Innovation and science are behind the continued growth of the immune health category.

The body’s defender against infection and illness, the immune system is a network of cells, tissues and organs that work together to protect the body from anything that threatens its ability to function normally. When the immune system is healthy, it does just that, but when it is not balanced, problems can include anything from the flu to allergies, or an autoimmune disorder.

Stressors such as financial concerns, family responsibilities and working long hours can have a profound affect on the immune system in conjunction with the fact that many Americans are not getting enough sleep, exercise or eating a balanced diet. And with the cost of health care rising, more consumers are being proactive about their health, which is evident as the market for immune health supplements is on the rise. “A recent survey among 1,579 adults aged 18 and older found that immune health is one of the top three reasons that people took supplements in the past two years,” said Richard G. Mueller, CEO of Biothera in Minnesota. “It was cited more often than pain relief, weight control and reducing heart risk.” 

The aging population is among the reasons for the rise in the category. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) reported that in 2011, the first of the Baby Boomer generation reached age 65. And for the next 18 years, Boomers will be turning 65 at a rate of about 8,000 a day. While children are at risk of developing a cold or the flu from a classmate, simply getting older may weaken the immune system’s defenses. According to Harvard Medical School, the aging process somehow leads to a reduction of immune response capability, which in turn contributes to more infections, more inflammatory diseases, etc. In fact, respiratory infections, influenza and particularly pneumonia are a leading cause of death in people over 65 worldwide.

“The market for immune health supplements continues to grow for many reasons,” said Philip L. Kupper, senior scientist for Kentucky-based WILD Flavors, Inc. “First, there is a large segment of Baby Boomers who wants to retain control of their health. Second, people are embracing complementary and alternative treatments and therapies, which includes dietary supplements. And finally, concerns over the health care system are causing people to take a preventative approach to their health and well-being.” 

Research Boosts Immune Ingredients 

The number of ingredients beneficial for immune health is vast, with long-standing ingredients such as echinacea, zinc and vitamins C and D topping that list. Yet according to Carol Cheow, general manager of California-based Cactus Botanics, ginseng, astragalus and reishi are also being increasingly utilized as foundation ingredients for immune health products. “There are numerous clinical trials performed in China, and Chinese people have used them to enhance the immune system for thousands of years,” she explained.

While many rely on these core ingredients for their immune health products, new ones are gaining market attention for the immune health benefits they tout. Cheow noted that with the ascension of scientific research, many new ingredients have been found to improve immune health, such as fucoidan from brown seaweed.

Cactus Botanics’ fucoidan is extracted from brown seaweed that is a complex sulfated polysaccharide with a wide variety of biological actions for modulating immune cell functions. It increases the viability of dendritic cells (DCs) and fucoidan-treated Dcs showed decreased antigen uptake and increased proliferation of allogeneic splenocytes, according to the company. “A study suggests that fucoidan induces immature Dcs maturation and drive their differentiation toward a Th1-polarizing phenotype,” said Cheow. “Moreover, data suggest that Dcs appear to be a potential target for The immunomodulatory capacity of fucoidan and fucoidan may be used on DC-based vaccines for cancer immunotherapy.”

The popularity of probiotics is also growing in the immune health market, as consumers are recognizing and embracing their benefits. Because 70 percent of the immune system is located in the digestive tract, research has shown that probiotics can have a positive effect on the immune system. According to a study published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy in 2008, researchers examined the effects of giving probiotics to pregnant women one month before delivery and then to the child until they reached 6 months old. This study found that the probiotic treatment strengthened the immune systems of the babies and made them less likely to develop allergies.

Another study published in January 2013 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered that when those suffering from allergies take probiotics, they not only have lower levels of inflammatory markers, but their symptoms of hay fever reduced as well.

New Jersey-based Pharmachem Laboratories offers a patented blend of strains known as BIFIVIR, which combines five probiotic strains (Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria) and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), non-digestible soluble dietary fibers, specifically selected since they can be used by the probiotic microorganisms of the same formulation. Gregory Bonfilio, Pharmachem’s director of business development, noted that a significant quantity of the lactobacilli (L. Plantarum LP01 and LP02 and L. rhamnosus LR04 and LR05) and of the bifidobacteria (B. Lactis BS01) contained in BIFIVIR is able to survive when passing through the stomach and duodenum, hence guaranteeing the rapid colonization of the intestine, thanks to the high dose (at least 15 billion CFUs per sachet) in a true synbiosis with an ample dose of FOS.

“Three consecutive studies showed a significant reduction in the number and duration of the infections of the respiratory system,” said Bonfilio. “The total loss of work days for the BIFIVIR group was less than half those reported for the placebo group. There was also a statistically significant improvement in symptom intensity attributed to the consumption of BIFIVIR.”

Category Trends 

Because many of the ingredients for immune health offer different benefits, some manufacturers and ingredient suppliers work together to create formulas containing a number of immuneboosting ingredients. “Each category of active ingredients of the plant is different. For example, the phytochemicals in ginseng that support immune health are ginsenosides,” said Cactus Botanics’ Cheow. “And the phytochemicals in astragalus that enhance immune health are polysaccharides. So we will analyze various active ingredients carefully and investigate the different mechanisms in different metabolic pathways in the body, and then mix a variety of ingredients from various botanical extracts together into a formula to make its function more comprehensive.” 

