The company, founded in 2019 by the late Gary Loake, focuses on developing natural plant-based wellness ingredients through biotechnology.
The process involves collecting plant samples, cleaning and cultivating stem cells, and scaling production in bioreactors to extract beneficial compounds.
Speaking with NutraIngredients, Chris Meaney, chief business officer at Green Bioactives explained that Loake was interested in creating products to support memory, particularly for those experiencing age-related cognitive decline or MCI, as there are few effective treatments available.
The company developed a memory-support supplement, GBL-Memory1, a combination of prebiotic Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and the green tea amino acid L-theanine.
The ingredient was recently investigated in a double-blind study involving 120 participants, in which half took the active supplement, and the other half received a placebo. Results showed a 10.1% improvement in memory in the supplement group.
Moreover, FOS and L-theanine showed synergistic effects, suggesting that the combination could enhance cognitive signaling pathways more effectively than either ingredient alone.
Cognitive health
Cognitive impairment, including MCI and dementia, becomes more common with age, doubling in risk every five years after age 65.
Morinda officinalis, traditionally used in Chinese medicine for anti-aging and antidepressant properties, contains FOS, which has been studied for its therapeutic effects on various systems, including its ability to influence the gut-brain axis and the hippocampus, which is essential for memory and learning.
Additionally, the amino acid L-theanine has been shown to affect brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, enhancing mood, motivation and cognitive functions, including problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Growing demand
Meaney said that the company is responding to the growing demand for natural supplements, especially among the aging population.
“We've seen globally the cognitive health market is booming, especially in food supplements, and as we get an aging population around the world, there's a greater demand,” he noted.
“People as they age are looking to take ownership of their own health, and it's not even about extending lives, it’s about improving the time people are healthy and can be active.”