To clear up some confusion, this overview covers the regulatory status of some of the newer and trending ingredients within the increasingly popular longevity category.
NMN and NR
NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) and NR (Nicotinamide Riboside) are potent NAD+ precursors that boost cellular energy and repair DNA, making them important cellular co-factors for improvement of mitochondrial performance and energy metabolism.
Although NMN is not yet authorized as a Novel Food in the European Union, it has an application undergoing assessment and is widely sold across the UK, monitored by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which oversees safety, quality and labeling standards.
However, Niagen Bioscience (formerly ChromaDex Inc.) successfully navigated the Novel Foods process and its NR Chloride was authorized in 2017.
The authorization comes with the stipulation of a maximum level of 300 mg per day for the general adult population and 230 mg per day for pregnant and lactating women
EU and UK regulators treat the following as unauthorized medical/health claims: “cellular repair” suggests physiological mechanism, “healthy aging” implies disease‑risk reduction, and “supports energy levels” is only a claim allowed for certain nutrients with authorized claims (e.g., vitamins B2, B3, B6), not NMN.
Trans-resveratrol
Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol found in grapes and berries. Trans‑resveratrol (TR) is one specific form (an isomer) of resveratrol—and it is considered the biologically active and most studied form.
TR continues to be marketed across multiple health categories, including antioxidant, beauty, reproductive, heart and circulation, cholesterol and cognitive health. Many of these benefits have also been documented in menopausal women specifically.
The EU has authorized use of synthetic TR (≥99% purity) and TR from microbial sources (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in food supplements, with a maximum recommended dose of 150 mg per day for adults only.
Due to potential interactions with medicines, labels must bear a statement that people using medication should only consume the product under medical supervision.
There are no approved Article 13 or Article 14 health claims for resveratrol regarding anti-aging, heart health or other commonly marketed benefits.
L-ergothionine
L-ergothioneine (ET) is a naturally occurring amino acid and potent antioxidant, crucial for protecting cells from oxidative stress. But the body can’t make it, so it must come from diet (especially mushrooms) or supplements.
ET is actively transported across the blood-brain barrier and has been linked to improved cognitive performance and neuroprotection as well as sleep quality. Studies suggest it may delay cognitive decline in elderly adults by reducing oxidative stress and preventing the buildup of toxic proteins like amyloid-beta .
Research further indicates that daily supplementation could slow the aging process by reducing telomere shortening.
The European Commission has granted Novel Food status to pure, nature‑identical L‑ergothioneine (’Ergoneine’ produced by Tetrahedron) for use in supplements at levels up to 30 mg/day for adults and 20 mg/day for children.
There are no authorized functional health claims for L-ergothioneine.
Urolithin A
Urolithin A (UA) is a natural metabolite produced by gut bacteria from ellagitannins, which are polyphenols found in foods like pomegranates, berries and nuts. While these precursor compounds are hydrolyzed in the stomach into ellagic acid and then converted by microflora into UA, research indicates that only roughly 40% of the population possesses the specific gut microbiome required to perform this conversion effectively.
The primary benefit of UA centers on its ability to act as a “mitophagy inducer”. Mitophagy is a cellular recycling process that identifies and digests damaged or dysfunctional mitochondria, allowing for the renewal of healthy mitochondria .
Amongst other benefits, the ingredient has been studied for its ability to support immune function in an aging population and protect against ‘inflammaging’.
The metabolite (‘Mitopure’, by Amazentis SA) has received a positive EFSA safety opinion and authorization is underway. The product is sold under the company’s D2C brand Timeline.
Quercetin
Quercetin is a plant-derived flavonoid and potent antioxidant found in foods like onions, apples, berries and red wine. Its studied health targets include reduced inflammation, cardiovascular health, immune support and removal of free radicals and senescent cells.
The regulatory status of quercetin is primarily determined by its source material and the specific manufacturing process. When extracted from traditional dietary sources, this flavonoid has a long history of consumption, but when extracted from the Dimorphandra mollis tree, it is considered an unauthorized Novel Food.
EFSA has not authorized specific health claims, with evidence found insufficient to support claims such as immune system support, protection of DNA/lipids from oxidative damage, or cardiovascular health.
The ingredient is often formulated alongside vitamins with authorized health claims to enable the use of claims on pack.
Spermidine
Originally isolated from human semen, Spermidine is a naturally occurring polyamine compound found in all living cells and tissues as well as being present in food such as wheat germ, soybeans, cheddar cheese, mushrooms and mango.
The compound plays a critical role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and survival and its ability to trigger autophagy, the body’s internal “recycling” process that clears out damaged or dysfunctional organelles, such as mitochondria, to improve cellular efficiency and reduce oxidative stress.
Spermidine-rich wheat germ extract is authorized as a Novel Food in the EU, specifically under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/443. The specific ingredient “spermidine-rich wheat germ extract” (Triticum aestivum) is approved with a spermidine content of 0.8–2.4 mg/g and a maximum daily intake of 6 mg, notes Plants2Market.
In Europe, there are currently no approved, specific health claims for spermidine under the EU Register on nutrition and health claims.
How it looks on the ground
To look at the European supplements market, most consumers would struggle to identify the legal status and authorized health claims related to these ingredients, noted Kristy Coleman, legal consultant and co-founder of AK Collective.
“Many products on the market technically violate EU rules but are tolerated due to limited enforcement,” she said, adding that “most European consumers assume that if a supplement is sold online or in stores, it must be legal and approved.”
Supplements regulations become particularly murky for consumers when they fall into Novel Food territory, she said.
“Consumers are largely unaware of Novel Foods rules, claim authorization or enforcement differences between countries within Europe, and even those who are well-informed often don’t realize that an ingredient can be legal to sell but illegal to make certain claims about it.”
For example, she noted that NMN is pending EU authorization but is sold as a supplement in the UK, often accompanied by unauthorized ‘anti-aging’ or ‘cellular repair’ claims.
And while resveratrol itself can be compliant if it matches the authorized novel food conditions, Coleman said it is common to see illegal claims related to healthy aging, cardiovascular, cognitive health and menopause.
“Unless the product has ingredients with authorized health claims attached to them, you’re rarely allowed to say what an ingredient does, but you may be able to explain what the ingredient is, why scientists study it, which biological pathways it’s involved in and what has been observed in clinical research, without outcome claims,” she said, clarifying that “this all depends on the language used and how the product is presented.”
