Maternal & infant health

Expo West 2024: Our picks of the best supplements-specific education

21-Feb-2024 By Stephen Daniells

The industry's annual pilgrimage to Anaheim is only a couple of weeks away, so we looked at the education session to pick out the key supplements-related sessions that we’ll be adding to our agendas.

Review spotlights gaps in pain relief research for children

16-Feb-2024 By Olivia Brown

A new literature review has underlined the nutraceuticals with potential to provide natural pain relief for abdominal conditions in children, stressing the need for further research into potential products of interest.

Chlorella supplementation may relieve constipation for pregnant women

14-Feb-2024 By Olivia DeSmit

In addition to a host of other symptoms, pregnant women often suffer from constipation. A new study shows supplementation with the algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa can help, among other benefits.

Personalized prenatal iron supplementation is crucial, researchers state

14-Feb-2024 By Olivia Haslam

“It is crucial to adjust the prenatal iron supplementation to each pregnant woman’s needs,” as risks are run for the infant both in over and under-dosing, new research has concluded.

Perelel secures $6 million for reproductive and prenatal health

02-Feb-2024 By Asia Sherman

Los Angeles-based start-up Perelel Health recently raised $6 million in Series A funding led by Unilever Ventures, which will be used to continue to grow its portfolio of supplements targeting women’s distinct life stages.

H&B: Overcoming trust barriers in menopause supplements

02-Feb-2024 By Olivia Haslam

Retail giant Holland & Barrett says that lack of consumer trust is a key barrier in the women's health category and that continuous campaigning is needed to improve awareness and education about this ‘underserved community’.

NutraWomen Wednesday: Devon Gholam, PhD, VP science and innovation, Step Change Innovations

31-Jan-2024 By Danielle Masterson

The scientific storyteller has been in the food and nutraceutical industry for over 20 years. From plant-based fibers and proteins to actives supporting digestive and immune health, she’s researched and worked with several ingredients.

Mango linked to higher nutrient intake in certain Americans

30-Jan-2024 By Asia Sherman

Women of childbearing age and older adults could increase their select nutrient status and diet quality by eating mango.

Research reveals potential role of microbiome in fertility

22-Jan-2024 By Olivia Brown

The dominance of bacteria Lactobacillus spp. in the female reproductive tract is associated with improved pregnancy outcomes while vaginal and endometrial dysbiosis may reduce the chances of successful embryonic implantation, according to a new review.

UK supermarkets match Danone’s Aptamil baby formula price cuts

19-Jan-2024 By Olivia Brown

Following a recent investigation into soaring infant formula prices, global food company Danone has reduced the wholesale price of its Aptamil infant formula by 7%, and major UK retailers have passed the cost savings on to consumers.

Wild.AI’s Helene Guillaume prepares to take SANS stage

18-Jan-2024 By Danielle Masterson

With various life stages and fitness levels, the extra layers women come with can make for a challenge—and Wild.AI is tackling it head on.

GAO report on 12 prenatal supplements: ‘Unnecessarily alarmist’ and ‘Where’s the statistical significance?’

15-Jan-2024 By Stephen Daniells

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has issued a report on prenatal supplements, which includes data on the testing of 12 different products and some wide-ranging recommendations calling for greater FDA oversight.

Cepham zeroes in on specialized formulations for women

08-Jan-2024 By Danielle Masterson

These days, selling a good product just isn't enough. Consumers expect brands to stand up on topics such as gender equality, climate change and ethical labor practices. However, with that demand comes an increased risk of things like greenwashing...

Sports & Active Nutrition Summit Start-up Star

Q&A: Helaina founder talks reproducing breast milk proteins for mass consumption

08-Jan-2024 By Asia Sherman

The spark for biotech company Helaina hit founder Laura Katz on the New York City subway as she was listening to a podcast about black-market breast milk.

Most women lack essential nutrients during preconception: Study

08-Jan-2024 By Olivia Brown

Research conducted by researchers at Southampton University shows that 90% of women during preconception had marginal or low concentrations of one or more of folate, riboflavin, vitamin B12 or vitamin D.

Prebiotics boost iron absorption for at-risk infants: RCT

03-Jan-2024 By Stephen Daniells

Adding prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides/fructo-oligosaccharides (GOS/FOS) to iron-fortified infant cereal may boost absorption of the mineral by 60%, says a new study.

DHA levels higher in breastfed infants whose mothers ate specific fish

20-Dec-2023 By Claudia Adrien

Lactating mothers who frequently consumed “Blue-back fish” and/or “White fish” had breastfed infants with higher levels of serum docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an essential n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA). These levels were higher than...

