In this round-up of recent scientific developments, we highlight new findings on how animal protein is more beneficial than plant protein in increasing lean mass, new findings on COVID-19 and vitamin D deficiency and more.
South Korean probiotic supplement brand Youguth has launched its fermented red ginseng with probiotic supplement for immune health in Singapore, with aims to tap on the gifting culture to promote sales.
The supplementation of caralluma fimbriata extract has been shown to reduce calorie intake, waist circumference, and weight loss in a 16-week study funded by Gencor Pacific.
South Korea’s Rural Development Administration (RDA) is working with an industry partner, Huons Nature, in commercialising a kimchi-derived probiotic that has shown to be beneficial for immune health.
Chinese college students suffering from inflammatory skin conditions such as hives, eczema and acne are more likely to take vitamin and mineral supplements compared to their peers.
A nutraceutical that has clearly proven to be safe and effective is a more attractive factor than professional advice for urban Malaysians when choosing to buy a nutraceutical.
Pre-diabetes and diabetes are factors which could increase the risk of COVID-19 infections and mortality, and therefore the consumption of certain functional foods could be beneficial, says the guest who stars in the 17th episode of Nutra Champion podcast.
A combination of probiotic strains could improve glycaemic control when taken by patients with diabetic nephropathy, a 12-week RCT conducted in China has shown.
Japanese health foods and skin care manufacturer Q’sai has launched a skin health supplement, along with new skin care products, and has plans to venture into the healthy ageing segment following its recent acquisition.
See March's 10 most read stories, including H&H internationalisation plans for Swisse and Biostime, vitamin D deficiency linked to higher COVID-19 infection rate and more.
China’s functional food start-up BUFFX is gearing up to launch 16 new products as part of its target to achieve RMB100 million (US$15m) in sales this year.
Supplementation of HMB for two weeks did not improve muscle injury in elderly suffering from acute mild trauma, said a group of Japanese researchers, but longer term use is likely to be more beneficial.
Nearly seven in 10 Koreans said they had bought and consumed health functional foods last year, according to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) involving 1,500 men and women aged 19 and above.
In this round-up, we look at what brands are up to. For Swisse, it is embarking on halal-certification for its products as it expands its presence in South East Asia, while CP Foods is working on hemp-based ready-made foods as the country relaxed restrictions...
People suffering from diabetes or have a family history of chronic diseases were more willing to adopt novel staple foods, compromising on taste and cost, compared to their healthier peers, according to a study conducted in Singapore.
New Zealand nootropic company Ārepa is investing over NZ$2 million (US$1.4m) on a series of brain health and performance clinical trials as it looks to create the world’s smartest drink.
China authorities have introduced new requirements on calories, protein, carbohydrates, and micronutrient levels permitted in infant and toddler formulas, sparking industry experts to recommend that all NPD quickly switches to the new protocols.
In this episode of Nutrition Asia, two firms specialising in kids’ supplements – Life-Space and Nutritional Growth Solutions – have revealed their R&D priorities, including probiotics, personalised nutrition, and protein shakes for active children.
Australia’s healthy foods and supplement manufacturer Jatcorp is expanding its product line with the launch of a low glycemic index (GI) formula suitable for diabetic patients. It is targeting to launch the product in over 100 pharmacies in Australia.
India-based Rage Coffee, maker of vitamin-infused instant coffee, is targeting a tripling of revenue from US$2m to US$5.5m/6m by the end of 2021 – just three years after launching.
Australian health and nutrition company ATP Science is branching into the FMCG space with the launch of a range of high protein, low calorie, low sugar ice-cream, plus venturing into practitioner-only supplements for gut health.
A Vietnamese health supplements and cosmetics product company is introducing its vegetable powder supplement, formulated to address post-natal constipation and stress, into mum-and-baby stores, after its success in online and hospital channels.
Yakult Honsha is expanding sales of its Yakult 1000 product – a probiotic drink containing its proprietary Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota and formulated to relive stress and improve sleep across the whole of Japan.
