The global demographic landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. According to the World Health Organization, the planet’s population is ageing rapidly and the number of people aged 60 years and older is projected to double by 2050 to reach 2.1 billion.
As populations live longer, the focus is shifting from extending our lifespan to enhancing our “healthspan.”
This is the period of life spent in good health that’s free from chronic disease and disability. This paradigm shift defines the burgeoning “age well” trend, a holistic approach to ageing that prioritises physical vitality, mental acuity and social engagement.
Individuals are no longer content with passive ageing; on the contrary, they want to actively take care of their “social ageing” by seeking ways to maintain their independence, pursue their passions and contribute meaningfully to society well into their later years.
Today’s ageing population is more informed and proactive than previous generations. They view ageing not as a period of decline but as a phase of life to be optimised.
Their expectations are high: they seek solutions that enable them to remain active, energetic and cognitively sharp.
This translates into a demand for products and services that support many functions, such as
- physical mobility and strength: maintaining muscle mass, bone density and joint health to prevent falls and sustain an active lifestyle
- cognitive function: preserving memory, focus and overall brain health to stay mentally engaged
- energy and vitality: combating fatigue and supporting overall cellular health for sustained energy levels
- immune resilience: strengthening the body’s defences against external stressors
- emotional well-being: managing stress and supporting mood for a balanced life.
This proactive mindset is driving significant investment in personal health, with many individuals now willing to explore various ways to achieve their age well goals, including nutrition, exercise and supplementation.
Live longer and age better with Indena’s natural ingredients
Indena’s holistic approach leverages the power of natural ingredients to promote inner health — at the cellular and functional level — as well as a more youthful appearance.
Indena’s research into age well support focuses on specific conditions: cellular ageing, body function and healthy appearance.
Each of these aspects must be effectively managed to ensure healthy longevity … and all can be supported by specific natural ingredients designed by Indena and validated through rigorous scientific studies.
QUERCEFIT Quercetin Indena Phytosome is a shield
It slows down cellular ageing to protect human health and functionality. QUERCEFIT® is formulated with the proprietary Indena Phytosome® technology to exploit all the main benefits of quercetin.
It has been proven to be effective in terms of managing cellular ageing or senescence. Senescence is a cellular stress response that’s triggered by exogenous factors (oxidative stress, toxic compounds, viral infections, diseases, etc.) and certain physiological processes.
Scientific research by Indena supports the use of QUERCEFIT as a senolytic agent. A recent study used Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism: it’s a nematode worm and anatomically much simpler than a human.
However, it shares many similarities at the molecular level, making it a suitable candidate for a model organism.
The QUERCEFIT study showed significant results regarding stress resistance (heat, oxidative stress), healthspan and lifespan, gene expression involved in the control of senescence, ageing and the stress response.
Oxidative stress: worms grown in the presence of QUERCEFIT were subjected to controlled oxidative stress with hydrogen peroxide on the third day of adulthood; their survival and the function of the pharyngeal muscles were assessed 24 hours later.
QUERCEFIT was significantly more effective than the same dose of unformulated quercetin in terms of survival and feeding function after oxidative stress.
Lifespan and healthspan: nematodes grown in the presence of QUERCEFIT or equimolar quercetin were subjected to thermal stress and their survival was assessed.
Under thermal stress conditions, QUERCEFIT, similar to unformulated quercetin, increased the lifespan and healthspan of the worms by about 50%, demonstrating its capacity to counteract the decline in resistance to stress associated with ageing.
Senescence markers: nematodes grown in the presence of QUERCEFIT or equimolar quercetin were subjected to thermal stress on the third day of adulthood and the expression of genes involved in longevity was assessed.
Only QUERCEFIT — and not unformulated quercetin — significantly promoted the expression of genes involved in antioxidant and detoxification responses (sod-3 and gst-4), which code for proteins related to longevity and stress.
UBIQSOME CoQ10 Indena Phytosome
Improving strength and performance, UBIQSOME energises body function right from its cellular foundation. It’s a unique product among CoQ10-based ingredients: thanks to its formulation with Indena Phytosome technology, it has been proven to promote the delivery of coenzyme Q10 to target cells.
Specifically, UBIQSOME works on energy, skin health and cardiovascular wellness. As for energy, UBIQSOME significantly increases coenzyme Q10 levels in muscles after 30 days of oral supplementation (compared with baseline).
An in vitro test shows that, compared with unformulated CoQ10, Indena’s product increases CoQ10 in cells and mitochondria, thus favouring crucial cellular functions including oxygen consumption, ATP production, cell protein synthesis and mitochondrial biogenesis … all while reducing oxidative stress.
A test has also been done to measure CoQ10 uptake in dermal (skin) cells. It showed that UBIQSOME is twice as efficient at delivering CoQ10 to human dermal fibroblasts compared with traditional CoQ10.
Finally, clinical evidence demonstrated that UBIQSOME has cardiovascular (CV) health benefits: it significantly improved endothelial function by 7% just 2 hours after one administration.
It provides multilevel support by promoting CV health and is an effective adjuvant to counteract the known statin side-effects affecting muscle strength and performance.
PUREBKALE: Indena’s Brassica oleracea seed extract
PUREBKALETM is an aqueous extract comprising seeds from the Brassicaceae family — Brassica oleracea var. viridis (L.) (syn. Brassica oleracea var. acephala DC) — that’s standardised to provide ≥17% glucoraphanin by HPLC.
It maintains the healthy appearance of skin, thanks to its antioxidant action against external stressors.
This compound is a precursor of sulforaphane (SFN), an active isothiocyanate produced when glucoraphanin is metabolised by the enzyme myrosinase — a compound extensively studied for its health-promoting properties.
This conversion occurs naturally, mediated by the human gut microbiota, and unlocks the bioactive potential of sulforaphane, which has been linked to benefits such as detoxification and antioxidant capabilities.
In vitro studies showed that glucoraphanin contained in PUREBKALE is highly bioavailable, being 100% converted into sulforaphane when exposed to myrosinase.
Additionally, a deep phytochemical characterisation revealed that PUREBKALE still preserved some of the natural myrosinase responsible for sulforaphane formation.
All this makes PUREBKALE a notable natural source of sulforaphane antioxidant power for a bright and healthy appearance.
Sourced from a 100% Italian supply chain, Indena’s raw material benefits from sustainable cultivation practices that result in superior seed quality. The extract is also produced using only water, aligning with the company’s sustainability commitment.
In conclusion, the age well trend is more than a fad; it’s a fundamental shift in how society views and approaches ageing.
The nutraceutical industry, with its focus on natural and preventive solutions, is positioned as a vital partner by empowering individuals to achieve their goals of living longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives.
And for more than 100 years, Indena has played a pioneering role in this sector by studying and developing increasingly effective and innovative botanical ingredients for human well-being.