements, says survey

23-Sep-2015 By Stephen Daniells

Sixty-six percent of students use dietary supplements at least once a week, says a survey of students from five universities.

NAI sues generic beta-alanine supplier in ongoing effort to defend CarnoSyn brand

22-Sep-2015 By Hank Schultz

Natural Alternatives International Inc. has filed a complaint against Creative Compounds Inc. in its ongoing effort to protect the intellectual propert surrounding its CarnoSyn brand of beta-alanine.

Market demand drives Country Life's push for Non GMO Project Verified certification

21-Sep-2015 By Hank Schultz

Country Life Vitamins has joined the ranks of supplement companies that have achieved a non GMO Project Verifed certification. Getting there wasn’t easy, but the effort has become necessary because of the rising demands of consumers, the company said.

Special edition: Sports Nutrition

Protein powders: The heavyweight in the $16bn sports nutrition market

17-Sep-2015 By Stephen Daniells

The US market for sports nutrition plus energy/nutrition bars and sports drinks is set to cruise past $20 billion by 2020, says Euromonitor International, but which segments are driving growth, and how is the ‘regimentation of fitness’ influencing product...

NeuroGum raises more than $10,000 in two days to take on the energy & cognition categories

16-Sep-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

If Indigogo investors’ overwhelming interest in the upcoming launch of NeuroGum is any indication, the self-proclaimed focus-boosting gum could be a formidable competitor in the cognitive and energy food and beverage categories. 

Wake Up and Smell the Pure Powdered Caffeine

09-Sep-2015 By Steve Mister, President & CEO, Council for Responsible Nutrition

Once again the dietary supplement industry finds itself having to make tough decisions. Today the issue is pure powdered caffeine being sold directly to consumers. And the options are a lot more momentous than merely “would you like cream and sugar with...

Trend toward higher protein doses to continue, but big tubs will still rule, consultant says

04-Sep-2015 By Hank Schultz

The trend toward high protein offerings shows no signs of losing steam. Innovation in protein sources and mixtures continues, but delivery mode innovation has not kept pace, at least not in the US market, said consultant Ralf Jaeger, PhD.

FDA sends warning letters to five marketers of bulk powdered caffeine

02-Sep-2015 By Hank Schultz

The Food and Drug Administration has taken another step in its war on powdered caffeine. The controversial ingredient linked to a pair of deaths was the subject of a slew of new FDA warning letters to companies selling the substance to consumers.

Could caffeine supplements boost your golf game?

01-Sep-2015 By Stephen DANIELLS

A caffeine-containing supplement may improve golf scores and longer drives, according to results of a new trial from Auburn University.

Court shuts down energy drink network marketer Vemma over pyramid scheme allegation

28-Aug-2015 By Hank Schultz

Vemma Nutrition, a multilevel marketing company that based its business on a line of mangosteen juice drinks, has been shut down by an Arizona court acting on a Federal Trade Commission request for allegedly operating an illegal pyramid scheme.

CoQ10 patent infringement hatchet far from buried, association president says

24-Aug-2015 By Hank Schultz

A patent dispute among CoQ10 producers which had faded from view because many in the industry assumed it was settled is still very much alive via court procedures in Texas and has the theoretical potential to upset the apple cart for an ingredient that...

Twinlab rounds last bend in restructuring marathon with acquisition of Reserveage supplement line

21-Aug-2015 By Hank Schultz

Twinlab Consolidated Holdings LLC has competed the last lap of a journey that began when CEO Tom Tolworthy took the reins of the previous version of Twinlab in 2011. The plan has now come to full fruition with the impending acquisition of Organic Holdings...

NDI draft guidance continues to inform FDA's enforcement thinking, latest DMBA warning letter shows

20-Aug-2015 By Hank Schultz

The Food and Drug Administration is continuing enforcement actions based on the precepts laid out in the draft guidance on New Dietary Ingredients with a warning letter sent to a company marketing a product that contains the stimulant-like ingredient...

FitLife Brands stumbles with distribution switch; iSatori merger not seen as panacea

18-Aug-2015 By Hank Schultz

Earlier this year dietary supplement manufacturer FitLife Brands hitched its wagon more firmly to the GNC star. As that leviathan has stumbled in recent months, FitLife has faltered, too, and an upcoming merger with sports nutrition brand iSatori has...

