ADAPTOGENIC AND NOOTROPIC  SUBSTANCES: INTENDED TO OPTIMIZE FUNCTIONAL FOODS 

Adaptogenic substances
They are a natural substances that according to Systemic Theory, basically plants and herbal, that provide special nutrients that help to human body to reach an optimum mental yielding and physical performance.
Is a pharmacological substance capable to produce in a human organism an upper resistant state of non specific resistance, that allows to prevent the stress symptoms in order to adapt to an exceptional effort.
An adaptogen will not cause secondary effects, shall have a modulator effect, do not have addiction causing and must transfer their propertis to whom consumes it. Simply speaking must gives negative entropy to consumer because it transfer survival to global system.
There are a very limited number of adaptogens, the main types are: Rhodiola rosae, Panax ginseng, Whitania sonifera, Ashwaghanda, Bacopa monnieri, Maitake, Schizandra y Chia (cereal) (because contains 11 saponin substances)
Nootropic substances
Nootropic substances, mainly are both natural and synthetic ingredients with very special molecular structure, that used at certain levels shows brain properties functioning of gnosis: mental processes related the memory, intelligence, attention management and creativity augmentation. Therefore they can become useful to improve the yielding and mental agility, that human needs to solve the main complex and difficult tasks, as well to cognitive prevention.
Some characteristic to be into account are the fact they don´t produce nor secondary adverse effects neither chemical dependency, this property is the most important difference related with stimulants like amphetamins.
Main known nootropic substances are the following: Acetyl-coline, Coline, Galantamine, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, Gingko biloba, Theanine, Vincamine, Ubiquinone, Phisostigmine, Lycoris radiata, Vitamine B5, DMAE (Dimethylethanolamine), Selank.

Prof. Andrés Gavilán.
President of AFCA (Spanish association for food additives and food supplements makers and traders), Prof. of National of Health School Carlos III on Upper Diploma in Food, Nutrition and Public Health, Dr. Chemical Sciences, President of Technical Sub-Committee (CTN34/SC4) on Food Analysis Horizontal Methods

PHYTOCHEMICALS AND GUT MICROBIOME INTERACTIONS: EFFECTS IN HUMAN HEALTH

The physiological relevance of clinical trials with the phytochemicals present in foods, nutraceuticals and herbal medicinal products, and especially with polyphenols, has been rather limited due to large inter-individual variability. Their absorption in the gastrointestinal tract is often poor, and they reach the colon unaltered where they interact with the resident microbiota. The study of the interactions of polyphenols with colon microbiota is a fruitful area of research that provides a new scenario for evaluating their health effects. The interaction of polyphenols with gut microbioma opens new opportunities for the development of drugs and nutraceuticals. The composition and functionality of the human microbiome will have implications in the nutraceutical and herbal medicinal products treatments and in the development of drugs for individuals with a specific gut microbiota composition. The interaction of phytochemicals with the microbiota leads to different bioactive metabolites (postbiotics) leading to several consistent metabotypes. These metabotypes show differences in the response and efficacy of the treatments with nutraceuticals and could explain the large inter-individual variations in the effects observed in clinical trials.

Prof. Francisco A. Tomás-Barberán.
Prof. of Analytical Chemical at University of Murcia, Prof. Analytical Research of CEBAS (CSIC) and Number Member Murcia Region Sciencies Academy

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TOWARDS AN (UNAVOIDABLE?) EUROPEAN REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR NUTRACEUTICALS: HINDERING OR STIMULATING INNOVATION?  

Currently, nutraceuticals represent an emerging area with booming growth, although not yet benefitting from a specific definition at EU level distinct from other food-derived categories. In this context, the potential development of a well-drafted regulatory framework at EU level could further stimulate competitiveness, innovation and investment in the sector. However, risks could also emerge from an ill-drafted regulation. This panel will address possible scenarios of a potential future legislation at EU level addressing nutraceuticals, including specific cases of similar precedents under other regulatory frameworks (Novel Food Regulation, Biostimulants …).

