Cardiovascular health: Experts talk trending ingredients and holistic approach to curbing CVD

04 Aug 2021 --- Younger consumer demographics, improved bioavailability and clean label ingredients with clinical backing are some of the leading trends in the cardiovascular health sector.

Industry is also highlighting the role that nutrition could play in fighting cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which remain the leading cause of death globally. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019. Of these deaths, 85 percent were due to heart attack and stroke. Moreover, over three-quarters of CVD deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries.

NutritionInsight invites specialists from NattoPharma, Euromed, Giellepi and Estratti Piante Officinali (EPO) to discuss the latest moves at the heart of this ingredient scene, with a particular focus on omega 3, botanicals and the Mediterranean diet. 

Competing with immunity?
CVD concerns became more prominent as COVID-19 patients with such non-communicable diseases revealed higher mortality risks. 

Despite this, the cardiovascular-health market exhibits “only a modest growth” compared to products in the digestive, immune and brain sectors, flags Dr. Rosario Russo, scientific officer at Giellepi. 

Research has shown the Mediterranean diet, rich in nuts, olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables, is beneficial for cardiovascular health. Data from Innova Market Insights shows that supplements and sports nutrition launches in the cardiovascular health market witnessed an average annual growth of 17 percent (Global, CAGR 2018-2020). 

“To succeed in this increasingly competitive environment, product developers should formulate new products that must provide a clear and measurable effect on health,” says Russo.

“If we strive to continue to build the clinical validation of our ingredients in individual sectors and further confirm the efficacy of proven combinations, the industry as a whole can benefit,” adds Elise Kaiser, vice president of sales, Americas, NattoPharma. 

As the health and wellness market becomes crowded, Russo stresses the use of technologies can help provide more beneficial products to the end-users. “Boosting the bioavailability of one ingredient or delivering it quickly or in a time-released manner are two good examples,” he points out.

New formats for younger consumers
Another approach to keeping cardiovascular health relevant might be to develop innovative concepts. “For example, novel dosage forms and ingredients could play a major role in keeping up with the competition,” notes Andrea Zangara, head of scientific communications and marketing at Euromed.

“Up until now, heart health-promoting applications have been targeted mainly at the older generation, but that trend has changed. We now have a younger target group that wants to live more consciously and healthily.” 

Even if the majority of supplement users “still prefer capsules,” Russo highlights that Millennials are looking for new dosage formats, such as stick packs, gels or gummies that can add convenience as well as pleasant sensory experience.

Tapping into younger demographics and innovating with delivery formats is not limited to the cardiovascular health sector, but is also a prominent theme observed in the healthy aging and vitamin sectors, respectively.

Pairing up omega 3
According to Kaiser from NattoPharma, the cardiovascular sector does not have to compete with other health segments when many nutrients work synergistically to support multiple systems of the body. 

“Take omega 3 and vitamin K2 as MK-7,” she says. “Omega 3s are necessary for brain development, while also earning a qualified health claim for the ability to lower blood pressure in the US, and four European Food Safety Authority claims for cardiovascular health.”

“While omega 3’s mechanism of action is linked to these important outcomes, it is not recognized for impacting vascular calcification, which health experts believe may cause blood vessels to narrow and lead to the development of heart disease,” Kaiser flags. 

Pairing vitamin K2 with omega 3, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, can impact vascular calcification, says NattoPharma’s Kaiser. “Because vitamin K, as MenaQ7 by NattoPharma, has been shown to impact vascular calcification, it is the perfect complementary nutrient to support optimal heart health.”

According to Innova Market Insights, magnesium, EPA/DHA and omega 3 remain the top functional ingredients mentioned on the ingredient list in supplements and sports nutrition with a heart health positioning (Global, 2020).

Natural ingredients find favor
While omega 3s maintain their podium position, plant extracts have also received considerable interest, in terms of hypercholesterolemia problems, according to Dr. Violetta Insolia, scientific project and marketing specialist at EPO.

Botanicals’ well-rooted history in cholesterol-related diseases motivated the launch of EPO’s Omeolipid blend, made from Mediterranean artichoke, Peruvian caigua and fenugreek. 

“All the active components of this blend work together counteracting the main physiological dysfunctions that are usually associated with hyperlipidemia: overstressed liver, hyperglycemia, kidney problems, hypertension and cholesterol clearance,” she explains.

Meanwhile, Giellepi offers a red yeast rice ingredient to keep cholesterol levels within normal limits with Rosso Puro Forte. “A clinical study is scheduled later this year to evaluate its safety and efficacy in subjects with borderline cholesterol levels,” Russo hints.

Two clinical trials have also already confirmed the efficacy of CreaRibo, Giellepi’s patented combination of D-ribose, creatine and B vitamins, in ameliorating physical resistance and quality of life in subjects suffering from chronic heart failure.

EPO’s Omeolipid blend taps into Mediterranean and Ayurvedic heart health trends.Mighty Mediterranean
Various scientific studies have linked the Mediterranean diet with reducing the risk of diabetes, coronary health disease and even prenatal weight gain.

Promoting nuts, unrefined grains and legumes, extra virgin olive oil, fresh fruits and vegetables, and a moderate to high fish intake, the Mediterranean diet is rich in omega 3s, protein, antioxidants and vitamins that support the circulatory system.

“It has been demonstrated that this diet has a positive effect on the body and can reduce risk factors for increased blood pressure, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease,” emphasizes Zangara.

Most recently, Euromed released its new lemon-based botanical ingredient Wellemon, which may have better bioavailability than orange extract, according to a recent clinical study.

“The results showed that the lemon extract yielded more bioavailable metabolites than hesperidin and may therefore provide more effective health benefits in terms of cardiovascular, metabolic and immune functions,” Zangara shares.

Consensus: A holistic approach
Besides maintaining a healthy diet, physical strains on the body can trigger the onset of CVDs. For example, tobacco and alcohol use can raise blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipids, triggering overweight and obesity. An increasing sedentary lifestyle also promotes physical inactivity.

Red yeast rice consists of unsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols, pigments and monacolins.  Moreover, the WHO stresses there are several social, economic and cultural “underlying determinants” of CVDs. These include globalization, urbanization and population aging, as well as poverty, stress and hereditary factors.

These varying yet ubiquitous factors are behind the mindset shift toward a holistic health approach. “Nowadays, an increasing number of consumers are making preventive care a top priority. In this context, for today’s busy consumers, products that may offer functional benefits addressing different need states are gaining traction,” says Russo. 

For example, Euromed’s pomegranate concentrate Pomanox improves not just cardiovascular, but also metabolic and cognitive performances and stimulates hair growth and skin health. Similarly, NattoPharma’s K2 stimulates both heart health and bone growth.

A holistic health approach is discussed further in detail by experts from Gnosis by Lesaffre, Solabia-Algatech Nutrition and IFF Health in NutritionInsight’s previous Special Report on cardiovascular health. 

By Anni Schleicher