Orthomol to scale Asia expansion and launch first blue-hat product in China
German health supplement company Orthomol had its big break in Asia’s supplement market through its successful partnership with the South Korean firm Dong-A Pharmaceutical that started in 2018.
Speaking to NutraIngredients, Vera Knauer, who was appointed CEO last August, outlined the company’s key goals and priorities for its next phase of growth.
The first is to scale internationally, especially in Asia. This year, mainland China is a key priority, as the company prepares for the launch of its first “blue-hat” registered product, Orthomol Immun.
China adds joint health support to list of approved claims
Health foods companies can make claims around bone and joint health maintenance once their products are approved by the Chinese regulator.
The State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) announced on Jan. 15 that health foods can claim to “help maintain bone and joint health (有助于维持骨关节健康)”, adding that the claim has been allowed since Jan 1, 2026.
Aside from the primary claim of “helps support maintain joint health”, the SAMR has also approved the secondary claims of “alleviate pain or stiffness (缓解疼痛或僵硬)” and “alleviate joint cartilage damage (缓解软骨损伤)”.
‘Senior-friendly’: China allows CoQ10 or melatonin to be made into oral liquid
As of March 1, health food products containing coenzyme Q10 or melatonin as a single active ingredient will be permitted in oral liquid form in China.
According to the official notice issued by the SAMR, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may also be produced in powder form.
Previously, both ingredients could only be formulated as tablets, granules and hard and soft capsules.
Getting inside Gen Z’s head: Global data spotlights stress and sleep struggles
Ahead of her on-stage appearance at Probiota Dublin, Ewa Hudson, Director of Insights at Lumina Intelligence, provided a sneak peak into some of the platform’s hot-off-the-press data related to consumers aged 18-30.
The provider’s newest dataset comes from an online consumer survey carried out in January 2026 for NutraIngredients+, with a sample size of 3,000 respondents from across the UK, US and China.
The data reveals the wellness priorities, purchase habits, and supplement decisions of consumers, with one headline discovery being that the top two health priorities for this audience are mental health and sleep.
The two were followed by energy, healthspan, weight, gut health, hormonal balance, and muscle fitness.
Beetroot juice researchers highlight importance of supplement timing
A new study concluded that beetroot juice (BJ) may transiently enhance neuromuscular performance during basketball warm-ups, but only within the first eight minutes.
The study, which involved 20 basketball players, found that players who took a nitrate-rich supplement before warming up improved power and jump height. However, the effects were time-sensitive, and the researchers noted benefits may not extend or outperform placebo at later stages.
“These findings support a targeted, time-optimized use of BJ in warm-up strategies for explosive performance,” wrote researchers at Beijing Sport University and other institutions in China.
