Nutiva rolled out its new organic buttery coconut oil earlier this year. Photo from Nutiva.

  As more consumers seek out nutritious alternatives to butter, margarine, and traditional cooking oils, up-and-coming oils, from avocado oil to pecan oil, are quickly shooting up the sales charts. But one of the biggest breakout ingredients in the category is coconut oil, thanks to its solid nutritional profile and easy use as a butter substitute.

U.S. coconut oil sales reached more than $239 million in 2015, according to SPINS

. And while that’s still less than the total sales posted by category leaders canola oil and soybean oil, coconut oil sales climbed 31.3% in 2015 compared to the previous year. Canola and soybean oil, on the other hand, saw sales decrease by 5.7% and 9%, respectively, during the same period.

“Interest in organic virgin coconut oil has been rapidly growing over the past decade,” says Meg Carlson, president and CEO of Prosperity Organic Foods. Since 2012, Prosperity Organic Foods has been marketing its MELT Organic products-featuring virgin coconut oil, hi-oleic sunflower oil, and flaxseed oil-as a “luscious butter improvement that is truly good for you.” (Recently, the company even introduced a probiotic buttery spread containing the Ganeden BC30 

“Consumers have become educated about the nutritional profile and benefits of eating organic virgin coconut oil rather than GMO-derived vegetable oils like soy and canola,” explains Carlson.

One marketing challenge for coconut oil may be its high saturated fat content, but not all saturated fats are created equal, says Carlson. The saturated fats in Prosperity’s organic virgin coconut oil do not elevate LDL cholesterol and are rich in medium-chain fatty acids, which have been researched for benefits to metabolism and thyroid activity, explains Carlson.

Consumers seem to be getting the message, as Prosperity Organic Foods has “already seen a significant change in the perception of saturated fats,” Carlson says.

John Roulac, founder and CEO of Nutiva, agrees that consumer perception of saturated fats has changed since Nutiva began selling coconut oil back in 2003.

“As thousands of doctors now know, there’s no direct connection between saturated fat and heart disease,” Roulac explains. Nutiva’s coconut oil sales have “exceeded all expectations,” says Roulac, and in January the company debuted a new organic buttery coconut oil.

The potential positive health benefits of coconut oil are also outweighing any negative perception of saturated fats, suggests Mary Ann Siciliano, national sales manager for oils supplier Arista Industries (Wilton, CT). She points to the “unique combination of fatty acids, antioxidants, and phenol compounds” in Arista’s organic extra virgin coconut oil, which makes it a popular choice for consumers looking to improve cholesterol levels or lower the risk of heart disease.

One of the biggest factors in coconut oil’s favor is undoubtedly its ability to easily substitute for butter in a variety of applications. With a similar melt point as butter and unobtrusive flavor, it works on everything from popcorn to steamed vegetables, says Nutiva’s Roulac.  

“Organic extra virgin coconut oil can tolerate higher heat than many other oils,” explains Arista’s Siciliano. “It has a smoke point of around 350 °F, and it is great for sautÃ©ing and frying. It can be used in place of shortening or butter in a variety of baked goods, including cakes, candy, cookies, pastry, and pies.”

It’s no wonder then that coconut oil is giving canola and soybean oils a run for their money. 

* Data includes natural supermarkets (excluding Whole Foods Market), specialty supermarkets, and conventional multi-outlet channels. Comparison of 52 weeks ending 12/27/15 with 52 weeks ending 12/28/14

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Coconut oil’s sales are surging thanks to its appeal as a healthier replacement for butter.

Crazy for Coconut Oil

At this year’s Natural Products Expo West trade show, KIND introduced extensions to its Nuts & Spices and Fruit & Nut lines, including Dark Chocolate Almond & Mint. “Available this spring, each of the new bars is made with whole nuts as the first ingredient,” the company announced. Photo from KIND.

   There are signs that dynamic growth in nutrition bar launches in recent years may now be stabilizing, with the number of introductions falling back slightly in 2015. Even so, the number of global launches Innova Market Insights tracked in the 12 months ending October 2015 was still twice as high as the level of launch activity seen five years ago. The bottom line? Nutrition bars are still very popular, and their healthy image persists, despite some adverse publicity about the sugar content of some products. Above all, the “Big Four” still command nutrition bars: “free from,” clean labels, protein, and fiber.

Europe accounts for the highest number of bar launches overall (over 40% of the global total), but this is mainly because of the large number of countries involved. Adjusting for that, the United States dominates the market overall and accounts for over a quarter of global introductions; moreover, U.S. bar companies tend to lead in terms of product development, even in a relatively mature and complex market. The bar category today encompasses a wide range of products, including granola or muesli bars and breakfast bars, as well as nutrition, energy, and performance bars.

Despite concerns over how healthy some of the products actually are, consumers are still strongly interested in the health benefits bars have to offer. Well over 80% of global cereal bar introductions recorded by Innova Market Insights in the 12 months ending October 2015 used a health positioning of some kind, rising to 92% in the United States. Just like the rest of the snack and food/drink market, clean-labelling concerns are a key focus, with over half of U.S. cereal bar launches using one or more claims relating to naturalness, freedom from additives/preservatives, and organic certification. Examples include General Mills’ two new Real Good Bars, part of its Food Should Taste Good range, made with nuts, seeds, fruit pieces, and spices, with no artificial ingredients or GMOs.

