Healthy ageing

‘There is a market opportunity around delivery forms’ – BASF taps nutrition and pharma expertise to boost consumer health

20-Oct-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Ingredients giant BASF is leveraging its ‘unique expertise’ in nutrition and pharma in technologies, capabilities, and ingredients for the ‘next generation of dietary supplements’, the company tells NutraIngredients-USA.

Special edition: Healthy aging

Dietary supplements researchers excited by promise of new human cell culture model for Alzheimer's

17-Oct-2014 By Hank Schultz

The announcement that researchers have developed a way to construct a three dimensional in vitro model of human brain cells that exhibit features of Alzheimer’s disease could be a game changer for the research of cognitive health dietary supplements,...

Amino acid release matrix extracts maximum value from protein

17-Oct-2014 By Lynda Searby

Glanbia Nutrtionals has debuted an enzyme blend targeting release of branch chain amino acids (BCAA) and glutamine from whey protein sources.

HI-Japan show wrap: Ageing (& shrinking) population forces government-led nutrition rethink

13-Oct-2014 By RJ Whitehead & Shane Starling from HI-Japan in Tokyo

Japan has always led the world in functional food experimentation even if the results of most of that have remained within the confines of the 127.3m-strong nation with the world's oldest average lifespan - 84.6 years.

"We aren’t going to wake up one day and everything will be crystal clear; there’s going to be some trial and error going through it.”

Godsend or Godzilla? What will Japan’s new health claims system look like?

09-Oct-2014 By RJ Whitehead & Shane Starling at Health Ingredients-Japan in Tokyo

Japan will implement a new health claims system that is set to supersede its strict FOSHU regime in April 2015 – just six months away – but what form will it take and will it meet its deadline?

Lactobacillus fermentum’s immune benefits show ‘potential to augment healthy aging’

08-Oct-2014 By Stephen Daniells

Daily supplements of the probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum MTCC 5898 may alleviate the age-related decline in immune function in the elderly, and promote healthy aging, says a new study from India.

Dutch authority detects pharma ingredients in herbal weight loss supps

03-Oct-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Herbal food supplements purporting to reduce weight may contain unlabelled pharma ingredients, according to a report from Dutch food safety experts.

Fast milk proteins better than slow for muscle fatigue, find French researchers

04-Sep-2014 By Shane STARLING

Quickly digestible milk proteins are better for reducing post-training muscle fatigue than casein and placebo, according to French researchers.

Start-up Muscle Kitchen launches healthy meals-on-wheels concept

20-Aug-2014 By Anne Bruce

Start-up company Muscle Kitchen has launched a personalised cooked meals delivery service for fitness conscious clients around London.

You’ll regret it in the morning: Review suggests alcohol-caffeine combo does not ‘mask’ intoxication

01-Aug-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Mixing alcohol with energy drinks or other caffeinated beverages across different doses may not alter the awareness of intoxication as previously suggested, according to a meta-analysis.

Caffeine taken during training and even in small doses may boost sports performance: Researcher

24-Jul-2014 By Anna Bonar

Already one of the most widely-used stimulants in sport, recent research suggests there may be greater scope for caffeine to be used in a wider range of sports as well as during exercise, says sports nutrition researcher and consultant in elite sport.

Science short

Curcumin reduces muscle soreness: Study

03-Jul-2014 By Shane STARLING

A proprietary curcumin extract can ease post-exercise muscle soreness caused by oxidative stress and inflammation, an Italian study has found.

Dispatches from EFSA plenary, Parma

Clarity please! Says industry at EFSA discussion on caffeine safety

27-Jun-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Energy drink association asks EFSA to aim for precision after an open NDA panel discussion on a draft caffeine safety opinion provides more questions than answers.

Physiological responses to caffeine may increase with age: Study

20-Jun-2014 By Nicola Cottam

The potentially negative effects of caffeine consumption on the heart significantly increase as young people reach adolescence, research has suggested. 

Muscle health: Soy and dairy blends better than whey alone?

25-Apr-2014 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Protein blends of soy, casein and whey deliver amino acids to the muscle for an hour longer than whey alone when consumed post-workout, according to a second study backed by DuPont.

NICE to update heart health guidance; omega-3s and sterols-stanols considered

01-Apr-2014 By Sarah Hills

Guidance on the prevention of cardiovascular disease relating to sugar, salt and fats – including omega-3s – should be updated, the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has concluded. Plant sterols and stanols were also considered.

