In the News
Clean. Verified. Trusted: OmniActive's Facilities Achieve Prestigious NSF-GMP Certification
RESEARCH ADVANCES FROM THE 2025 ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Chungnam National University Researchers Reveal How Vitamin D is shown to reduce liver damage by boosting TXNIP activity in cholangiocytes
UC Irvine researchers find combination of natural compounds for brain cleaning
How a New Blood Test and Research Are Aggressively Aimed at Diagnosing and Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease
Clean. Verified. Trusted: OmniActive's Facilities Achieve Prestigious NSF-GMP Certification
OmniActive Health Technologies (OmniActives), a global leader in science-backed botanical ingredients, announced today that both its manufacturing facilities in Pune and Hosur, India, have now achieved Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) compliance certification from NSF International, one of the most rigorous and trusted third-party certifiers for nutrition and wellness in the world.
The certification was awarded under NSF/ANSI 173, Section 8, which includes requirements from the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) outlined in 21 CFR Part 117. This milestone demonstrates OmniActive's continued commitment to delivering safe, high-quality ingredients to its global customers, which meet label claims as per product specifications.
"In today's crowded omnichannel landscape, consumers demand clean, efficacious, transparent, validated and compliant products," said Makrand Bhalerao, Vice President of Global Quality at OmniActive. "Obtaining the NSF certification for both our Pune and Hosur facilities reinforces our commitment to quality and safety at every step and signals to our partners that they can confidently deliver a gold standard to their consumers, backed by rigorous, traceable, and trusted manufacturing practices."
This NSF-GMP certification process includes annual audits to ensure facilities maintain ongoing compliance with the highest global quality standards. This added level of scrutiny assures product manufacturers and consumers alike that OmniActive's ingredients are produced in accordance with industry-leading practices for safety, hygiene, and quality.
To learn more about OmniActive, its portfolio of botanical-based ingredients and quality assurance standards, visit www.omniactives.com.
About OmniActive Health Technologies
Established in 2005, OmniActive seeks to improve lives through innovative science and natural health solutions. OmniActive's product portfolio consists of scientifically validated, IP-protected, branded Specialty Actives and an extensive portfolio of natural Botanical Actives for global customers in the dietary supplement, functional food, and beverage markets. The company has offices in Mumbai, India, and Bridgewater, New Jersey.
RESEARCH ADVANCES FROM THE 2025 ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
New research results reported at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference® 2025 (AAIC®) advanced scientific understanding of risk, diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Highlights include:
- Two lifestyle interventions in the U.S. POINTER clinical trial improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. A structured intervention with more support and accountability showed greater improvement compared to a self-guided intervention, helping to protect against normal age-related decline for up to two years.
- The Alzheimer's Association released its first clinical practice guidelines on use of blood biomarker tests by specialists to assist in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
- Taking a combination of common drugs to treat blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes may slow cognitive decline, according to data from five studies.
- Lead in the atmosphere and environment may be linked to memory problems 50 years later, based on a study of more than 600,000 people.
- Walking and other lifestyle interventions could benefit people with the strongest known genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease, the APOE4 gene variant.
- The first results from "real world" studies of new amyloid targeting Alzheimer's drugs confirmed findings from the late-stage clinical trials, and patients expressed satisfaction.
- Participation in the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is linked to slower cognitive decline, according to a first-of-its-kind long-term study.
- New research gives insights into critical sex-based differences in brain health, including how traumatic brain injuries impact women and men differently, and new understanding of cognitive symptoms for women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.
AAIC is the premier annual conference for presentation and discussion of the latest Alzheimer's and dementia research. This year's conference in Toronto attracted nearly 19,000 registered attendees and included more than 6,400 scientific submissions.
Positive Results from the U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) Study
The Alzheimer's Association U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) — a two-year, multi-site clinical trial testing two different lifestyle interventions in a representative population of older adults at risk for cognitive decline and dementia — found that both interventions improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline.
