Inflammation

High dose EPA shown to reduce migraine frequency and severity – 12-week RCT

02-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Taking 1,800mg of omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) daily has significantly reduced migraine frequency and severity among individuals suffering from episodic migraine, findings from a 12-week RCT conducted in Taiwan showed.

Probiotics could aid rheumatoid arthritis sufferers, but more research needed to encourage industry growth

30-Apr-2024 By Audrey Yow

Current studies reveal probiotics could aid, and potentially play a role in preventing, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but further research is needed to determine treatment strategies and encourage industry growth in this area.

Vitamin D supplementation shown to reduce period pain and use of analgesics – systematic review

25-Apr-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

Vitamin D supplementation has shown promise in decreasing the intensity of period pain and the use of analgesics, particularly in people with primary dysmenorrhoea, say Taiwanese researchers.

Sugarcane fix: Revolutionary remote trial to explore health benefits of polyphenols in plant extract

23-Apr-2024 By Audrey Yow

Researchers at Deakin University Australia are planning a fully remote trial to investigate the health beneficial properties of polyphenols in sugarcane extract and their potential to improve gut, heart and mental health.

High consumption frequency of cheese and yoghurt could reduce occurrence of asthma symptoms – Iran study

23-Apr-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

A high weekly intake of dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt, among children and adolescents was associated with 42% lower odds of wheezing, compared to those who never or only occasionally consume these foods, say researchers in the Middle East.

Standardised guidelines for vitamin D testing and supplementation could aid IBS treatment for kids

03-Apr-2024 By Audrey Yow

Standardised guidelines for vitamin D testing and supplementation across Australasia could optimise healthcare for children with inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), new research reports.

NAD+, liver health needs driving China’s adult nutrition revenue jump – H&H Group

01-Apr-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Health & Happiness Group (H&H Group) says demand for its high-end adult nutrition brand Swisse Plus+, especially its nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and liver health products, is key to the 37.4 per cent revenue jump for its adult nutrition...

Lack of communication on chronic disease patients’ herbal supplement use concerning: Saudi study

25-Mar-2024 By Cheryl Marie Tay

Chronic disease patients in Saudi Arabia may consume an excessive amount of herbal supplements, with a lack of communication between them and their healthcare providers risking potential drug interactions, according to a recent study by researchers in...

Multi-strain probiotics show potential to slow progression and improve symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease – Glac Biotech-funded RCT

12-Feb-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

Multi-strain probiotics supplementation has been found to have positive effects on neurotrophic factors, oxidative stress and inflammation, which play important roles in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to Taiwan researchers.

GALLERY: The 10 most-read APAC health and nutrition stories in January 2024

06-Feb-2024 By Tingmin Koe

From Amway's regenerative agriculture initiative to our analyses on emerging nutrition markets in APAC and nutraceutical trends for this year, here are the most-read stories on NutraIngredients-Asia in January 2024.

Yeast-derived prebiotic could enhance gut motility and sleep quality – Asahi-funded study

31-Jan-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

Dietary supplementation of yeast mannan (YM) as a prebiotic could boost gut motility, improve constipation symptoms, and contribute to better sleep quality, say Japanese researchers.

New nutritional substitute? Donkey milk touted as potential ingredient for infant and ageing products

23-Jan-2024 By Hazel Tang

Researchers have argued that the rich and diverse content of proteins in donkey milk could promote cell growth and proliferation, stimulate the immune system, exert anti-ageing effects, and possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties....

Nutrachampion podcast

Retailer success strategies: Renovatio founder on why nutra start-ups should learn to say no

22-Jan-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Nutraceutical start-ups should “learn to say no” to questionable retail strategies and “know where their boundaries are” as they seek to grow the distribution of their products, says Renovatio Bioscience’s founder Dr Vincent Candrawinata in the first...

Probiotic and eczema: GenieBiome launching synbiotics clinically tested on young kids to Singapore market

22-Jan-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Hong Kong Biotechnology firm GenieBiome has set sights on expanding its probiotics range in Singapore, including one that has been clinically studied to improve eczema in young children.

Probiotic regulation call: Hong Kong Consumer Council urges government to set up legislation to oversee category

17-Jan-2024 By Tingmin Koe

The Hong Kong Consumer Council is urging the government to set up legislation to regulate dietary supplements, including probiotics, the Council announced when releasing the findings of its review of 40 commercially available probiotics products.

Probiotic supplementation could lower inflammatory markers and improve liver function in cirrhosis patients

18-Dec-2023 By Hazel Tang

Modulation of the gut microbiome via probiotics could enhance the clinical outcomes of cirrhosis patients by reducing inflammatory factors, according to a new meta-analysis.

Supplements and long COVID: Better studies needed to build on promise of nutritional interventions

05-Dec-2023 By Shali S.