In the United States particularly, growing use of non-GMO certifications reflects rising concerns among consumers and is particularly strong in the cereals market, including cereal bars. Up to 46% of U.S. launches use GMO-free claims-over twice the global level.

Other, more traditional “free from” claims continue to work as well, with over half of U.S. launches featuring gluten-free claims. Interest in protein content is also rising, with “high in” and “source of” protein claims used on nearly 22% of global introductions, rising to over 40% in the United States. Recently, Manitoba Harvest extended its range of hemp-based protein products with three nutrition bars under the Hemp Heart Bar name. Mediterra introduced two high-protein savory snack bars in Bell Pepper/Green Olive and Kale/Pumpkin Seed flavors.

“High in” and “source of fiber” are also traditional claims but still strongly used in the bar market, on just over one-third of U.S. launches; “whole-grain” claims are used on just under one-fifth. General Mills extended its Fiber One range in October 2015 with its Cheesecake Bars in Salted Caramel and Strawberry flavors. The bars are said to combine the taste and texture of cheesecake, but in a guilt-free format.

Other emerging trends include the arrival of popped products in the savory bars sector, such as KIND Healthy Snacks’ Popped products, introduced last year, featuring six supergrains: amaranth, buckwheat, millet, oats, quinoa, and sorghum.

The cereal bars market seems set for further growth, with health and nutrition to remain a focus alongside other factors like a premium and indulgent image and unusual flavors and ingredients. Marketers will continue to find possibilities in the use of new ingredients and formats and targeting of new usage occasions. 

Innova Market Insights is your source for new-product data. The Innova Database (

) is the product of choice for the whole product-development team, offering excellent product pictures, search possibilities, and analysis. See what food manufacturers are doing around the world: track trends, competitors, ingredients, and flavors. In today’s fast-moving environment, this is a resource you cannot afford to be without.

Which healthy trends are dominating in nutrition bars?

Nutrition Bar Update

“I’m burned out.” It’s an expression we hear more often these days by those feeling so stressed by the daily grind that they suffer from brain fog, fatigue, loss of initiative, poor sleep, and low mood. But burnout is a real condition, characterized most often by workplace stress and subsequently compounded by other life responsibilities.

The medical community first used the term 

 to refer to physicians whose demanding, long-term shifts created dramatic, acute stress. Any worker, however, can suffer from this condition. The American Institute of Stress defines 

 as “a disabling reaction to stress on the job.” The institute also estimates that job stress costs U.S. industry $300 billion annually, as measured by absenteeism, decreased productivity, employee turnover, and direct medical, legal, and insurance fees. The institute also reports that nearly half of all American workers suffer from symptoms of burnout.

Consider, also, the following statistics from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

One-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number-one stressor in their lives. (Source: Northwestern National Life survey)

Three-fourths of employees believe today’s workers have more on-the-job stress than employees a generation ago. (Source: Princeton Survey Research Associates)

Work-related problems are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor-more so than even financial problems or family problems. (Source: St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co.)
 

According to the American Institute of Stress, when burnout occurs, it quickly incurs symptoms like fatigue, irritability, sleeplessness, inability to concentrate and focus, forgetfulness, and anxiety/panic attacks. Additionally, stressed individuals may either lose weight due to loss of appetite or gain weight due to comfort eating. Still other symptoms include involuntary teeth grinding/clenching, leading to jaw pain and headaches, and/or increased alcohol consumption or drug use. Psychologically, the burnout sufferer will also become depressed, feel isolated, lose interest in intimacy and motivation, and experience feelings of uselessness and hopelessness. All this amounts to noticeable loss of productivity and increased absenteeism.

Long-term and unaddressed, burnout can raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, psychological disorders, ulcers, and impaired immune function, according to the International Labour Organization’s Encyclopaedia of Occupational Safety and Health

Although dietary supplements for stress support are a long-standing category, formulated more for acute conditions, as a subcategory of stress support, burnout presents numerous opportunities to offer consumers relief.

One combination supplement, a casozepine (milk casein) blend called Target 1, was clinically researched for its effects on individuals suffering from burnout. In addition to milk casein ingredient Lactium*, a branded ingredient from Pharmachem Laboratories, the Target 1 blend includes Extramel, a proprietary, antioxidant-rich melon extract developed by French supplier Bionov and distributed by Seppic SA (France); taurine, an ingredient believed to have energizing properties; and the adaptogenic Siberian ginseng plant 

, which may increase the body’s resistance to stress, said researchers.

The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study

 took place at the University of Bordeaux (France), where 44 participants aged 18–65 suffering from some degree of burnout were given two 640-mg Target 1 tablets to take twice daily for 12 weeks. A comparable group of 41 participants received a placebo. All participants underwent verbal interviews on their life and mental state at the beginning and conclusion of the study.

At the outset of the study, all participants in the placebo and the treatment groups reported feeling at least “present” burnout exposure as evaluated on the Burnout Measure Scale (BMS-10), which rates 10 parameters such as feeling tired, disappointed with people, hopeless, trapped, helpless, depressed, physically weak, worthless/like a failure, fed up, or having difficulty sleeping. The majority of participants reported “high” burnout levels, with a few reporting “very high” burnout.

By the end of the 12 weeks, 14 of the placebo participants still had a “high” level of burnout compared with 26 at the beginning of the trial. By comparison, at the end of the 12 weeks, only two participants taking Target 1 reported a “high” level of burnout compared with 33 at the trial’s outset. The supplement group also presented greater improvement on the Maslach’s Burnout Inventory Scale–Human Service Survey for professional fatigue than the placebo group.

