Ingredient synergies: The importance of mixing the “right ingredients”

09 Aug 2023 --- Ahead of this week’s Special Report on ingredient synergies, Nutrition Insight speaks with professionals from IFF, Gnosis by Lesaffre, Lubrizol Life Science and Euromed about what ingredient combinations are boosting and supporting one another and which ones shouldn’t be mixed.

The synergy of ingredients may lead to increased nutritional absorption and multi-function in other health aspects. However, combining the wrong compounds might also hinder absorption and bring adverse health effects.

“Combining ingredients can offer multiple benefits that may not be achievable with a single ingredient alone. It is the optimal combination of product functionalities and know-how to deliver the right customer solution in a given food & beverage application,” says Claire Piddington, product marketing lead at IFF. 

“Many body systems require calcium, but if left unattended, it can deposit in arteries and soft tissues, causing them to become stiff and impede blood flow. Calcium requires K-dependent proteins to bind it to the bone mineral matrix (osteocalcin) while inhibiting it from depositing in arteries and soft tissues (matrix Gla protein; MGP). But those K-dependent proteins must be activated by Vitamin K2 as MK-7,” details Clarisse Geraci, product manager at Gnosis by Lesaffre.

Meanwhile, vitamin D3 synthesizes the K-dependent proteins that K2 as MK-7 activates. Geraci explains that if D3 is not paired with K2, there are large amounts of inactive proteins circulating in the bloodstream, not helping the body utilize calcium properly.

“Furthermore, vitamin D3 supports calcium absorption; without Vitamin K2 to activate osteocalcin, you may have a surplus of calcium levels. Another point is that, as ingredient formulations become more complex, protective technologies are required to make the process much smoother, ensuring a stable menaquinone ingredient.”

Calcium, phytates and polyphenols are known to inhibit the body to absorb iron.Iron and phytates
Andrea Salvador, technical marketing specialist of Nutraceutical Ingredients at Lubrizol Life Science, says several dietary inhibitors in nutrition must be known as they can avoid the absorption of certain nutritional supplements.

“In terms of iron absorption, calcium, phytates and polyphenols are known dietary inhibitors that do not allow an effective absorption from iron throughout the body,” she exemplifies.

“Phytate and polyphenols are the major iron absorption inhibitors in plant-based foods because they make a complex with dietary iron in the gastrointestinal tract in a comparable way.”

Last year, a study for Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden, found that plant-based meat alternatives commonly found in supermarkets hold high phytate levels. These anti-nutrients inhibit the absorption of minerals in the human body, making it impossible to absorb the products’ high iron contents. 

Piddington details that to improve iron absorption, it can be combined with vitamin C as it enhances the absorption of nonheme iron (the type of iron found in plant-based foods) in the digestive tract. She adds that this combination is especially beneficial for vegetarians and vegans who may have a higher risk of iron deficiency.

“Calcium is also known to inhibit iron absorption, but it does it differently than phytates and polyphenols. It is thought that calcium inhibition may occur during the initial entry of iron into the mucosal cell via inhibition of iron transport,” adds Salvador.

“Also, proteins have been reported to act as inhibitors or enhancers of iron absorption depending on their source. While proteins from meat were reported to be enhancers, other proteins such as eggs were indicated to inhibit the process.”

“Kitchen sink approach”
Andrea Zangara, head of scientific communication and medical affairs at Euromed, Spain, says that more and more formulas are appearing on the market where numerous compounds are combined “without a well-defined rationale or evidence, the so-called kitchen sink approach, a subject of concern in our industry.”

“The primary concern with the kitchen sink approach is the lack of scientific evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of the combinations. Combining multiple compounds without adequate research or clinical studies can lead to uncertain outcomes and potentially harmful effects.” 

“The more compounds included in a formulation, the higher the likelihood of interactions between them. Additionally, if some ingredients have little to no scientific basis for their inclusion, it becomes a waste of resources,” Zangara argues.The more compounds included in a formulation, the higher the likelihood of interactions between them, says Zangara.

“Moreover, some combinations may negate the benefits of individual compounds or even create unintended adverse effects, especially if certain compounds interact negatively.” 

Instead, he adds that a more thoughtful and evidence-based approach is crucial, where the selection of compounds is based on scientific research, known interactions and demonstrated benefits. 

Blood clots
Zangara details that many plant extracts have been reported to interact with the natural blood clotting system. 

“Nootropic herb Ginkgo biloba may inhibit platelet aggregation. Therefore, combining it with other blood-thinning extracts, such as Willow bark, may increase the risk of bleeding and require dose adjustment to avoid cumulative effects. In some cases, such as in the elderly population, a healthcare professional should assess benefits and risks.”

He concludes that healthcare professionals must also be well-informed about interactions between herbal products and synthetic drugs, emphasizing those with a narrow therapeutic margin. 

By Beatrice Wihlander