Probiotics, prebiotics & postbiotics

Yakult’s Dr Emily Prpa on menopause: “Something new product development could absolutely go to town on”

02-Jul-2024 By Danielle Masterson

The health of half the population has been largely ignored in research and on the shelves. However, the recent IPAWC + Probiota Americas highlighted how more brands are using gut health to tap into a range of needs–from fertility to PMS to menopause.

‘No side effects’: Revolutionary approach to treating dyspepsia hinges on volatile oils in curcumin, say researchers

01-Jul-2024 By Audrey Yow

Curcumin offers a holistic alternative to omeprazole for treating dyspepsia due to the presence of volatile oils, say researchers from Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University.

Gut-boosting treat: Meiji releases functional chocolate containing fructooligosaccharides

01-Jul-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

Meiji has launched new chocolate products that replaced sugar with fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which is said to help regulate intestinal flora and offer various health benefits.

Brand new: Chong Kun Dang Healthcare rides on GLP-1 boom and new launches from Fast&Up, Kalbe

28-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

See new developments from health and nutrition brands across Asia-Pacific, including Chong Kun Dang Healthcare’s launch of a probiotic formula that is said to work in the GLP-1 pathway, how effervescent tablet specialist Fast&Up is cracking India’s...

'Preventive strategy': Researchers to analyse evidence that prenatal probiotics can reduce newborn jaundice

27-Jun-2024 By Audrey Yow

Researchers in Hong Kong have started a randomised controlled trial to observe whether probiotic supplements taken by pregnant women can reduce the incidence of neonatal jaundice.

Alternative to “Gangnam injection”? CKD Healthcare taps on GLP-1 boom with new probiotic launch

26-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

South Korea’s Chong Kun Dang Healthcare (CKDHC) is tapping on the ongoing GLP-1 boom with the launch of a probiotic formula which it said could support the body’s production of the appetite hormone.

'Good prospect': Probiotics can benefit patients on statins for high cholesterol – RCT

26-Jun-2024 By Audrey Yow

Probiotics can help better regulate cholesterol levels by optimising the gut microbiome among people taking statins, according to latest research from a randomised controlled trial (RCT).

Probiotics and constipation: New meta-analysis says most strains effective with laxatives use

25-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

A new meta-analysis claims that probiotics could be effective for addressing constipation in kids, especially if they are paired with laxatives.

Probiotic may boost estrogen levels, provide menopause support: RCT

24-Jun-2024 By Stephen Daniells

Probiotic supplementation containing a specific Levilactobacillus brevis strain may help maintain estrogen levels in healthy peri- and postmenopausal women, compared to placebo, says a new study from the Kaneka Corporation.

'Supplements and skin care': FANCL acquisition could bring synergies across R&D and market presence, says Kirin

20-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Major Japanese brewery Kirin says acquiring FANCL could bring synergies across new product development and market expansion for both supplements and skin care.

Inulin could help correct metabolic issues and promote muscle growth among obese children

19-Jun-2024 By Audrey Yow

Inulin supplementation has been found to boost muscle health in obese children, likely because the Bifidobacterium that digest inulin could produce anti-inflammatory metabolites.

'Holistic beauty': Shiseido’s Ultimune makes beauty-from-within debut with probiotic powder

18-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Ultimune, a flagship sub-brand of the Japanese skincare conglomerate Shiseido, is debuting in the beauty-from-within space with a probiotic powder set for launch on July 1.

“Osteoimmunology”: Japan’s Wada Calcium Pharma launches new FFC for older adults

18-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Japan’s Wada Calcium Pharmaceutical has launched a new Foods with Function Claims (FFC) targeted at supporting bone and immune health in older adults.

B2C move: BioGaia setting up subsidiary firms to oversee direct distribution in ANZ

17-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Swedish probiotics specialist BioGaia is setting up two subsidiaries to oversee direct distribution of its products in Australia and New Zealand.

Probiotics found to promote hair growth and control dandruff – meta-analysis

17-Jun-2024 By Audrey Yow

Researchers have found evidence supporting the potential benefits of probiotics in improving hair health, specifically in terms of dandruff control and hair growth.

Science shorts: Menopause, eye health, weight loss in the spotlight

14-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

This round-up looks at the latest health and nutrition research on the benefits of soybean paste fermented with kōji mould and probiotic in alleviating menopause symptoms, how supplementation of fibre from resistance starch could support weight loss,...

