Holistic brain wellness trends: Psychobiotics, SAMe and omega-3s take center stage

16 May 2024 --- As the world population ages and younger consumers increasingly take preemptive action to support their brain health, Nutrition Insight discusses the latest innovations and trends in the space with experts representing Novonesis, Gnosis by Lesaffre and FrieslandCampina Ingredients.

“According to the WHO, one out of five adults will experience at least one mental health condition this year,” Geraldine Blanc, Novonesis category innovation and strategy lead for brain health, tells us. “While it was long considered secondary — even sometimes taboo — mental health is now the number one health concern for consumers worldwide who have understood that their body and mind are extremely connected and that taking care of their mental health from the earliest age will help them live longer and healthier.”

Lorena Carboni, product manager of S-adenosyl-methionine (SAMe) at Gnosis by Lesaffre, similarly points out that one of the most talked-about trends in nutrition right now is mental health. “For example, according to the 2022 IPSOS Global Health Survey (for the FDA), mental health was ranked as the second top global health concern for the first time, replacing COVID-19.”

Sophie Zillinger Molenaar, global marketing lead for Biotis gut prebiotic powder at FrieslandCampina Ingredients, adds: “One of the biggest consumer trends right now is the shift to a ‘body-and-mind’ approach to nutrition. Increasingly, consumers are focusing on maximizing both their physical and mental well-being. The brain health segment is uniquely placed to address this growing trend, supporting consumer needs with products that provide added benefits to the brain.” 

Psychobiotics 
Discussing the current primary trends in brain health supplementation, Veronique Rufin-Soumine, global marketing and customer engagement manager for brain health at Novonesis, argues that consumers are now taking proactive care with supplements searching for those without side effects, risk of dependency or contraindication with other substances. 

Science has created new possibilities around the gut-brain axis, with a new generation of probiotics currently emerging: psychobiotics.“Looking for more natural solutions is the trend, and within that, ‘psychobiotics,’ which are essentially probiotics with mental or brain health benefits, are emerging, with product offers in the market tripling over the last three years,” she explains. 

The innovation specialist highlights that psychobiotics have gained traction as a relatively new concept within the world of biotics and are defined as “any exogenous influence (probiotics, prebiotics, dietary fiber) whose positive effect on mental health is bacterially mediated.” She points out that while there are a lot of probiotics on the market, just a few are psychobiotics. 

Blanc adds: “The supplements market has been extremely dynamic in the last few years, including a variety of solutions to satisfy the growing consumer demand and as in many other segments, branded and clinically supported ingredients have strong arguments for differentiation.”

“Psychobiotics are witnessing a growing consumer interest due to their unique ability to meet their high-level expectations in terms of science, naturality, sustainability and safety — the famous clean and green, hassle-free and compromise-free imperatives.” 

Targeted benefits
Expanding on the health benefits of psychobiotics, Blanc points to Novonesis’ proprietary gut-brain axis products, spotlighting how they may address common brain and mental health-related complaints. 

“Our latest innovation, ProbioBrain, addresses the interconnected and multifaceted dimensions of mental wellness, targeting the gut-brain axis. Mental wellness is interconnected, multidimensional and highly personal. We all experience it uniquely,” she states.

“Consumers are aware of the chain reaction occurring within our mental wellness from stress affecting our sleep quality, mood, habits or even body, and are looking for products allowing them to address all dimensions of mental wellness simultaneously.” 

Rufin-Soumine acknowledges that while the “gut holds the secret to good health,” many consumers’ understanding of the microbiome and biotics is “still in its infancy,” as they might not immediately understand the way they work.

“Even if food sources provide some good bacteria for health benefits, the right bacteria need to be present in a higher quantity to be effective given the changes in our modern diets lacking the essential nutrients for that purpose. This is why supplements are critical — especially psychobiotics.” 

Blanc further explains that: “Not all probiotics are psychobiotics and not all psychobiotics are created equal. ProbioBrain is backed by 15 years of research and scientific evidence, which makes it an ingredient of choice for brand owners and attractive to consumers.”

