Inside BENEO’s new pulse plant: pioneering sustainable protein from faba beans
The nutraceutical industry is undergoing a transformation, and cognitive health has emerged as its most strategic frontier. As populations age and neurological disorders rise, the focus has decisively shifted from physical to mental longevity. Brain health is no longer a soft segment driven by consumer wellness fads—it is fast becoming a core pillar of clinical nutrition portfolios, preventive health strategies, and biotech-adjacent investment theses.
What makes this particularly significant for B2B players is the convergence of three high-impact forces: scientific validation, regulatory urgency, and unmet market demand in early-stage cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s resilience. For nutraceutical suppliers, contract formulators, pharmaceutical alliances, and investors, the space between traditional nutrition and clinical therapy is now a multi-billion-dollar opportunity. Cognitive nutrition has evolved from peripheral marketing to a serious pre-disease intervention platform.
This transformation is not about replacing drugs, but about carving out a clinically meaningful role in delaying onset, preserving function, and preventing deterioration—a space where prevention is no longer optional, but economically and demographically imperative.
India and Asia: Epicenters of Cognitive Prevention
Asia is emerging as the new hub for cognitive health innovation, driven by aging populations and rising neurological risks. While the U.S. leads in Alzheimer’s drug revenues, countries like India, Japan, and South Korea are advancing preventive nutraceutical models rooted in cultural diets and modern science. India’s Alzheimer’s market is growing at 28 per cent CAGR to reach $297.4 million by 2030, with nutraceuticals like curcumin and bacopa bridging care gaps through B2B partnerships with clinics and wellness platforms.
Speaking on the role of Shilajit in integration of cognitive health, Dr Govindrajan, Chief Innovation Officer, Kapiva, mentioned ,” Shilajit is emerging as a scientifically relevant OTC Ayurvedic nutraceutical, with potential applications in energy enhancement, mental health, lifestyle disorders, liver care, anti-ageing, and metabolic and reproductive health. While traditional use is being increasingly supported by science, standardisation, safety profiling, and robust clinical trials have lent their support to its increasing use currently’’.
As India positions itself as a global hub for Ayurveda, brands like Kapiva are redefining the sector with a sharp focus on science-backed wellness. Their edge lies in disciplined sourcing—using contract farming to ensure herb quality—and proprietary formulations rooted in Ayurvedic principles. What sets them apart is the integration of modern R&D, with techniques like cold-press extraction and steam distillation preserving potency and therapeutic value. Each product is standardised for batch-to-batch consistency, merging ancient wisdom with modern reliability. In a fast-evolving wellness economy, Kapiva exemplifies how Ayurveda is being reimagined for a global, health-conscious consumer. “Kapiva’s formulation philosophy is rooted in authenticity, transparency, and scientific validation, blending traditional Ayurvedic wisdom with modern consumer needs. Each product is centred around star Ayurvedic herbs, such as amla, giloy, karela, and jamun, with detailed information about their traditional uses and modern benefits “, added Dr Govindarajan.
For ingredient suppliers, formulators, and healthtech platforms looking to enter or expand in Asia, these dynamics signal a structural pivot: cognitive health is no longer a niche wellness pursuit—it is a national imperative, an economic risk, and a commercial opportunity rolled into one. The countries best positioned to lead are those that can combine cultural relevance, clinical substantiation, and preventive economics—and on that front, India, Japan, and South Korea are setting the pace.
Emerging Ingredient Platforms Shaping Cognitive Health Innovation
The global nutraceutical industry is undergoing a profound shift from general wellness to precision neuro-nutrition, driven by the escalating dementia crisis—projected to impact 139 million people by 2050. With pharmaceutical treatments for Alzheimer’s still costly and largely palliative, clinically validated nutraceuticals are emerging as accessible, preventive alternatives. The $5.3 billion Omega-3 market is a case in point, with nearly 30 per cent now attributed to brain health—up from 17 per cent in 2019—thanks to advanced formats like phospholipid-bound DHA/EPA, which have been shown to reduce hippocampal atrophy by up to 20 per cent.
Meanwhile, polyphenols such as Curcumin, Quercetin and Resveratrol are entering cognition protocols via bioavailable delivery formats like liposomes and nanoemulsions. A 2024 RCT from the University of Queensland found that nanocurcumin improved attention span and recall by 14 per cent in adults over 60. The polyphenol-based cognitive ingredients market is expected to reach $1.4 billion by 2027, fuelled by senior-focused functional foods.
