Webinar preview: Rousselot unveils collagen to unlock blood glucose management and boost GLP-1

Amid a booming interest in GLP-1 and blood glucose management, Rousselot is presenting Nextida GC. This science-based collagen composition helps to balance blood glucose levels and boost GLP-1 levels.

In an upcoming webinar on April 24 (16:00 CEST) titled “GLP-1: Staying ahead with collagen,” Florencia Moreno Torres, global business development manager at Rousselot, will highlight how supplement manufacturers can use the company’s collagen portfolio to create GLP-1-related innovations. 

Moreno Torres tells Nutrition Insight that the webinar will introduce new options to benefit consumers interested in boosting the GLP-1 hormone or glucose control through supplements based on collagen.

“This is the first time that a specific collagen composition shows robust clinical results, where we are seeing a natural boosting of the GLP-1 hormone in the body, how it helps to manage the glucose spike after a meal, and, as a consequence, how it can bring positive benefits of avoiding the sugar crash.” 

She underscores that Nextida GC is not an alternative to drugs that target GLP-1 but instead supports consumers interested in improving their metabolic wellness. The ingredient is part of the Nextida platform, a range of collagen peptide compositions with targeted health benefits.  

As innovations in supplements, functional food, and beverages claiming to impact GLP-1 hormones continue to boom, Moreno Torres cautions that not all products are based on scientific research.

“That’s the key difference — we developed this ingredient from several candidates,” she explains. “We tested them to see which affected GLP-1 and selected the one with the highest effect. Then we moved forward with a clinical trial, and that’s what we’re putting on the market today.” 

GLP-1 buzz

Catarina Ferreira da Silva, science integration manager at Rousselot, says that the rising popularity of GLP-1 drugs has made people aware of the hormone. At the same time, she observes that people are becoming increasingly interested in knowing how the body works. 

“GLP-1 is already something that people naturally produce in their bodies. What we are launching into the market are these new solutions that work together with your body and guide it in the right direction, such as helping manage glucose spikes after a meal.” 

Florencia Moreno Torres, global business development manager at Rousselot.The Rousselot experts emphasize that GLP-1 has become a buzzword in pharmaceuticals, supplements, and, more recently, functional food and beverage launches. 

“There’s more awareness of it, and people now start to identify GLP-1 as a hero hormone, although sometimes they don’t know how it works,” says Moreno Torres. 

At the same time, she adds that these nutraceuticals around GLP-1 hormones are relatively new. “As these offers increase, it is important to pay attention to solutions backed by science and have the research to prove their efficacy.” 

Moreno Torres says that brands can leverage this by being very transparent with their science. “This is something we’re trying to do at Rousselot. That’s why we do these webinars and why we have scientific brochures where we show all the data behind our work.” 

Supporting healthy lifestyles

Ferreira da Silva highlights that Rousselot provides scientific data to help educate people on how the product can benefit them beyond glucose management. 

“We know that life is stressful — there are a lot of sugary treats, we don’t sleep enough, which also disturbs your glucose metabolism, and many things cause stress.” 

“This is not for people that have a disease like diabetes, but it’s for people who feel out of balance. Using a product that improves your response to glucose levels in food can help people maintain their metabolic health, which always has a cascade effect.” 

Moreno Torres adds that Nextida collagen peptides can easily be incorporated into consumers’ lifestyles, supporting their health journeys, whether following a diet or other healthier lifestyle choices.  

“Ingredients like these can help people mitigate that sugar crash. It’s an extra support to help them stick to this healthier lifestyle and improve metabolic wellness.”

As nutraceuticals around GLP-1 hormones are relatively new, the experts underscore the importance of solutions backed by science.“We are starting with Nextida GC, targeting blood glucose spikes. By managing these glucose fluctuations, we help avoid many negative consequences, such as the sugar crash, tiredness, fatigue, or overeating.” 

Targeted collagen solutions

Moreno Torres underscores that Nextida GC is not a classic collagen peptide. 

“We are talking about a specific collagen peptide, part of the Nextida platform, which was developed to target glucose control while boosting the GLP-1 hormone.”

Collagen is a flagship ingredient at Rousselot, which invests heavily in research. Moreno Torres details: “We went further to understand the collagen molecule. We developed this specific collagen, and this is what we found.”

She adds that Nextida GC is a highly versatile ingredient. “It withstands temperature variation and different pH levels. It has a very neutral taste and odor. And it can be easily incorporated into powders, drinks, snacks, etc. It’s very easy to work with.” 

Ferreira da Silva says the product’s low dosage also supports the formulation of new products. 

“The dosage we use is five and 10 grams, which is quite nice for a protein. Normally, you need a higher dosage to see an effect, but with this, you need lower doses.”