Trial participants in the structured intervention showed greater improvement on global cognition compared to the self-guided intervention, helping to protect against normal age-related decline for up to two years. This means that, relative to the self-guided group, participants in the structured group performed at a level comparable to adults one to nearly two years younger in age — an effect that likely increases resilience against cognitive decline.
This extra benefit was similar across all subgroups of U.S. POINTER participants — regardless of sex, ethnicity, genetic risk or heart health (blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels). More than 30% of participants were from groups that have been historically underrepresented in dementia research.
Both interventions focused on increasing physical activity, improving nutrition, cognitive and social challenge, and health monitoring. The structured intervention differed from the self-guided intervention in intensity, structure, accountability and the support provided.
U.S. POINTER was a large-scale, rigorous, randomized controlled clinical trial. These positive results underscore the message that healthy behavior has a powerful impact on brain health, and encourage us to look at the potential for a combination of a lifestyle program and drug treatment as the next frontier in the fight against cognitive decline and possibly dementia.
First Clinical Practice Guideline For Blood Biomarker Tests in Alzheimer's Diagnosis
The Alzheimer's Association released its first evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) on the use of blood-based biomarker (BBM) tests at AAIC 2025, a big step toward transforming Alzheimer's diagnosis and management in specialty care settings. The CPG provides rigorous, evidence-based recommendations to help specialist clinicians to use BBM tests more confidently and consistently.
The recommendations are aimed at a variety of specialists in settings like neurology, psychiatry, geriatrics and more who diagnose and evaluate cognitive impairment, and are based on a review of available evidence through November 2024.
The recommendations suggest that specialists can use BBM tests as a triaging tool in the diagnostic workup of Alzheimer's when they have at least 90% sensitivity and 75% specificity, but a positive triaging test should always be confirmed with more traditional tests like cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) or amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. The guidelines permit BBM tests with at least 90% sensitivity and 90% specificity to substitute for PET imaging or CSF testing. However, experts caution that many commercially available BBM tests do not yet meet these thresholds.
This CPG is part of ALZPro™ from the Alzheimer's Association, the comprehensive hub of resources and tools for health care professionals and researchers from across disciplines to reduce risk, advance early detection, improve care and expand equitable access for all communities.
Combination of Heart-Health Drugs May Also Protect the Brain
Taking a combination of common drugs used to treat blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes may have an added benefit: slower cognitive decline. A study of more than 4,500 older adults showed cognitive test scores similar to people three years younger for participants who took a combination of drugs targeting vascular or metabolic conditions, all of which are known risk factors for dementia.
Participants who were on all three of the vascular drugs had the greatest cognitive benefits, and their brains showed fewer signs of Alzheimer's-related changes at autopsy. For those who took only two of the drugs, the most effective pairing for cognitive protection was blood pressure and cholesterol drugs.
Lead Pollution Linked to Memory Problems in Older Adults
Historic pollution levels from the era of leaded gasoline may be contributing to cognitive issues 50 years later, according to a first-of-its-kind research study. Researchers tracked how exposure to airborne lead from 1960-1974 — when leaded gasoline use was at its highest — impacted brain health later in life. The report estimated that half the U.S. population at that time, more than 170 million people, were exposed to high lead levels in early childhood.
The researchers linked the pollution data from the 60s and 70s to a contemporary study conducted between 2012 and 2017. They estimated that 17 to 22% of people living in areas with moderate or high atmospheric lead reported memory issues. While leaded gas has long been phased out, other sources of exposure remain, such as old lead paint, pipes and industrial pollution. Experts say people who had past lead exposure should focus on reducing other risk factors for dementia, including managing high blood pressure, quitting smoking and avoiding social isolation.
Lifestyle Change Benefits May Be Strongest for Carriers of Alzheimer's Risk Gene
People with a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease may benefit the most from healthy lifestyle interventions like walking, according to a decade of data from three large international studies. Older adults who carry the Alzheimer's risk gene known as APOE4 had higher cognitive benefits from non-drug interventions like exercise, diet and cognitive training than non-carriers.
