Vitamins, Diet and Sports Nutrition

WASHINGTON — A trade group for supplement makers is suggesting that people with diabetes talk to their physicians about chromium picolinate supplementation, based on a recent study.

EUGENE, Ore. — Natural dietary supplement and OTC product maker Quantum Health has hired a new CEO, the company said.

Quantum Health announced that it had hired Jason Pellegrini, who previously served as VP sales for the grocery channel at MillerCoors. Pellegrini has also previously worked for LivePlanet, Viant, Mitchell Madison Group and ACNielsen. He started with Quantum Health in August.

SUDBURY, Mass. — Pure Encapsulations on Thursday introduced PureHeart Probiotic, the newest addition to the PureHeart Protocol: Screening + Supplements = Success line of nutritional supplements. 

“With the proprietary probiotic strain Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242, PureHeart Probiotic offers evidence-based support from a new angle in clinical cardiology,” stated Kelly Heim, nutritional pharmacologist at Pure Encapsulations. “This exclusive formulation addresses basic aspects of lipid metabolism and vascular function.” 

PALM CITY, Fla. — GelStat Corp. on Wednesday announced that it has closed the acquisition of CBD Life Sciences.

Concurrent with the closing of the transaction, Larry Gershman has been appointed as CEO and chairman. Gerald Kieft, the company's prior CEO, will assume the position of CFO and be appointed to the board. 

SLOUGH, England — Reckitt Benckiser has realized a greater value out of its 1-year-old acquisition of Schiff, which moved the consumer product goods conglomerate into the dietary supplement arena, and expects to push that VMS business to greater heights in the coming year, Rakesh Kapoor, Reckitt Benckiser CEO and executive director told analysts during a conference call Tuesday. 

CHICAGO — To assist CPG manufacturers and retailers in generating new levels of growth through a better understanding of these shopper needs, Information Resources joined forces with SPINS to create SPINS NaturaLink, a new segmentation of the total U.S. population, which focuses on how shoppers think about, purchase and use natural/organic/ecofriendly products, the two firms announced Tuesday.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration, in a complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, on Monday sought a permanent injunction against the dietary supplement manufacturer James G. Cole; its president, James Cole; and its general manager, Julie Graves, following the company’s repeated distribution of unapproved drugs and adulterated dietary supplements in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

BETHESDA, Md. — Researchers have begun the first definitive, large-scale clinical trial to investigate if a vitamin D supplement helps prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes in adults who have prediabetes and are at high risk for developing Type 2. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the study is taking place at about 20 study sites across the United States, the agency announced Monday.