A recently established Singapore centre is seeking to increase the standard of evidence-based data for SMEs in the supplements, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and functional foods space.
Vitamin D supplements could help prevent acute respiratory tract infections, including colds and flu, according to a study in The BMJ. But a linked editorial penned by academics from New Zealand and Scotland argues the results are “not sufficiently applicable...
No errors, no mood swings, no sick leave, and she can process three sets of microbiological tests in 14 minutes. Meet Ms Ugene, Singapore’s first two-armed robot microbiologist helping Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), food and nutrition firms ensure...
Previously unreported data from China, referred to in a letter to the editor of the peer-reviewed journal AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, suggests that the viral loads of four AIDS patients who took only Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) dropped...
While the rest of the world celebrated Valentine’s Day with hearts and flowers, the Thai government handed out “very magical” vitamin supplements to encourage prospective mothers to boost the country’s birth rate.
Dietary supplementation appears to be common among Chinese mothers during pregnancy, but intake of folic acid is well below the recommended national and global guidelines, while overall supplement use after giving birth is relatively low.
A new cognitive health supplement firm which recently opened a base in Singapore is targetting consumers in their 40s as it seeks to expand across the region.
The University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia is opening a $1m new Food Science Innovation Precinct to drive new products and research in probiotics, omega-3, functional foods and dairy.
Probiotics manufacturer BioGaia has reported annual sales growth of 9%, excluding exchange rate effects, with managing director Axel Sjöblad highlighting growth in Asia as a key reason for continued confidence over the next 12 months.
A proprietary extract from the bark of Terminalia arjuna may boost cardiovascular efficiency and improve athletic performance in young healthy male adults, says a new study.
Probiotic soy milk improves several indexes of kidney function in type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy – a major complication of diabetes and the foremost cause of end-stage renal failure.
The man who has launched Australia’s first store selling vitamins solely via vending machines wants to launch hundreds more in locations across the country, while also expanding to overseas markets such as China, Singapore, India and New Zealand.
Curcumin can help suppress the activation of dendritic cells (DCs), which play a pivotal role in the progression of inflammatory bowel disease, research from China has discovered.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has set up a panel of doctors and research scientists to prepare the final version of its food fortification laws – a move that would facilitate the inclusion of micronutrients to several food staples.
Even if people could be persuaded to ditch their Wagyu beef for a wood-boring grub, a lack of scientific information means, for now, traditional Aboriginal insects would be unlikely to become their new source of protein.
The glycaemic response (GR) to beverages does not vary depending on Asian ethnicity, with Chinese, Indian and Malay displaying similar responses, a first of its kind study has established.
Cases of severe and extreme obesity have doubled in Korea over the past 12 years, with people in their 20s and 30s most likely to be piling on the pounds.
CoQ10 supplementation may partly improve chronic inflammation in people with metabolic disorders, but further studies with larger sample sizes and well-defined trials are needed, according to new meta-analysis.
Cannabidiol (CBD) can exert a potentially neuroprotective effect against brain ischemia/reperfusion injury, with a new study from China documenting how it does so “for the first time”.
Maternal age and place of residence played key roles in whether children under five years old were given Vitamin A supplements in Pakistan, a new study reveals.
Daily consumption of a fermented milk product with Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota may reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in healthy middle-aged office workers, says a new study.
The fruiting body of the Taiwanese fungus Antrodia camphorata possesses anti-skin cancer, antioxidant and anti-melanogenic properties, according to new research.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has pledged to ‘close the gap’ in micronutrient malnutrition after releasing a consultation paper on food fortification.
New meta-analysis from China “provides substantial evidence” that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation, especially DHA, can play a positive role in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Trade body Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA) has insisted consumers can have full confidence in products purchased in Australia after a new review claimed it was a 'misperception' that herbal medicines are safe.
Most Japanese women are not getting enough calcium and vitamin D, increasing the risks of osteoporotic fractures and other diseases, states a new review.
New Zealand supplement firm Better Health Co, which owns the GO Healthy brand, has sold an 80% stake to an Asian private equity fund to help it tap into international markets.
Reckitt Benckiser Group plc (RB) has confirmed it is in ‘advanced negotiations’ to acquire all Mead Johnson Nutrition shares for $90 each in cash, valuing Mead Johnson’s entire share capital at approximately $16.7bn.
There is insufficient evidence of a link between fruit and vegetable consumption and a reduction in the number of overall cancer cases, according to a pooled analysis of large-scale cohort studies from Japan.
China’s Premier Li Keqiang says Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) manufacturers should look to develop mainstream dietary supplements using Western medical knowledge in order to boost export potential.
A group of scientists and doctors who call themselves the “Friends of Science in Medicine” (FSM) are relaunching an attack on complementary medicine, writes Dr Ross Walker, an expert in the field of preventative cardiology in Australia.
Myanmar has vowed to tackle child stunting and widespread micronutrient deficiencies, and include nutritional wellbeing in its national development planning.
Blackmores Institute is to hold its first Singapore symposium as part of its efforts to help train and guide pharmacists to safely and effectively integrate supplements into their practices.
A study found that red seaweed (k.alvarezii) helps in slowing down the growth rate of mammary tumours in rats, which researchers says displays the algae’s potential as a natural aid in cancer treatment.
The traditional use of some mushroom species in Asia to boost cognitive function, along with papers purportedly showing their brain health benefits, mean they are worthy of scientific investigation to see if they can help people with Alzheimer's...
The vitamin D status of more than 2,000 Korean women had no impact on the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis, or on the level of pain and quality of life when rheumatoid arthritis occurred.
One-in-five infants in Singapore are given a dietary supplement in the first year of life, while 5.7% take probiotics and 15.7% homeopathic preparations.
Curcumin can become as big as omega-3, according to the boss of Indian nutraceutical supplier OmniActive, which has recently received a significant funding boost and made a high-level acquisition.
Elderly people with low vitamin A levels may be more at risk of Alzheimer’s disease and lower brain functioning, says a new study that also finds even marginal vitamin A deficiency at birth can influence long-term risks.
Amway has revealed it plans to open a further 50 stores in India, but has vowed to remain a direct-selling company with sellers “the key point of distribution”.
Infant nutrition company Mead Johnson saw sales in Asia – its largest region – slip 9% year-on-year, 5% on a constant dollar basis, to $1.856bn – although the company recorded ‘strong sales growth’ in its key China market.
The functional food and nutraceutical opportunities offered by agricultural waste products in developing countries are not being fully exploited, meaning vital nutrients that could be of immense health and economic benefit are going to waste.
Pregnant women should take more micronutrients aside from iron and folic acid to boost the long-term cognitive development of their children, according to a major follow-up study from Indonesia.
A new study reveals vitamin D3 encapsulated in nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) could survive in the harsh gastrointestinal environment long enough to deliver this important nutrient to its intended targets.
Prebiotic soluble fibre dietary supplement MyFy is the first product to be launched by Galaxy Scientific Nutrition in India to address the country’s significant shortfall of fibre intake.