Blood sugar management

Study spotlights gut microbes for blood sugar control

03-Aug-2023 By Olivia Brown

A new RCT notes that those with type 2 diabetes had significantly reduced average fasting blood glucose levels following intakes of a Lactobacillus and Oenococcus-containing kombucha drink, when compared to the control group.

"The future is here": AI tool develops scientifically-sound supplements at speed

03-Aug-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

A new AI powered tool has been developed to allow researchers to process insights into thousands of diseases, gene associations, and ingredient interactions, to develop efficacious nutraceutical solutions.

Omega-3s for inflammation: the challenges of disease-specific therapies

01-Aug-2023 By Olivia Brown

Intakes of DHA and EPA are important to resolve inflammation but there is a need to identify specific inflammatory biomarkers for the development of disease-specific therapies

RCT supports probiotic’s cardiometabolic health potential

27-Jul-2023 By Stephen Daniells

Dietary supplementation with a specific Lacticaseibacillus paracasei probiotic strain may improve the function of the endothelium and overall heart health in people with metabolic syndrome (MetS), says a new study.

Probiotics may regulate glucolipid metabolism, review finds

26-Jul-2023 By Olivia Brown

A new meta-analysis and systematic review finds that supplementation with Lactobacillus and/or Bifidobacterium may significantly decrease BMI, fasting glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Nestlé enzyme tech cuts sugars intrinsically present in malt, milk and fruit juice

18-Jul-2023 By Flora Southey

The enzymatic process reduces sugar without needing to add sweeteners or bulking agents to replace its volume.

Probiotics for women’s health: review highlights potential benefits of early use

17-Jul-2023 By Olivia Brown

A new review emphasises the potential benefits of females supplementing with probiotics from childhood, following the identification of the occurrence of dysbiosis in obese women suffering with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

China CBEC phenomenon: Tmall Global on overcoming supplements supply chain woes as products hit peak popularity

11-Jul-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Overseas supplements sold into China via cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) can get popular easily, but supply chain pain points are making it difficult for brands to replenish their goods in time, says the head of Tmall Global.

A plant prickling with health benefits: The promising components of cacti

10-Jul-2023 By Olivia Haslam

A research review has highlighted the numerous beneficial components found in cacti, including dietary fibre, minerals, phenolic compounds, and antioxidants

Study: Vitamin D deficiencies may be associated with higher BMI and inflammation

10-Jul-2023 By Olivia Brown

A new cross-sectional cohort study suggests that there may be an inverse relationship between vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and BMI, average blood glucose (HbA1c), and the inflammatory marker of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels in Korean women...

Yam-derived bioactive improves muscle quality in middle-aged adults – Japan RCT

05-Jul-2023 By Tingmin Koe

A 12-week RCT conducted in Japan has showed that the supplementation of a yam-derived bioactive could improve muscle quality and reduce glycated haemoglobin among middle-aged adults.

Study: Vitamin E may inhibit autoimmunity and prevent insulin resistance

31-May-2023 By Olivia Haslam

Vitamin E may preserve beta cell function and subsequently reduce likelihood of autoimmune diabetes, a new study by authors from Sweden concludes.

RCT suggests vitamin K benefits to arterial stiffness dependant on glucose levels

26-May-2023 By Olivia Brown

A new RCT highlights that following supplementation with vitamin K2 (MK-7) in patients with haemodialysis (HD), there were decreases in measures of arterial stiffness which were more pronounced in those with diabetes, compared to those receiving standard...

Vitamin D: deficiencies may cause cascade of adversities in those with glucose dysregulation

24-May-2023 By Olivia Brown

A new systematic review reports that type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients with vitamin D deficiencies may have an increased risk of developing an array of adverse health outcomes.

Mulberry leaf extract supplementation lowers post-breakfast glucose spike – Nestle-funded study

03-May-2023 By Tingmin Koe

The supplementation of mulberry leaf extract, along with fibre, vitamin D, and chromium, has been shown to reduce post meal glucose spike, according to a study funded by Nestle Health Science on one of its products.

Monteloeder’s metabolism-stimulating innovation claims award

27-Apr-2023 By Olivia Brown

With a strong backing of nine published studies highlighting the efficacy of Monteloeder’s entry for the NutraIngredients awards 'weight management ingredient of the year' category, the team reflects on the importance of the win for exposure...

Review hails Akkermansia as “most promising next-gen probiotic”

19-Apr-2023 By Olivia Brown

The recent review spotlights the efficacy of Akkermansia muciniphila in reducing the risk and progression of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (T2D), suggesting its strong potential for use for targeted dietary interventions within probiotics.