In this study, walking was found to be the most effective healthy habit for slowing down cognitive damage. Like many healthy lifestyle changes, the key was making it a habit, as the study showed that sticking with it for at least two years produced cognitive benefits up to seven years later.
Participants in SNAP Food Assistance Program Had Slower Cognitive Decline
People who participated in the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) had slower cognitive decline over 10 years than non-participants, according to new research reported at AAIC 2025. Scientists examined data from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study to compare participants in SNAP, which helps low-income individuals and families buy food, to those who were eligible for the program but didn't participate.
They found that SNAP participants had a 0.10% slower decline in overall cognitive function. The difference is significant in the long-term, adding up to an estimated two to three additional years of cognitive health over the study's 10-year period.
The study group of 1,131 SNAP participants studied included Whites, Blacks and Hispanics. A control group included 1,216 people who were SNAP-eligible but didn't participate. Researchers found that all groups benefitted, but White participants showed much slower decline than other groups. The findings highlight the potential benefits of food assistance programs to support older adults' cognitive health.
New Insights Into Cognitive Health Differences Between Men and Women
New research announced at AAIC 2025 sheds light on crucial differences between men and women in risk for Alzheimer's and other diseases that cause dementia. One study found that traumatic brain injuries (TBIs, a well-known risk factor for dementia) were more likely to shrink dementia-related areas of the brain in women than men. Another looked closer at "chemobrain" — declines in thinking and memory reported by about one-third of women receiving breast cancer chemotherapy.
Women make up nearly two-thirds of the more than 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer's. The chemobrain study is the first to show that brain changes, inflammation and shrinkage related to the cancer treatment are connected to symptoms like memory lapses and trouble focusing or finding words. The study adds to growing evidence that chemotherapy impacts brain health.
The Alzheimer's Association supports research to better understand sex-based differences in cognitive health and prevent negative side effects for chemo patients. Clinicians can learn more about early detection, diagnosis and treatment of dementia using ALZPro, the newly-launched library of online tools and resources for professionals from the Alzheimer's Association.
The Alzheimer's Association extends a thank you to the AAIC 2025 Platinum Sponsors: Biogen, Eisai, Lilly and Novo Nordisk.
About the Alzheimer's Association International Conference® (AAIC®)
The Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) is the world's largest gathering of researchers from around the world focused on Alzheimer's and other dementias. As a part of the Alzheimer's Association's research program, AAIC serves as a catalyst for generating new knowledge about dementia and fostering a vital, collegial
About the Alzheimer's Association®
The Alzheimer's Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia®. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.
SOURCE Alzheimer's Association
Chungnam National University Researchers Reveal How Vitamin D is shown to reduce liver damage by boosting TXNIP activity in cholangiocytes
A new study uncovers how vitamin D activates the TXNIP gene in ductular cells to reduce inflammation and fibrosis in chronic liver disease
Chronic liver disease (CLD) affects millions worldwide and lacks a universal cure. While vitamin D is widely recognized for its role in bone health, its impact on liver disease remains underexplored. Researchers in Korea have now shown that vitamin D supplementation can reduce liver inflammation and fibrosis by activating the TXNIP gene in ductular cells. These findings suggest vitamin D could be a promising, low-cost complementary therapy for managing CLD progression.
Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a major global health concern, affecting approximately 1.5 billion people. This life-threatening disease often progresses silently, eventually leading to worsened conditions like liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. There is currently no treatment for CLD other than liver transplantation.
Vitamin D is commonly consumed for enhanced bone health. This study opens exciting possibilities for repurposing an inexpensive supplement as a complementary therapy for liver diseases. Prof. Hyo-Jung Kwon from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University in Daejeon, Republic of Korea, and his colleagues have studied the underlying mechanisms and therapeutic implications of Vitamin D in liver disease. “Here, we explored the effects of vitamin D on ductular reaction and CLDs, and investigated underlying mechanisms. Our data reveal that vitamin D supplementation ameliorates ductular reaction and reduces liver inflammation and fibrosis largely through TXNIP,” comments Prof. Kwon. Their study was published online on 13 May 2025, in Nature Communications.
