Vitamins & premixes

Vitamin D during pregnancy could reduce childhood asthma risk: Study

30-May-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Increased vitamin D supplementation during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy has been shown to benefit the immune system of babies, resulting in decreased development of asthma.

Vitamin C oversupply could end soon

26-May-2017 By David Anderson

A global oversupply of vitamin C may have ended, as China continues an environmental crackdown on heavily polluting factories, says DSM.

Dad’s vitamin D has impact on childhood growth and obesity risk

22-May-2017 By Nathan Gray

Pre-conception vitamin D intake is associated with height and weight of children at age five, according to new data.

Coconuts for cognitive health: Chicago-based VitaMind launches liquid multivitamin for the brain

22-May-2017 By Adi Menayang

A neurosurgeon at the University of Illinois at Chicago always wanted to create a multivitamin for brain health. This year, his dream became a reality with the soft launch of VitaMind 30-Day Multivitamin on Amazon Prime.

Vitamins may have larger role in halting brain decline: Review

19-May-2017 By Will Chu

The role for folate and related B vitamins in slowing down the decline in brain function is very much underestimated as is their role in age-related depression, a review claims.

NAXA head launches five new single-ingredient trade associations

18-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

The principal of a consulting firm that is the motivating force behind two single-ingredient trade organizations has launched an ‘incubator’ program that debuts with the formation of five new trade groups targeting categories such as ashwagandha, chondroitin,...

Premama strikes $4.5m investment to tackle pill fatigue in prenatal category

17-May-2017 By Adi Menayang

A cash injection upwards of $4.5m will help propel Premama into the forefront of non-pill prenatal nutrition, says president and founder Dan Aziz.

Holistic approach that downplays RCTs best path to optimal nutrition, paper says

16-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

A holistic approach to optimal nutrition that would include other research modes beyond RCTs will be the best way to get a handle on the modern plague of obesity, authors of a recent paper concluded.

Science, not body image marketing, should drive sports nutrition, expert says

15-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

Building a sports nutrition brand aimed at women ought to include more than just choosing which shade of pink to use on the label.  But that is still all too often the case, one expert says.

Nature's Sunshine: China project stagnates while Russia, Eastern Europe soar

15-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

Network marketing company Nature’s Sunshine is struggling with soft earnings as it strives to get a project for entering the Chinese market on track.

Mannatech posts second quarterly loss

12-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

Network marketing company Mannatech is echoing the North American woes of the wider MLM sector as it has posted its second quarterly net loss.

Balchem cites problems with study linking choline to clots

11-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

A recent study linking choline with the risk of developing clots is flawed and should not detract from the decades of positive research on the ingredient, a supplier says.

special edition: sports nutrition

Sports leagues turn to testing regimes to lessen supplement risk

10-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

More rigorous testing has improved the quality and transparency of the dietary supplements used by athletes, an expert in the field says.

Special edition: Sports nutrition

Focus and decision-making: The next big thing in sports nutrition?

10-May-2017 By Stephen Daniells

The importance of mental strength in addition to physical strength is gaining increasing appreciation in sports nutrition, and key players are building the science around cognitive health in response to demand for ingredients to boost focus and decision...

'Complex link' between vitamin D2 and D3 supplementation

09-May-2017 By Eliot Beer

A new study may shed light on the differences in uptake of vitamin D variants, while also revealing absorption is higher in women than men, and two-weekly dose regimens are the most effective.

NPA advocates use of WIC funds to cover multivitamins

09-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

The Natural Products Association has sent letters to Congress supporting the use of federal nutrition funds to allow families to purchase multivitamins.

Dispatches from Experimental Biology 2017

Vitamin E tocotrienols may improve metabolitic profiles in older women

05-May-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Dietary supplements containing vitamin E tocotrienols derived from annatto may lower inflammation and oxidative stress in older women with osteoporosis, says a new study.

Usana records strong results in China despite internal probe

04-May-2017 By Hank Schultz

In the midst of an internal review of its Chinese operations, Usana Health Sciences reported a 6.2% increase in sales derived almost entirely from the Asia Pacific region.

