Nutrasource Blog

Sports Nutrition as a business category within foods and dietary supplements have had a relatively short history. From a mass market perspective, it was not until 1965 and into the 1970’s that the nephrologist (kidney specialist) Robert Cade, MD started tinkering with a “homemade” beverage, later named Gatorade (Dr. Cade was the Director of the Renal Division at the University of Florida Medical School) for the sole purpose of helping football players stay hydrated during the hot and humid game conditions in Florida.

As we are all adjusting to modifying our work practices to stay safe and “flatten the curve” during the time of COVID-19, work must go on. R&D, product development, and regulatory compliance are as important as ever as the FDA has been handing out warning letters for unsubstantiated coronavirus claims.

The current pandemic situation highlights a weakness in our traditional approach to clinical trials.  You are probably experiencing some form of lock-down (“stay at home order” by your local or national government).  Our innate sense of optimism says this crisis will blow over fast, but there are also dark clouds suggesting weeks may turn to months and true return to normality will take longer than we dare to think.

Medical Foods is a unique regulatory category wedged between supplements and drugs, a category where nutrients can be marketed with a claim for the management of a disease. A claim that has led some to call this category “supplements on steroids”.

Whether you are launching a new product or looking to substantiate a novel claim, strong science is crucial to the success of your health product. In Canada, many ingredients have been “pre-cleared” for specific claims at particular doses. Monographs give guidance and provide substantiation for these ingredients, so you don’t have to.

The global health product industry is constantly innovating—leveraging current science and consumer trends to launch products that pique the interest of health-conscious consumers. Probiotics are among the most popular health supplements worldwide, with global sales surpassing $44 billion USD in 2019 (Euromonitor, 2019).

As a contract research organization (CRO), we field many inquiries about stability storage testing here at SGS Nutrasource. Despite being extremely important, analytical product testing for stability and shelf-life is often overlooked. Keep reading to find our analytical team’s answers to the most commonly asked questions about stability storage testing for different dosage forms.

In this special series, we highlight a member of the Nutrasource team so you can get better acquainted with the experts behind your project.

Cannabis has taken Canada by storm since legalizing recreational use in October 2018, and the highly anticipated second wave of regulations has finally arrived. Cannabis edibles, extracts, and topical products will hit the shelves mid-December 2019, and consumers and companies alike are buzzing with anticipation.

How has the probiotics market evolved over the last 12 months?

We have seen some interesting market shifts over the past 12 months. A small pull back on market growth in the US, probably fueled by a combination of education gaps at the HCP and consumer level and too many copycat products in the market. Then in APAC, that market is starting to experience exponential growth. Where in Europe we are starting to see a small comeback in the supplement market. So varying situations which are region specific, just like the regulatory environments around the globe.