Brightseed gets $1.6 Million Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support at-risk mothers

19-Dec-2023

AI pioneers Brightseed have received $1.6 million funding from the Gates foundation to identify and validate natural bioactive compounds to improve birth outcomes by supporting undernourished pregnant and lactating women.

Balchem boosts Choline production by 50% as cognitive category drives demand

19-Dec-2023 By Stephen Daniells

Responding to growing demand for choline across the lifespan, Balchem has announced the completion of its US capacity expansion for its VitaCholine, boosting output by 50%.

CRN-International identifies global nutrient gaps, with focus on brain health ingredients

14-Dec-2023 By Danielle Masterson

The event earlier this year brought together experts from around the world to shed light on the critical issues surrounding global nutrition challenges and policy efforts.

Higher second trimester iron and vitamin D levels minimize depression symptoms later in pregnancy

13-Dec-2023 By Claudia Adrien

Getting enough iron and vitamin D during the second trimester of pregnancy was related to less maternal depression symptoms during the third trimester, according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Long-term consumption of whole eggs escalates growth and may boost microbiome in youngsters – Thai trial

06-Dec-2023 By Hazel Tang

School going children who ate 10 additional eggs per week had higher growth hormone levels, and consumption may also lead to benefits for the gut microbiota, according to a Thai trial.

NutraWomen Wednesday: Jaclyn Bowen, MPH, MS, Executive Director, Clean Label Project

29-Nov-2023 By Danielle Masterson

Before coming to Clean Label Project, Jackie Bowen held numerous technical, standards development, food safety, quality, and executive roles within the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre, NSF International. Her expertise is in organic, gluten-free,...

Vitamin D deficiency increases risk of preterm birth among Black women

28-Nov-2023 By Claudia Adrien

A 'sunshine vitamin' deficiency among pregnant Black women is a significant predictor of preterm birth (PTB), as compared to non-Hispanic white women, according to research which appeared in Nutrients.

Dairy compounds promote the survival of B. infantis in the intestine – study

28-Nov-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The findings suggest milk phospholipids can be used as a functional ingredient to enhance the effects and survival rates of pro- and postbiotics in the gastrointestinal tract.

Prenatal vitamin D may reduce child’s asthma risk: Harvard study

20-Nov-2023 By Stephen Daniells

High-dose vitamin D during pregnancy may significantly reduce asthma in the offspring at both age three and six, compared to a standard prenatal multivitamin with vitamin D, says a new study.

Evolving science shifts focus to lutein’s lifelong eye and brain benefits

10-Nov-2023 By Asia Sherman

Research on lutein’s important role in child development is heating up, highlighting growing understanding of the carotenoid’s contribution to improving visual acuity and cognitive health starting as early as in utero.

The urban microbiome and the rural microbiome: Comparing communities across the industrialization spectrum

08-Nov-2023 By Asia Sherman

City life may not be well suited to maintaining the optimal symbiotic relationship between gut microbiota and the human host.

IPA chief on broader scope: ‘We want to bring clarity to a complex world’

06-Nov-2023 By Stephen Daniells

The IPA’s decision to expand beyond probiotics and cover prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics, but despite the broader scope and a new logo, the association will not be changing its name.

Antioxidant supplement improves sperm quality and pregnancy outcomes, research suggests

02-Nov-2023 By Olivia Haslam

Supplementing men with a combination of micronutrients and L-Carnitine shows promise in improving sperm motility and pregnancy outcomes, a new study concludes.

NutraWomen Wednesday: Lindsay Dahl, Chief Impact Officer, Ritual

01-Nov-2023 By Danielle Masterson

Clean living expert Lindsay Dahl has been working at the forefront of environmental health campaigns to eliminate toxic chemicals in consumer products through policy and market shifts since 2004.

Limosilactobacillus vaginalis offers postbiotic strategy for compromised microbiota in infants

01-Nov-2023 By Olivia Haslam

Supplementation with heat-killed microbes of vaginal origin could help to nurture a healthy gut microbiota in infants, a new study has concluded.

Study: Nutrient dense formula could improve cognition and behaviour in infants

31-Oct-2023 By Olivia Haslam

Nutritional supplementation could support developmental myelination, a critical process in learning and development, in growing infants and young children, according to a new industry funded study.

Startup Spotlight

Q&A: Perelel Health talks targeting women’s needs across the hormonal lifecycle

30-Oct-2023 By Asia Sherman

Baby making, egg freezing, pregnancy trimesters, recovery after birth or reproductive loss, follicular and luteal menstrual phases—all different stages of a woman’s hormonal lifecycle that Perelel Health says require clean, targeted nutrition.