GRAS status for Peak ATP could open up 'caffeine-free' energy applications, TSI says

17-Aug-2015 By Hank Schultz

TSI Group has announced self affirmed GRAS status for its Peak ATP ingredient which will offer new applications in the growing area of sports nutrition, president of US operations Larry Kolb said.

ChromaDex revenue hits record as ingredient sales bring company close to profitability

17-Aug-2015 By Hank Schultz

Branded dietary ingredient supplier ChromaDex reported record revenue in its second quarter 2015 earnings statement. It was the fifth consecutive quarter in which the company reached a new earnings plateau.

Mannatech joins network marketing trend where Asia is primary growth driver

14-Aug-2015 By Hank Schultz

Mannatech, a Texas-based network marketing company selling dietary supplements, is becoming part of the trend in the direct selling industry where most of the growth is occurring in Asia.

Canadian firm to debut PurEnergy-based energy chew via Bulu Box sampling deal

03-Aug-2015 By Hank Schultz

Canadian company NeutriSci International will jump into the US market via a 50,000-unit -strong sampling program with Bulu Box for its NeuEnergy energy chew. 

Could beetroot juice help you exercise for longer?

30-Jul-2015 By Stephen Daniells

Chronic consumption of beetroot juice may improve cardiovascular health and potentially delay the onset of fatigue in healthy people, says a new study.

Nordic Naturals: 'We see sports nutrition as a growth opportunity'

28-Jul-2015 By Stephen DANIELLS

Omega-3 brand Nordic Naturals is expanding its sports nutrition offering with two new products with NSF International’s Certified for Sport Program verification.

Oak wood extract may boost energy levels, reduce tension: Pilot data

23-Jul-2015 By Stephen DANIELLS

Supplementation with an extract from French oak wood may improve energy, tiredness, and tension, says a new study.

Kyowa’s Sustamine may delay onset of exhaustion during exercise: Study

20-Jul-2015 By Stephen DANIELLS

Consuming a sports drink containing the dipeptide L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine during strenuous exercise increase endurance and lengthen time to fatigue, says a new study using Kyowa Hakko’s Sustamine ingredient.

Cardiologists recommend CoQ10, but some aren’t sure why, survey finds

10-Jul-2015 By Hank Schultz

Cardiologists frequently prescribe CoQ10 for their patients, but fewer of them are fully aware of the need for supplementation in connection with statin use, a new survey has found.

Energy drink launches based on branded ingredient message

06-Jul-2015 By Hank Schultz

A new energy drink product has launched based on the science behind two branded ingredients, Cognizin citicoline from Kyowa Hakko, and PurEnergy, a caffeine/pterostilbine crystalline combination manufactured by ChromaDex.

Omega-3s show ‘positive effects’ for athletic endurance and muscle function

01-Jul-2015 By Stephen Daniells

Supplements of omega-3s may improve neuromuscular function and aspects of fatigue for athletes, says a new study from the University of Toronto.

Sports nutrition expert's advice: Sample the sweat and don't skip the stomach

26-Jun-2015 By Hank Schultz

Exercise physiologist Allen Lim, PhD, the founder of sports nutrition brand Skratch Labs, learned what works to fuel athletes in the crucible of one of the most challenging endurance events the world has to offer—the Tour de France.  What he took away...

How effective is fortifying flour at reducing anaemia?

24-Jun-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Fortifying flour with micronutrients is effective in decreasing national prevalence of anaemia, say researchers who looked at 32 different countries.

Sales of energy shots slump as consumers reach for drinks instead

16-Jun-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sales of energy shots are slumping as their medicinal taste and less favorable position as a supplement drive consumers to reach for energy drinks, which many shoppers consider safer, according to new research from Mintel Group.

Ganeden BC30 boosts performance, recovery in weight lifting test, attendees at event are told

11-Jun-2015 By Probiotia Americas

A study detailed at the Probiota Americas gathering in San Diego showed how supplementation of Bacillus coagulans combined with protein decreases muscle damage and boosts recovery post exercise. And it’s the first study that directly links probiotics...

Dispatches from Vitafoods Europe

ABC taps into European herbal insights via new advisory board member

09-Jun-2015 By Hank Schultz

Europe, and especially Germany, has historically been a hotbed of herbal lore, science and product development. The American Botanical Council recently tapped into this knowledge in a more fundamental way by adding Joerg Gruenwald, PhD, to its advisory...

Emerging markets drive global health & wellness growth (but one size does not fit all)

03-Jun-2015 By Shane STARLING

38 ‘developed’ nations delivered 54% of functional food and supplement and other health & wellness (HW) product sales in 2014, but these same nations will account for only 14% of growth between now and 2019.