Quantum Health: 'We feel like we could grow our business with no marketing, just off the quality of our products'

01-May-2017 By Stephen Daniells

With consumers increasingly seeking out natural solutions to immune health, Quantum Health’s focus on quality is helping to drive double digit growth across its portfolio.

Hong Kong billionaire to pour $25 million into ChromaDex

27-Apr-2017 By Hank Schultz

ChromaDex, an ingredient development and analytical testing firm, has announced a large investment by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing.

The Supplement OWL product registry goes live

27-Apr-2017 By Stephen Daniells

The Supplement OWL (Online Wellness Library) has officially gone live, with 51 Brand Names and 2,576 labels already in the product label database.

FDA sends out 14 warning letters in sweep on cancer claims

26-Apr-2017 By Hank Schultz

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sent warning letters to 14 companies this week about marketing products for illegal cancer claims.

Brew your vitamins: Startup VitaCup delivers vitamin-fortified coffee for Keurig system

25-Apr-2017 By Adi Menayang

As both the dietary supplement industry and consumers are well aware, taking one’s dietary supplements is a daily routine people are prone to forget. A cup of joe, on the other hand, not so much.

New NRC-backed study to explore role of K2 in calcium metabolism

21-Apr-2017 By Will Chu

The Norwegian Research Council will fund a four year study to explore the relationship between calcium metabolism and vitamin K2, says NattoPharma.

Delivery Formats: Will consumers sip their supplements?

18-Apr-2017 By Adi Menayang

At this year’s Natural Products Expo West, Trace Minerals Research launched a line of supplement straws. The company isn’t the first to play with this concept, but it certainly is one of very few. So what’s the appeal of dipping one’s toes into these...

Healthy Skoop aims to ride plant based trend

17-Apr-2017 By Hank Schultz

Healthy Skoop, a Boulder-based nutritional product company, is capitalizing on the plant-based nutrition trend with new product launches and an expanded retail footprint.

Systematic Review: Rose hips ‘underutilized’ in nutrition says new study

14-Apr-2017 By Adi Menayang

The ubiquitous rose hip plant easily grows in North America, and one researcher advocates increasing its inclusion in the human diet beyond just pies, jellies, and jams.

Nature's Sunshine celebrates longevity, boosts science backing

12-Apr-2017 By Hank Schultz

Dietary supplement manufacturer Nature’s Sunshine is ramping up the science behind the products in an effort to reinvigorate the legacy brand’s financial results. The company’s longevity was highlighted at a 45th anniversary event yesterday in Utah.

Mixed carotenoid supplements may help obese children

11-Apr-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Dietary supplements containing a mixture of carotenoids and vitamin E may reduce BMI scores, waist to height ratio, and fat levels in obese children, suggest data from a new pilot study.

Multivitamins neither help nor hinder heart risk, finds study

07-Apr-2017 By Will Chu

Taking a multivitamin has no significant impact on your risk of experiencing a heart attack or other cardiovascular episode, a new study says.

Olly’s takeover of the gummy category starts with cuteness

05-Apr-2017 By Adi Menayang

Olly is relatively new in the dietary supplement space, launching only in 2015. But today its gummies can be found in 25,000 stores across the nation, from niche ones like GNC to mainstream ones like Target, where the brand started distribution.

Youngevity posts rising revenues amid persistent losses

30-Mar-2017 By Hank Schultz

Youngevity International reported mixed earnings with a slight revenue rise offset by continued losses.  The company also acquired two nutritional products brands in recent weeks.

More than half of consumers think 'hybrid beverages' are a pricey gimmick, Mintel survey finds

30-Mar-2017 By Adi Menayang

Despite the emerging trend of blurring category lines in the functional beverage sector, many consumers still hesitate to believe the claims and attributes on pack, let alone make a purchase, a new study from Mintel reveals. But it's not stopping...

Vitamin D, calcium supplementation don’t reduce cancer risk… or do they?

29-Mar-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Four years of supplementation with calcium and vitamin D did not produce any statistically significant reductions in the risk of cancer in older women with sufficient levels of the nutrients, says a new study.