Attention deficit: EFSA rejects German caffeine juice claims

25-Feb-2014 By Shane Starling

A German mineral water containing four juices, sugars and sweeteners and a high dose of caffeine has failed to impress EFSA scientists, despite a dossier containing 31 supporting studies.

EFSA health claim opinions

EFSA rejects caffeine (alertness) and sterol (cholesterol) claims

20-Feb-2014 By Shane STARLING

Less than 75mg of caffeine per serving does not increase alertness, and the cholesterol-lowering ability of plant sterols cannot be communicated in food supplements, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has found in two new opinions.

EU heart health group backs sterols-stanols

03-Feb-2014 By Shane STARLING

Two grams of plant sterols or plant stanols per day in functional foods can help manage cholesterol for those with moderate heart disease risk and who are taking statin drugs, the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) has said.

‘Important implications for protein formulations’: Leucine-enrichment can boost low-protein beverages for muscle growth

21-Jan-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Supplementing low-protein beverages with leucine can produce the same level of muscle synthesis in young men as a beverage with five times the protein levels, says a new study.

'An interesting new application': Pine bark extract may boost fitness and muscle recovery

17-Jan-2014 By Stephen DANIELLS

Daily supplements with extracts from French Maritime Pine bark may boost endurance and reduce cramping by controlling oxidative stress, according to a new study.

Caffeine consumption could help to boost long-term memory: Study

13-Jan-2014 By Nathan Gray

Caffeine consumption could have a positive effect on long-term memory, according to new research that suggested the compound can enhance memories for at least up to 24 hours after it is consumed.

Raisio says stanols are better than sterols for cholesterol reduction (at high-dose)

27-Nov-2013 By Shane STARLING

Finnish plant stanol leader and Benecol brand owner Raisio says plant sterol users like rival Unilever (pro.activ) are piggybacking off stanol science in high-dose products and wants the EU to mount separate reviews of the cholesterol-busting nutrients.

Betaine supplements may support muscle growth and improve body composition: Human data

11-Nov-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Daily supplements of betaine may improve body composition, performance and power of strength-trained men, according to the first human clinical trial to show such benefits.

Plant sterols may help protect against Alzheimer's disease: Mouse data

25-Oct-2013 By Nathan Gray

Dietary intake of phytosterol blends, mainly containing stigmasterol, could be beneficial in preventing Alzheimer's disease, according to new research in mice.

High serum omega-3 status linked to lower brain abnormalities in the elderly

18-Oct-2013 By Nathan Gray

A high level of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in blood may lower the risk of small infarcts and other brain abnormalities that are linked to cognitive decline in the elderly, according to new research.

Beyond caffeine: Alternative energy boosters

15-Oct-2013 By Annie-Rose Harrison-Dunn

As consumer perceptions of caffeine shift and the threat of more market regulation looms, companies are scrambling to find the next blockbuster to cater to demand for energy-boosting products, says an analyst.

DNA damage: Pharma meets nutrition in healthy ageing product

07-Oct-2013 By Annie-Rose Harrison-Dunn

Newly formed company VitalneXt BV is coming at the healthy ageing market from a life sciences perspective as it launches its first nutritional supplement which it says slows down DNA damage.

Caffeine slows growth of ‘children’s plastic brains’: Rat study

26-Sep-2013 By Shane Starling

Adolescent Sprague Dawley rats fed caffeine had retarded brain development and disturbed sleep patterns, researchers have found.

ICN proceedings

New dietary strategies needed for Europe’s ageing population

20-Sep-2013 By Annie-Rose Harrison-Dunn

European dietary strategy should be adapted to its ageing population, the EU-backed NU-AGE project told the International Congress of Nutrition (ICN) in Granada, Spain, this week.

Increased protein protects against muscles during diet and weight loss, say researchers

13-Sep-2013 By Nathan Gray

Doubling the recommended daily allowance of protein intake could help to protect against muscle loss during dieting and exercise related weight loss, say researchers.

Finland warns against synephrine and caffeine combo fat burners

09-Sep-2013

Fat burning food supplements containing a combination of caffeine and synephrine are dangerous, according to Finnish authorities which have called for their removal from shelves.

