Boosting mental wellness: Spotlight on psychobiotics, SAMe and natural ingredients

Nutrition industry experts spot that mental well-being is becoming a “daily health priority” for consumers. As their awareness of the link between mental and physical health continues to grow, nutrition companies are developing new ingredients and products that address this link. We discuss the latest developments and ingredient innovations with representatives of Novonesis, Gnosis by Lesaffre and Enovate Biolife. 

“According to the WHO, one out of five adults will experience at least one mental health condition this year,” Geraldine Blanc, head of mental and emerging health at Novonesis, tells Nutrition Insight.

“Novonesis sees a growing demand for biotics targeting specific health benefits beyond digestion and immunity, with a particularly increasing interest in mental health,” adds Jakob Dalmose Rasmussen, the company’s VP of strategy, portfolio and marketing. “As consumers’ understanding of the gut-brain axis grows, psychobiotics will gain traction.” This new class of biotics for mental wellness targets the gut-brain axis.

Lorena Carboni, product manager for S-adenosyl-methionine (SAMe) at Gnosis by Lesaffre, highlights: “Mental health, in general, is perceived by healthy individuals to involve anxiety and stress that impair cognitive acuity and mood. On a larger scale, mental health encompasses distinct illnesses such as major depressive disorder, bipolar and schizophrenia, among others.”

Enovate Biolife’s assistant manager of international business, Russtam Irani, adds: “One of the chief factors driving mental and brain health supplements is the mainstreaming of brain health as a daily health priority.”

Biotics for mental health

Novonesis’ Rasmussen highlights the company’s new ProbioBrain as a “psychobiotic” ingredient targeting the gut-brain axis. 

“Mental wellness is interconnected, multidimensional and highly personal. We all experience it uniquely. Consumers are aware of the chain reaction occurring within our mental wellness, from stress affecting our sleep quality and mood to our habits or even body, and are looking for products allowing them to address all dimensions of mental wellness simultaneously,” he details.

“While we understand it might not be obvious yet for brand owners to include psychobiotics in their mental wellness formulations, as it may already be the case for digestive and immune applications, we would like to demonstrate with Novonesis Human Health proprietary documented market data, consumer insights and science, that using the right psychobiotic will help them differentiate and tap sustainably into the fast-growing mental wellness market.”

There is a growing demand for biotics targeting specific mental health benefits.Also representing Novonesis, Blanc points out 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.” 

“Not all probiotics are psychobiotics, and not all psychobiotics are created equal,” she asserts. “The few psychobiotics based on high-standard clinical studies and relying on a unique and sophisticated mode of action are definitely standing out. 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.”

The company’s marketing manager, Veronique Ruffin-Soumine, adds that “looking for more natural solutions is the trend.”

“Within that, ‘psychobiotics’ are emerging, with product offers in the market tripling over the last three years.”

SAMe gains traction

Gnosis by Lesaffre’s Carboni spotlights Adonat Premium SAMe as one of the company’s key products that address mental health-related concerns.

“SAMe is a natural molecule shown to support a healthy mood and emotional well-being, as it is directly involved in the methylation of neurotransmitters,” she explains. “It is also linked to cognitive function by counteracting alterations in brain structure and function tied to the aging process. SAMe is involved in more than one hundred biochemical pathways.”

“Gnosis offers Adonat Premium SAMe brand as a virtuous green product. First, industrial production is done by fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. Fermentation is cost-effective and environmentally sustainable, requiring less water and fossil sources and producing less waste during the production cycle.”

Carboni explains that, unlike other cognitive solutions, SAMe crosses the blood-brain barrier, making it readily available for the brain.

There is an overwhelming amount of evidence confirming SAMe as an effective mood supporter.She says that SAMe sustains cognitive functions through neurotransmission, “maintaining adequate levels of phosphatidylcholine, impacting memory, learning and attention.” SAMe’s neuroprotective properties can fight free radicals through glutathione production and promote antioxidant release.

Neuroplasticity supports cognitive function by controlling (along with the folate cycle) levels of homocysteine, a recognized risk factor for cognitive decline, explains Carboni.

“There is an overwhelming amount of evidence confirming SAMe as an effective mood supporter, including two meta-analyses.”

Beetroot properties

Enovate Biolife’s Irani says there is a trend toward natural and organic products across several categories and that brain health supplements are no exception. “Consumers are looking for clean and holistic solutions from recognizable natural ingredients and they demand scientific studies, transparency and third-party testing.”

“Rising consumer awareness of the benefits of better brain health creates opportunities for a variety of brain health supplements for different cognitive needs and stages.”

He tells us that stress, mood, low energy, sleep and boosted cognition are at the top of consumers’ minds when seeking solutions for mental wellness. 

Enovate Biolife’s Rednite beetroot is designed to address these concerns. Irani explains that it contains “nitrates that convert into nitric oxide to help support healthy circulation and blood flow to various organs including the brain and, in turn, may improve mitochondrial efficiency, which is crucial for not only mental energy but overall health.” 

“Recent research on Rednite has demonstrated that the acute administration of a chewable beetroot supplement may be effective in supporting certain aspects of cognitive function, particularly memory capacity and frontal skills. The ingredient shows great promise for students, gamers and ‘active agers’ alike.”

“Currently, many brain health ingredients are falling short of rapid, same-day effects. Hence, the recent Rednite study meets this opportunity by improving memory and frontal skills the same day.”

There is a trend toward natural and organic products across the brain health category.Addressing needs and trends

Novonesis’ Blanc explains that technology also taps into these issues, as it allows consumers to track and measure their health.

“A lot of at-home tests also allow us to measure our microbiome or any specific body chemicals to provide recommendations and optimize our health,” she points out.

“Additionally, social media is raising awareness and educating consumers on different topics such as microbiome, mental health and many more. Some of those sources can be trusted, and sometimes they could also lead to misinformation.” 

“That is why the role of the healthcare practitioner is becoming more relevant and important than ever to provide the right level of information and prescribe the right solution based on our health needs. Democratizing knowledge and science education is important, but it needs to be done the right way.”

Irani adds that auxiliary tools, such as apps for guided meditation or monitoring stress and sleep patterns, can be vital in providing guidance, motivation and support for mental and cognitive health needs. 

“Technology and apps may also help in supporting mental health by providing personalized guidance, cognitive training, mental stimulation and social engagement.”