Opportunities aplenty in women’s health sector, but more ingredients research and supplement format innovation needed – Gallinée

13-Jun-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

Microbiome beauty brand Gallinée is urging for more research on ingredients such as prebiotics and innovation in delivery format, as it looks to actively expand in the supplements sector targeting beauty from within and women’s health.

Instant coffee, oat maker Gold Roast extends offerings with new dietary fibre brand

12-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Singapore’s Gold Roast Food Industry, which is known for its instant coffee powder and cereal products, is extending its product line with a new nutritional brand focused on dietary fibre supplementation.

Kimchi-derived probiotic shows potential as functional ingredient due to positive effect on immune regulation – RCT

12-Jun-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

A new study shows that a probiotic strain isolated from Korean kimchi has beneficial effects on immune regulation, particularly in people with a weak immune system, highlighting its potential as a functional health food ingredient.

Partially-hydrolysed guar gum supplementation shown to improve visual memory in elderly – 12-week RCT

11-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Taking five grams of partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG) daily for 12 weeks has been shown to improve visual memory among healthy elderly, a new study from Japan has shown.

Soybean paste fermented with kōji mould and probiotic shows superior effect in alleviating menopause symptoms – Korea study

11-Jun-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

Soybean paste fermented with kōji mould and “good bacteria” like Bacillus subtilis may be a better option over commercially available soybean paste for improving menopausal symptoms, say Korean researchers.

Regulatory review: New Zealand's natural health products, Japan's GMP requirement in the spotlight

07-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

We look at the latest regulatory announcements happening across APAC, including what's next for New Zealand's natural health products regulatory landscape, Japan requiring all Food with Function Claims (FFC) in tablets, capsules forms to comply...

Nutrachampion podcast

PODCAST: Malaysia postbiotics firm My Myracle sets ambitious goal of reducing import reliance

05-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

A Malaysia homegrown postbiotics company has set the ambitious goal of reducing the country's reliance on imports of overseas “biotics” raw materials, managing director of the firm told NutraIngredients-Asia in the latest episode of our Nutrachampion...

Filling a gap: Sinopharm, Probi join hands in developing sports nutrition for bone, joint health

05-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Sinopharm Foreign Trade and Probi AB have developed a new sports nutrition product for supporting bone and joint health, targeting especially seniors who would like to maintain an active lifestyle.

Probiotics boost serotonin levels in patients with IBS, subthreshold depression – study

05-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Drinking cultured milk containing two probiotic strains could improve serotonin levels in individuals suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and subthreshold depression, according to findings from a 12-week study conducted in Malaysia.

Growing market: CJ Wellcare extends blood sugar management offerings with two launches in a month

04-Jun-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Major South Korean supplement firm CJ Wellcare is adding to its blood sugar management portfolio, with two successive health functional foods launched this month, as it hopes to tap on a market that had expanded 18 per cent year-on-year.

Trend tracker: Eye health supplement sector booming in Taiwan, Japan

31-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Here is the round-up of the latest nutraceutical trends in Asia-Pacific, including exclusive analysis of Taiwan's nutraceutical market trends, where eye health is one of most popular categories. The high demand for eye health supplements is also...

Vitaco targets unique needs of female athletes with new women-centred sports nutrition brand

29-May-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

Vitaco has launched a new sports nutrition brand ATHENA that is dedicated to helping women achieve their sporting and fitness goals, with products specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of female athletes.

Behind the Big Story

How Aussie brand Bioglan hopes to pave way for muscle health understanding in relation to ageing across APAC

28-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Bioglan is hoping to foster a deeper understanding of muscle health and its relation to ageing, with plans to expand its current efforts from the domestic Australian market to other APAC countries, including New Zealand and China.

A new functional foods category in China? Proposal draws mixed reactions from regulatory experts - In-depth analysis

27-May-2024 By Audrey Yow

A proposal by Feihe Dairy’s chairman to add a new functional foods category to China’s regulatory system could offer financial and innovation benefits to brands, but there are concerns around its practicality and industry compliance.

From muscle to metabolic health: Synbio Tech, Cosmax NBT to explore probiotics’ potential

27-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Taiwanese probiotic manufacturer Synbio Tech is joining hands with South Korean contract manufacturer Cosmax NBT Inc. in exploring the use of probiotics for metabolic health.

Brand new: Wanglaoji, Dose & Co, Nestle India in the spotlight

24-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

See new developments from health and nutrition brands across Asia-Pacific, including China herbal tea brand Wanglaoji’s South East Asia expansion plans, New Zealand collagen brand Dose & Co bought over by UK's Vector Consumer, Nestle India and...

