It is no secret that improving muscle health not only enhances athletic power but also contributes significantly to overall wellness. Therefore, products aimed at building muscle and strength are no longer limited to bodybuilders or athletes.
Strong muscles play a key role in enhancing stability, balance and flexibility, and also have the potential to boost mood, energy levels and sleep. As consumers are becoming aware of these benefits, the sports nutrition category is evolving and now encompasses a broader demographic under the umbrella of “active nutrition”. This group includes not only athletes but also individuals who are interested in maintaining good health. In response to this trend, ingredient suppliers are adapting to cater for the needs of people of all ages and activity levels.
Diverse demands
Some athletes treat their bodies like a finely tuned machine and aim for quick recovery times, whereas others focus mostly on muscle growth. And while men and women may have differing nutritional requirements, they share the same desire to look and feel well, which includes maintaining energy levels and good immune health. Finally, a growing number of e-athletes are looking for products to support energy levels, focus and reaction times. To meet these differing needs, Euromed, a producer of standardised herbal extracts, offers a broad range of botanical ingredients for functional foods and beverages, dietary supplements and other innovative sports nutrition products. The rising popularity of botanical extracts, known to support muscle health, cognitive skills, endurance and metabolic balance, is reflective of a diverse consumer base, including an older demographic who increasingly understand the importance of supplements for healthy ageing. This trend is significantly influenced by the recognised benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which has long been associated with improved longevity.
The power of polyphenols
Pomanox® is a flagship product from the Mediterranean fruit and vegetable extracts range. With more than 12 published studies and several ongoing clinical trials, the pomegranate extract, which is rich in polyphenols including punicalagin, meets growing consumer demand for active ageing. With its high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, the polyphenols help improve a range of performance parameters, including increased endurance, distance covered in a pre-selected time period, time to complete a certain distance and maximum power output, in both untrained but particularly trained male athletes.[1]
A randomised, placebo-controlled clinical study demonstrated improvement in peak performance and recovery after an exhausting endurance trial in trained amateur cyclists who had consumed the pomegranate extract.[2] The main outcomes show that 14 days of supplementation significantly increased time to exhaustion and time to reach ventilatory threshold 2 (VT2) in a maximal test following sustained endurance effort, compared with a placebo. According to the authors, this means that both maximal and submaximal performance increased. Additionally, 72 hours after the trial, inflammatory markers were lower in the Pomanox® group, suggesting faster recovery. Other published studies indicate that the pomegranate extract may support mood and, within just one hour, improve aspects of cognitive performance such as visual memory.[3][4]
Supporting active lifestyles
In addition to pomegranate, there are further evidence-based fruit and vegetable extracts that are inspired by the healthy ageing properties associated with the Mediterranean Diet. For instance, spinach extract Spisar® has shown positive effects on skeletal muscle strength and muscle fitness in subjects aged 50-plus who combined moderately intense training with 12-week daily supplementation of Spinacia oleracea L. extract.[5] Spinach leaves have a naturally high content of phytoecdysteroids, plant secondary metabolites with a wide range of potential health benefits, such as improved physical performance and enhanced stress resistance. The authors conclude that the spinach extract in conjunction with physical exercise may exert overall “all-body strengthening” adaptogenic activity, and may be beneficial for improving muscle fitness and maintaining muscle health, both of which are crucial for active ageing.
Yet strong joints are important too, as they support mobility. Researchers have found that supplementation with the cucumber extract CuberUp® may help enhance joint health[6], with the results of a double-blind clinical study linking it to significantly improved quality of life for those suffering from osteoarthritis in the knee. Subjective sensation of knee pain improved significantly in both study groups, but improvements were higher in the CuberUp® group. Pain reduction was fast, starting from week 1 and becoming significant versus placebo by week 4. In addition, a reduction in pain and stiffness, together with improved physical function, were significantly more pronounced in those receiving the cucumber extract. Amino acid derivatives in cucumber extracts possess anti-inflammatory properties and may also improve cartilage nutrition. Moreover, flavonoids and tannins in the phytochemical composition of aqueous fluid cucumber extracts may be responsible for their free radical scavenging and analgesic effects.