Colostrum supplements may reduce muscle damage and inflammation post-exercise: RCT

29-Mar-2017 By Stephen Daniells

A daily supplement containing bovine colostrum may reduce markers of muscle damage and blunt inflammation after exercise, says a new study with soccer players.

The animal supplement sector is a Harvard Business School case study on driving a responsible system: NASC President

23-Mar-2017 By Stephen Daniells

From GMPs to a robust adverse event reporting system and list of qualified suppliers, the self-regulatory successes of the animal supplement industry could be a Harvard Business School case study, says the president of the National Animal Supplement Council.

Special edition: Supplements for Pets

Navigating the regulations around supplements for pets

22-Mar-2017 By Stephen Daniells

While many ingredients and trends for animal supplements are the similar to those found in human dietary supplements, the sector lives in a pre-DSHEA environment for regulations, explains Bill Bookout, president of the National Animal Supplement Council.

Study supports efficacy of HolisFiit polyphenol-rich formulation for 'mind and body well-being'

22-Mar-2017 By Stephen Daniells

A polyphenol-rich formulation may enhance the benefits of mind-body practices, such as yoga, Pilates, and Taïchi, says a new study from Europe.

ChromaDex posts sales rise amid continued losses, sluggish stock price

20-Mar-2017 By Hank Schultz

ChromaDex has reported a rapid rise in sales driven mainly by its Niagen ingredient.  But the company continues to post losses, and the stock price has failed to recover from a steep slide more than nine months ago.

In wake of disease claim warning, Life Extension said it will tweak page layouts but won’t back down from core mission

15-Mar-2017 By Hank Schultz

Despite receiving a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration about disease claims on its website, supplement manufacturer Life Extension said it is not going to change its basic mode of communication with its customers.

What will be the new norm in supplement branding? Nutri-Rich offers a hint

14-Mar-2017 By Adi Menayang

Nutri-Rich’s major rebranding effort—from packaging to formulation to transparency measures—gives hints to the future new norms of the nutraceutical industry.

Life Extension turns to AI program to mine data for ingredients in new product

13-Mar-2017 By Hank Schultz

We’ve had adoptogenics. We’ve had immune system potentiators. Now comes ‘senolytics,’ a term applied by Life Extension to a new healthy aging product line called Geroprotect developed with artificial intelligence technology.

Fruit & veg juice concentrate reduces systemic inflammation in obese people

13-Mar-2017 By Stephen Daniells

An encapsulated concentrate of fruit and vegetable juice may reduce systemic inflammation and improve cholesterol levels in obese people, says a new study.

Sunshine vitamin linked to fewer heart events: Meta-analysis

09-Mar-2017

Higher blood levels of vitamin D are associated with significantly fewer cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and a lower risk of mortality from CVD, says a new meta-analysis.

China the top target for tocotrienol sales growth, says supplier ExcelVite

08-Mar-2017 By Millette Burgos

China is the next top target for tocotrienol, according to supplier ExcelVite, which wants to boost sales of its ‘super vitamin E’ products in the country after establishing strong markets in the US and Europe. 

Almost half of all deaths from heart disease & diabetes linked to diet: JAMA study

07-Mar-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Omega-3s from seafood, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains are among the 10 dietary factors associated with an estimated 45% of all cardiometabolic deaths in the US, says a new study.

Human nutrition trends are translating to pets, says CEO of The Honest Kitchen

06-Mar-2017 By Adi Menayang

From Ayurvedic botanicals to whole food nutrient sources, more US pet owners in urban and coastal areas are looking past the pellets, says pet wellness expert Lucy Postins.

Herbalife unveils China TCM joint venture as it posts flat full-year sales for 2016

24-Feb-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Herbalife has reached an agreement in principle to form a joint venture with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) products and services firm Tasly Holding Group.

Revealed: The single biggest Indian health concern offering vast functional food and drink potential…

23-Feb-2017 By Millette Burgos

India’s tired citizens may just be the key to unlock a new market for functional food and drink formulations. 

L-Arginine-B vitamin combination effective for blood pressure improvements: Study

22-Feb-2017 By Stephen Daniells

A combination of l-arginine with folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12 may improve vascular function and help reduce blood pressure, says a new study from Germany.