New in Nippon: Ninapharm leverages pharmacy channel, Ito Kanpo expands ‘one-bite’ line
Ninapharm Japan looks to leverage the pharmacy retail channel through the launch of seven new products, while Ito Kanpo adds to its “one-bite” range of powder supplements.
Since October 1, Ninapharm Japan has begun retailing four functional food products and three types of supplements exclusively through major pharmacy chains Nanohana Pharmacy, Sakura Pharmacy, and Nagatomi Pharmacy nationwide.
Ito Kanpo recently introduced an addition to its Hitokuchi Care series, a line of supplements that can be consumed without water.
Kaneka to continue investing in ubiquinol and mitochondrial health as interest grows
At the NutraIngredients-Asia Awards ceremony held in Bangkok, Thailand, on September 2, Kaneka Corporation’s ubiquinol was announced as winner for the “Ingredient of the Year: Healthspan – in association with Nutra Healthspan Summit” category.
Kazuki Takita, assistant manager for marketing and sales (APAC) at Kaneka Corporation, told NutraIngredients that the award gives the company confidence that it is moving in the right direction, especially as it has observed rising interest in ubiquinol for supporting energy production, general health and well-being as people age.
Megmilk Snow Brand sets up new unit to drive probiotics and ingredient sales
Japan’s Megmilk Snow Brand Co., Ltd. has established a new business unit to drive domestic and international sales of its nutraceutical ingredients.
A key ingredient in the Functional Ingredients Group’s portfolio is Lactobacillus paragasseri SBT2055, a strain studied for its benefits for gut health, immune function, and metabolic health—especially visceral fat reduction.
Hiroki Takeda, deputy general manager at Megmilk Snow Brand, said that communicating scientific evidence and product applications would be crucial in driving ingredient sales.
Gut-brain axis: Postbiotic shows potential to ease stress and brain activity
Heat-treated Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 may boost brain activity for young healthy people and alleviate stress levels, according to a small study from Asahi Quality and Innovations in Japan.
Data published in Frontiers in Nutrition indicated that a single dose of the postbiotic was associated with an increase in relaxation-associated brain alpha activity and improved parasympathetic nervous system activity—also the body’s “rest and digest” mode that helps to stress, reduce heart rate, and build resilience.
Additional data from an intestinal cell model revealed increases in serotonin secretion.
Lower NAD+ levels linked to greater frailty in older adults: Study
Older adults with lower levels of NAD+ may be at higher risk of frailty, says a new study from Japan.
Data from 529 participants in the Itabashi Longitudinal Study on Aging indicated that for every small (1 micromole per liter) increase in NAD+ levels, the risk of frailty decreased by 13%.
The findings published in GeroScience support NAD+ as an important biomarker of healthy aging and physical resilience, although they note that their data does not prove that increasing NAD+ will reduce frailty.