Another promising botanical ingredient for Healthy Agers and athletes is ABAlife® – an abscisic acid-enriched fig extract which has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glycemic control for effective energy use in muscles.[7][8]
It offers a promising solution for individuals seeking to maximise their energy levels and performance during physical activities. The fig extract helps facilitate the transport of glucose into muscle cells, where it is efficiently converted into energy. This mechanism not only supports athletic performance but also aids the maintenance of stable blood sugar levels, contributing to overall metabolic health.
Beyond muscle
Sports and active nutrition increasingly encompass support for sustained mental performance, too, driven by the burgeoning popularity of gaming and e-sports. This trend enables manufacturers to tap into new audiences, as e-athletes must maintain peak mental and physical performance for several hours of continuous gaming during competitions. Their particular needs include improved concentration and reactivity to fatigue prevention, as well as relief from headaches and eye strain. Offering evidence-based support for cognitive performance and eye health[9], pomegranate extract is a real botanical all-rounder. It has shown cortisol-lowering properties in two clinical studies, further supporting anti-catabolic and stress-relieving potential.3; [10] Likewise, melissa leaf, lime flower, passionflower and valerian root present promising ingredients for e-athletes thanks to their stress management properties. However, the market still lacks a significant number of gaming-specific nutrition products tailored to the diverse needs of e-athletes, thus presenting ample opportunities for manufacturers to develop targeted solutions for this segment.
Holistic thinking
From fitness enthusiasts and Healthy Agers to e-athletes, many people seek nutritional supplementation for simultaneous energy, performance and recovery support. While health benefits are a major factor, sustainability and naturalness are other key drivers. As the active nutrition category becomes increasingly popular, manufacturers should use clinically researched ingredients to provide consumers with the highest quality products. The inclusion of functional ingredients such as botanical extracts is therefore essential for the creation of brands that not only enhance fitness, but also overall health and wellbeing.
References:
1 Somerville V., et al.: Polyphenols and Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2017, 47, 1589–1599.
2 Torregrosa-García A., et al.: Pomegranate Extract Improves Maximal Performance of Trained Cyclists after an Exhausting Endurance Trial: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Nutrients 2019, 11(4), 721.
3 Stockton A, AL-Dujaili EA, MCDougall G, Davidson I, Drummond S, Wyness L. Effect of pomegranate extract consumption on cardiovascular disease risk factors, stress hormones, and quality of life in human volunteers: an exploratory randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. EC Nutr 2015;4(5):396e411.
4 Stockton, A. V. E., Zangara, A., & Al-Dujaili, E. A. S. (2021). Investigating the acute effect of pomegranate extract on indicators of cognitive function in human volunteers. Nutraceuticals in Brain Health and Beyond, 141–154.
5 Pérez-Piñero, S.et.al (2021): A 12-Week Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial,Evaluating the Effect of Supplementation with a Spinach Extract on Skeletal Muscle Fitness in Adults Older Than 50 Years of Age. Nutrients 2021, 13, 4373.
6 Pérez-Piñero, S. et al.: Effectiveness of a Cucumber Extract Supplement on Articular Pain in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial. Appl. Sci. 2023, 13, 485. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010485
7 Atkinson FS et al.: Nutrients. Abscisic Acid Standardized Fig (Ficus carica) Extracts Ameliorate Postprandial Glycemic and Insulinemic Responses in Healthy Adults. 2019 Jul 31;11(8). pii: E1757.
8 Leber, A., et al. Abscisic acid enriched fig extract promotes insulin sensitivity by decreasing systemic inflammation and activating LANCL2 in skeletal muscle. Sci Rep 10, 10463 (2020).
9 Peñalver-Mellado, M. et al. In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Pomegranate Extract (Pomanox®) in a Reconstituted Human Corneal Epithelium Model. J. Clin. Transl. Ophthalmol. 2023, 1, 52-60
10 Al-Dujaili, E.A.S. et al. Antioxidant Properties and Beneficial Cardiovascular Effects of a Natural Extract of Pomegranate in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized Preliminary Single-Blind Controlled Study. Antioxidants 2022, 11, 2124