Nutritionist says science backs importance of carbohydrates for sports formulations

29-May-2015 By Hank Schultz

Has the low carb craze finally been consigned to the dustbin of history? Nutritionist Susan Kleiner, PhD thinks so, and it’s high time, she said.

HBO report links Hatch to military deaths associated with DMAA via his sponsorship of DSHEA

20-May-2015 By Hank Schultz

An HBO Real Sports segment about dietary supplement use in the US military implied that Sen. Orrin Hatch was complicit in the deaths of several US soldiers who collapsed with the banned ingredient DMAA in their systems. 

DHA supplements may help restore insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle: Mechanism mooted

19-May-2015 By Nathan Gray

Supplementation with the omega-3 fatty acid DHA helps to restore insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle by blocking inflammation and the accumulation of other lipid intermediates, say researchers.

Special Edition: Outsourcing

Straddling supplement/foods fence a common dodge in sports nutrition sphere, contract manufacturer says

12-May-2015 By Hank Schultz

Sports nutrition brands, egged on by risk-taking consumers and buoyed by low protein prices, will be the problem children of the dietary supplement industry for the foreseeable future, said an executive with one promiment contract manufacturer.

KonaRed ends first year as public company with revenues, costs and losses all on rise

24-Apr-2015 By Hank Schultz

KonaRed, the Hawaii-based manufacturer of supplements and functional beverages, reported a 39% net sales rise for 2014.  Sales rose to $1.3 million.

Taiyo carves out niche in natural caffeine market with slow-release whole green coffee bean ingredient

20-Apr-2015 By Hank Schultz

It’s been 10 years and more since ephedra was taken off the market and in that time the importance of caffeine as an energy and thermogenic ingredient has grown significantly.  Suppliers are competing to offer forms the compound that offer interesting...

Durbin, Blumenthal urge FDA to take action against BMPEA

15-Apr-2015 By Hank Schultz

US Senators Dick Durbin and Richard Blumenthal sent a letter yesterday to the Food and Drug Administration asking the agency to take action against products containing the synthetic stimulant ingredient known as BMPEA, products which the pair called both “mislabeled...

Sodium pills neither help nor hinder athletes: Research

14-Apr-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

High-dose sodium supplements do not impact temperature regulation, heart rate, or performance in endurance athletes, say researchers.

US web retailer pumps EU distribution as gym community swells

09-Apr-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

US site Bodybuilding.com has opened its first UK distribution centre to better cater to its customer base in Europe - part of a community that includes 25 million unique visitors to its websites each month.

Is fast food as effective as sports supplements for recovery?

08-Apr-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Burgers and French fries may be just as effective in glycogen recovery and performance as isoenergetic sport supplements, say researchers from the University of Montana.

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.

Not just for hippies: Hemp's rising superfood status

01-Apr-2015 By RJ Whitehead

Bursting with nutrients and boasting an impressive growth rate, the future of hemp seed is bright– but what’s the best way for manufacturers to cash in on a product that is connected – mistakenly but understandably – with an illegal drug?

Researchers explore the functional potential of green coffee beans

30-Mar-2015 By Nathan Gray

There is strong potential for the use of ground green coffee beans to be used directly as a functional ingredient in supplements and foods, say researchers.

$5.9 bn US sports nutrition market unlocking mass appeal: Euromonitor

27-Mar-2015 By Maggie Hennessy

Buoyed by the continued rise of protein as a super-nutrient and a growing urgency around better fitness to stave off lifestyle diseases, sports nutrition is attracting a wider audience of consumers, according to “Trends and Developments in Sports Nutrition”...

CRN discourages members from selling bulk powdered caffeine direct to consumers

26-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

The Council for Responsible Nutrition has announced a policy that discourages its members from selling bulk powdered caffeine to consumers. The use of the ingredient has been implicated in the deaths of two young men.

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. 

Anti-depressant drug fluoxetine continuing to show up as adulterant in weight loss products

20-Mar-2015 By Hank Schultz

There's another pharmaceutical ingredient to add to the list of APIs showing up in products marketed as dietary supplements.  It’s fluoxetine, an antidepressant, and why fly-by-night formulators seem to be using it is something of a mystery.

Which protein can help weight loss but keep muscle?

19-Mar-2015 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Greater energy from whey protein means greater loss of fat but retention of muscle while dieting, according to research that looked at different protein sources.