Even if food sources provide some good bacteria for health benefits, the right bacteria need to be in a higher quantity to be effective.Methylation in homeostasis
According to Gnosis by Lesaffre’s Carboni, another growing trend in holistic brain health is the awareness of the importance of methylation in homeostasis. “When functioning optimally, methylation — the transferring of methyl groups, which consist of one carbon and three hydrogen molecules — greatly supports neurological health (among other aspects). Methylation is a dominant factor in epigenetic processes.”

“In the past, herbs such as vinpocetine and ginkgo ruled the brain-health market, aimed primarily at older people who wanted to stave off potential dementia. Now, ingredients such as SAMe are gaining more attention, especially among younger adults who want to maintain a competitive mental acuity edge for work and home life, which have become much more demanding than for previous generations.”

Gnosis by Lesaffre’s SAMe, branded as Adonat, minimizes and protects against the deterioration of brain health. “As we age, we experience gradually declining amounts of SAMe and methylation activity also subsides. These lead to sluggish neurotransmitter synthesis, more inflammation and oxidative stress, and disruption of the functionality of the methylation cycle,” says Carboni.

“These physiological characteristics create a heightened risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is the step in between normal age-related cognitive slowness and dementia. MCI symptoms include problems with memory, language, judgment and problem-solving/thinking.”

SAMe further exerts a strong epigenetic impact on neurotransmitter activity at synapses.“As a prime methyl donor, SAMe influences the expression of key genes in the brain that may affect cognitive health in memory, learning, cognition and behavior,” explains Carboni.

She points out that cognitive miscues are linked with the increase of homocysteine, a sulfur-containing amino acid generated by methionine metabolism, the precursor of SAMe. Excessive homocysteine is known to damage vascular structures in the brain and has been identified as a risk factor for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s dementia.

“Research has shown that people with low SAMe levels also have high homocysteine levels. High homocysteine levels are often the result of poor homocysteine conversion to methionine, a precursor of SAMe. Consequently, SAMe is usually depleted as homocysteine accumulates,” she adds. 

Omega-3 trends and innovation
According to FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ Molenaar, omega-3s — particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) — are presently the stand-out ingredients in the minds of both nutrition brands and global consumers.

SAMe is gaining more attention among younger adults who want to maintain mental competitiveness at work and at home.“The first barrier to increased omega-3 consumption is ensuring their appeal. Despite the wide array of products on offer, it can be difficult for consumers to find food, drinks and supplements that both contain omega-3s and align with increasingly popular preferences, such as vegetarian or vegan claims,” she explains. 

“Second, many people find the taste, smell and size of traditional omega-3 capsules to be off-putting — too fishy, large and difficult to swallow. All of these factors can block consumers from achieving the recommended intake of omega-3s.”

Where there are challenges, FrieslandCampina Ingredients sees opportunity. In particular, Molenaar points to plant-based sources of DHA that can offer the same health benefits as traditional fish-based sources while innovative technologies can eliminate off flavors, opening up a world of potential for better-tasting omega-3s in formats that everyone can enjoy, including vegetarians and vegans.

“A great example of this kind of solution is our range of Biotis DHA Flex Powders. Both ingredients in this range are algae-based and highly efficacious, offering an excellent taste profile and endless versatility thanks to our unique microencapsulation process. Armed with these ingredients, formulators can unlock convenient new supplement formats that don’t come with a fishy aftertaste.”

She adds that Biotis DHA Flex Powders have been designed with function and formulation flexibility in mind. “The high DHA content can support not only cognition but also eye health with benefits including visual acuity. Our unique microencapsulation process has the added advantage of providing a high load of vitamin C for additional immune health claims.”

“Multifunctionality is the headline for the brain health space looking ahead. Today’s discerning and value-conscious consumers want it all: taste, convenience, efficacy and efficiency. The task for nutritional product producers is to craft offerings that address not only brain health but mental and physical well-being concerns too,” Molenaar concludes. 

By Milana Nikolova