“The dietary supplement Target 1, when used in association with verbal expression, might represent a primary tool in the care of people affected by burnout in the future,” the researchers concluded.

It should also be noted that, individually, these ingredients can hold their own for relieving effects of stress:

 Lactium is a patented hydrolysate of milk proteins that contain a bioactive peptide with relaxing properties that regulate stress naturally. Lactium has been the subject of several other research studies.

 was conducted over a 30-day period on 63 female volunteers showing at least one stress symptom. Those subjects receiving Lactium (dosage 150 mg/day) had a significantly greater improvement in stress symptoms versus placebo in the following areas: digestive, intellectual, social, cardiovascular, and emotional. The effect of Lactium was greater in subjects with a high intensity score for a major symptom at the beginning of the study.

 conducted on 42 healthy men put through stressful, controlled situations showed that plasma cortisol concentrations significantly decreased in the Lactium group by 20.69%, whereas concentrations only decreased by 3.39% in the placebo group. The authors concluded that Lactium “displays an anti-stress activity in human subjects.”

This amino acid is used to create the major inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), a deficiency of which can lead to overstimulation and the feeling of being overwhelmed. When GABA levels are low, as is typical in high-stress situations, this can result in anxiety and related issues. Much of the available GABA is unable to effectively cross the blood-brain barrier, yet taurine, a building block of GABA, can. One mouse study

 concluded that supplementation of taurine activated GABA receptors, leading to the minimization of excitability, or nervous tension.

One randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study

 evaluated the effect of this proprietary melon juice concentrate rich in superoxide dismutase on the signs and symptoms of stress and fatigue in 70 healthy volunteers aged 30–55 years who expressed feeling daily stress and fatigue. For four weeks, these volunteers took either 10 mg Extramel (140 IU SOD) daily or a placebo. Stress and fatigue were measured using four observational psychometric scales: FARD, PSS-14, SF-12, and Epworth scale. The authors concluded that the supplement significantly improved signs and symptoms of stress and fatigue linked to performance, physical (pain, sleep troubles), cognitive (low concentration, weariness, sleep troubles), or behavioral (irritability, difficulty of contact) activity compared to the placebo.

 Scientific reviews of this adaptogenic plant, also known as eleuthero or Siberian ginseng, generally ascribe its abilities to alleviate fatigue, help increase energy, and support immune function.

Of course, other supplement ingredients exist that have been shown to provide a sense of calm, increased energy, accelerated sleep onset, and the ability to “take the edge off.” Formulating powerful supplements that help the body withstand and decrease physiological symptoms of burnout should go a long way in helping those specific consumers recover not only naturally, but safely and gently. 

Editor’s note: * Lactium is an ingredient sold by the author’s company, Pharmachem Laboratories.

Mitch Skop is senior director of product development for Pharmachem Laboratories Inc. (Kearny, NJ). His experience includes implementing and evaluating research for promising ingredients; working with formulators to develop safe, efficacious ingredients; advising customers on various delivery forms and applications; and supervising successful product launches, from securing proper certifications to branding.

Rethinking Relaxation Ingredients with New Combinations, Product Types

Mood and Relaxation Dietary Supplements: Hope in a Bottle

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 

Encyclopaedia of Occupational Safety and Health. International Labour Organization. 

www.ilo.org/safework/info/publications/WCMS_113329/lang--en/index.htm

Jacquet A et al., “Burnout: Evaluation of the efficacy and tolerability of TARGET 1 for professional fatigue syndrome (burnout),” 

Journal of International Medical Research,

Kim JH et al., “Efficacy of alpha1-casein hydrolysate on stress-related symptoms in women,” 

Messaoudi M et al., “Effects of a tryptic hydrolysate from bovine milk alphaS1-casein on hemodynamic responses in healthy human volunteers facing successive mental and physical stress situations,” 

Jia F et al., “Taurine is a potent activator of extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptors in the thalamus,” 

Milesi M et al., “Effect of an oral supplementation with a proprietary melon juice concentrate (Extramel) on stress and fatigue in healthy people: a pilot, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial,” 

Why burnout is the next big opportunity for dietary supplements

Dietary Supplements for Stress-Related Burnout

Multivitamins: they may not be as sexy, glamorous, or headline-grabbing as the latest exotic herb or plant-protein superstar, but they remain one of the most popular, trusted products in the dietary-supplement market. “Multivitamins continue to be one of the top-selling products within the supplements industry,” confirms Duffy McKay, ND, senior vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs, Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN; Washington, DC). “It is fair to say that the multivitamin is a product that really reaches mainstream America. When you consider that more than two-thirds of Americans take dietary supplements, we know that many, many of those individuals are using multivitamins as an insurance policy to fill nutrient gaps,” he adds.

Indeed, CRN’s latest Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements, published late last year, provides some pretty solid, encouraging figures regarding multivitamin use in the United States. For instance, of the 68% of Americans who took dietary supplements in 2015, more than three-quarters took a multivitamin. Analyzed by demographic, 83% of supplement users aged 18–34 took a multivitamin, 80% of users aged 35–54 took a multivitamin, and 71% of senior supplement users (aged 55 and up) took a multivitamin. Examined by gender, the numbers are nearly equal at 79% of male supplement users taking a multivitamin and 77% of female users doing the same.

