Life sciences company Amazentis has commercially launched a new ingredient in the US, touted as boosting cellular functions and muscle strength. Timeline Cellular Nutrition is backed by decade-long research and includes Mitopure – a highly pure form of Urolithin which is proven to help counter age-associated cellular decline and improve muscular strength. With the global elderly population rising, healthy aging is a fast accelerating trend, as consumers look to maintain muscle mass, mobility and improve the quality of senior life.

“We seek to develop the next generation of nutrition products targeting cellular health and mitochondrial function. Now, more than ever, consumers appreciate the importance of staying healthy and maintaining muscle function. Timeline Nutrition brings together cutting-edge science with a great tasting product,” says Chris Rinsch, CEO and Co-Founder of Amazentis.

The food & beverage industry is responding to the growing aging population by increasingly launching products with changed formulations and health claims, targeting not only seniors but all different stages of life. The main concerns of senior consumers are brain health, heart health and mobility, while adults in general mostly focus on beauty, immune health and weight management. More healthy and functional ingredients, such as collagen, omega 3 and beta-glucan, are being applied in a wide range of product categories, providing consumers with diversified healthy options.

According to research by the “Prevention of Malnutrition In Senior Subjects in the EU” (PROMISS) consortium, dietary strategies to boost protein intake among elderly people should better take into account sensory properties, familiarity, affordability, accessibility and convenience. Poor overall diet quality is also linked to an increased risk of becoming frail during senior life, according to a US study. The study also found that the quality of the overall diet appeared to be more important than protein intake for a lower risk of frailty. Recently, during a Vitafoods Digital Week webinar, Lonza and Euromed experts spotlighted ingredients for healthy aging covering mobility, mental agility, glycemic control and heart health, as well as skin and hair health.

A powerhouse ingredient

Many people begin to experience a loss in muscle strength starting in their 40s due to age-associated declines in cellular bioenergetics and mitochondrial function, the company notes. Timeline is formulated with Mitopure, a proprietary ingredient and highly pure form of Urolithin A. This bioactive is produced by the gut microbiome in only a limited portion of the population. Mitopure is the only compound shown to increase muscle function by activating the selective recycling of damaged mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell) via an essential anti-aging process known as mitophagy.

Mitopure has been shown to improve mitochondrial function by stimulating mitophagy, a process by which aging and damaged mitochondria are cleared from the cell, making way for healthy mitochondria to grow. Moreover, it has been favorably reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and deemed safe following a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) filing. Mitopure has been extensively evaluated pre-clinically and clinically to support its use in humans for nutritional supplementation, the company notes.

Clinical evidence mounting

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in healthy middle-aged participants (40 to 65 years old) showed that four months of daily consumption of 500 mg Mitopure (highly pure Urolithin A) led to a significant improvement in leg muscle strength. The company also notes that a separate randomized clinical trial of healthy adults (18-80 years old) in the US compared Urolithin A levels following consumption of Mitopure and pomegranate juice. This study showed that 500 mg of Mitopure delivers greater than six times more Urolithin A compared to 8oz (240ml) of 100 percent pomegranate juice.

Timeline is particularly effective because precisely calibrated doses of Mitopure deliver Urolithin A directly and activate mitophagy within the body, regardless of diet or microbiome. This new clinical data showed that only 12 percent of participants had detectable levels of Urolithin A entering the study. Overall, participants showed a greater than six-fold improvement in Urolithin A levels over 24 hours after consuming 500 mg of Mitopure when compared to 8 oz (240 mL) of 100 percent pomegranate juice.

“For the first time we have shown that consuming Mitopure on a regular basis for four months triggers meaningful physiological changes in the body and significantly improves leg muscle strength,” notes Patrick Aebischer, Chairman and Co-Founder of Amazentis. “This is a breakthrough in the translation of science-backed nutrition targeting muscle and healthy aging.”

Timeline’s first product comes in the form of a Berry & Pomegranate flavored powder that can be mixed in with your daily smoothie, yogurt, and other breakfast favorites. Timeline is exclusively available for purchase online for consumers in the US. Moreover, the company has a global strategic partnership with Nestlé Health Science to expand the health applications of Mitopure linked to mitochondrial and cellular decline.