More rigorous and well-designed investigations are needed to explore the initial promise of complementary medicine and supplementation in aiding attempts to tackle long COVID.

Study explores whether Gencor’s PEA relieves allergy symptoms

04-Dec-2023 By Asia Sherman

A new study suggests that Gencor Pacific’s Levagen+ Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) ingredient may alleviate symptoms of seasonal allergies as shown by a reduction in histamine and inflammatory markers despite a strong placebo effect.

Beyond herbal medicines: Standardised black seed oil approved for use in dietary supplements in Thailand

27-Nov-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Black seed oil from the firm TriNutra could now be set to feature in dietary supplements, with benefits across immune and cardiovascular health.

Nutrition Asia Video Series

From mass customisation to individualisation: How automation, supply chain management, 3D printing can drive personalised nutrition forward

22-Nov-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Personalised nutrition could progress from mass customisation to full personalisation as companies leverage on factory automation, supply chain management, and 3D printing to increase the efficiency of providing customised products.

Nutrachampion podcast

‘Very much conservative’: How India’s regulatory approach can pose innovation problems – Ex-FSSAI director

25-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

India is still taking a “very conservative” approach in its regulations of nutraceuticals since it introduced the first set of policies seven years ago, which can pose problems for brands and suppliers seeking to introduce innovative new products.

Holistic approach: New Singapore e-pharmacy aims to break the mould with strong supplement focus

24-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

A newly launched e-pharmacy, Glovida-Rx, is on a mission to provide holistic healthcare in Singapore, with pharmacists advising consumers on the use of both health supplements and pharmacy medications.

Growth Asia Summit 2023

Healthy ageing in Asia: Metabolic health, cognition, mobility rank top for consumer need – expert panel

23-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Nutrition products designed for healthy ageing in Asia-Pacific would need to address the most pressing concerns surrounding metabolic health, cognition, and mobility, said an expert panel staged during our recent Growth Asia Summit.

Hemp for active nutrition: Regulatory support and debunking of myths ‘crucial’ to unlock potential

18-Oct-2023 By Pearly Neo

Stronger government regulatory support and the ‘debunking’ of myths surrounding hemp are still at a ‘crucial’ stage in Asia, the success of which is key to unlocking its active nutrition potential.

Improving outcomes: Vitamin, probiotic supplementation pre-conception has major potential to boost long-term infant health

17-Oct-2023 By Pearly Neo

Nutritional supplementation taken at the stage of pre-conception by a mother has major potential to improve the long-term health of children, according to results from cross-country research.

Is personalised nutrition truly the future? Suntory on the challenging journey to ‘full personalisation’

16-Oct-2023 By Pearly Neo

Global megabrand Suntory has highlighted consumer confusion and production time as some of the key challenges standing in the way of achieving ‘full personalisation’ in the nutrition and food manufacturing spaces.

Growth Asia Summit 2023

‘It’s not too late’: Singapore Chinese Health Study lead investigator reveals protective impacts of diet on cognition

11-Oct-2023 By Pearly Neo

Data from the large-scale Singapore Chinese Health Study has shown that all consumers can reduce their risk of later cognitive impairment by switching to a healthier diet at any age, as revealed by the study’s principal investigator at the recent Growth...

Vitamin D deficiency linked with higher COVID-19 mortality and severity of symptoms – China study

04-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Vitamin D status could predict COVID-19 mortality rate and the severity of symptoms in the acute infection stage, suggests a new observational study in China.

GALLERY: The 10 most-read APAC health and nutrition stories in September 2023

03-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

From the announcement to the list of NutraIngredients-Asia 2023 winners to China's new function claims system and South Korea's health functional food import trends, here are the most-read stories in September 2023.

‘Revive with exports’: Japanese associations gearing up for functional foods export opportunities

02-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Several Japan health foods associations are gearing up for export opportunities for Foods with Function Claims (FFC), such as providing export consultation services and establishing networks with regional dietary supplement associations.

And the winners are…Check out who took the top prizes at the NutraIngredients-Asia Awards 2023

26-Sep-2023 By Gary Scattergood

We have announced the winners of the 2023 NutraIngredients-Asia Awards, held to recognise the brightest and best products, ingredients and initiatives across the nutrition industry.

VitamINSIGHTS

Can Japan’s Foods with Function Claims keep up with demand for more science and ethical advertising?

13-Sep-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Japan’s vibrant Foods with Function Claims (FFC) sector will need to keep up with the demand for rigorous scientific evidence and ethical advertising for it to continue its phenomenal market growth, say experts from the country’s health foods associations.

Food Ingredients India (FI-India)

Keep it simple: Incorporate new functional ingredients into familiar formats – Brenntag

30-Aug-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Food and beverage companies should incorporate functional ingredients into products that consumers are already familiar with, instead of attempting to change their dietary habits when introducing healthier products.

