CRN Review: Calcium Supplements Not Linked to Heart Risk
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) published findings refuting the link between supplemental calcium and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Featured in the 4th edition of Vitamin and Mineral Safety, CRN's latest analysis shows:
- Independent reviews generally find no meaningful relationship between calcium intake (from food and supplements) and cardiovascular events.
- The European Food Safety Authority concluded that calcium intakes up to 2,500–3,000 mg/day are not linked to increased cardiovascular risk.
- A recent expert panel review initiated by the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) and the American Society for Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) reports no beneficial or harmful association between calcium (with or without vitamin D) and heart disease outcomes.
“Consumers have heard for years that calcium supplements might harm heart health, but that narrative simply isn’t supported by the weight of the science,” said Andrea Wong, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Science Officer at CRN. “When you look at the body of evidence—including independent reviews and recent clinical trials—there is no credible link between calcium supplementation and cardiovascular risk in generally healthy individuals.”
With calcium playing such a critical role in the building and maintenance of strong bones, there were growing concerns over earlier studies that led to some consumers to avoid its supplementation. The CRN Foundation's review explains how those earlier studies were based on secondary analyses of a Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial, which had significant methodological limitations, including poor compliance tracking, confounding variables, and lack of adjustment for known cardiovascular risk factors. A more in-depth analysis, including the including reexaminations of the WHI data, found no increased risk of heart attack, stroke, or overall cardiovascular disease associated with calcium supplementation.
Now Hiring! Natural Grocers Hosts Recruitment Event
On Wednesday, April 1, Natural Grocers will be hosting a nationwide virtual hiring event for their open nutritional health coaching positions. From 10 am - 2 pm MST, interested candidates can attend the webcast to connect directly with recruiters, learn more about the company and discover:
- Natural Grocers’ mission and our Five Founding Principles
- Connect directly with the recruiting team
- Explore open Nutritional Health Coach roles nationwide
Natural Grocers is the only national grocery retailer that offers customers a dedicated, full-time, in-store Nutritional Health Coach (NHC) for free, science-backed nutrition education and personalized coaching. To apply, candidates must have a degree or certification in nutrition or a related field, such as dietetics, biology or naturopathy. Acceptable credentials include a bachelor's or master's degree in an applicable discipline.
To register for the event, please visit Indeed.com.
Sabinsa to Exhibit at SupplySide Connect New Jersey
Multi-national health science company, Sabinsa, is getting ready to showcase its portfolio of category-leading ingredients at this year's SupplySide Connect New Jersey. From April 14-15 product formulators, brand owners, and other guests will convene at the Meadowlands Exhibition Center in Secaucus, NJ, to learn and discuss the latest innovations and trends in natural. Guests can stop by booth 301 to discover Sabinsa's clinically researched ingredients across digestive health, sports nutrition, heart health, electrolyte hydration, cognitive health, metabolic support, and women’s health including:
- BioPerine, patented black pepper extract, standardized for piperine, with a 30-year legacy of enhancing nutrient bioavailability
- Curcumin C3 Complex, the most researched curcumin product, obtained from the dried rhizomes of Curcuma longa (turmeric) and standardized for a minimum of 95% curcuminoids
- Curcumin C3 Reduct, a super antioxidant for maintaining organ health, is a bioactive metabolite of curcumin showing cumulatively stronger activity compared to parent curcuminoids
- DigeZyme, a versatile, multi-enzyme digestive support blend for nutrient optimization and management of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)
- LactoSpore, Heyndrickxia coagulans (formerly Bacillus Coagulans) MTCC 5856, the popular clinically studied, GRAS, shelf-stable probiotic
- LivLonga, a unique, synergistic formulation combining three scientifically validated ingredients for liver support: Curcumin C3 Complex, Livinol, and the bioavailability enhancer, BioPerine
- Nigellin, a standardized Nigella sativa extract (black seed) positioned for balanced immune and inflammatory support
- Saberry, a clinically studied amla extract recognized for its antioxidant activity and support of healthy sugar and lipid balance, and featured in the book Amla: Super-Fruit with Superior Science
- Sabroxy, patented Oroxylum indicum bark extract bio-standardized for three flavonoids, Oroxylin-A, baicalein, and chrysin, to support healthy cognitive function and mental performance
- Shagandha, a USP-grade ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract adaptogen standardized to 2.5% withanolides for stress and anxiety management
“SupplySide Connect is the ideal setting for formulators who want to go beyond commodity catalog browsing and have real conversations about the science behind the ingredients,” shared Shaheen Majeed, Global CEO & Managing Director, Sabinsa. “Our team will be ready to discuss clinical data, application-specific formulation challenges, and how our ingredients can power the next generation of functional products.”
dsm-firmenich Prepares for Vitafoods Europe 2026
From May 5-7, the global nutraceutical industry will be focused on Fira Barcelona Gran Via in Spain for the 2026 VitaFoods Europe event. Nutrition, health, and beauty innovators, dsm-firmenich, will be attending this year's summit to present research supporting healthy longevity and showcasing its suite of pioneering health expectancy solutions—available in premix and market-ready formats. Guests can stop by booth 3C88 to:
- Experience the company's interactive installation which was designed to inspire fundamental change of how the industry thinks about longevity.