Ductular reaction refers to the proliferation of ductular cells (primarily cholangiocytes) in response to liver injury. While initially protective, excessive or prolonged ductular reaction contributes to inflammation and fibrosis. In this study, researchers observed that lower plasma levels of vitamin D were associated with more severe ductular reaction in patients with CLD.
Vitamin D upregulates the expression of TXNIP (Thioredoxin-interacting protein). This was confirmed in a mouse study where Txnip deletion in cholangiocytes promoted ductular reaction and even exacerbated liver inflammation and fibrosis. In vitro analysis revealed the Vitamin D/TXNIP molecular axis. “Furthermore, Txnip deficiency increases TNF-α and TGF-β secretion by cholangiocytes to stimulate Kupffer cells and hepatic stellate cells, consequently leading to inflammation and collagen deposition,” adds Prof. Kwon.
Research that supports early diagnosis and better treatment for CLD is not only warranted but essential. “Our preclinical data reveal a new mechanism by which vitamin D supplementation ameliorates CLDs and support the idea that the vitamin D/TXNIP axis could be a promising therapeutic target in clinically addressing the ductular reaction and CLDs,” comments Prof. Kwon. Further research is needed to validate the clinical application of vitamin D supplementation as a standard supportive therapy for patients with chronic liver disease.
Ultimately, this work could improve outcomes for millions worldwide by offering safer and more personalized liver disease therapies.
***
Reference
Title of original paper: Vitamin D supplementation ameliorates ductular reaction, liver inflammation and fibrosis in mice by upregulating TXNIP in ductular cells
Journal: Nature Communications
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59724-z
About the institute
Chungnam National University (CNU), located in Daejeon, South Korea, is a leading national university renowned for its excellence in research and education. Established in 1952, CNU offers diverse programs in engineering, medicine, sciences, and the arts, fostering innovation and global collaboration. Situated near Daedeok Innopolis, a major R&D hub, it excels in biotechnology, materials science, and information technology. With a vibrant international community and cutting-edge facilities, CNU continues to drive academic and technological advancements, making it a top choice for students worldwide.
Website: https://plus.cnu.ac.kr/html/en/
UC Irvine researchers find combination of natural compounds for brain cleaning
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have identified a promising nonpharmaceutical treatment that rejuvenates aging brain cells and clears away the buildup of harmful proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
In a paper published recently in the journal GeroScience, the UC Irvine team reports that a combination of naturally occurring compounds – nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3) and epigallocatechin gallate (a green tea antioxidant) – can reinstate levels of guanosine triphosphate, an essential energy molecule in brain cells. In tests on neurons in a dish, the treatment reversed age-related cellular deficits and improved the brain cells’ ability to clear damaging amyloid protein aggregates, an Alzheimer’s hallmark.
“As people age, their brains show a decline in neuronal energy levels, which limits the ability to remove unwanted proteins and damaged components,” said lead author Gregory Brewer, adjunct professor of biomedical engineering at UC Irvine. “We found that restoring energy levels helps neurons regain this critical cleanup function.”
The researchers used a genetically encoded fluorescent sensor called GEVAL to track live guanosine triphosphate levels in neurons from aged Alzheimer’s model mice. They discovered that free GTP levels declined with age – particularly in mitochondria, the cells’ energy hubs – leading to impaired autophagy, the process by which cells eliminate damaged components.
But when aged neurons were treated for just 24 hours with nicotinamide and epigallocatechin gallate, GTP levels were restored to those typically seen in younger cells. This revival triggered a cascade of benefits: improved energy metabolism; activation of key GTPases involved in cellular trafficking, Rab7 and Arl8b; and efficient clearance of amyloid beta aggregates. Oxidative stress, another contributor to neurodegeneration, was also reduced.
“This study highlights GTP as a previously underappreciated energy source driving vital brain functions,” Brewer said. “By supplementing the brain’s energy systems with compounds that are already available as dietary supplements, we may have a new path toward treating age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.”