Beefing up on sustainability: NZ firm ‘upcycles’ male calves into protein-rich beef bar

16-Aug-2023 By Si Ying Thian

New Zealand’s Alps 2 Ocean Foods is launching a protein-rich and nutrient-fortified beef bar made from male calves that are otherwise killed shortly after birth or made into lower-value ground beef – a move that the firm believes is more sustainable for...

Lactobacillus sakei OK67 found to reduce visceral fat, but has no significant impact on body fat mass – study

01-Aug-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

The intake of Lactobacillus sakei OK67 is generally safe and has therapeutic potential for treating obesity by regulating visceral fat, say Korean researchers.

Omega-3 supplementation is emerging as a potential adjunct therapy for depression and obesity – review

12-Jul-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) have been found to have beneficial effects on inflammatory markers, metabolic dysregulation, and depressive symptoms.

New Malaysia data: Health supplements registered on the rise while natural products hit five-year low

07-Jun-2023 By Tingmin Koe

The number of health supplements registered in Malaysia has been on the rise in recent years, but those classed as natural products, which consist of herbal remedies, has hit five-year low, according to a report released by the country’s health ministry.

VitamINSIGHTS

Australia nutra trends: Market leaders Blackmores, Swisse gearing up on mental health, sleep products

03-May-2023 By Tingmin Koe

The Australian nutraceutical market is poised for growth, especially in the areas of mental health and sleep aid products, while consumers are preferring big value-packs and increasing their basket sizes, according to Blackmores, Swisse, and Herbs of...

Nutrition Asia

Opportunity in the Middle East: How Manuka honey and Lingzhi firms are tapping on strong immune, plant-based demands in the Gulf

22-Feb-2023 By Tingmin Koe

APAC companies are starting to tap into growing demands for health foods and dietary supplements in the Middle East after the COVID-19 pandemic stirred consumer interest in preventive health.

Fortified future? China set for mass fortification of staple foods to combat deficiencies – consultation open

13-Feb-2023 By Pearly Neo

China is considering mandating mass nutritional fortification for various staple foods in order to boost public health and combat nutrient deficiencies.

Review outlines benefits and future health care opportunities with bitter apple extract

06-Feb-2023 By Olivia Haslam

The scope for protective metabolic potential of the medicine plant bitter apple, aka Citrullus colocynthis, has been explored in a new review published in ‘BMC Food Production, Processing and Nutrition’.

2023 outlook: The must know nutraceutical regulations on the horizon in APAC this year

09-Jan-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Check out the new nutraceutical related regulations that will kick in this year in various parts of Asia-Pacific, from the use of aloe vera in Taiwan to Hong Kong’s Amendment Regulation regarding harmful substances in food, and Malaysia implementing Quantitative...

Research for mental health: Huge scope for new studies on synergistic impact of ingredients

06-Dec-2022 By Pearly Neo

There is huge scope for more research on how a broad range of ingredients can work synergistically to improve a raft of mental health conditions.

Healthy longevity: Accessible diagnostics and integrated data tools two key challenges – China-based expert

30-Nov-2022 By Tingmin Koe

More accessible diagnostics and tools that integrate data from the various body clocks are two key challenges that experts seeking to optimise health span, as well as life span, need to overcome, says a China-based pioneer in the field.

Inflammatory impact: Fish oil intake could mitigate responses caused by pollution – China RCT

30-Nov-2022 By Hui Ling Dang

Fish-oil supplementation could mitigate the inflammatory responses caused by air pollution, a new randomised control trial from China has reported.

These go to 11: Australian practitioner-only firm launches scobiotics for heavy metal detox

29-Nov-2022 By Tingmin Koe

Australian practitioner-only supplements firm Bioclinic Naturals ANZ has launched a ‘scobiotics’ designed for heavy metals detoxification.

‘Foundation for success’: Korean regulator to expand manufacturing standards for five more FSMP

09-Nov-2022 By Tingmin Koe

South Korean regulator, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), is set to detail the manufacturing standards for five more types of Foods for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP).

Growth Asia Summit 2022

Beyond pre- and probiotics: Combination products and personalisation driving innovation – Exclusive Growth Asia Summit insights

08-Nov-2022 By Pearly Neo

Combination products and customisation look set to be key drivers for product innovation in the microbiome health space, moving the sector far beyond the conventional prebiotics and probiotics products of today.

Tooth health products: Taiwan FDA plans to remove animal studies, set new clinical trial requirements

24-Oct-2022 By Tingmin Koe

The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to remove animal studies and revamp the human clinical trial requirements for health foods that make tooth health claims.

Brand new: Latest news from Nestle, Danone, award-winning probiotic and start-up firms

21-Oct-2022 By Tingmin Koe

This round-up features the latest news, including new product launches and development strategies from industry big names Nestle, Danone, as well as award-winning probiotics and start-up companies.