- Discover new products like Age Slower which targets chronic inflammation and Cellular Repair for cellular senescence.
“The science we're presenting at Vitafoods Europe 2026—from slowing biological aging to targeting the hallmarks of aging—represents a genuine leap forward for the category, and we want attendees to experience what that means in practice in our immersive experience. Our ambition is to lead the longevity category globally, and Barcelona is where we're going to continue building on our global position within Europe," commented Giovanni Calderoni, VP of Dietary Supplements EMEA at dsm-firmenich.
Brightseed Debuts AI Platform
AI-native life sciences company, Brightseed, is helping increase the probability of health and life sciences commercial success with the debut of its clinically-validated, AI-powered health sciences innovation platform, Forager. With 75% of early product ideas failing to reach market due to fragmented workflows, disconnected data, and late-stage risk discovery, Forager assists with creating a connection between discovery, development, and commercialization to outline a strategic growth trajectory. Unlike other general-purpose AI systems, the new discovery engine is not trained on public data but rather built off proprietary biological intelligence designed for scientific rigor, traceability, and defensibility. Forager also marks the company's shift from a discovery-focused bioactives entity into a platform-based enterprise AI company.
“Health innovation has operated on a broken probability curve for decades,” said Lee Chae, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Brightseed. “We built our innovation platform to fundamentally change that curve. By converging deep biological insight, proprietary multi-omics datasets, and cutting-edge AI and machine learning architecture into a continuous innovation foundation, we are defining a new category — one where AI is not an add-on, but the core operating foundation of life sciences innovation.”
Nude Foods Market Shines on Shark Tank
Colorado-based, female-founded grocer, Nude Foods Market, appeared on the March 11 episode of ABC's Shark Tank in hopes of securing investment commitments from the shows panelists. Co-founded by Verity Noble and Rachel Irons, Nude Foods Markets is a zero-waste grocery store that eliminates packaging waste and delivers food in returnable, reusable containers. "This wasn’t just a pitch for our business - it was a pitch for a better food system,” said company co-founder Verity Noble. “We’re proving that a grocery store can operate competitively while dramatically reducing waste.”
Founded in Boulder, Colorado in 2020, the company has helped prevent over 1.5 million pieces of plastic from being created by simply swapping conventional packaging for returnable glass jars and reusable containers. Today, the grocer carries over 1,500 hand-selected products and expanded to a second location in Denver and grown its e-commerce and delivery operations. "Our goal is to create a food system that improves the health of our land, our communities and ourselves,” commented co-founder Rachel Irons.
Eat Happy Kitchen Expands Market Presence
Women-owned, clean-label food brand, Eat Happy Kitchen, is expanding its national retail footprint with added distribution across several major grocery chains. The company announced that all 27 D'Agostino and Gristedes NYC locations will carry the brand's full line of Seed Oil Free Certified pasta sauces including Marinara, Pink Crema, Arrabbiata, and Puttanesca. Outside of New York, Eat Happy Kitchen products are now also available at all 70 Fresh Thyme Market Midwest locations and 27 Coborn's locations.
“Eat Happy Kitchen was built on the idea that food should be both clean and taste good, and that you don’t have to sacrifice either quality to be on grocery store shelves,” said Anna Vocino, Founder and CEO, Eat Happy Kitchen. “Breaking into the New York City market with our retail partners at D’Agostino and Gristedes, and in the Midwest with our new partners at Coborn’s, isn’t just a milestone for our brand; it’s proof that joy, flavor, and real ingredients resonate everywhere, coast to coast. Our existing partners at Fresh Thyme Markets are also demonstrating their belief in what we’re doing by welcoming our spice blends to their shelves. This growth shows that when you lead with purpose and listen to your community, you can scale without compromising who you are.”
"NAD for Health: Opportunities and Challenges” Conference Concludes
Earlier this week, researchers from Harvard, UC Berkeley, Mayo Clinic, and other institutions assembled in Copenhagen, Denmark to discuss the clinical data, assumptions, and the still unknowns regarding NAD+ for the "NAD for Health: Opportunities and Challenges" conference. One of the event's moderators, Mathias Ziegler, M.D., Ph.D., spotlighted the critical role of mitochondria in maintaining NAD balance, “We need to make more than our body’s weight in NAD every day,” said Ziegler. “Why? Because there are so many processes driven by this molecule. We are trying to use this knowledge to actually help people live better.”
A foremost expert on NAD biology, Ziegler is an influential member of Blue Helix Health, a company that is exclusively distributed by New Jersey-based NXT USA. It's flagship ingredient, BluNADBooster, offers supplement brands the latest in NAD science—which remains an evolving conversation. “We’re working on things like laboratory analysis of NAD, clinical research, and ways to supplement with NAD-boosting strategies,” commented A. Suthar, Ph.D., Managing Director of Blue Helix Health. “We’re excited to hear from some of the leading researchers in the field in Copenhagen.”