Kirin Group is set to roll out four functional foods and dietary supplements containing its proprietary ingredient beta-lactolin (β-lactolin) to support memory health.
A decade long study conducted in Australia has found that calcium supplementation combined with a long-term healthy diet was associated with lower rates of obesity, while those who maintained a healthy diet combined with multivitamins, minerals (MVM)...
In this round-up, we look at how Japanese health and wellness retailer Welcia-BHG plans to expand its presence in Singapore, GN Corporation's clinical trial on using beta glucan as an adjunct treatment for COVID-19 treatment and more.
A combination of Indian frankincense, curcumin, pine bark extract, and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) supplement did not improve hand osteoarthritis when compared to placebo, according to an Australia study.
Japanese health supplement, personal care and beauty product retailer Welcia-BHG is on track to expand its offline presence in Singapore, with five new stores planned for this year, despite concerns on how COVID-19 could affect foot traffic.
New Zealand’s healthcare professionals have expressed interest in receiving training on herbal medicine and acupuncture, as the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) grows in the country.
A total of 964 cases of public interest litigation have been filed against individuals and companies for the illegal production, marketing and sales of health foods in China in the last 15 months.
South Korean biotech company Huons is developing a functional ingredient based on goji berry together with Hanyang University to help improve muscle strength.
Bened Biomedical is making inroads into the study of psychobiotics as it embarks on a human clinical trial that looks at its flagship strain Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 on Tourette syndrome and Rett syndrome.
Nicotinamide riboside (NR) supplement specialist Chromadex’s has posted strong regional and global FY2020 financials, but the firm has issued a warning of ‘concerning behaviour’ from some nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) brands, especially in China.
Australia company Anatara Lifesciences is trialling the use of a bromelain-containing supplement in patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
About 10 per cent of complementary medicines in Australia did not manage to transit to the new list of health indications permitted by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and have been cancelled.
In this round-up, we shine the spotlight on trends across APAC’s health and nutrition market, including the use of BCAA-leucine, astaxanthin for muscle health in elderly, clean nutrition trends in India, and the rise of ‘light and strong’ functional foods...
Individuals consuming Thai ginseng for 12 weeks saw a significant reduction to their visceral fat and total fat areas, according to the findings of a new RCT.
Japan Consumer Affairs Agency (CCA) is warning general food and health food manufacturers against labelling their products as being effective in preventing or treating COVID-19, to avoid consumer misunderstanding and harming public health.
Feeding infants with synbiotic formula could create a gut environment that is close to that of exclusively breastfed infants, according to a RCT conducted and funded by Danone.
China vitamin and dietary supplement (VDS) firm BY-HEALTH says the country’s health foods market is increasingly diverging between either foods/snacks with ‘light’ functionalities or supplements with ‘strong’ functionalities, as it unveiled 15% revenue...
Probiotics that address inflammation, diabetes, and muscle health received the largest percentage growth in terms of the number of consumer reviews globally last year, showing growing interest amongst consumers in these types of products.
A clinical trial has found that supplementation with a women’s health nutraceutical from Max Biocare for 12 weeks could improve menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, and sweating, while improving sleep quality and mood.
Gencor is venturing into the hair care oral supplement and topical application category, with an RCT studying the benefits of ageratum conyzoides oral supplementation and topical application to take place this year.
BASF has received approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia to supply a human milk oligosaccharide ingredient, 2’Fucosyllactose (2’-FL), for use as a prebiotic in dietary supplements in Australia.
Giving huge doses of vitamin D to treat COVID-19 patients has been the protocol in certain parts of the world, but the more urgent need could be addressing underlining deficiency, says the guest who stars in the 16th episode of our NutraChampion podcast.
Singapore-based nutraceutical firm Lifestream Group has expanded its cardiovascular supplement range VesseCLEAR with a vegan product that is also touted to offer a broader range of support for healthy ageing.