SupplySide West 2024: Experts spotlight nootropics and sustainable innovations for cognitive health

At this year’s SupplySide West trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, producers and suppliers shined a light on solutions for brain health and healthy aging trends. Exhibitors showcased a variety of ingredients that can boost cognitive function and promote longevity.

Moreover, experts at the expo underscored that as the demand for products that support mental acuity and overall wellness continues to grow — especially among aging populations — consumers will increasingly seek out advanced nootropics and adaptogens, nutraceuticals and science-backed ingredients.

Nutrition Insight caught up with FrieslandCampina Ingredients and Monteloeder’s Suannutra, live on the showroom floor to discuss offerings that not only meet the immediate needs of consumers but set the pace for future developments in this rapidly evolving sector.

Innova Market Insights’ data suggest a 7% annual increase in healthy aging product launches from 2021 to 2023, with North America contributing 46% in 2023 and a 9% rise in launches featuring dairy-based proteins with healthy aging claims.

At the same time, its data suggest a 6% yearly growth in F&B launches with cognitive health claims and a 14% surge in supplement launches annually — led by botanical and herbal options — from 2019 to 2023.

Sophie Zilllinger Molenaar, the Biotis global marketing lead at FrieslandCampina Ingredients, states that North America has a large market for innovative ingredients. The company displayed a range of applications, including its Biotis Health Benefits portfolio, which focuses on gut health, brain health and immunity.

“We are showcasing Biotis DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) Flex powders, which we recently launched into the market,” Molenaar explains. “They are based on algae and are micro-encapsulated algae oil in a powder form.”

“We have different formats we are showcasing as well. One of them is a gummy — a very convenient format for consumers, and it really showcases the great taste of this DHA. It speaks to different market trends, including gut health, brain health, cognition and immunity. For these trends, DHA is quite a well-known ingredient.”Sophie Zilllinger Molenaar, the Biotis global marketing lead at FrieslandCampina Ingredients, spotlights its algae-based DHA for brain health.

Stephanie Guillen, the global sales director for SuanNutra, reveals that the Nutrition Business Journal reports that brain health was the third fastest-growing category in 2023, with expectations of continued growth in the coming years. The top two categories were energy and fitness, followed by mental health, which focuses on anxiety and mood relaxation. 

“MindRevive is a new product that we have designed specifically targeting the 50-plus population,” she reveals. “However, when we think about healthy aging, it’s not only about this population, it’s also about daily working people.” 

“That’s why we designed MindRevive, not only attending to consumer needs but also attending the fast-growing market that, according to the projection, is growing at a rate of 9% in the US.”

Established, sustainable and format-friendly

Molenaar at FrieslandCampina Ingredients points out that DHA is a known ingredient with established cognitive health benefits. Moreover, she states that the sustainability of algal-based DHA and its other proven health benefits make it a go-to ingredient for customers and consumers.

“One of the trends we see is around e-gaming,” she highlights. “People are watching more screens, and it’s not good for your eye health, but DHA helps with that. Higher DHA levels are good for the eyes and the brain. When gaming, you have to focus your eyes and memory, so that’s one of the trends we are tapping.”

Stephanie Guillen and Jonathan Jones at SuanNutra showcased its latest nootropic, MindRevive.“Tapping into another trend we see is healthy and active aging. People become more concerned throughout life and like to stay healthy. DHA is good for these types of solutions because it can come in convenient formats — not just the sometimes bigger capsules, which are hard to swallow. It’s an easier format, which you can put either in combination with protein, with a gummy or even with a fast melt, making it easier and more convenient for consumers to use.”

Creating a targeted nootropic

Guillen, along with Jonathan Jones, SuanNutra’s chief science officer, states that the company’s focus on brain health targets the nootropic category specifically with its MindRevive launch.

“The idea when we were designing the ingredient was to focus on a multi-prong approach because when you present a product for cognitive health, you can talk about increasing blood flow, reducing oxidative stress and neuro-protection,” Jones explains. “We wanted something that does it all and gives a complementary effect, which is going to give a more efficient product.”

“At the same time, we were focusing on having a lower dose and, to that end, we did an analysis of a whole battery of different ingredients, and we compared and found the ones that stood out the most.”

Jones details that SuanNutra then combined these ingredients to discover synergistic effects and tested the product on a group of 50 to 65 participants — everyday workers dealing with stress and seeking work-life balance. The focus was not only on memory but also on enhancing focus and multitasking capabilities.

“We tested this in a clinical setting and we could see how, when taking the product, there were significant improvements, not only in short-term memory recalls, but also in long-term memories and executive function,” Jones concludes. “Overall, we could see numerous benefits with a single and very small 400 mg daily dose.”