There’s a great deal of crossover, with men requiring nutrition that is in many cases similar to that needed by women (ie for heart, skin and bone health, joint and cognitive health). Where and how does it differ?
Ram Chaudhari: The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), for the most part is the same for men and women. However, there are some areas where men’s needs are quite different from a woman’s. As we age, prostate health for men and osteoporosis for women are the two that most come to mind.
Interestingly, results from a study from the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Prostate, Lung, colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial suggests that high calcium intake produces a higher risk for prostate cancer. However, the evidence isn’t clear because the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study found no relationship between calcium intake and prostate cancer. The evidence on calcium’s relation to prostate cancer isn’t clear, yet numerous studies exist on the positive effect that calcium intake has on osteoporosis.
Is it possible for these nutritional benefits to be obtained from beverages? Can you give specific examples?
Chaudhari: Fortified beverages can certainly help to fill in nutrient deficiencies from a diet, but shouldn’t be solely relied on. Supplementing a diet with meal replacement beverages is one example of how a drink can be used to deliver an overall nutritional benefit. And then there are many drinkable yogurts on the market that include plant sterols, which can aid in heart and prostate health.
Additionally, the appropriate dose should be added without affecting taste and overall sensory properties. Moderation and diversification of nutrients is the key, and no single source would meet all of the requirements.
Sports performance springs to mind as being a particularly male arena. What have been the recent developments in beverages here?
Chaudhari: Clear protein drinks, both pre- and post-workout comes to mind. In the not too distant past, sports beverages – or single dosage ‘shot’ type products – were decidedly more ‘milky’ in their appearance, and that seems to be changing.
In addition, hydrolised protein-based beverages where branch chain amino acids and other B vitamins added to provide energy, as well as antioxidant ‘cocktails’ to capture free radicals, are being developed.
What has been the most significant development in drinks for men – something as simple as Coke Zero targeting men with an option for weight management, or a more complex proposition?
Chaudhari: Products containing L-carnitine, Arginine, as well as dietary fibres, B vitamins, CLA, can be added to beverages, but are subject to the product matrix.
With regards to drinks development, where do you see most research currently happening relating to men?
Chaudhari: I believe that this is going to be both age and condition specific. There are many nutrients and ingredients that will be further studied for their nutritional impact within the sports and energy drink category, as well as those aimed at bodybuilding, all of which primarily target the young male market. A few of these nutrients include Glucuronolactone, Inositol, Carnitine, Alanine, Arginine, carotenoids, CoQ10 and ALA.
As for the older male, nutritional research in areas such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and weight management will continue. Nutrients that I believe will be brought to the forefront include Beta-glucan, Sulforaphane and Lycopene, along with cognitive function and satiety boosting nutrients.
In an ideal world, we would be able to target specific areas of the body such as male baldness. Can you see this happening at any stage?
Chaudhari: Absolutely. Important market drivers for sales and development of men’s nutrition products are likely to focus on three important concepts of concern to most men: performance, appearance and overall health. Which of these three concerns is in the driver’s seat for any particular person will, of course, vary over time and depend on a number of individual factors operating at the moment.
For example, the young, active, competitive male would have a natural inclination to be more interested in products that could enhance his physical or sport performance and overall appearance, such as energy drinks and muscle-building products. The middle-aged adult male, having sensed their physical vulnerabilities or having seen the first signs of greying in their hair, may be more attracted to men’s products that would help maintain appearance, good overall health, lower stress and protect him against the spectre of growing old.
The older male perhaps has already developed a chronic disease, and is now more focused on specific nutritional products and supplements that would be good for his specific health issue, such as obesity, diabetes, inflammation, prostate health, or those that help lower his elevated blood cholesterol or blood pressure.
What for you would be the most impressive development in drinks for men? What is the Holy Grail everyone in R&D is seeking to discover?
Chaudhari: I believe that this is an opportunity yet to be realised. Over the past decade, we’ve seen the evolution, so to speak, of nutrition and how the general public continues to educate themselves on the long-term benefits of a living a healthy lifestyle. So much attention has been cast on ‘overall’ health and ‘women’s health’, mostly due to how the media reports on these areas, that men’s health is now starting to generate attention. It began with an awareness of prostate health and now it’s reaching into all areas, ranging from cardiovascular disease to anti-ageing.
Nutrigenomics will also be forthcoming where personalised nutrition is provided, but we’re not yet there.
Claire Phoenix is managing editor of Beverage Innovation magazine. Subscribe here.
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