Information Age to bolster nootropics in functional food and beverage NPD, says Koios CEO

11 Nov 2019 --- Nootropics are on-track for major growth as consumer needs for enhanced mental agility increase, according to Chris Miller, Founder and CEO of Koios. Miller speaks with NutritionInsight  about how the beverage brand is planning to disrupt the industry with its nootropics-infused products that boast benefits such as improved attention and mental capacity, memory and cognition, as well as boosted overall brain and body performance. The company has released a range of functional beverages with trending ingredients such as medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) oil, lion’s mane and Bacopa monnieri. The move comes as the functional beverages space is seeing accelerated growth, especially with the use of natural botanicals and nootropics. 

Miller says this growth is due to the “Industrial Age” being replaced by the analytical Information Age, which is putting more strain on consumers’ brains and bodies. “I see nootropics playing a bigger role in people’s lives. The Information Age is also putting demands on all of us to perform mentally day in and day out. However, many of us do not get the nutrients we need to function at our best. We have to take control of our biology by feeding it the right nutrients. At Koios, we have been on a quest for the past five years to develop products using natural ingredients that can help you perform your best mentally day-to-day.”

Nootropics, or “smart drugs,” have captured the industry’s attention as a new brain health area to watch. Consumers are seeking performance-based formulas that help them reach their peak – not only physically, but also mentally. This has led industry to feature brain-boosting ingredients in formulations that tout benefits such as memory improvement and ameliorating cognitive fatigue. 

Consumers are seeking performance-based formulas that help them reach their peak – not only physically, but also mentally. Innova Market Insights reports that physical and mental health are now equally important to consumers. This is stimulating product activity, with a 36 percent growth reported in food and beverages with a “feel good” claim (Global, 2017 vs. 2016). According to the market researcher, botanical ingredients are increasingly featuring in related NPD. In brain health launches, the use of Ginkgo biloba jumped by 21 percent from 2014 to 2018, while hemp increased by 16 percent.

“Nootropics are effective at improving mood because they work with the brain’s natural chemistry. They help reduce negative feelings and increase an overall feeling of well-being. From a scientific perspective, nootropics affect certain neurotransmission systems in the brain and these neurotransmitters tell our brain to feel happy, sad, motivated and a myriad of other feelings and emotions. Nootropics target neurotransmitters like serotonin, acetylcholine, and dopamine. While most people take nootropics to improve focus and concentration, many others take them simply to improve their mood. Others take them to treat depression and other mood-related disorders,” Miller notes. 

“Our products are great for any age group. We find that health-conscious people gravitate to Koios, as well as people who have busy careers. All of those people are looking for an edge. As time goes by, I think you will see more Baby Boomers jump on board to help prevent memory loss. Right now, early adopters seem to be between the ages of 18 and 45 years old,” he adds.

Blend of brain-boosting ingredients
Koios is made with a blend of vitamins and minerals that “enhance life naturally,” the company notes. “All of the nootropics we use have huge potential and are important in rounding out our beverages. If we were to single out one special ingredient right now, we are the only company using lion’s mane mushrooms in our nootropic beverages. This type of mushroom has neuroprotective and nootropic effects. Research has shown that it can improve memory and reasoning. It also aids in reducing anxiety and contains antioxidants that studies suggest fight inflammation and prevent oxidation in the body,” Miller says.

Koios’ range of beverages is available in flavors such as pear guava, blood orange, peach mango and apricot vanilla and feature ingredients including: 

• MCT Oil: A natural “rocket fuel for the brain and body.” The body converts this into a fast-acting “fuel,” allowing for increased brain function and energy.
• Hericium Erinaceus (Lion’s mane mushroom): It increases cognitive function, memory, and reasoning and contains a protein that encourages the growth of beneficial gut bacteria that strengthen immunity. Moreover, it aids in the improvement of anxiety. It contains anti-fatigue and anti-aging properties that are shown to fight inflammation and prevent oxidation in the body. Furthermore, lion’s mane has been shown to increase the amount of NGF (nerve growth factor) in the brain, which enhances cognition by reducing inflammation, encouraging neural growth, and improving overall brain health.
• Electrolytes: Minerals found in the blood that help regulate and control the balance of fluids in the body. They play a role in regulating blood pressure, muscle contraction and keep your system functioning properly.
• Alpha GPC: It is naturally present in the body and has been shown to improve memory performance and motivation and to support rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. In addition, it aids in neuroprotective activity and helps deliver choline to the brain, enhances learning ability and increases dopamine levels.
• Ciwuija: Often referred to as an “adaptogen,” Ciwuija is commonly used traditional Chinese herbal medicine which increases endurance and stamina and helps alleviate fatigue. It can also be used to improve athletic performance. 
• Natural caffeine from green tea: Interestingly, green tea also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which has been shown to work synergistically with caffeine. Thus, allowing a milder but different kind of buzz than with coffee, despite the lower caffeine content of green tea. 

Koios is made with a blend of vitamins and minerals that “enhance life naturally,” the company notes.

In particular, the combination of L-theanine and caffeine has been shown to help improve both alertness and focus, which may make green tea a better drink than coffee for tasks that require a lot of thought, the company says.

Other ingredients include L-Theanine amino acid and L-Tyrosine, a nootropic supplement that enhances your brain, mood, and stress response.

“Our near-term goal over the next two years is to have Koios available for purchase in over 15,000 retail locations across the US,” Miller concludes.

By Kristiana Lalou