Bone strength boosts: Gnosis by Lesaffre and Tirlán reveal emerging healthy aging trends

07 Aug 2024 --- Experts point out that consumers increasingly look to prepare for the effects of aging at younger and younger ages. At the same time, bone strength and health are emerging as major concerns in light of the global challenges presented by an aging population. These trends and factors are driving innovation in the healthy aging space.

Meanwhile, Innova Market Insights’ data suggest that global supplement launches with bone health claims saw a 7% growth from 2022 to 2023, highlighting a growing focus on bone health in the supplement industry.

Nutrition Insight sits down with Gnosis by Lesaffre and Tirlán to better understand the ingredients growing the bone strength and health market.

“People are more aware these days that maintaining a healthy lifestyle and Healthy Aging is very important as we age,” says Gwen Gould, the senior marketing manager for dairy ingredients at Tirlán. “Older and younger consumers alike are interested in aging well and involve adopting lifestyle choices and habits that promote longevity, vitality and overall quality of life in later years.”

“Consumers are more interested in both physical health and nutritional well-being and are seeking out products that support these needs. Protein has a positive health halo and is being sought out by more consumers across more food categories to support their desire for supporting their physical and nutritional health.”

Gnosis by Lesaffre stresses the role of vitamin K in bone health and points out that there is a lack of consumer knowledge surrounding types of vitamin K and their respective health effects.

“Considerable confusion exists about vitamin K, and it is important to differentiate,” reveals Xavier Berger, the market manager for mobility and joint health at Gnosis by Lesaffre. “K vitamins are a ‘family’ of vitamins made up of vitamin K1, phylloquinone, and vitamin K2, menaquinone.” 

“They share similarities, such as working in the liver for blood clotting and chemically they share a quinone ring called menadione — but that is where their similarities end.”

Vitamin K2 variations
Berger underscores that vitamin K2 is able to ensure that the body can properly use calcium to strengthen bones by activating “K-dependent proteins.” This action directs the calcium to the bones in the body where it is needed and the body and prevents it from building up in the soft tissues and arteries.

However, he states that there are also multiple forms of vitamin K2, which adds to consumer confusion.

“Vitamin K2 has several molecules called menaquinones, which make it available beyond the liver for other systems, such as the bones and the heart,” Berger explains. “Adding to the K confusion — there are multiple forms of K2.”According to Gnosis by Lesaffre, its MenaQ7 vitamin K2 offering has been shown to boost bone strength and heart health.

“The two most common forms of dietary supplements are K2 as MK-4 (menaquinone-4) and K2 as MK-7 (menaquinone-7). MenaQ7 is vitamin K2, as is menaquinone-7 (MK-7), which is the optimal form for absorption, half-life, accumulation in the serum, and efficacy. Put simply, K2 as MK-7 can do more in the body — support bone and heart health — for longer. It is active in the body for three days versus 1.5 hours compared to MK-4, with a smaller and less frequent dose, such as MK-7, which requires a mcg dose, while MK-4 requires a mg dose.”

Additionally, Berger highlights that Gnosis by Lesaffre’s several clinical studies on the efficacy and health benefits of MenaQ7 show that 180 mcg a day is the optimal daily dose for adults to support bone health. Children only need 45 mcg per day.

Grass-fed bone health-boosts
Tirlán emphasizes the importance of dairy proteins for bone strength and health and touts the benefits of its Solmiko and Solago milk protein offerings as well as its whey protein ingredient, Promiko.

“Tirlán’s proteins are made with excellence and uncompromising quality,” Gould reveals. “From the persistence and determination of our farmers who provide the highest quality Irish milk, through to our uncompromising production processes.”

“To ensure our proteins are of the highest quality we maintain control and oversight of the entire supply chain, ensuring full traceability from grassland to customer. It all starts with the grass — a grass-based farming system where cows graze outdoors for most of the year is recognised as being a more sustainable way of farming to many other models seen globally. The benefits derived from products manufactured from grass-based farming systems are both environmental and nutritional.”

Gould spotlights that grass-based farming has been shown to reduce energy consumption when compared with indoor feeding systems. Moreover, she notes that research shows Irish milk produces the lowest levels of CO2 emissions in the EU. Additionally, she states that milk from grass-fed animals benefits from improved compositional properties due to the biodiversity of the grasslands.

According to Gould, the current nutritional requirements for protein as established by the World Health Organization, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations University is 0.8 g per kg for adults from 18–65. Yet, she reveals that different demographics have different protein requirements.Tirlán spotlights the sustainability of grass-fed dairy proteins and their bone strengthening health benefits.

“For younger adults — 18–30 years — the recommended protein consumption for both male and females is 0.75 g per kg of bodyweight in order to stimulate muscle protein synthesis,” Gould illustrates. “However due to the differences in body composition, females generally have a reduced requirement compared to males.”

Gould adds that protein consumption needs increase with age with those age 65 and older needing about 1.0–1.2 g per kg of bodyweight and those experiencing frailty needing 1.2–1.5 g per kg.

“As we age, our protein requirements increase in order to optimize muscle protein synthesis and maintain muscle mass. Sedentary elderly individuals are the highest risk population group of experiencing a protein deficiency.”

The future of bone health
Both companies point to the necessity of sustainability in the sourcing of bone health ingredients as well as the need for continued research and development (R&D).

“Our materials meet the highest quality standards, including Kosher- and Halal-approved in a European cGMP (current good manufacturing practice)-certified facility,” Berger stresses. “Further, MenaQ7 is manufactured in our Italian plant, complying with ISO 14001 (a measure of environmental impacts) and ISO 45001 (a measure of manufacturing health and safety).”

“We measured and identified which steps of our process could be improved regarding energy consumption, and we continue to invest in sustainable measures to reduce our environmental impact.”

Tirlán adds that the company is constantly looking at new applications for its protein ingredients and works closely with manufacturers and its R&D teams to create more high protein foods that can easily fit into consumers’ lives.

“Our bespoke range of protein and nutritional powders is available in a wide portfolio to suit all needs,” Gould concludes. “Our portfolio includes functional dairy proteins for use in everyday foods as well as nutritional dairy proteins for use in clinical, medical and sports nutritional products and we are constantly looking at how we can improve our current ingredients and develop new ingredients to meet our customers’ needs.”

By William Bradford Nichols