Eduardo Mulas (Partner) & Alex Bocquillion (Account Manager).
EPPA

FEEDING FOR FEEDING OLD PERSONS TODAY AND AT THE FUTURE

The current world population according to the latest demographic report of the United Nations Organization (UNO) is 7.5 billion people and we will be 10 billion people in the world by 2050. So humanity in this new stage of the Anthropocene faces to an inescapable change of food system, with a new way of eating, such as the so-called Planetary Diet and with a much more sustainable food production system.
On the other hand, the percentage of populations over 65 years and especially over 80 years of age, are increasing steadily, especially in some countries such as Spain and Japan, which have the longest life expectancy. Anti-aging medicine has achieved a great development, and is now been replaced by Precision Medicine and Precision Nutrition. Aging is an intrinsic process to the human being, progressive and universal, multifactorial, multiform and asynchronous that leads to a gradual decline of all the biological functions, with changes in body composition and a loss of skeletal muscle mass related to age, that performs important sustaining and metabolic functions, closely related to fragility.
Older elders also have numerous associated chronic diseases, as well as the presence of dysphagia and many social limitations, such as living in solitude or a low economic level, in general, that increase their risk of malnutrition. This malnutrition as well as multiple nutritional deficiencies are most prevalent when the elderly have some acute complications in hospitalization or when admitted to socio-sanitary residences.
The nutritional requirements of the elderly do not decrease over the years, especially if the elderly maintains an active way of life and exercises, and the protein requirements are higher and more specific at this stage of life. -hydroxy--metilbutirate (HMP) is the active metabolite of the amino acid Leucine that helps to counteract the muscle loss.
Mediterranean type diet (without caloric excess , high in antioxidants, adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables, fiber, fat of quality , exercise and absence of stress ) may decrease the shortening rate of Telomeres and improve the life expectancy. But in older, frail and dependent elderly, often malnourished and pluri-pathological, to ensure a diet adapted to their needs , ensuring a food adapted to their needs and an artificial nutritional support, is really very complex and it is really a challenge for today and for the future, especially in collective restoration services.

Prof. Carmen Gómez- Candela MD. 
Head of Clinical Nutrition Department. University Hospital La Paz. Nutrition Research Group Director at IdiPAZ . Autonomous University of Madrid

NUTRACEUTICALS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING. PRACTICAL ASPECTS IN THE CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT

Dr. Rafael de la Torre.
IMIM
Director of the Neurosciences Research Program of the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute

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MICROBIOTA MODULATION: A NEW STRATEGY TO IMPROVE IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME SYMPTOMS

Essential oils have well-known anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. They are rapidly assimilated in the small intestine and, once in circulation, are rapidly eliminated by the liver and kidneys. BIOintestil® is a patented blend of Cymbopogon martinii (Roxb.) essential oil with a delayed release capable to reach the colon. Into the colon, BIOintestil® exerts its marked anti-inflammatory action directed against inflammatory mediators deriving from the Cyclooxygenase 2 pathway and modulates the intestinal microbiota causing an increase in microbial diversity associated with a strong and significant increase in single microbial species, such as Faecalibacterium, Blautia, and Prevotella, whose decrease is part of the IBS-associated dysbiosis. BIOintestil® was studied in vitro, in preclinical study and in a pilot open label trial that involved 19 IBS patients. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial is ongoing, with excellent interim results. Orally administered BIOintestil®, in the double blind controlled clinical trial, strongly improved the clinical symptoms of colitis in IBS patients by significantly reducing the score recorded by the VAS-IBS questionnaire. Clinical improvement was associated with a significant reduction of bloating, intestinal pain and regularization of bowel habit, especially in IBS patients with the diarrheal subtype. In conclusion BIOintestil® is a powerful component for food supplement targeted to the treatment of IBS patients.

Enzo Spisni.
FAGRON IBÉRICA. CEO Targeting Gut Disease

FROM GENETIC PROGRAMMING TO UNEXPECTED EPIGENETIC. NUTRIENTS, NON NUTRIENTS AND INTESTINAL MICROBIOTA CONTRIBUTION

It has been generally accepted that the inheritance corresponded to the DNA located on the nucleus, and that depending on the nucleotide sequence, the proteins synthesis was specifically programmed on each individual. It was added to this knowledge the presence of another mitochondrial, transmitted by maternal line. Afterwards, at the turn of the 21st century it was discovered that, sometimes, a genotype expression is also modified by some other factors like different types of radiations, presence of chemical substances like organic solvents and diet above all.
Within the diet, there are included some of the natural food components as toxins, antinutrients, bioactive ingredients or added through food techniques or agrifood techniques as Xenobiotics or neoformed components.
If in addition to all this, we add the food interactions with the food environment; coffee, tobacco, alcohol and medicinal herbs, we could assure that it means far less what we eat than how we treat what we eat. The steps taken are, in most of the cases, the reason of the epigenetic changes that do not modify the genotype but together with the endocrine disrupters are the cause to avoid expressing some genotype characteristics or the expression something unexpected.
Finally, If we make a reflexion on the influence that those processes have got on the microbiota, specially on the intestines and the effect of those modifications on the human health, it could be convenient to revise the described process to reduce the impact on the public health as much as possible.

Dra. Maite García Jiménez.
Pharmacist, Biologist and Public Nutricionist, Director of Uppers Diplomas of Food, Nutrition and Public Health at National School Health Institute Carlos III

NEW SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN PLAN-BASED COLLAGEN BUILDER

The beauty from within market has just started and will continue to grow. Beauty products from around the world show a positive growth according to Innova Market Insights. Next to topical creams, nutritional supplements are growing. During this conference we will show a new concept based on a natural collogen booster, combined with a mineral that has the most natural absorption and superior bioavailality. A ready to go new concept for the beauty from within market that will help you to differentiate in the market.

Nelson Talavera Ruiz.
VANEEGHEN. Technical Manager