Nutraceuticals Europe: Broader brain needs underscored by sports nutrition players

06 Mar 2020 --- While the sports nutrition market has an established history of addressing the physical needs of athletes, companies are now turning toward mental demands. This was apparent at Nutraceuticals Europe, held in Madrid, Spain (March 4-5). At the show, NutritionInsight spoke to representatives from companies including Faravelli and Nexira about how enhanced mental performance is necessary for peak physical outcomes.

Farvelli was highlighting Noomato, a nootropic tomato extract touted as improving cognition and precision even when under severe stress. Fernando Heredia, Area Sales Manager of Faravelli, explains that the product could be applicable to athletics or other people participating in activities such as team sports, marathons and e-gaming.

He explains that while physical performance is still crucial for athletes, Noomato can help improve their learning ability during stressful periods – which is common within the competitive sporting world. Additionally, Noomato can help address sports-induced fatigue. It has also been found to reduce oxidative processes and improve clarity of thought, cognitive ability and psychomotor functions. This is by modulating the “fear response” related to the overexpression of the Neuroligin-1 gene. 

Fernando Heredia, Area Sales Manager of Faravelli.Also giving athletes an extra mental edge is Nexira’s Cognivia, a combination of garden sage leaf extract and Spanish sage encapsulated essential oil. The product is developed for people wishing to boost their memory and concentration and is touted for being organic and natural. It is available as a free-flowing granulating powder, allowing it to tap into the demand for alternative delivery formats, as seen at Nutraceuticals Europe. 

“Although it was not our initial idea, some of our customers are using Cognivia in sports nutrition to boost their focus in the competition. I had to ask why this was because sports such as boxing and gymnastics are physical activities. However, our customers told us that they could not compete at such a high level if they were not focused and intellectually sharp,” explains Ştefan-Emil Sitaru, Sales Manager Health Division at Nexira. 

The company sees three major targets for Cognivia, with the sports nutrition application coming under the general adult section. This also includes adults who are challenged intellectually during their activities at work. Sitaru notes that the company has applications for professions, including chess players, e-gamers and air traffic controllers. 

According to Innova Market Insights, there has been a 13 percent annual growth (2014-2018) of food and beverage launches tracked with a brain health claim. The Middle East and Africa are leading the way with 28 percent average annual growth in brain health launches, although Europe and North America are close behind at 22 and 20 percent, respectively. Notably, Sports Nutrition is the fastest growing market category for brain health products, featuring a CAGR of 62 percent (Global, 2014-2018). 

Broader brain needs
Nexira is also targeting students for spot applications, which may mean just taking Cognivia on the day of or the day before an exam. On the other end of the age spectrum, seniors may also benefit from Cognivia, with Sitaru stating that it could improve their quality of life. Brain health is a key concern for seniors, with a survey revealing that 26 percent of the older population report memory problems with an unprecedented interest for safe, dietary-based solutions to help support and maintain cognitive function. Cognivia is developed for people wishing to boost their memory and concentration.

The R&D process took over two years in order to find a synergistic effect between the two types of sage. The company also insisted on water extract to ensure that the product stays as natural as possible. 

Providing another avenue for brain health is Edge Pharma’s citicoline, which is a dietary source of brain nutrient choline. Recently, the importance of choline for vegan diets was highlighted as it is present in animal products such as eggs, milk and meat. Meanwhile, citicoline can be used in food supplements aimed at a target population of middle-aged to elderly adults, and in foods for particular nutritional uses, specifically foods for special medical purposes. 

Traditionally, citicoline was known as a prescription drug for uses such as stroke and poststroke rehabilitation. However, now as a novel food ingredient in the EU, there is renewed interest in it as a nutraceutical, notes Grzegorz Marciniak, Sales Director of Edge Pharma. He predicts that its use is set for a rapid increase in the future. 

These moves come as brain health continues to be spotlighted by consumers. Late last year, Chris Miller, Founder and CEO of Koios, told NutritionInsight how his beverage brand’s nootropics-infused products are set to disrupt the industry, thanks to their ability to improve attention and mental capacity, memory and cognition, as well as boost overall brain and body performance.

However, with the rise of nootropics, it is crucial that companies can substantiate their launches, which can be a challenge for suppliers wanting to enter the space. 

By Katherine Durrell