Perhaps most edifying for industry is the high level of trust Americans have in vitamins and minerals in general: CRN’s survey showed that 85% of Americans have overall confidence in the safety, quality, and effectiveness of vitamins/minerals.
 

Recent sales of multivitamins, both in the United States and abroad, reflect their popularity and trustworthiness among consumers. SPINS natural products specialist Kimberly Kawa reports that multivitamins had a good year in the United States in 2015. Total sales through natural (excluding Whole Foods markets), specialty gourmet, and conventional multioutlet channels were calculated by SPINS at just over $1 billion, with overall growth of nearly 5% over the previous year. Significant gains were made in the sales of men’s multivitamins (14.5% growth in sales via all combined channels over the previous year), women’s multivitamins (7.9% over the previous year), and general adult multivitamins (2.1% over the previous year), according to SPINS data. “Self-care is becoming more prominent as more consumers are looking to steer away from the conventional healthcare paradigm,” comments Kawa on why multivitamins’ popularity seems only to grow. “Consumers realize that the standard American diet is probably not up to par with optimal vitamin and nutrient requirements, and they are seeking primary prevention methods [such as multivitamin use] for filling in dietary gaps.”

Kawa’s comment is in line with some statements made in the newly published 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which point to dietary supplements in general as being “useful in providing one or more nutrients that otherwise may be consumed in less than recommended amounts or that are of particular concern for specific population groups.” The guidelines identify vitamins A, D, E, and C, calcium, and magnesium (among others) as nutrients that are “consumed by many individuals in amounts below the estimated average requirement or adequate intake levels.” CRN’s McKay calls the newest guidelines “one of the strongest reasons for multivitamins’ popularity in 2015.”

Data-analysis firm Euromonitor’s methodology calculates the total value of U.S. multivitamin sales in 2015 to be $5.2 billion retail value, which accounts for roughly half of all sales in the vitamin/multivitamin category. Internationally, that multivitamin sales figure increases to $14 billion. A December 2015 Euromonitor report on vitamins and multivitamins attributes growth in multivitamins to “the sustained purchases and the unit-price increase” of the products. “The price of multivitamins continued to grow as more manufacturers launched new products with different delivery formats and condition-specific formulations tailored to a specific age, gender, and other characteristics” in 2015, the report reads. “By positioning, women, including pregnant women, were the largest target segment” for multivitamins. Euromonitor forecasts continued growth for multivitamins in 2016, both domestically and internationally.

In an established, saturated market such as multivitamins, brands must continually innovate to stay competitive. Multivitamin brands are doing this in a number of ways, particularly in the areas of formulations and added ingredients. Tobe Cohen, vice president of DSM Human Nutrition & Health North America (Parsippany, NJ), says that “brand owners are optimizing formulas based on evolving science and understanding of nutrient gaps.” For instance, adds Charles Barber, technical applications manager, BASF Nutrition & Health (Florham Park, NJ), “customers are especially interested in adding high-concentrate omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B based on the compelling science around it, and vitamin D because more physicians are recommending it.”

Formulations for eye health are growing in popularity, point out Ayako Homma, senior analyst at Euromonitor International, BASF’s Barber, and DSM’s Cohen, likely the result of the Baby Boomer generation’s now advanced age. Lutein and other carotenoids are primary ingredients present in these formulations.

Ingredients deemed “pure,” “high quality,” and “more bioavailable” are trending, too, say analysts and suppliers. SPINS’s Kawa says that “whole-food-based multivitamins have a big following and usually come with additional superfood or herbal boosts.” (See page 54 for more on whole-food supplements.) Kawa points to coenzymated or methylated B vitamins as an example of a more-bioavailable ingredient, as well as minerals bound to citrate, glycinate, malate, and aspartate instead of oxide or carbonate. She also notes a “shift toward brands using less-questionable fillers and excipients.”

CRN’s McKay sees individualized multivitamin formulas aimed at more-specific types of consumers as a current trend. These formulas, he says, are made for active athletes, for instance, or men with prostate- and heart-health concerns, or older adults: “We see companies targeting multivitamins so that consumers can say, ‘This is 

Finally, organic-ingredients supplier Orgenetics Inc. (Brea, CA) reports continued interest in and demand for organic vitamins extracted from organic fruit and vegetable sources. “We have seen this specific organic-vitamins industry grow from a niche we created to a fully fledged industry,” says Saumil Maheshvari, marketing. “Organic-multivitamins demand has been just fantastic ever since we introduced it. This really shows the underlying consumer shift toward healthier alternatives and healthier lifestyles. More and more consumers are learning that organic food-based vitamins indeed are healthy.” (Turn to page 52 for more on this.)

Consumers desiring a tastier, “fun” way to ingest their multivitamin now have a wealth of options, as do multivitamin brands looking to distinguish themselves in online stores and on retail shelves. “Gummies have really taken off in the multivitamin category,” states CRN’s McKay. No longer marketed exclusively for children, gummies are winning over more young-adult consumers, as the products are “easier to digest and offer new and varied flavors,” says Euromonitor’s Ayako Homma.

One downside to manufacturing gummies, says McKay, is that they have physical and chemical limitations. “Some minerals don’t behave well” in a gummy matrix, he says. And stability can be an issue. “Innovation is ongoing within the gummy area to figure out how to make a more full-spectrum gummy multivitamin and better formulas.”

