Korea: Bilberry extract and lactoferrin among 10 ingredients under review
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has selected 10 health functional food ingredients for formal re-evaluation in 2027.
The list includes bilberry extract, lactoferrin, milk protein extract, fingerroot extract powder, pumpkin seed extract complex, pine needle distillate concentrate, cranberry powder, Pu-erh tea extract, UREX probiotics, and freeze-dried silkworm powder.
Companies marketing these ingredients have until Dec. 31, 2026, to submit safety and efficacy data to the regulator as part of the re-evaluation.
Why it matters: The review is part of Korea’s ongoing program to reassess ingredients that have been on the market for roughly a decade. Ingredients that secured approval years ago cannot assume permanent claim status. Companies will need to maintain clinical substantiation and post-market evidence, raising the importance of ongoing research investment and regulatory surveillance.
Epigenetic biomarkers show promise for longevity
A large analysis of 51 human intervention studies using the newly developed TranslAGE database suggests that epigenetic clocks (molecular tools used to estimate biological age) may help researchers track the body’s response to diet, supplements, drugs and other longevity interventions, provided the right clocks are selected.
Researchers from Yale University, Harvard University, UC-San Diego and TruDiagnostics found that that epigenetic aging biomarkers do not all measure the same thing, and do not respond equally to interventions.
“Some biomarkers showed measurable change over time in response to interventions, while others were largely unchanged. This is important because the field has often treated ‘epigenetic age’ as a single construct. Our study shows that choice of biomarker matters greatly when evaluating whether an intervention may be influencing biology relevant to aging,” said Raghav Seghal, faculty at Yale University and lead author on the study.
Why it matters: Researchers have been searching for objective ways to measure whether supplements and other interventions genuinely affect biological aging. TranslAGE suggests we are moving closer to validated tools that could support product development, clinical research, and potentially future claims.
Cymbiotika adds biomarker testing to its supplement model
Dietary supplement brand Cymbiotika has added biomarker testing and personalized health recommendations to its subscription offering through a new partnership with health data platform Hundred Health.
Eligible subscribers can pay $49 for a blood panel covering more than 100 biomarkers, with the results feeding into a 100-day plan spanning supplements, nutrition and exercise. The service also pulls in medical history, wearable data and users’ health goals, giving Cymbiotika a way to tie its supplement portfolio to individual health data rather than recommendations based primarily on questionnaires or stated concerns.
The company sees the model as the next step in personalized supplementation, although he cautioned against assuming that biomarker-based platforms have already proved better than conventional approaches, said Chervin Jafarieh, co-founder and chief scientific officer at Cymbiotika.
Why it matters: Cymbiotika is moving beyond product sales toward a platform model that combines testing, data, and supplementation, and creates recurring data-driven relationships that could prove more valuable than traditional supplement transactions. This reflects a broader trend toward precision nutrition, where companies seek to differentiate themselves through personalization rather than relying solely on ingredients or formulations.
Swisse: Beauty supplements gaining momentum across Southeast Asia
Australian health and wellness player Swisse says that there is an increasing uptake of beauty supplements across South East Asia (SEA) as consumer awareness and spending power rise.
Beauty supplements have become much more widely adopted in Singapore and across SEA, as consumers increasingly recognize that beauty extends beyond skincare, said Nick Mann, CEO for Asia, Australia & New Zealand of H&H Group.
“They take a more holistic approach to beauty, understanding that nutrition and wellness play an important role in supporting skin health. There is a shift from reactive to preventive beauty, where people are investing in their skin, hair and overall appearance much earlier,” he said.
“Consumers are also getting more sophisticated. They are actively researching ingredients, looking for clinically supported formulations and seek for products that deliver visible results.”
Why it matters: The beauty-from-within category is going mainstream – and less female-focused – across Asia as rising disposable income, premiumization, and demand for clinically backed products create opportunities for ingredients such as collagen, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, and probiotics.
