How Cross Border E-Comm and Social Platforms Power China’s Booming Supplement Market
China’s digital retail environment is dominated by home‑grown platforms such as Alibaba, JD, WeChat, and Douyin, where 51% of consumer spending now occurs online. The online nutraceutical market is projected to hit $17 billion in 2025, growing 14% year‑over‑year, with probiotics ranking among the top supplement categories. Cross‑border e‑commerce for health supplements reached $566 million in 2025, expanding 20% and split almost evenly between Tmall (42.2%) and Douyin (40.9%). Over half of Chinese supplement spend (54%) favors foreign brands, especially Australian and U.S. players, who rely on agencies like WPIC for logistics, marketing and regulatory support.
Abbott Nutrition Study: Older Women Gain Greater Muscle Benefits From Protein Plus HMB
Abbott Nutrition funded a randomized double‑blind crossover trial that examined whether adding 3 g of β‑hydroxy‑β‑methylbutyrate (HMB) to a 40 g whey protein dose enhances muscle protein synthesis (MPS) in older adults. The study, involving 24 healthy participants aged 65‑75, found that...
Vitamin K2-7 May Slow Progression of Coronary Artery Calcification
A two‑year randomized trial (VitaK‑CAC) found that daily 360 µg of vitamin K2‑7 (MK‑7) reduced coronary artery calcification (CAC) progression by 29% versus placebo in 180 high‑risk adults. Participants had baseline CAC scores between 50 and 400, and 78% were on...
Science Shorts: Bifido Probiotic, Green Tea Catechins, Piceatannol in the Spotlight
A series of recent clinical trials highlight the growing evidence base for nutraceuticals across age groups. A six‑month Chinese RCT found that Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 reduces respiratory infections and eczema in formula‑fed infants while easing digestive discomfort. In...
VeMico Study Suggests Postbiotic Improves Overall Skin Health and Appearance
A double‑blind, placebo‑controlled trial of VeMico’s oral postbiotic VMK223 in 29 healthy women aged 40‑55 showed statistically significant improvements in multiple skin‑appearance metrics after 12 weeks. Wrinkle depth fell 28 % versus 4.4 % in the control group, while skin hydration and...
Q&A: As Microplastics Exposure Research Grows, Sifts Bets on Digestion-Focused Nutrition Support
Sifts has launched a first‑of‑its‑kind supplement that uses chitosan, apple pectin and baobab to bind microplastics in the gastrointestinal tract and promote their elimination. The formulation leans on established safety profiles and early human data showing chitosan can increase microplastic...
Gut-Lung Axis: RCT Supports Bifido Probiotic’s Immune-Supporting Benefits
A six‑month, double‑blind RCT involving 360 formula‑fed infants under three years tested Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 at 5 billion CFU daily. The probiotic group saw upper respiratory infections drop from 42.5% to 19.4% and eczema prevalence fall from 70% to 27.6%....
Single-Dose Creatine Before Exercise May Support Strength Training: Study
A randomized crossover pilot trial with 11 physically active men showed that ingesting a single dose of creatine monohydrate two hours before resistance training yielded greater acute strength performance in bench press and back squat than taking it during, after,...
Anti-Aging Benefits of PQQ May Extend Beyond Antioxidant Effects, New Research Finds
Japanese researchers gave mice either lifelong or midlife supplementation of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) or its derivative imidazopyrroloquinoline (IPQ). Both compounds lowered midlife mortality, extended healthy lifespan, and preserved neuromuscular function, while also influencing fat metabolism. PQQ improved overall muscle performance...
Chinese Ministries Team up to Drive R&D of Functional Marine Ingredients
China unveiled a policy paper to accelerate high‑quality development of marine drugs and functional products, aiming for an industry added value of at least $19 bn by 2030, up from $14.7 bn in 2022. The initiative is coordinated by the ministries of...
Major Japanese Firms to Drive Industry-Government-Academia Partnerships in Longevity
The ASAGI Labs Longevity Consortium was launched on June 1, uniting seven major Japanese firms—including Asahi Quality & Innovations, Meiji, and Rohto Pharmaceutical—with academia, government and NGOs to accelerate longevity‑focused research and business creation. The group will leverage AI‑driven multimodal health...
HTBA’s Vitamin B12 Could Improve Cycling Performance
A randomized, triple‑blind crossover trial in Spain found that three days of HTBA’s methylcobalamin supplement, MecobalActive, raised serum B12 levels by roughly 17% and boosted both anaerobic power and cognitive reaction time in 18 amateur cyclists. Participants who received the...
Review: Targeted Fiber Consumption Could Boost Long-Term Outcomes of GLP-1 Therapy
Researchers from Maastricht University and KU Leuven reviewed how targeted dietary fiber can enhance the long‑term success of GLP‑1 obesity drugs. They found that specific fibers—glucomannan, psyllium, inulin—act via different mechanisms and can mitigate gastrointestinal side effects while potentially reducing...
‘Unmatched’: Nutra Healthspan Summit Returns for November 2026
The Nutra Healthspan Summit returns for its second edition on November 10‑11, 2026, at Convene in London. The two‑day forum will convene brands, researchers, product developers, and investors to explore cutting‑edge advances in cellular aging, mitochondrial function, women’s health, cognition,...
McCormick and Unilever ‘Well Underway’ with $40 Billion Merger Despite Investor Fears
Unilever and McCormick are advancing a $40 billion merger that would combine Unilever's food brands such as Hellmann’s and Knorr with McCormick's spice and flavor portfolio. Executives say the deal will generate 3‑5% top‑line growth by year three and lift adjusted...