Euromonitor’s Homma also identifies non-gummy, tablet-style chewable vitamins as trending for senior consumers, “as their delivery format is not as likely to stick to teeth as gummies are, but is still easier to consume than traditional large pills.”

Outside of the gummy and the chewable-tablet formats, BASF’s Barber lists orally disintegrating tablets, emulsions, stick packs (for dissolving in beverages), powdered drinks, and “tablets or softgel capsules with integrated taste-masking or modified-release technologies” as trends in multivitamin delivery. He says his company is a leader in innovating novel delivery forms and technologies because it sees a “critical need to bridge the gap in healthcare resulting from low compliance and changing consumer demographics.”

DSM’s Welsh adds mints to the list of leading-edge delivery systems and says that “food-like forms” are an evolving delivery method. “Fundamentally, we see the convergence of food forms and nutritional technology,” he says.

Multivitamins have been manufactured and sold in the United States since the mid-1930s, but their ingredients, formulas, and delivery systems continue to evolve and improve, and their popularity remains robust. In 2015, such factors as the mention of a role for supplements in the most-recent revision of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, an aging population, a millennial generation raised by health-conscious Baby Boomers, increasing consumer interest in preventative health and wellness, and the increased accessibility of products through various distribution channels all contributed to the multivitamin’s strong demand and sales.

Formulations targeted to specific demographics, such as pregnant women, active athletes, and men with cardiovascular and prostate concerns, were popular and represented marketing efforts aimed at winning specific customer types. Likewise, novel, easy-to-consume, even whimsical innovations in delivery systems set brands apart from each other and included gummies for adults, flavored chewables for adults, orally disintegrating tablets, dissolvable powders, and more.

It seems that demand for multivitamins will remain high as long as scientists and medical professionals continue to identify nutrient gaps in the typical American diet; public interest in preventative and even alternative medicine continues to grow; and supplement brands continue to innovate in formulation, “purity” of ingredients, and delivery format. 

Sidebar: Why You Should Add Vitamin K2 to Your Multivitamin

Some multivitamins are formulated with vitamin K1; other multis contain no vitamin K at all. But suppliers of vitamin K2 (in the long-chain MK-7 menaquinone form of vitamin K2) continue to emphasize why vitamin K2, especially, should be a key ingredient in any vitamin mix due to its benefits for arterial and bone health.

Vitamin K2 supplier NattoPharma USA Inc. (Metuchen, NJ), along with its research partners at Maastricht University (the Netherlands) and the Vita-K supplement brand, is helping raise awareness of vitamin K2, touting its role in improving bone-mineral density, bone-mineral content, bone strength, and arterial flexibility.

“The awareness of and demand for vitamin K2 continues to grow,” states Eric Anderson, senior vice president, global sales and marketing, NattoPharma. “The publication of our three-year clinical studies showing that MenaQ7 vitamin K2 not only improved [bone health] but also inhibited age-related arterial stiffening while improving arterial flexibility have earned attention, particularly from respected practitioners.

“A growing number of compelling and groundbreaking studies showing vitamin K2 has long-term merit for all stages of life is the key force driving demand,” Anderson continues.

Sam Kwon, president of Vesta Ingredients Inc. (Indianapolis, IN), which supplies the NattoMK-7 brand of vitamin K2, says, “It is vital to emphasize that not all vitamin Ks are equal in regards to health benefits and efficacy. Consumers should be wary of this when deciding what vitamin K products they purchase.”

Compared to other vitamin K2 forms, ranging from MK-4 to MK-12 (the numeral designating the number of isoprenoid units on the molecule carbon), vitamin K2 MK-7 is “unique in that it has been shown to be more bioavailable and has a longer half-life in the bloodstream after oral intake, thus providing its benefits for a longer period of time,” Kwon says. MK-7 also outperforms MK-4, which is the other naturally occuring form of vitamin K2, he adds.

Of Vesta’s NattoMK-7, Kwon says, “Vitamin K2 (MK-7) derived from natto has been shown to be the most effective and [provide] longer-lasting benefits after supplementation due to its longer half-life in circulation. In addition, our product is 100% non-GMO, allergen free, and kosher certified.”

NattoPharma’s Anderson says that K2 is essential for the activation of K-dependent proteins that build strong bones and contribute to cardiovascular health, but that the Western diet has created a population, “particularly children,” deficient in this nutrient. “Without adequate vitamin K intake,” he warns, “calcium cannot be properly utilized in the body to build healthy, strong bones. As up to 90% of peak bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and 20 in boys, this is a most advantageous time to supplement with MenaQ7.”

Currently in the United States, a few multivitamins formulated with K2 are already on the market. These include offerings from Thorne Research, Pure Encapsulations, and NutriGold.

Consumer awareness of K2 is growing, says Vesta Ingredients’ Kwon. “The global functional food market has increased in vitamin K2 products, nearly doubling in number of products launched globally from 2008–2012, according to a study by Mintel. When we compare Google search interests over the past five years (January 2011–January 2016), we see a 16% bump in ‘vitamin K’ searches and an incredible 280% increase in ‘vitamin K2’ searches, specifically. All these trends indicate that the interest and acknowledgement of health benefits associated with vitamin K2 are taking off, from the consumer to the nutritional industry,” Kwon says.

“We anticipate that these trends will only continue to grow as further research continues to verify the vital role of vitamin K2 in maintenance of health and as the public becomes more aware/educated,” he continues.