WILD Flavors’ two newest ingredient Blends for immune health are Immunel and the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Immunity Blend. Immunel is a proprietary blend of immune peptides and growth factors that has been shown to enhance immune function within two hours after consumption—activating the body’s immune cells and balancing total immunity, according to the company. The TCM Immunity Blend consists of a blend of herbs that historically has been shown to relieve the characteristic symptoms of chi-weakening or blockage. Distribution of chi is improved throughout the body by TCM consumption, and the body is protected against external imbalances that can weaken the immune system, the company stated.

Functional foods and beverages have also been growing across the board, as 60 percent of consumers believe that these products can provide health benefits, according to Nutrition Business Journal. As such, suppliers are focusing on ingredients that can be utilized in functional food and beverage formats. Biothera’s ingredient, Wellmune WGP, is a proprietary baker’s yeast beta 1,3/1,6 glucan that is clinically proven to prime key immune cells that keep the body healthy, according to the company. Found in more than 100 foods, beverages and supplements in more than 50 countries, Wellmune is GRAS (generally recognized as safe), kosher, halal and GMO-free.

“… Manufacturers need immune health ingredients that can withstand a wide range of manufacturing processes (heat, pH) without degrading their potency,” said Mueller. “The ingredients must also not adversely affect taste. Biothera has developed two forms of Wellmune WGP to fit any manufacturing need. Wellmune Dispersible may be used in most foods and beverages. However, for some applications such as clear beverages, Wellmune Soluble is ideal because it stays in solution and has no taste.” 

Market Challenges 

The immune health category is a crowded one with ingredients and products that often promise to be the latest and greatest. But only those with proven results can stand the test of time. “The Products that have real effect and make a difference in how people feel are credible and will last,” said Cheow. “In the market, new ingredients are continuously launched, while at the same time, some products are eliminated. New products often have a life cycle of maybe years, maybe more than 10 years. The length of time may be associated with the operation of the product manufacturers, or related to scientific research and market promotion. Finally, the products repeatedly verified by time are the most successful.” 

In order to stand out, Biothera’s Mueller noted that the key is to offer compelling product claims that resonate with consumers because simply stating that a product supports healthy immune function will not distinguish it from the competition. “That is one of the reasons why Biothera has conducted numerous clinical studies with individuals—medical students, firefighters, marathoners, women—under high physical or lifestyle stress,” he said. “These studies consistently demonstrate that daily use of Wellmune improves health, enhances the immune system and helps protect the body against the harmful effects of stress. Consumers have responded strongly to the idea that Wellmune will help them weather the stresses of their busy lives.”

And according to Pharmachem’s Bonfilio, manufacturers also need to create a riveting, yet simple message that can compel consumers. “One brand of supplements has a commercial series featuring people walking in a marked leaning direction—they are ‘out of balance,’” he explained. “Taking this supplement, according to the manufacturer, corrects that balance. This honed-in messaging and the creative, compelling manner in which it is expressed, is a great example of standing out.” 

In addition to the crowded market, manufacturers and suppliers must be clear about what the ingredient or product can do and not make unfeasible claims, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) closely monitor the immune health category. “These government agencies are watching out for The public ensuring that immune health supplements are marketed in a way where they don’t overpromise,” explained WILD Flavors’ Kupper. “Products that claim to cure a cold or disease are a red flag for the FDA. The increase in government security has led to immune health supplements that are efficacious and have been rigorously tested.” 

Because maintaining a balanced immune system is essential to good health, the category will continue to grow and flourish. “Immunity will remain a key consumer health issue for the foreseeable future,” concluded Kupper. “For example, 67 percent of consumers define wellness as not being ill [as reported in Adweek in 2010]—a key factor in staying healthy is maintaining your immune system. Targeting long-term preventive health such as immune function offers great marketing opportunities.”

Low Vitamin D Levels a Risk Factor for Pneumonia

Auniversity of Eastern Finland (UEF) study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health showed that low serum vitamin D levels are a risk factor for pneumonia. The risk of contracting pneumonia was more than 2.5 times greater in subjects with the lowest vitamin D levels than in subjects with high vitamin D levels.

The follow-up study carried out by the UEF Institute of Public Health investigated the link between serum vitamin D3 and the risk of contracting pneumonia. The study involved 1,421 subjects living in the Kuopio region in Eastern Finland. The serum vitamin D3 levels of the subjects were measured from blood samples drawn in 1998-2001, and these data were compared against reported cases of pneumonia in hospital records in the same set of subjects in 1998-2009. 

The results showed that during the follow-up, subjects with serum vitamin D3 levels representing the lowest third were more than 2.5 times more likely to contract pneumonia than subjects with high vitamin D3 levels. Furthermore, smoking constituted a significant risk factor for pneumonia. The risk of contracting pneumonia also grew by age, and was greater in men than women. At baseline, the mean serum D3 concentration of the study population was 43. 5 nmol/l, and the mean age of the study population was 62.5 years.

Earlier research has shown that vitamin D deficiency weakens the immune defense system and increases the risk of mild respiratory infections. This UEF study was the first one to establish that vitamin D deficiency also increases the risk of contracting pneumonia in the aging general population. According to the researchers, this finding supports earlier observations on the diverse role of vitamin D in the body, and it also calls for further research on vitamin D deficiency as a public health issue. In northern latitudes, there is enough sun exposure to maintain sufficient vitamin D levels in summer, but not during the winter season, and vitamin D supplementation is often required. The recommended daily intake of vitamin D in Finland is 20 mcg for those over 60 years of age.

For more information, visit www.uef.fi/en/home.