High dose folic acid in pregnancy may shorten infant telomere length, researchers say

25-Oct-2023 By Olivia Brown

A new study has observed a significant association between very high intakes of folic acid (FA) during pregnancy and shorter telomere lengths in children aged four.

Chlorella minimizes constipation in pregnancy: Study

23-Oct-2023 By Claudia Adrien

Chlorella supplementation in pregnant patients with low-grade inflammation can decrease the prevalence of constipation and the need to take laxatives, according to a small study which appeared in Food Science & Nutrition.

Probiotic pair shows anti-stress potential for post-partum women: RCT

16-Oct-2023 By Stephen Daniells

Supplements containing a combination of Limosilactobacillus and Bifidobacterium probiotic strains may boost a new mother’s mood after delivery, says a new randomized, double-blind, controlled trial from Italy.

SelenoExcell achieves self-affirmed GRAS

16-Oct-2023 By Danielle Masterson

The standardized high-selenium yeast–a more efficacious food form of the mineral–is also GRAS-affirmed for use in a variety of food categories.

Review highlights opportunity of Coprococcus: ‘The bacterium that makes us happy’

03-Oct-2023 By Stephen Daniells

Coprococcus spp. may be a potential biomarker organism for mental health, and could be “an interesting lead for novel dietary-based preventive therapies for specific neurological disorders”, says a new review.

FrieslandCampina Ingredients eyes ‘pockets of growth’ with new child nutrition portfolio

28-Sep-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The company is pivoting its dairy-derived early life nutrition ingredients into a portfolio designed to enhance the nutritional value of products aimed at children aged 3 and up.

SmartyPants, SPINS, and ATW headline Supplements for Kids webinar

27-Sep-2023 By Stephen Daniells

An upcoming webinar will explore the booming category of children’s supplements, featuring experts from SPINS, SmartyPants Vitamins, and Amin Talati Wasserman.

Omega-3 during pregnancy, but not childhood, may reduce risk of infant food allergies

25-Sep-2023 By Olivia Brown

A new meta-analysis of available RCTs observes that omega-3 supplementation during pregnancy was significantly associated with a reduction in the risk of developing food allergy diseases in offspring.

Survey finds nearly half of parents give melatonin to children under 13

20-Sep-2023 By Claudia Adrien

While many parents elect to give their kids melatonin, some sleep experts say the hormone should be reserved for extreme cases like melatonin deficiency.

WHO AI tool to clampdown on infant formula marketing

20-Sep-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Europe is calling on consumers to use its newly developed artificial intelligence (AI) tool in order to clampdown and regulate the promotion of harmful products targeted at children.

Study: Not all iron supplements for pregnant women should be “considered equal”

07-Sep-2023 By Olivia Haslam

A new systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by supplement manufacturer Balchem concludes ferrous bisglycinate supplementation in pregnant women results in improved haemoglobin status and a 64% lower rate of side effects compared to other iron...

Precision microbiome engineering study: "The level of control and precision of engraftment that we have achieved is unprecedented"

05-Sep-2023 By Danielle Masterson

Bacteria found in the gut of nursing infants combined with breast milk sugars may lead to live biotherapeutics and ultimately be a game-changer for the gut health of adults.

Study sheds light on disruptions to infant gut microbiome from COVID-19 pandemic

25-Aug-2023 By Stephen Daniells

Dramatic environmental changes during the early COVID-19 pandemic have disrupted the development and diversity of the infant gut microbiome, according to data collected from infants living in New York City.

NutraCast: Helaina charts new territory with breast milk proteins from precision fermentation

24-Aug-2023 By Danielle Masterson

Helaina is pioneering modern nutrition with breast milk proteins developed outside the body via precision fermentation. The biotech company is writing the safety playbook on novel bioactive proteins and to help with this, Helaina hired a nutritional sciences...

dsm-firmenich gets FDA GRAS for novel HMOs

16-Aug-2023 By Stephen Daniells

The US FDA has issued ‘Good Day Letters’ to dsm-firmenich for three Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notices submitted for the human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) LNFP-l/2’-FL and hypoallergenic grade LNnT and 2’-FL.

RCT: Probiotics well tolerated and promote healthy gut flora in infants

07-Aug-2023 By Olivia Brown

A new RCT observes an increased abundance of Bacteriodes and Lactobacillus genus following a four month intake period with L. salivarius (AP-32) and B. animalis (CP-9) probiotics respectively, in infants aged four days to two months old.