Sidebar: Back to Nature: The Case for Organic Vitamins

For as long as most consumers can remember, the majority of vitamins and minerals used in dietary supplements have been isolates synthesized in laboratories-a trend that took off during World War II when soldiers needed a cheap and easy way to get the nutrients they needed on the battlefield. However, with the tide toward organic food and drink, demands and education around the benefits of organic, plant-based vitamins and minerals is growing, says Saumil Maheshvari, marketing, Orgenetics Inc. (Brea, CA), a supplier of vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant ingredients derived from standardized extracts of 100%-USDA-certified organic fruits, vegetables, and various other botanicals.

The difference between a synthetic vitamin/mineral isolate and a vitamin/mineral ingredient naturally occurring in plants is significant, Maheshvari says. For one thing, non-synthetic ingredients may offer faster and easer absorption into the body, with little to minimal stomach irritation.

“The body does not require synthetic isolates,” Maheshvari maintains. “What it requires is the entire, complex form. That’s why you could have as much nutrition as you need in the form of food and still be okay because your body can process it.”

Take a mineral like iron, which is crucial to prenatal health. Maheshvari says that while a synthetic-iron supplement, most often providing a high dose, is widely reported to cause stomach upset in many women, an iron supplement like Orgenetics’s Orgen-I (a nominee in last year’s NutraIngredients Awards), derived from leaves of the curry tree (

), does not. “Because this iron comes in a plant-protein matrix, it allows for regulated absorption into the body,” he says. Or, take L-ascorbic acid, the widespread synthetic form of vitamin C still so popular in dietary supplements. Whatever the body doesn’t absorb is excreted in the urine, but a plant-derived form like the company’s flagship Orgen-C, comprising 50% vitamin C derived from amla fruit (

), is more effective because of the accompanying cofactors and co-nutrients, such as naturally occurring non-citrus bioflavonoids, that “work synergistically with the vitamin C,” Maheshvari says.

“You don’t need 1000% RDA of a vitamin or a mineral,” Maheshvari says. “If you have an effective form of regulative absorption, your body will get exactly the amount that it needs.”

As more consumers become educated about the nutrients they consume, more are starting to look beyond synthetic vitamins and minerals and back to nature, Maheshvari says. “There’s really been a paradigm shift in the U.S industry, shifting to organic. It’s been seeing 10% year-over-year growth for the past 15 years…We’re very glad to be part of that paradigm shift,” he says.

Where Does the Multivitamin Stand These Days?

Supplement Usage and Confidence Holding Steady in 2015 Consumer Survey, User Age Gap Narrows

4/14/16
Correction: This article formerly statedd, “CRN’s survey showed that 85% of supplement users trust multivitamins’ safety and effectiveness.” CRN’s survey did not measure the trust consumers have in multivitamins’ safety and effectiveness but rather the confidence Americans have in the safety, quality, and effectiveness of vitamins/minerals. The correct wording is: CRN’s survey showed that 85% of Americans have overall confidence in the safety, quality, and effectiveness of vitamins/minerals.

Nutritional Outlook apologizes for the error.

Reinventing a consumer favorite, the multivitamin

Making over the Multivitamin

Slideshows

What recent research is teaching us about the health benefits of vitamin supplementation

Vitamin Research Studies

Photo © iStockphoto.com/monkeybusinessimages

Sex health represents one of the more controversial categories in dietary supplements. There is, unfortunately, no shortage of dietary supplement manufacturers making unvalidated health claims relating to sex drive, sexual dysfunction, and fertility. The good news is that research continues to validate purported sex-health ingredients, allowing manufacturers to have peer-reviewed, clinical data supporting the ingredients in their products.

Although minerals and other complex compounds are part of the sex-health market, a wide variety of botanical ingredients create a chunk of the sex-ingredient market, and clinical research continues to support their use in the bedroom. The following is a handful of recent science updates relating to botanical ingredients for sex supplements.

Although historically used as livestock fodder, fenugreek 

 or at least the seed of the plant, is now one of today’s more promising plant ingredients for sex supplements. Its main, but not exclusive, source of manufacture is in India.

Numerous studies, many of them published quite recently, associate fenugreek supplementation in men with improvements in libido, higher frequency of sexual intercourse, increased testosterone levels, and higher sperm counts. But women may benefit from fenugreek, too. In a 2015 study

from Australia, women with low sex drive who consumed fenugreek seed capsules over two menstrual cycles saw improvements in a variety of sex-related hormones, including estradiol and testosterone. Low testosterone levels are, surprisingly enough, correlated with decreased libido in men 

Though the science on fenugreek is considerable, fenugreek suppliers are still trying to close gaps in their research. They want to prove repeatability of results and better understand fenugreek’s mechanism of action on human hormonal pathways. What’s known at this time is that fenugreek’s effects on sex health have to do with the seed’s complex content of saponins, some of which help synthesize sex hormones. Anand Swaroop, president of Cepham Inc. (Piscataway, NJ), says that the fenugreek seed is where the plant’s most active constituents reside. “We have tried the other plant parts, but these contain mainly less active compounds,” he says.

Unfortunately, not all fenugreek seed extracts are made equal, and so effects on sex health may vary. Multiple recent fenugreek studies utilized extracts from two notable fenugreek suppliers, Cepham and Gencor (Irvine, CA). Cepham’s Furosap extract is standardized for 20% naturally occurring protodioscins. Gencor’s Testofen and Libifem extracts are standardized for a specific matrix of furostanol saponins. Both companies confirm that their extracts are unique to the market.

