Sports Nutrition

Capsugel has been at the forefront of the sports nutrition category providing product development support and unique oral delivery technologies to brand manufacturers. Capsugel can help companies improve absorption and bioavailability of dietary supplement ingredients. This can help enhance product performance and provide more effective results. These elements are very important to the performance-based sports nutrition market.

The Advantage of Capsules

Nutritional supplements are sensitive and valuable compounds that are filled in capsules as a free flowing and quickly dispersible powder. This prevents capsules from being compressed or stressed, a common issue with tablet formulations, where the nutritional supplements are at risk to degrade or get entrapped so that they cannot be absorbed by the body and lose their health benefits. Capsules also have an appealing and smooth surface that is recognized by consumers for its ease and convenience to swallow. Once the capsules reach the stomach, they disintegrate within two minutes to release the nutritional supplements. Capsules are the dosage form of choice for manufacturers as well as consumers due to their natural simplicity and reliable history of performance with nutritional supplement products.

Capsugel has several innovative capsule technologies for use in sports nutrition products. These capsule technologies range from gelatin capsules to a robust portfolio of vegetarian capsules. Additionally, Capsugel offers DRcaps® capsules – a proprietary modified-release capsule. The innovative DRcaps® capsule targets release after an extended time period, protecting ingredients from degradation in the stomach. DRcaps® capsules are HPMC capsules that can help protect sports-nutrition ingredients from stomach acidity without the cost and complexity of adding acid-resistant properties during manufacturing. DRcaps® capsules can also help mask taste and odor and reduce bad aftertaste without the addition of costly coatings. Some of the many sports-nutrition ingredients that can benefit from DRcaps® capsules include: creatine, amino acids (SAMe, l-glutathione, l- carnosine, etc.), and enzymes (amylase, bromelain, isolase, etc.)

Size matters, Size 000

Take advantage of Capsugel’s latest introduction - a comprehensive range of easy-to-swallow, two-piece empty capsules specially selected for the sports and nutrition market. These products are available in attractive colors. They can handle dosages up to 1.37ml.

 

Licaps® Liquid-Filled Capsules Deliver Better Bioavailability 

The next step in dosage form development has been to create a form that pre-solubilizes the active so that the capsule contains a liquid, not a powder. Liquid-filled capsules have been shown to have improved absorption rates. Capsugel’s Licaps® liquid-filled capsules release their liquid contents for fast absorption into the system without all the steps required by tablets. This is an important consideration for many sports nutrition supplements. 

Licaps® Hard-Shell Encapsulation, A Barrier to Oxidation

Certain supplements are sensitive to oxygen exposure and may degrade over time. Not all liquid-filled capsules are equal. Soft gels, in particular, can be permeable to oxygen. Soft gels are typically manufactured with plasticizers, usually glycerol or sorbitol, in order to make the shell more elastic. These plasticizers can also create larger air channels that allow oxygen to migrate into the liquid and odors to migrate out. This means potential loss in stability. Capsugel’s Licaps® technology can help protect these degradation concerns because Capsugel’s Licaps® technology, using hard gelatin shells, resist vapor transfer and provide an effective barrier to oxidation.

Liquid technologies in hard capsules are the new cutting edge in performance-based sports nutrition. The following are some key examples:

• CoQ10
• Resveratrol
• L-arginine
• L-carnitine
• Astaxanthin

Combinations of Different Ingredients

Capsugel technologies can also assist sports-nutrition companies in combining ingredients or conquering challenging product combinations. These technologies enable the development of innovative product concepts. Capsugel technologies include a DUOCAP® dosage form which is a unique delivery system with an inner & outer capsule, ideal for pairing active ingredients and supporting new product claims. Additionally, Capsugel has the capability to assist your company with formulation development and selecting the proper dosage form.

Branding Opportunities

Capsugel offers multiple ways to reinforce brand equity and brand imagery, an important component of the sports nutrition marketing mix. Capsugel can help you design color and printing options to maximize product appearance.

We offer a unique range of color options so products can be designed to fit any branding goals. You can pick from dozens of standard color shades or create your own custom color. Logos and printing can also be applied for complete product differentiation.

From assisting our sports nutrition customers with formulation challenges to helping them bring innovative new products to market faster, Capsugel provides a unique combination of scientific, technological and global market expertise, delivering high-quality capsules and services at every step of the new product development process. Capsugel has experience working with the sports-nutrition industry by finding ways to boost bioavailability; maintain the stability of ingredients; deliver novel easy-to-swallow dosage forms and grow the marketplace. Capsugel offers the unique ability to design, develop and manufacture full dosage forms for the sports nutrition industry. Please contact Capsugel today for more information.

Related Links

Licaps® liquid filled capsules

DUOCAP® capsules for combination products

DRcaps® capsules