How best to optimize cognitive performance is a growing consumer preoccupation.
Individuals are making nutritional choices and supplementing their diets in order to feel sharper, to focus attention or to improve their energy levels or reduce anxiety.
According to market analysis, the cognitive health ingredients market was estimated at $4.5bn in 2024, and is projected to grow from $4.7bn in 2025 to $7.8bn by 2035 – a CAGR of 5.04%.1 As demand grows, consumers will increasingly look towards evidence-based supplement solutions that can demonstrate efficacy and adhere to regulatory standards.
How the gut microbiome affects cognitive health
There is a growing body of evidence that brain health, mental wellbeing and gut health are intimately linked. The gut-brain axis is a two-way network that carries messages between the two organs, through pathways including the vagus nerve. Digestive and brain health are influenced by the gut microbiome – a complex ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that helps break down food consumed such as fiber. It also produces beneficial short-chain fatty acids, as well as regulating the immune system.
When the gut barrier is compromised this leads to increased permeability – leaky gut – which is associated with inflammation and may negatively affect mood and cognition.
Gut health is now recognized by scientists as central to overall wellbeing and especially cognitive health and this is true for infants as well as those in adulthood, middle age and older years. However, although there is a significant focus on cognitive health in later years, much of the organ damage that is associated with cognitive impairment later in life occurs decades earlier. Taking a more preventative approach in middle age offers an important window in which to support resilience and protect the brain and an individual’s long-term cognitive function.
A portfolio approach to preventing cognitive decline
In the years between 30 and 60, the brain undergoes subtle but significant functional and structural changes. By the age of 30, the brain is fully matured and then in the decades afterwards it starts to lose some of its volume and weight. Some regions of the brain are more affected than others. For example, the hippocampus, central to memory, and the prefrontal cortex – key for decision making, emotional connection and other executive functions – are both more susceptible to shrinkage.
Taking preventative action at this stage of life can maximise cognitive healthspan by ensuring brain health across mid-life decades. Morinaga Milk, a leading provider of biotics, supports the preventative approach through its range of biotics that can be used for the whole of life – from infancy through to old age.
With decades of clinical research, strains with registered patents and regulatory approval, the organization is committed to advancing scientific understanding of the gut-brain axis and developing microbial solutions that support brain health.
Mechanisms that matter
Two probiotic strains developed by Morinaga specifically for brain health are Bifidobacterium breve MCC1274 and Bifidobacterium breve M-16V. Bifidobacterium breve MCC1274 has been clinically proven to reach the gut and work on the brain to maintain memory function potentially through pathways linked to neuroinflammation.2
It has dedicated efficacy in cognitive health to support optimal brain function, especially memory function. M-16V is an infant-focused active often given to pre-term babies to support immunity and gut health issues. Its mechanism works to regulate inflammatory responses and balance Th1/Th2 ratios and research now shows potential relevance for adults.
Another Morinaga trademarked postbiotic ingredient LAC-Living+® has been developed for mood and mental wellness. Studies show it enhances positive mood states such as friendliness and relaxation. Unlike a probiotic, it does not contain live bacteria, which makes it heat-stable and easier to formulate into foods and beverages. It was commercially launched around 2025 and is backed by human clinical studies on positive mood outcomes.
In this Spotlight on ‘Brain Health – Innovative Microbial Solutions for Cognitive and Emotional Wellness’, Morinaga experts and world-leading gut microbiome researcher Dr Hariom Yadav will show how biotics can unlock cognitive and emotional health across the lifespan.
Join the event to discover:
- New clinical evidence from probiotic and postbiotic studies
- Latest insights from Dr Yadav on gut-brain mechanisms
- Real world applications strategies from Dominique Ostrander
- How formulators and brands can use these ingredients to create cognitive and emotional wellness solutions
Join us for ‘Brain Health – Innovative Microbial Solutions for Cognitive and Emotional Wellness’ on February 26 at 10:00 PST to discover how Morinaga’s findings demand a shift to a preventative care approach to ensure the brain is protected for life.
References
- Market Research Future. Cognitive Health Ingredients Market.
- Abdelhamid, M.; et al. Probiotic Bifidobacterium breve MCC1274 Mitigates Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Pathologies in Wild-Type Mice. Nutrients. 2022 Jun 19;14(12):2543.