He cautioned, “More work is going to be required to find the best way to administer this treatment, since a recent clinical trial involving UC Irvine researchers showed that oral nicotinamide was not very effective because of inactivation in the bloodstream.”
Brewer’s collaborators were Ricardo Santana, a UC Irvine associate specialist in biomedical engineering, and Joshua McWhirt, a UC Irvine junior specialist who’s now a Ph.D. candidate at the Medical University of South Carolina. Funding was provided by the National Institutes of Health and the UC Irvine Foundation.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
How a New Blood Test and Research Are Aggressively Aimed at Diagnosing and Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease
William Hu, the director for Center for Healthy Aging Research and chief of cognitive neurology and Alzheimer’s disease at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research and his team recently validated the new Lumipulse blood test approved by the FDA in May. Dr. Hu is also working on research that impacts preventative care, includng the long-term impact of diet and continuing education on the aging brain. Below Dr. Hu discusses what is happening and how he is making strides toward the goal of potentially preserving and improving millions of lives.
How is Alzheimer's dementia different from dementia? How do the symptoms compare – and are treatments the same? Dementia is an umbrella term to describe someone with sufficient thinking and memory issues that they can no longer live and function independently (e.g., banking, cooking, shopping) without help. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in the United States and Europe, but not all cases of dementia are due to Alzheimer’s. For example, Robin Williams had dementia with abnormal protein deposits know as Lewy bodies, and other people have frontotemporal degeneration sharing brain changes with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease). The symptoms of dementia are influenced by multiple factors. Whereas people who develop Alzheimer’s disease in their 70s and 80s often begin with memory decline, a significant proportion of people who develop the same disease in their 50s and 60s can have language or vision problems first. The symptoms of dementia give physicians some clue on what the underlying cause may be, but the overlap in symptoms between distinct diseases is great. This is the primary reason that the misdiagnosis rate for the underlying cause for dementia is about 30% in specialty memory clinics. We can dramatically improve this using advanced spinal fluid biomarkers. For a long time, the only treatments for dementia targeted the symptoms of forgetfulness, behavioral change or apathy without changing the underlying disease course. Because they are not that specific for one cause of dementia or another, not knowing the underlying cause mattered less. Over the past few years, new therapies have emerged to very specifically slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by removing amyloid in the brain.
This highlights the importance of knowing what the underlying cause of dementia is – these drugs will not be effective at all in people who don’t have Alzheimer’s disease changes in the brain. The FDA recently cleared the first blood test used in diagnosing Alzheimer's.
What is the impact of this news? The obvious impact is faster, easier and more readily available detection of Alzheimer’s disease. However, like all tests, this and other tests continue to have important caveats.
This FDA-cleared test also is often ordered along other Alzheimer’s blood tests which may provide conflicting results. As such, we do not recommend these blood tests be ordered by people who are concerned about their own future Alzheimer’s risks, nor by physicians who are not familiar with these caveats when using and interpreting these tests.
Currently, this test is most useful in identifying the approximate proportion of a group (e.g., older adults living in urban versus rural areas) with increased risks for Alzheimer’s disease, or when, if necessary, confirming Alzheimer’s disease in someone with more severe cognitive impairment and is unable to undergo other more in-depth testing.
What is the current news on lifestyle changes that can prevent Alzheimer's? Risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease have been very difficult to modify. For example, high blood pressure is a well-known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, but it takes very aggressive treatment of blood pressure to slightly reduce the risk for dementia. Playing brain teasers or doing crossword puzzles also doesn’t seem to translate onto other tasks.
However, combined social and cognitive activities – such as volunteering or playing mahjong – have shown great promise in lowering the risks for Alzheimer’s disease.
Is gut health another component for prevention and delaying the onset of Alzheimer's dementia? There have been some very interesting studies linking gut health with Alzheimer’s disease. Beyond the gastrointestinal tract’s role in absorbing nutrients necessary for optimal brain cell functions, the gut microbiome – a collection of bacteria which live inside our GI tracts – can themselves secrete molecules which eventually reach the brain.
Clever manipulation of these signals through food has the potential of helping our brain age better.