Startup spotlight

Hippie Herbal Turtle Co: the startup fitting wellness into the modern day

17-Apr-2023 By Olivia Brown

Ashley Heeley, director and founder of the health and wellness supplements company Hippie Herbal Turtle Co, explains the brand's uniquely wide consumer range due to a heightened demand for convenient natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals.

PharmaBiome and Roquette: partnering for predictive prebiotic innovation

14-Apr-2023 By Olivia Brown

The recent agreement between the companies will permit the use of Pharmabiome’s patented microbiome NicheMap technology, enabling for the production of precision prebiotic fibres targeted to ensure optimal interaction with the microbiome.

VITAFOODS PREVIEW

Start-up set to showcase sustainable carob fruit innovations

13-Apr-2023 By Olivia Brown

Carobway plans to present both established and under development products utilising carob fruit at Vitafoods Europe next month, including low glycaemic index (GI) natural sweeteners and prebiotic fibres for use within foods and supplements.

Caffeine for the microbiome: intakes linked to reduced “detrimental” strain

11-Apr-2023 By Olivia Brown

The new cross-sectional study analysing the bacterial abundance and compositions of healthy adult microbiomes, observed that higher levels of Erysipelatoclostridium were associated with lower caffeine intakes.

Insights from Positive Nutrition Summit

Future foods programme: collaborating for functional food success

06-Apr-2023 By Olivia Brown

The leader of the Welsh government funded Future Foods programme at Aberystwyth University, discussed his mission to collaborate with brands to optimise food functionality, during the Positive Nutrition Summit last week (March 30th)

From informed to involved: Qina shares shifts in personalised nutrition space

31-Mar-2023 By Olivia Brown

Mariette Abrahams, CEO and founder of Qina, discusses how consumers are now seeking support to action personalised advice, urging personalised nutrition (PN) platforms to prioritise behavioural change approaches and incorporate technology and wearables...

Scientists urge maintenance of vitamin E status during pregnancy to control blood sugar

30-Mar-2023 By Olivia Brown

A large-scale retrospective cohort study observes that low first-trimester vitamin E (VE) levels are associated with increased fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels and gestational diabetes (GD) risk, in the Chinese mothers studied.

Science shorts: Latest findings from Maeil, Yili, Meiji

17-Mar-2023 By Tingmin Koe

This round-up looks at the latest health and nutrition research from regional dairy firms in Asia-Pacific, namely South Korea’s Maeil, China’s Yili, and Japan’s Meiji.

Review points to whey proteins for glucose control, calling for long-term studies

09-Mar-2023 By Olivia Brown

Collated literature concludes that consuming whey protein could have beneficial effects on postprandial and glycaemic responses in the short-term, as well as on arterial wall integrity, suggesting their potential to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes (T2D)...

Sonomaceuticals upcycles Chardonnay pomace into health benefits

08-Mar-2023 By Asia Sherman

Two wine industry veterans are channeling research and leftover grape pomace into a superfood ingredient chocked full of bioactive compounds for gut and heart health.

Review discusses legume peptide potential for diabetes treatment

28-Feb-2023 By Olivia Brown

A new review pooling the available literature on legume-derived biopeptides confirms their ‘tremendous potential’ for type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatment, but this is thwarted by issues of stability and bioavailability

Insights from Probiota 2023

VIDEO: Massive metagenomic database looking beyond microbiome diversity

23-Feb-2023 By Olivia Brown and Nikki Hancocks

Vast consumer datasets have led scientists at personalised nutrition platform ‘Zoe’ to pinpoint ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria and provide precision advice which goes beyond general microbiome diversity.

Both short and long sleep durations may increase metabolic syndrome risk, study concludes

21-Feb-2023 By Olivia Brown

Those reporting an average of nine hours of sleep a day, as well as those sleeping below seven hours, were observed to have greater metabolic syndrome severity scores (MSSS), highlighting the importance of incorporating sleep with diet and activity intervention...

Study: kombucha flattens postprandial glycemic and insulin response

20-Feb-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

When kombucha is consumed with a high-GI meal there is a clinically significant reduction in postprandial glycemic and insulin index (GI and II) response, when compared with water, according to new research.

Sabinsa study elucidates blood sugar benefits of amla ingredient

13-Feb-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

Pharmaceutical corporation Sabinsa completed a 90 day, multicentric randomised open label trial of its Amla, aka Indian gooseberry, extract and concluded it could provide blood sugar benefits.