7-year gap: New nutrition concepts for a new elderly generation

02-Sep-2013 By Diana Cowland

The ageing population remains under-served in terms of functional food and drink products, says Euromonitor's Diana Cowland, despite 'elderlies' living longer and healthier than ever before.

And in this news just to hand...NI mobile app is live!

19-Aug-2013 By Shane STARLING

The NutraIngredients mobile app is live and kicking all the global nutrition news you need straight into your Android or Iphone.

Watermelon juice soothes sore cycling muscles

30-Jul-2013 By Ben BOUCKLEY

Watermelon juice has ‘excellent’ potential as a functional drink to relieve sore muscles in athletes due to high levels of amino acid L-Citrulluine, a new Spanish study testing cyclists reports.

Home cooking: Phytosterols giant seeks category expansion

21-Jun-2013 By Shane STARLING

Unilever has applied to UK authorities for EU novel foods approval for its cholesterol-lowering phytosterol esters in liquid vegetable fats used in home cooking and baking.

Microbiota project seeks answers to better elderly nutrition

03-Jun-2013 By Shane Starling

An Irish government-backed project with multiple partners is investigating links between the gut microbiota and elderly nutrition.

Vitamin D may ease exercise-related muscle damage: Animal data

29-May-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Supplementation with vitamin D may reduce muscle damage and inflammation linked to exercise, suggests a new study with lab rats.

Special edition: Battling malnutrition

Is better packaging the key to fighting malnutrition in the elderly?

24-May-2013 By Nathan Gray

Industry should pay more attention to the design of packaging for foods targeted at elderly people who may be at risk of malnutrition, say researchers.

More vitamin D may mean faster recovery from muscle injury

29-Apr-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Increased blood levels of vitamin D may increase the rate of muscle recovery after intensive exercise, says a new study from Utah-based scientists.

Bitter orange and caffeine combo may be unsafe, says BfR

09-Apr-2013 By Nathan Gray

Sports supplements and weight loss products that contain a combination of caffeine and synephrine from bitter orange may not comply with current regulations and could be classified as unsafe, warns the BfR.

GSK jolts Lucozade with Champions' Choice caffeine variant

28-Mar-2013 By Shane STARLING

GlaxoSmithKline has debuted a caffeine-boosted version of its isotonic Lucozade Sports range with mental focus the central selling point.

Should caffeine be regulated? Expert suggests stimulant should carry warning labels due to potential dangers

12-Mar-2013 By Nathan Gray

As the use of caffeine in foods and drinks continues to grow, so do the risks. And calls for tighter regulations on the substance are becoming louder.

HMB may protect against muscle loss during bed rest: Abbott Nutrition

06-Mar-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

Daily supplements containing HMB, a metabolite of the branched chain amino acid leucine, may preserve muscle mass during bed rest, says a new study by Abbott Nutrition.

Caffeine linked to low birth weight babies: Study

19-Feb-2013 By Nathan Gray

A high intake of caffeine during pregnancy may be linked to higher risks of low birth weight babies, according to new research.

Creatine’s ‘myriad of benefits’ out-muscle possible oxidative stress effects

31-Jan-2013 By Stephen DANIELLS

A new study reporting that creatine supplements may increase levels of oxidative stress in athletes, while also boosting muscle strength, is a ‘mere footnote in the annals of sports supplement research’, says a leading expert.

Nutricia launches high dose 1.5g omega-3 Alzheimer’s drink

14-Jan-2013 By Shane Starling

Danone’s specialist nutrition arm, Nutricia, has debuted a pharmacy-only formula for sufferers of early dementia containing 1500mg of omega-3s.

Fish oil plus sterols and B vitamin may improve heart disease risk factors: Pilot study

11-Jan-2013 By Nathan Gray

A mixture of B vitamins, fish oils and plant sterols shows promise in boosting heart health by improving the lipid profile of young people with high levels of cholesterol, according to new research.  

Protein supplements effective for muscle mass boosts in young and old: Meta-analysis

26-Nov-2012 By Stephen Daniells

A meta-analysis of 22 clinical trials shows that protein supplements are effective for boosting muscle mass and strength gains during resistance exercise in both younger and older subjects.

EC-member states moving toward caffeine health claim consensus

19-Nov-2012 By Shane Starling

A European Commission working group has found growing support to authorise five mental and physical caffeine-based health claims – as long as they contain strict conditions of use statements.