Emerging ingredients and the future of healthy ageing
There are many well-documented and researched ingredients that offer healthy ageing benefits. As more of these come to market, manufacturers are provided with the opportunity to diversify product ranges, which excites supply chain stakeholders and end consumers.
Professor Jian Guan, at the University of Auckland, highlights the potential of the New Zealand blackcurrant in its ability to prevent age-related declines in cognitive function and maintain normal blood pressure.
The New Zealand blackcurrant has high levels of the compound cyclic Glycine-Proline (cGP), which is mediated through regulating IGF-1 function, and shares the mechanism of IGF-1 which has been well researched in literature generated over the past 50 years, explains Guan, and the effects of cGP in improving vascular circulation through normalising the function of IGF-1 has been well documented in the last 20 years.
Another promising ingredient is pollen extract, Kim highlights its benefits in both men and women thanks to its various sterol compounds obtained from lipophilic fraction, as well as various amino acids and derivatives obtained from hydrophilic fraction. Pollen extract also has applications in pharmaceuticals, nutritional supplements, functional foods, and skincare products, with health claims including increased prostate health in men, urinary health, liver support and menopause health in women.
One of the newer ingredients on the market is aged black garlic, which has traditionally been used in Japanese cuisine but has now made its way into the nutraceutical world, thanks to its high antioxidant and cardioprotective activity. “Additionally, its organoleptic properties have also helped make it one of the newest extracts in the healthy ageing category,” Ortega says.
Damage associated with oxidative stress remains a key area of concern among ageing consumers, and there is established interest in antioxidant ingredients that prevent the cumulative tissue degradation process that occurs with age. There's a plethora of research backing astaxanthin as one of the most powerful antioxidants on the market, and there are also studies on its neuroprotective action thanks to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and exert its antioxidant and inflammatory properties within the brain. Its beneficial effect on the circulatory system also helps to maintain central nervous system function.
Kim highlights that even majorly developed countries are experiencing rising medical cost associated with an ageing population. He forecasts that the future of innovative solutions for seniors will be non-pharma intervention, with necessary perception change taking place at the consumer and policy level.
There's potential for further synergy between different ingredients, such as collagen and carotenoids combinations in the skincare space. Consumers understand collagens benefits and have long integrated it into their beauty routines – now they’re looking for new ingredients that can support it. Carotenoids which help influence overall skin appearance, and even balance the skin’s natural collagen levels, are the perfect partners.
While there are without doubts, many exotic and novel botanicals that could be investigated for healthy ageing benefits, innovation can also take inspiration from local fruits and vegetables, representative of healthy dietary traditions.
Whilst the healthy ageing category continues to deliver a plethora of innovative ingredients and products, a consumer shift towards preventative and age-inclusive solutions will drive new opportunities for the industry. This will enable consumers to adopt dietary habits that will prove to be key in preventing an abundance of diseases later in life.
Hannah Ackermann is corporate communications manager, Comet Bio is a registered dietitian. Before joining Comet Bio, Ackerman worked in nutrition communications at leading global market research and public relations firms. She holds bachelor's degrees in nutritional science and journalism from Indiana University, Bloomington and an MBA in marketing from Dominican University, Chicago.
Max Gowland, Ph.D., founder and managing director at Prime Fifty, is dedicated to helping the over 50s stay active via targeted nutritional supplements, specifically formulated for the ageing metabolism. He holds a doctorate in amino acid biochemistry from Nottingham University. Starting his career at Procter & Gamble, he then went on to become global R&D director for Reckitt Benckiser before joining Jeyes Group as their chief innovation officer. Dr Gowland then co-founded Prime Fifty Ltd, dedicated to the health and wellbeing of the over 50s.
Jian Guan, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor, University of Auckland, completed a bachelor of medicine at Wuhan University, China, in 1982, and then a doctorate in paediatrics at Auckland University, New Zealand in 1996. Her studies discovered the function and mechanism of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in preventing stroke injuries and promoting stroke recovery. Amongst all published journal articles, she has primary authorships (first or correspondent and senior authorships) in more than 70% of them. She is the inventor of 14 granted international patents.
Sun-Ho Frank Kim, Ph. D., owner and president, SEAH bio solution, has a doctorate and honours degree in biomaterial science and technology from Yonsei University and is currently the owner and president of SEAH bio solution based in Seoul, Korea. He has over 29 years of experience in R&D, technology-oriented marketing, sourcing in pharma, nutraceuticals and food technology. He now assumes positions introducing new nutraceutical ingredients to European and Japanese markets.