‘Unique’ demand: Morinaga Nutritional Foods Vietnam expands functional products for kids, seniors

23-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Morinaga Nutritional Foods Vietnam is increasing its line-up targeting children’s and the elderly’s nutritional needs, describing the high demand for these products as being “unique” to the country.

Swisse’s owner H&H Group reports double-digit growth in China’s adult nutrition market

22-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Swisse’s parent company Health and Happiness Group (H&H Group) is seeing strong demand for its adult nutrition products in China, where the company has reported 12.3 per cent year-on-year (yoy) growth in Q1.

Two in five pharmacists believe more expensive dietary supplements are more effective – Malaysia study

20-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Two in five pharmacists believe there is a correlation between the efficacy and price of dietary supplements, new findings from a study that took place in Malaysia reveal.

VitamINSIGHTS

Taiwan nutra market: Eye health, beauty, probiotics trending, with food firms, influencers entering business

15-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Eye care is consistently cited as one of the top trending health supplement categories in Taiwan, alongside beauty-from-within, and functional probiotics that serve purposes beyond gut health, say leading industry players in our latest deep dive into...

Urgent action needed: NZ natural products industry demands action to boost exports as Therapeutic Products Act repealed

13-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

The New Zealand natural health products industry is calling for urgent action to protect and boost exports after the country's health minister said the government would repeal the Therapeutic Products Act due to come into force in 2026.

GK Bio plans expansion in neighbouring SEA countries with fungi, probiotics launch

09-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Malaysia headquartered GK Bio International, which specialises in fungi and probiotics supplements, says it is expanding into the neighbouring South East Asian countries, including Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Probiotics shown to reduce fatty liver and increase Bifidobacterium in NAFLD patients – Taiwan study

08-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

The supplementation of the spore-forming probiotic Bacillus coagulans could reduce fatty liver content in patients suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), an eight-week RCT from Taiwan has shown.

South Korea’s NVP Healthcare banks on gut-liver probiotic for global growth

08-May-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

South Korean biohealth company NVP Healthcare is pending a European patent for its probiotic complex that claims to improve both intestinal health and liver function, in hopes that it would pave the way for global expansion.

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

07-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

From Japan's Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's red yeast rice supplement scandal to Unilever's hydration brand Liquid I.V. making its way into more markets, including China and Australia, here are the most-read stories on NutraIngredients-Asia...

Korean angelica-derived probiotic strain shown to be effective in reducing body fat – Kolmar-funded RCT

06-May-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

A plant-derived probiotic strain has been found to be effective in reducing body fat, and could potentially be a safer alternative for weight loss management compared to existing drugs, say Korean researchers.

'High base' impact: BYHEALTH’s Q1 sales suffer from lower demand for immune health products

06-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

China dietary supplement giant BYHEALTH reported a nearly 15 per cent slide in its Q1 revenue, which was mainly due to the reduced demand for immune health products as compared to the same time last year.

Science shorts: Benefits of EPA for migraine, vitamin D in reducing menstrual pain and more

03-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

This round-up looks at the latest health and nutrition research on the benefits of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in reducing migraine frequency, the use of caffeine in enhancing sports performance among female athletes, vitamin D for reducing menstrual...

Nestle taps into Dr. Reddy’s nutra distribution network to boost India reach

01-May-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Nestle India is forming a joint venture with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories to boost the reach of its nutraceutical products, such as Nature’s Bounty and Optifast, across India.

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.

Don’t miss out: Register for our Healthy Ageing APAC webinar to gain insights from major industry players

26-Apr-2024 By Tingmin Koe

You can gain exclusive insights on healthy ageing from leading nutraceutical players, including H&H Group, Himalaya Wellness, Senescence and more in NutraIngredients-Asia’s upcoming editorial webinar.

Probiotics may improve sexual function in women on anti-depressants

24-Apr-2024 By Cheryl Marie Tay

Probiotic supplementation could have the potential to improve mood and sexual function in women diagnosed with depression and being treated with anti-depressant medication in the form of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), say researchers...

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.

Financials round-up: Spotlight on Danone, Unilever, Otsuka, Kirin, a2 milk

16-Apr-2024 By Tingmin Koe

This round-up looks at how international and regional health and nutrition companies have fared in their latest financial performance, featuring insights from Danone, Unilever, Otsuka, Kirin, and The a2 Milk Company.