The rising health-consciousness in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region has redefined “active lifestyle”, which is no longer just relevant to athletes and gym enthusiasts, but has also expanded into a broad and diverse spectrum of consumers taking a proactive approach to their health.
“Mobility is key to maintaining an active lifestyle, so it’s no wonder that joint health supplements are becoming increasingly important to this evolving demographic. In fact, data shows that 53% of Asian consumers are interested in joint health products, even if they are not suffering from specific problems in this area.
“More younger consumers are seeking out supplements to meet their active lifestyle needs. A significant 75% of consumers aged between 25 and 42 in the APAC region express a desire to improve their bone and joint health, as they feel it is affecting their mobility and ability to perform basic tasks,” Juliana Erickson, Senior Category Marketing Manager (Capsules & Health Ingredients) at Lonza, told NutraIngredients-Asia.
Moreover, the company’s proprietary research revealed that nearly as many younger consumers globally are looking to actively maintain their joint health, compared to their older counterparts.
Specifically, as many as 81% of younger adults worldwide expressed concerns about potential future joint pain and discomfort, while 70% are concerned about reduced mobility.
These findings underscore opportunities for nutraceutical brands to introduce innovative solutions tailored to the needs of this new generation of consumers.
“Today’s younger active lifestyle consumers in APAC expect supplements that deliver a convenient and enjoyable experience. In terms of specific ingredients, collagen is gaining popularity in the region. Unlike other forms of collagen, undenatured type II collagen can meet the current demands.
“For instance, Lonza’s UC-II undenatured type II collagen is a versatile ingredient that provides mobility benefits at a daily dose of 40mg. The low-dose functionality makes it more formulation-friendly and can be used in a wide range of formats and applications that appeal to the younger demographic.”
‘Clear the fog’ around collagen
According to Erickson, while young active consumers globally are familiar with collagen and are aware of its benefits for skin as well as joint health and mobility, significant knowledge gaps persist.
“Research has found that a substantial portion of non-collagen users feel that the collagen supplement market is poorly explained and overly confusing. And it’s fair to say that collagen users aren’t much clearer on this either, with more than half not knowing about the different types of collagen available on the market.”
Additionally, over 75% of existing users desire more education around collagen products.
“Consumers are looking for transparency and scientific validation, as science-backed ingredients provide a high level of assurance regarding the tangible benefits of the ingredient, as well as confidence in the safety of the product.
“At the same time, adequately substantiated claims can help brands gain consumer trust while enabling consumers to make informed decisions about the products they purchase. Given these findings, it is time for nutraceutical brands to clear the fog in this space.”
Backed by extensive research
The mobility benefits of Lonza’s UC-II undenatured type II collagen are said to be backed by an “extensive bank of scientific evidence”.
Erickson cited several key research findings involving the ingredient, including a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in 2022.
In this study, 96 healthy male and female participants aged 20 to 55 years old took a 40mg daily dose of UC-II undenatured type II collagen. It was found that supplementation improved joint flexibility by three degrees, which is 15 times more effective than the placebo.
Other research showed that the collagen reduced joint discomfort after physical activity and significantly decreased knee discomfort when twisting or pivoting the knee, walking downstairs, and walking on a flat surface, compared to placebo at 180 days.
In addition, participants in the intervention group walked over 0.4 km more per day compared to the placebo group, indicating that collagen supplementation helps make walking more comfortable and supports people in hitting their daily step goals.
“These benefits are the result of UC-II undenatured type-II collagen’s unique mechanism of action. Lonza’s proprietary manufacturing process ensures that important bioactive binding regions on the collagen triple helix, called epitopes, are preserved. These epitopes are what triggers the body’s immune system to build new joint cartilage,” Erickson explained.
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