As consumers push for peak performance in their daily lives, the demand for ingredients that deliver accelerated cognitive and physical benefits has increased.
From energy drinks to nootropics and pre-workout supplements, products targeting single-use cognitive enhancement are driving innovation in the functional ingredient market.
The demand for single-use cognitive products is growing as consumers turn to targeted, one-time-use products in convenient formats that align with busy lifestyles and immediate performance needs.
For formulators, the rise of single-use cognitive enhancement products represents a significant opportunity. Choline donors like A-GPC have emerged as essential ingredients in these formulations, offering a reliable and science-backed way to deliver cognitive benefits.
The single-use status is a departure from traditional research on choline, which has largely focused on long-term cognitive health and stress management. Instead, the spotlight is now on how single-use cognitive products can help consumers optimize their mental and physical performance when desired.
“The market currently leverages choline-donor ingredients that only have cognitive function claims in older populations with continuous use,” says Dustin Elliott, Chief Brand Officer, NNB Nutrition.
“However, the growing trend for new product launches is for consumers seeking a cognitive boost with just one serving of product.”
As the market for cognitive enhancers continues to expand, A-GPCs which can demonstrate effectiveness with single-use will become a key ingredient for innovation in energy drinks, nootropics, and pre-workout supplements.
Choline and A-GPC
A-GPC (alpha-glycerophosphorylcholine) is a naturally occurring chemical in the body made from choline. Vital for cognitive health, choline plays a critical role in maintaining the structural and functional integrity of cellular membranes. It supports cholinergic signalling in the brain through the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is key to memory, learning, and cognitive processing.¹
A-GPC has gained attention in the supplement industry as a nootropic ingredient with the ability to increase acetylcholine levels in the brain after administration.² As a bioavailable source of choline, A-GPC helps restore choline levels and improve cognitive outcomes and performance across all manner of consumer groups, beyond gym goers and athletes.
“Consumers are increasingly looking to improve the processing of information, whether it’s speed, accuracy, or recall. A-GPC’s ability to support cognitive performance and optimize brain function makes it an invaluable ingredient to help maintain mental sharpness, regardless of age or lifestyle,” says Kerksick.
A ‘108% increase in focus’ claim in younger, healthier populations
In 2024 NNB Nutrition, a leader in premium nutritional ingredients, completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical study on its GeniusPure product, targeting a healthier, younger market.³
“The existing choline research on the market was addressing health conditions. We saw a gap here because these products targeted older consumers, whereas most buyers are younger consumers looking for peak performance. So that’s what we targeted,” says Kerksick, who authored the study.
The study had 20 healthy, resistance-trained 21–41-year-old males complete three separate visits where changes in exercise performance, cognitive performance, and safety were evaluated.
Participants completed all tests after consuming either a placebo, a 350 mg dose of Genius Pure or a 700 mg dose of Genius Pure. Feelings of alertness, focus, and concentration along with the Stroop test were completed to evaluate cognitive impacts of Genius Pure. Muscular performance was evaluated by assessing changes in force and power production and muscle contraction speed in both the upper-body and lower-body.
Most significant were the results of the Stroop Test showing a 108% increase in focus in the 350mg dose group, thereby providing a ‘double’ your focus’ claim opportunity for formulators. When processing speed was evaluated, a high-dose of A-GPC resulted in a 140% increase in processing speed, while taking half the dose still increased performance over a placebo by 50%.
When general feelings of alertness were assessed, study participants reported 16.7% higher level of alertness when compared to a placebo. In exercise performance, upper body peak force levels were significantly greater (p = 0.043) when a high dose of A-GPC was consumed compared to a placebo.
Lower-body peak force production was significantly greater when a low-dose of A-GPC was consumed when compared to the high dose. Those ingesting A-GPC resulted in 2.5-10% improvements in various indicators of upper- and lower-body force and power production when compared to a placebo.
“Demonstrating these positive outcomes with younger, healthy individuals was unique to us and significant because we haven’t seen that from other published studies on A-GPC,” says Kerksick.
High potency, single dose A-GPC
As the highest potency of A-GPC used in research with concentrations of 70% and 90%, GeniusPure® can unlock opportunities to leverage formulations that target healthy populations.
The product’s unique claim is its ability to enhance acute cognitive function with a single dose. “Getting results from a cognitive standpoint from single use is our differentiating factor” says Kerksick.
“Formulators can benefit from GeniusPure A-GPC as they will now have cognitive function claims for every serving of their product promising immediate benefits.”
“For sports brands, this makes it more applicable in terms of how they use it as a choline donor versus what’s already out there. Consumers expect results from a single scoop or drink and our research is specific to how consumers are expecting the product to deliver results. We expect to see more and more excitement in this space.”
Prior to NNB Nutrition’s research, most data on the market was with lower purity A-GPC.
“We demonstrated not only greater efficacy at higher than 50%, but also confirmed positive outcomes in a younger, healthier population – meeting the market where it’s headed,” says Kerksick.
“Our 90% A-GPC was originally designed to offer customers a smaller dosage format with less expedients. Now we have a performance and clinical application to that pitch.”
“Any form of ingredient – whether capsules, powdered sachets or chewable capsules – that can pack more of what you want into less space offers advantages in terms of size or dosage frequency. Consumers don’t want to take more or larger capsules than they have to. This is another advantage of GeniusPure.”
Another advantage is its non-hygroscopic status, thanks to a polymer technology which reduces the product’s ability to draw water, thereby preventing clumping and enhancing the user experience.
A soy-free claim further underscores the product’s market appeal. “Some branded products contain soy but in the sports nutrition community we see a large demand for soy-free claims,” says Kerksick.
As the demand for cognitive health support grows, GeniusPure stands out as a scientifically supported ingredient for applications that align with the need for optimal performance.
“We’re always looking to innovate while at the same time solving customer pain points. We take highly popular ingredients and make them better,” says Shawn Wells, Chief Science Officer at NNB.
“GeniusPure has more double-blind placebo-controlled studies forthcoming to add even greater value to our customers. This is just the beginning.”
References
- Conlay, L.A.; et al. Exercise and neuromodulators: choline and acetylcholine in marathon runners. Int J Sports Med. 1992 Oct;13 Suppl 1:S141-2.
- Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation. Alpha-GPC (alfoscerate, L-alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine).
- Kerksick, C.M. Acute Alpha-Glycerylphosphorylcholine Supplementation Enhances Cognitive Performance in Healthy Men. Nutrients 2024, 16(23), 4240.
