The Value of Clinical Validation and Regulatory Readiness in Liver Health Formulations

At Natural Products Expo West, Asha Ramesh, CEO - Americas at Sabinsa Corporation, outlined several of the retail and consumer trends currently influencing ingredient innovation in supplements and functional foods. Speaking with Nutritional Outlook, she described how brands and retailers are increasingly seeking clean-label, science-backed ingredients that can support a range of growing health categories.

Among the biggest areas of demand, she identified women’s health, beauty-from-within, GLP-1 support, cognitive health, and longevity. In women’s health, Ramesh pointed to growing interest in ingredients such as botanicals and lactoferrin, with products being developed to support women across multiple life stages. In cognitive health, she said formulators are increasingly turning to functional mushrooms—particularly lion’s mane—as well as adaptogens such as ashwagandha, ginseng, and cordyceps to address stress, anxiety, energy, and overall brain support. She also noted rising attention to probiotics in this area, including Akkermansia muciniphila.

Ramesh said the growing visibility of GLP-1 medications has also influenced demand for weight management and metabolic support ingredients. She cited compounds such as berberine, curcumin, resveratrol, cinnamon, and black ginger as seeing elevated interest, particularly for applications related to metabolic health and abdominal fat support.

Longevity is another category gaining traction, she said, with nutrients such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin K2, and NAD+ precursors like NMN drawing attention for use in a range of products. She also highlighted continued momentum in functional foods and beverages, including fortified protein powders, powdered greens, and alternative protein sources such as fava bean and chickpea.

Throughout the discussion, Ramesh emphasized that clinical substantiation remains central to product development. She described Sabinsa’s approach as a long-term process of identifying promising phytonutrients, isolating active compounds, evaluating safety and toxicology, standardizing extraction methods, and investing heavily in clinical research to ensure consistent, high-quality ingredients.

A transcript of her conversation can be found below.

Nicholas Saraceno: I know Sabinsa’s retail division is also marketing a ton of products, including some that are positioned for liver health and healthy aging. I was wondering if you could talk about why you’re deciding to showcase these kinds of products and explain some of their health benefits as well?

Asha Ramesh: We had a number of liver health support products, individually, like Andrographis paniculata and Phyllanthus amarus. We also found that Curcumin C3 Complex, the turmeric extract, as well as garcinol—these have great benefits for the liver. What we did was. these two products have clinical studies on their own. We combined these two products and included our very own BioPerine, which is the black pepper extract, to increase the absorption and bioavailability of these two nutrients. We combined them and studied it in a pre-clinical study, and made sure that the results were translated into an actual human study. We have LivLonga, which is our excellent liver support ingredient. Typically in the marketplace, the ingredients that are there—like bilberry and others— they just detoxify the liver. That's not the case with LivLonga. It strengthens the liver, and, in fact, it reverses any kind of detrimental effects the liver has had due to exposure to medications or even other induced substances.

Saraceno: I think the human emphasis on the human clinical studies is critical. I’m also curious, Asha, many would argue that as the regulatory scrutiny around ingredient safety and transparency continue to increase here in 2026. How important is it to you when it comes to having this regulatory compliance and documented safety data when brands are choosing partners for new product launches? How valuable is that?

Ramesh: For brands to choose ingredient partners, it is of utmost importance for them to choose partners that are having ingredients that have the regulatory support, as well as the safety compliance. In this heightened environment of regulatory scrutiny and consumer demand for transparency, brands cannot afford to overlook or have uncertainty around safety and sustainability, or traceability of ingredients.

It is of super importance that they should choose ingredient partners who consistently deliver clinically substantiated ingredients with a whole backing of documentation. At Sabinsa, whenever we introduce a product, we make sure that it is well documented. A complete dossier is prepared, which includes the safety and toxicological profiles, as well as the clinical evidence, the data from the clinical studies, and also, very strong quality systems are in place and included in the dossier, including the defined specifications. We believe that such a kind of dossier and documentation is important, not only for regulatory compliance, but also as a responsible innovator of ingredients for innovation, which is a must.

Saraceno: Absolutely. You kind of covered what I was going to ask you, but when it comes to safety and this whole GRAS movement (generally recognized as safe), there's obviously been an evolution in that. The question is, is it going to face additional oversight? What's the future of that kind of regulatory concept? How has Sabinsa been preparing for these regulatory shifts, whether it be GRAS or any other ones, while also balancing that with support for supplement and functional food manufacturers?

Ramesh: The regulatory scene has always been evolving. Whether it is in the current framework of GRAS, or whether it's going to be in a much organized or formally structured framework in the future, our mission is always the same. It's going to be a science first, compliance-driven approach. The strongest way we work is to strengthen our portfolio of ingredients with robust safety data, which is of utmost importance, safety data and documented, transparent documentation.

First and foremost, we have to ensure that the safety and efficacy of the product is well established, and when we do that, it gives the brand teams, co-manufacturers, and retailers greater confidence, because it reduces regulatory approvals internally, and it's streamlined. It helps them streamline their internal approvals, and also, it reduces the whole time to bring ingredients to market, because we have already done quite a bit of wor—well documented—which we share with our customers.

That gives them greater confidence. And also, we continuously work with regulatory experts, and we are closely watching policy decisions. We work closely with industry associations to always be prepared or expect what is going to change, rather than to react after it's done.