A study claiming the prevalence of mislabelling and contamination in protein powder sold across India had caused an uproar among the industry and public earlier this year in April.
The study, authored by Dr Cyriac Abby Phillips, claimed that out of the 36 protein supplements analysed, 70 per cent were mislabelled as having more protein than advertised.
He also claimed the presence of fungal toxins, pesticides, and heavy metals in some of the samples.
NMN quality in question: Singapore researchers call for industry effort in meeting label claims
Commercially available NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) supplements were called out by a group of researchers in Singapore for failing to meet label claims.
First reported in March, the analysis on 18 NMN products found that three of them contained no NMN, six had NMN at levels that were 20 per cent to 100 per cent lower than what was claimed.
The products were tested at least a year before their expiry dates, and the researchers have called for an industry-wide effort in addressing product quality issues.
Singapore’s Centre for Healthy Longevity (CHL) said in an interview with NutraIngredients-Asia that it was conducting human clinical trials on the local population on the potential benefits of health supplements, including multivitamins, alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), for healthy longevity.
The centre will do so by developing biomarkers to measure ageing, testing interventions to slow ageing, and creating implementation strategies to extend healthy life expectancy, said the centre’s co-director Professor Andrea Maier.
One of its studies will assess the need for NMN supplementation among individuals, and if so, what is the optimal dosage and frequency of NMN intake in order for the change in NAD+ levels to be clinically meaningful.
NMN for infants: Meiji study suggests this could be ‘important nutrient’ for early childhood development
Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is known for its longevity-related health claims, but a new observational study from Meiji suggested that a higher concentration of NMN in breast milk is linked to significantly better motor and communication skills in breastfed babies.
Writing in Nutrients, researchers from Meiji and Tohoku University believes that NMN may be “an important nutrient” for early childhood development.
Findings of the study, published back in January, were said to be the first of its kind that examines the concentration of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-related substances in breast milk on a large scale.
Probiotics found to promote hair growth and control dandruff – meta-analysis
Researchers have found evidence supporting the potential benefits of probiotics in improving hair health, specifically in terms of dandruff control and hair growth.
Writing in Heliyon, a group of researchers from South Korea highlighted the benefits of probiotics for hair health based on a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and pre-clinical trials.
The research, funded by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, found that probiotics have shown potential in improving hair growth and controlling dandruff through modulation of the immune pathway and gut-hair axis.
Extra virgin olive oil lowers bad cholesterol, inflammatory marker in people with central obesity – 12-week RCT
Consuming meals prepared using extra virgin olive oil for 12 weeks has shown benefits for cardiometabolic health in individuals with central obesity, such as a reduction in bad cholesterol and the inflammatory marker hs-CRP.
The effects of extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil, and red palm olein oil in cardiometabolic health were assessed in this RCT.
Writing in the European Journal of Nutrition, the researchers reported that the three types of oils have produced similar cardiometabolic effects, but there were differences in their impact on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or the “bad” cholesterol, the inflammatory marker high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and alpha- and beta-carotene levels.
Probiotics boost serotonin levels in patients with IBS, subthreshold depression – study
Drinking cultured milk containing two probiotic strains could improve serotonin levels in individuals suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and subthreshold depression, according to findings from a 12-week study conducted in Malaysia.
While serotonin had increased, there was no significant reduction in the serum levels of cortisol – the stress hormone, the researchers from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Sunway University wrote in Scientific Reports.
The 12-week randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel clinical trial involved 124 IBS patients.
Sarcopenic patients have low levels of NAD+ precursor trigonelline – Nestle-funded study
Trigonelline, an alkaloid found in plants and animals, is closely linked to muscle health and low serum levels have been reported in seniors suffering from sarcopenia, said a Nestle-funded study.
Published in Nature Metabolism, the research also found that trigonelline is a precursor of NAD+.
“Our targeted metabolomic profiling of human sarcopenia revealed trigonelline as a new metabolite associated with muscle function, mitochondrial metabolism and NAD+,” said the researchers.
Japan, South Korea top omega-3 index, while China, Australia lower than average – 2024 data
A new global omega-3 index (O3I) study showed that populations in Japan and South Korea have the most desirable O3I in Asia-Pacific, where the percentage of EPA and DHA in their red blood cell membrane fatty acids was more than eight per cent.
The study, partly financed by the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED), assessed global O3I through observational studies and randomised controlled trials.
The O3I of 342,864 individuals from 48 countries or regions were studied.
Kale consumption significantly improves bowel movement and alters certain gut microbes – Japan RCT
The intake of kale has been found to modify the gut microbiota and increase defecation frequency, especially among those with low stool amounts, according to a four-week trial that took place in Japan.
Twenty-four women aged 20 to 59 with constipation tendencies were randomised to consume kale (collard-type kale and powdered whole kale leaf) or the control food.
It was found that kale consumption for four weeks had significantly increased the frequency of stool defecation in the control group, compared to that in the placebo group.