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’.

Study: Prebiotic fiber shows promise for Type 2 diabetes support

02-Feb-2023 By Danielle Masterson

New research suggests that consistent consumption of Supergut shakes led to improvements in metabolic health, digestion, a health-related quality of life score that included sleep, mood, and energy levels, as well as a validated quality of life measure...

Offspring obesity: review stresses “urgent need” to address maternal vitamin D deficiencies

30-Jan-2023 By Olivia Brown

A recent literature review highlights collated evidence that maternal low vitamin D (VD) levels may result in abnormal growth of the offspring, as well as disordered lipid and glucose metabolism disorders.

NutraCast: The power of resistant starch—beyond gut health

27-Jan-2023 By Danielle Masterson

Resistant starch has received a lot of attention for its potential to exert a healthy impact on the gut and Supergut is adding to that by offering insights through its research.

The rise of femtech: a “rapidly growing industry that should not be ignored”

27-Jan-2023 By Olivia Brown

A report published by personalised nutrition (PN) experts at Qina emphasises that the opportunity for using PN with female technology (femtech) to address health conditions is vast, following an increased awareness of gender-specific health conditions...

Gestational diabetes could be detected early and prevented via microbiome analysis

18-Jan-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) markers, including microbiota, can serve as targets for early diagnostics and therapeutic intervention and prevention, according to new research.

Probiotic strain may help manage CVD risks

16-Jan-2023 By Stephen Daniells

Consumption of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Inducia may exert cardio-metabolic benefits in healthy adults, according to data from two parallel-armed, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies.

Limited scope for vitamin D to prevent type 2 diabetes: study

05-Jan-2023 By Nicola Gordon-Seymour

Vitamin D intake as a preventative measure against type 2 diabetes (T2D) may only benefit individuals with normal glucose tolerance, according to new research.

Potential for mushroom polysaccharides in DM management

21-Dec-2022 By Nicola Gordon-Seymour

A synergistic formula of mushroom polysaccharides and other active components with different pharmacological properties could improve outcomes in the prevention and management of diabetes mellitus (DM) and comorbidities, according to findings from a recent...

Rhodiola extract may support blood sugar management, metabolic health: Study

12-Dec-2022 By Stephen Daniells

Extracts from Rhodiola rosea may improve insulin resistance and metabolic activity in nematodes, says a new study from China.

Editor's Spotlight

Big opportunities in 2023 and beyond: The rise of phages and fermentates

05-Dec-2022 By Nikki Hancocks

The big opportunities within supplements in 2023 and beyond will be within prediabetes, brain health, fermentates, and bacterial phages, according to predictions from white label supplements firm PharmaLinea.

Probiotics and prediabetes: Data reveals benefits across a number of common factors – new meta-analysis

24-Nov-2022 By Hui Ling Dang

Data ‘clearly indicates’ that probiotics may fulfil an important role in the regulation of a number of factors in the prediabetic population, a new meta-analysis and systematic review has confirmed.

Industry association called to action: Time to prove food is not enough

23-Nov-2022 By Nikki Hancocks

Relying on a varied diet to provide all the nutrients your body needs is simply not realistic in today's society and the industry needs data to prove this, industry advocates agreed during the Food Supplements Europe event last Friday (Nov 18).

AI pioneer Nuritas hints at peptide pipeline spanning sleep, cognition, immunity, & more

15-Nov-2022 By Stephen Daniells

With a couple of ingredients already on the market for muscle and cellular aging, Nuritas’ next wave of artificial intelligence driven ingredient discoveries will target some big consumer health needs, including glucose management and very specialized...

Sirio researchers say sugar-alternative gummies lower glycemic response

04-Nov-2022 By Nikki Hancocks

A new study by Sirio gives nutraceutical formulators something new to chew on as it concludes that its sugar-alternative gummies lead to a flattened glycemic response.

Systematic review supports benefits of probiotics for prediabetic individuals

03-Nov-2022 By Hank Schultz

A new systematic review has found that probiotics can improve a number of markers of metabolic health in prediabetic subjects.

Probiotics may improve post-partum gut, metabolic health in women with gestational diabetes

31-Oct-2022 By Gary Scattergood

Probiotics supplementation can improve post-partum metabolic outcomes and the gut microbiota in women with a history of gestational diabetes, say researchers in Malaysia.

Asian pine bark extract shows blood pressure benefits in study

26-Oct-2022 By Hank Schultz

An extract of the bark of an Asian pine species has shown significant reductions of blood pressure in a study conducted in Australia.