At the Experimental Biology conference held in San Diego, CA, this April, Cepham presented new study results showing Furosap may enhance testosterone levels and sperm profiles in men. The 12-week, one-arm, open-label study followed 50 male volunteers aged 35–65 who each received 500 mg/day of Furosap. Study parameters included testosterone levels, sperm profile, sperm morphology, libido, erectile dysfunction, mood, and mental alertness.

According to Cepham, researchers found that 85.4% of study participants showed improvements in sperm count, and 90% of participants showed improvements in free testosterone levels. Additionally, a majority of the subjects in the study experienced improvements in mental alertness and mood, and 14.6% of volunteers experienced an improvement in sperm morphology, says Cepham. Kelly Jordan, Cepham’s vice president of sales, says the company expects the study to be published.

“Overall, the results demonstrate that Furosap, enriched in 20% protodioscin, is safe and effective in attenuating testosterone levels, sperm profile, mental alertness, and overall performance in human subjects,” wrote the researchers, in an abstract provided by Cepham.

A safety parameter evaluation in the study, including extensive blood chemistry data, found no significant changes in cholesterol, hemogram (CBC), serum lipid function, triglycerides, hepatotoxicity, or nephrotoxicity as a result of the Furosap supplementation, according to Cepham.

“With these results, Furosap has set the bar high in a field crowded with other testosterone-boosting ingredients,” says Jordan, adding that the results will next be presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists’ 25

 Annual Scientific & Clinical Congress in May.

Choosing your fenugreek ingredient may take some deliberation, but there are benefits at the end of it. Beyond purported sexual-health support, fenugreek seed extract is unusually sweet in taste, which should make consumer compliance a simple task. And fenugreek seed can also be positioned as a heart-health ingredient. Several recent studies link fenugreek consumption (in capsules and breads) with hypoglycemic and insulin-sensitizing properties. “The fenugreek extract powders giving the activity related to blood glucose control are typically standardized for branched-chain amino acids and galactomannans,” says RV Venkatesh, managing director, Gencor. “We are working on specific fenugreek extracts targeted at that segment of the market also.”

 is known as a nutrient-packed food, but this member of the mustard family may also pack a sexy punch. Over the years, multiple studies have linked maca root consumption with increased libido in men and women, among other sexual enhancements.

Just last year, U.S. researchers concluded that 12 weeks of daily maca capsules improved self-reported sexual health over placebo in women suffering from antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction.

 The long-term consumption also appeared to be well tolerated. A few months later, Czech researchers determined that 12 weeks of maca consumption improved sperm concentration and sperm motility in men, without influencing their hormone levels.

 More maca trials are ongoing for men and women.

Results of these and other maca trials should make manufacturers optimistic about formulating sex-health products with maca, but, as with fenugreek, the quality of raw maca supply varies across the industry. As proof, a team of Chinese researchers tested maca samples from 14 different farms in China and Peru, only to find that levels of zinc, copper, and sodium in samples varied greatly.

“Maca, like any other natural food, can vary in nutrient content, depending not only on where the ingredient is sourced, but on the quality of care the ingredient receives, as well,” says Steve Siegel, vice president of marketing and sales at maca supplier Ecuadorian Rainforest (Belleville, NJ). “It is absolutely vital for ingredient suppliers to have a close-knit relationship with local farms to ensure the quality of ingredients, as some providers may not take the steps necessary to produce maca with an acceptable nutrient profile.” So, make sure to check company history and technical documents when purchasing maca.

Until recently, sex-health studies involving ashwagandha 

supplements have targeted the male population, exclusively. Studies bode well for the Ayurvedic herb as a potential aid for improving sperm quality.

 And yet, a new study on females suggests that they, too, may benefit sexually from ashwagandha supplements.

a team of Indian researchers says that women consuming ashwagandha daily for eight weeks experienced better scores on sexual-satisfaction surveys than those consuming a placebo. Self-reported improvements in the ashwagandha group included sexual interest, lubrication, arousal, and ability to achieve orgasm, as well as a significant reduction in sexual distress. Ixoreal BioMed Inc. USA (Los Angeles), which supplied its KSM-66 ashwagandha extract for the study, says the positive changes may be associated with ashwagandha’s ability to increase testosterone, but also with the herb’s calming and body-balancing effects, which have been noted in numerous other studies unrelated to sex.

Not all sexual-health botanicals are sourced from the roots. In the case of tribulus 

, the most active concentration of relevant compounds is found in aerial parts of the plant. And according to Chinese, Greek, and Indian traditional medicine, this portion of tribulus may be used as a sexual stimulant.

Human clinical trials on tribulus may be scarce, but recent results may help validate traditional uses for tribulus. In an April 2015 study

 from Egypt, 30 men with indications of low testosterone production were assigned to three months of daily tribulus consumption, which was associated with improvements in total and free testosterone, as well as better scores on questionnaires concerning erectile health. A 2016 study

 on menopausal women found tribulus supplements were associated with self-reported improvements in sexual arousal, desire, lubrication, and ability to achieve orgasm, compared to placebo.

Human clinical trials on tribulus may be lacking, at least compared to some other ingredients, but there are still plenty of global suppliers for the ingredient, such as HP Ingredients (Bradenton, FL), which markets a tribulus extract standardized for a particular concentration of saponins.