A major innovation wave is also being powered by clinically backed neuroadaptogens. In India, South Korea, and Japan, ingredients like Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Shankhapushpi, and Gotu Kola are being reformulated into patented, DNA-authenticated formats—such as cognitive patches and nootropic sprays—for Alzheimer’s prevention and mental performance. Herbs like Shilajit and Shatavari are expanding into women’s cognitive and mitochondrial health. Highlighting Shilajit as a phyto mineral for the hustle, Dr Govindarajan added,”Think of Shilajit as a behind-the-scenes operator; Whether you’re lifting weights or lifting deadlines, the strain shows up the same way: fatigue, brain fog, slower recovery. What makes Shilajit stand out is how it supports the body’s ability to bounce back, day after day. It promotes oxygen efficiency, aids nutrient delivery, and keeps cellular energy steady without stimulants or sugar crashes.’’
In fact, Shilajit’s real strength lies in how it supports the body’s foundational systems on a day-to-day basis. As one expert explained, a 2016 clinical study published in Andrologia found that consistent intake of purified Shilajit significantly improves mitochondrial function and ATP production—the very fuel that powers cellular energy. This, in turn, leads to more stable energy levels, sharper mental clarity, and faster recovery from both physical and emotional stress. Its naturally occurring fulvic acid and essential minerals further enhance nutrient absorption and help the body adapt to daily stressors without overstimulating the system.
The rise of the adaptogenic stack—synergistic blends of botanicals paired with nootropic co-factors—is transforming consumer formats, from capsules to intranasal sprays. The global adaptogen market is forecast to hit $19.2 billion by 2029, with India reporting a 64 per cent rise in clinical trials involving Ayurvedic neuroadaptogens.
As prevention becomes the new treatment, these botanicals are evolving into IP-rich platforms, aligning with pharma standards while drawing from traditional intelligence—marking Asia as the epicenter of the brain health revolution.
Global Trade and Supply Chain Implications
As the fight against cognitive decline accelerates, nutraceutical supply chains are gaining strategic importance. It’s no longer just about ingredient efficacy—traceability, geopolitical resilience, and production sovereignty now define market leadership. In a sector overlapping healthcare and functional foods, pharma-grade standards are expected without pharma-level pricing stability. Companies that own their full value chain—from seed genetics to post-harvest processes—are emerging as trusted B2B partners. For example, algal-derived DHA and EPA are securing long-term deals in vegan and Halal markets, with India, Indonesia, and the UAE rising as key processing hubs due to their regulatory agility and low-carbon advantages.
A growing trend is regional clinical validation. With major cognitive ingredient buyers demanding population-relevant efficacy data, many firms are moving R&D trials closer to key growth markets. India’s aging population and diversity of cognitive baseline profiles are making it a hotspot for ingredient trials, while Japan’s robust functional food regulation (FOSHU) is being used as a quality benchmark for export-grade nootropics. Localized data sets are now a currency—used not only for regulatory clearance but for co-branding and differentiated retail positioning.
Finally, ESG-linked procurement is reshaping trade discussions across the cognitive health value chain. Major institutional buyers—especially in the EU and urban Asia—are incorporating carbon accounting, fair-trade certification, and biodiversity safeguards into their supplier onboarding processes. Firms sourcing wild-harvested Shilajit, Aparajita, or Shatavari from tribal belts in India must now provide proof of biocultural consent, regenerative harvesting, and transparent beneficiation protocols to gain access to premium markets and avoid exclusion under green trade regulations.
As cognitive health evolves from niche to mainstream—and from wellness to adjunct therapy—supply chain maturity will become a competitive differentiator. In a sector where traditional pharmaceuticals still dominate by default, nutraceutical firms that behave like pharma in quality, compliance, and strategic sourcing will be the ones that capture the next frontier of cognitive care.
Future Outlook: Toward Precision Neuro-Nutrition
As the global population ages and neurological disorders surge, the intersection of nutrition, neuroscience, and digital health is crystallizing into a new frontier: precision neuro-nutrition. No longer confined to generic brain health supplements, the sector is moving toward personalized interventions driven by biomarkers, genetics, and microbiome signatures. Wearable EEG headbands, gut flora sequencing, and AI-driven cognitive assessments are feeding into a feedback loop that allows formulators to tailor nutraceutical regimes for individuals—not populations.
In this emerging landscape, success will depend on more than scientific novelty. Companies will need to embed clinical rigor into their formulation pipelines, build interoperable platforms with diagnostics and health data systems, and demonstrate longitudinal outcomes in real-world aging cohorts. The winners in this space will not just be those who can manufacture capsules, but those who can integrate ingredients, evidence, and insights into a seamless consumer or clinical journey.
India, with its rich pharmacopoeia of cognitive botanicals and rapidly maturing R&D ecosystem, stands poised to become a global innovation hub for neuro-nutrition—if it can align supply chain integrity, regulatory ambition, and export scalability. As traditional drug pipelines struggle to keep pace with the complexity of brain aging, nutraceuticals—when grounded in data and scaled with precision—may offer one of the most promising pathways to protect the world’s cognitive capital.
Suchetana Choudhury