A single botanical ingredient may be attractive enough for consumers seeking sexual-health supplements, but more complex formulas may provide greater uses, such as multiple or even synergistic benefits. The market for sex-health supplements is extensive, and the small handful of ingredients covered here is just a taste of what’s already on the market. Draco Natural Products (San Jose, CA), for instance, offers a long list of Chinese herbs, many of which pertain to sexual health. “We are able to combine these into potent, efficacious, traditional Chinese medicine formulas that are highly unique and proprietary,” says Draco R&D director Brien Quirk. “They offer several advantages to the mass market’s popular botanicals, such as epimedium or tribulus, if a company wants to launch a new product and be able to have a competitive advantage with existing products.”

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New research on botanical ingredients for sex health

Sexy Supplements: Botanical Ingredients for Sex Health

According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN; Washington, DC), 71% of adult women in America take dietary supplements.

 That sisterhood comprises a spectrum of age groups, ethnicities, economic and education levels-in short, a cohort of women so diverse that they defy any attempt to boil them down to “the typical female supplement consumer.”

Except in one sense: Every one of them has a vagina.

And increasingly, health issues involving that anatomical feature are driving women to the supplement shelf. As Maj Britt Larsen, scientific advisor, Human Health & Nutrition, Chr. Hansen (Hoersholm, Denmark), observes, “The growing availability of dietary supplements for vaginal health is assisting women’s awareness” of the subject and sparking their interest in products to manage that health.

The fact that these options even exist, and have a growing body of science to support them, is a sign of progress-both in the seriousness with which the public now takes women’s health and in the research that allows the supplement industry to serve it. As that research uncovers new relationships between nutrition and the female urogenital tract, the opportunities for supplement users and the companies that court them will only grow.

Time was when vaginal health wasn’t fit for polite discussion. Fast-forward to today, when entire websites and blogs now cover the topic. What does this efflorescence signal to Kimberly Kawa, natural-products specialist at SPINS (Chicago), a leading information provider for the natural and specialty products industry? “I think we’ve come pretty far,” she says, “considering the patriarchal system we live in.”

Those cracks in the glass ceiling haven’t shattered yet, but third-wave feminism, wellness education, the Internet’s “sharing culture,” the relentless march of research-“really, all of the above,” Kawa says-have made vaginal health a more approachable, and understandable, subject. “There’s a vast amount of knowledge available at our fingertips,” she says. “Our natural functions are now being celebrated, not shunned.”

But what, exactly, do we talk about when we talk about women’s vaginal health? Issues surrounding menstruation and menopause are part of the conversation, as are sexually transmitted diseases like herpes, HIV, chlamydia, and the like. But setting those aside and focusing on the urogenital tract specifically, the main concerns, Larsen says, are bacterial vaginosis (BV), yeast infections or yeast vaginosis-typically 

 infections, Larsen notes-and urinary-tract infections (UTIs).

Each condition varies in the severity of symptoms, which range from the mild discomfort, odor, and discharge of BV to the itching and pain of yeast infections, as well as the pain with urination-and frequent urge to do so-that accompany UTIs.

Each condition also carries the possibility of complications. “For UTIs,” Larsen says, there’s a risk of infection of the upper urinary tract, which will result in serious pain and fever.” Stephen Lukawski, global director of sales and marketing, Fruit d’Or Nutraceuticals (Lourdes, QC, Canada), notes an association between BV and increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, gonorrhea, and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), as well as for miscarriage and preterm labor and delivery in pregnant women.

Given that BV alone affects 21.2 million, or 29.2% of, women aged 14 to 49-84% of whom report no symptoms-it’s hardly a frivolous matter. And given that the first line of treatment for the condition-which occurs when the vagina’s normal microflora tilt off balance-is often antibiotics, its ramifications can resonate more broadly than might at first be apparent.

To wit, treating BV as well as other urogenitary infections with antibiotics-as is often done-increases the risk that resistance to those antibiotics will develop, while also introducing women to further complication like the vaginal dysbiosis or gastrointestinal imbalance that comes with antibiotic or even antimycotic use.

And because these conditions are commonplace and have a high rate of recurrence, they send many women to their physicians for the requisite scrips for antibiotic treatment, thus increasing healthcare costs, sapping worker productivity, threatening the potency of our antibiotic arsenal, 

 making women’s lives generally less fantastic than they ought to be. The upshot: women’s urogenital health is a public and private concern.

Yet “many women still might not even want to discuss these issues with their own GPs, either because of the ‘delicate’ nature of the problems or because they’ve not been taken seriously when they’ve discussed them before,” Larsen says. Many women are also simply fed up with recurrent infections that conventional treatment fails to vanquish.

Still, “Many women will not accept that nothing can be done about an issue that they find important, especially those women who suffer from recurrent infections,” Larsen says. So they’re taking matters into their own hands and turning to supplements.

As Kawa notes, “Supplementation, along with dietary and lifestyle changes, can help ‘turn the corner’ or provide natural symptom relief” for women. Indeed, as awareness of vaginal-health supplements grows, women increasingly “welcome the possibility of treating these problems using natural means” rather than antibiotics or antimycotics, Larsen adds. However, “there are still many women who don’t know of any nutritional products in this area.”

The latest science on vaginal-health ingredients

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Dietary Supplements for Stress-Related Burnout

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Sexy Supplements: Botanical Ingredients for Sex Health

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