Innovation in action: Inside the technologies transforming bioavailability

As competition intensifies in the supplement market, brands are investing heavily in technologies that enhance nutrient absorption and bioavailability — two of the biggest differentiators in product performance. At this year’s industry events, formulators and ingredient suppliers highlighted how advances in delivery systems, consumer-driven innovation, and emerging science are reshaping expectations for efficacy.

At the same time, Innova Market Insights’ data suggests a 12% rise in bioavailability claims in global supplement launches from October 2019 to September 2024, with vitamins and minerals accounting for 39% of those claims.

Nutrition Insight sits down with experts from Balchem Human Nutrition and Health, Gelita, Lonza Capsugel, Nektium, and PB Leiner to discuss the latest advancements in improving nutrient uptake, the challenges behind optimizing bioavailability, and the technologies set to define the next generation of high-performance supplements.

Oliver Wolf, the global product promotion manager at Gelita, says the next stage in bioavailability centers on personalization and smarter delivery systems tailored to individuals’ physiology and lifestyle. 

He adds that using functional excipients, such as advanced gelatins, is a key trend. Wolf also says there is a rise in interest around combination and multifunctional delivery systems. These allow manufacturers to deliver multiple nutrients in an optimized format.

“Another emerging area is sustainability-driven innovation. Consumers and regulators alike are demanding cleaner, more natural materials. Our gelatin and collagen peptides, derived from natural collagen, fit perfectly into this vision — offering high performance without synthetic additives.”

Dominik Mattern, the VP of science, business development, and marketing at Balchem Human Nutrition and Health, says the future of bioavailability lies in personalization, with formulations increasingly tailored to genetic profiles, microbiomes, and lifestyle factors. For instance, individuals with methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutations benefit more from L-5-MTHF than folic acid.

He also believes that as nutrigenomic insights and personal health data advance, demand will grow for ingredients designed to meet these individualized needs.

“Emerging technologies are both facilitating and accelerating this shift,” Mattern reveals. “The AI-powered personalized nutrition market is projected to surge from US$4.1 billion in 2024 to nearly US$21 billion by 2034, enabling brands to deliver targeted solutions that ensure everyone can access the full benefits of supplementation regardless of their genetic makeup.”

According to Shelby Linville, the associate director of global product marketing at Lonza Capsugel, modern consumers are looking for options that deliver strong efficacy while also providing a more engaging, experience-driven user journey.

“For instance, 60% of US consumers prioritize the visual appearance of a supplement capsule,  while 70% would pay more for scented capsules that create a more enjoyable, memorable supplement experience,” says Linville. “This convergence of performance and appeal represents the next frontier in nutraceutical innovation, and to stay one step ahead, brands will have to carefully balance the two.”

Next-gen collagen absorption

Yingying Wu, the sales and product manager at PB Leiner, and Dr. Reyhan Nergiz Unal, the company’s health and nutrition science lead, state that one of PB Leiner’s key advancements in the area is Solugel Supra, a collagen engineered for enhanced absorption and bioavailability.Personalized delivery systems and advanced formulations are transforming nutrient absorption with faster, more targeted results.

Wu and Unal highlight that the offering’s ultra-low molecular weight and high di- and tripeptide content enable rapid intestinal uptake. Studies show the ingredient is absorbed by some cells in under five minutes, with peak bloodstream levels being met four times faster than standard collagen.

The two note that this innovation also supports new product concepts that align with consumer expectations, such as those in beauty and skin health, where it has been shown to stimulate immediate collagen synthesis and help counteract UV-induced photoaging.

“For sports and performance, it delivers readily available amino acids for muscle repair and endurance and supports energy and recovery during and after intense training,” Wu and Unal explain. “For digestive wellness, its ‘pre-digested’ collagen solution is gentle on the gut, making it ideal for the elderly or those with digestive sensitivities.”

“By making collagen instantly bioavailable, Solugel Supra sets a new benchmark for convenience, performance, and targeted health benefits — paving the way for the next generation of functional nutrition.”

Raising the bar on release

Wolf at Gelita emphasizes precision nutrient delivery, with next-generation capsule gelatins that actively enhance bioavailability. He adds that the company’s Delasol softcap ensures delayed intestinal release, while protecting acid-sensitive actives. At the same time, Rapisol enables rapid dissolution for faster nutrient uptake.

Wolf also points out that Gelita’s RXL maintains long-term stability by preventing cross-linking, and Easyseal technology improves encapsulation efficiency. He says that, together, these technologies allow for targeted, efficient, and reliable release.

Effective supplementation is now about precision — delivering nutrients exactly where and when they’re needed. Meanwhile, Gelita’s functional gelatins enable targeted delivery and protect actives until they reach their intended site.Encapsulation, engineered collagen, and stabilized botanicals boost nutrient stability, compatibility, absorption, and overall supplement performance.

“For example, Delasol eliminates the need for additional enteric softcaps coating, which traditionally adds cost, complexity, and potential variability,” Wolf attests. “Similarly, Easyseal enables higher machine speeds during encapsulation, reducing production time and energy use.”

“With RXL, the resistance to cross-linking means longer shelf life and consistent dissolution profiles, even under challenging storage conditions. In short, our delivery technologies don’t just improve efficacy — they make high-performance supplements easier and more cost-effective to produce.”

Next-level nutrient uptake

Mattern at Balchem highlights Optifolin+, a choline-enriched, bioactive folate ingredient, as a major advance in nutrient bioavailability. Clinical studies show it delivers 2.6 times greater absorption than traditional folic acid, entering the bloodstream in under a third of the time by providing folate in the active L-5-MTHF form.

By bypassing the conversion steps needed for folic acid, Optifolin+ avoids common metabolic bottlenecks and delivers more efficient uptake. This advantage supports the development of targeted solutions for women’s, brain, and epigenetic health, offering meaningful benefits across multiple life stages.

“Delivery system innovation is a key focus for us, as demonstrated with one of our most recent developments — VitaCholine Pro-Flo,” says Mattern. “This is our first-of-its-kind microencapsulated choline ingredient, designed to solve a common formulation pain point: choline’s hygroscopic nature.” 

“Choline’s moisture-attracting properties can lead to interactions with sensitive ingredients like vitamin C in multivitamin formulations. While these reactions don’t affect the quality of the product, they can have visual and sensory side effects like spotting, cracking, and odor, which can impact how appealing a solution looks and feels.”

He also notes that VitaCholine Pro-Flo’s patented particle technology coats choline in a protective membrane, preventing moisture absorption and interactions. This lets formulators include ingredients like choline in multivitamins.

“Pro-Flo is just one piece of the puzzle,” he adds. “Effective delivery systems require format-specific solutions, which is why we also offer liquid choline chloride for beverages and ready-to-drink formats, plus choline bitartrate for powder applications.”Consumer demand for efficacy and sensory appeal drives innovation in capsules, beadlets, softgels, and delivery technologies.

Protecting botanical bioactives

Laura López-Ríos, Ph.D., the product development director for research, development, and innovation at Nektium, says the company recently introduced Smartek, a suite of proprietary manufacturing technologies to optimize the properties of botanical extracts. These “food-grade” delivery systems protect and stabilize bioactives, and boost absorption, bioavailability, and efficacy. She adds that Smartek also addresses formulation challenges.

Moreover, López-Ríos emphasizes that each Smartek by Nektium technology is tailored to specific botanical ingredients, which increases efficacy and simplifies formulation. She further notes that the Smartek delivery platforms utilize Nektium’s in-house methods, such as multi-stage microencapsulation, matrix inclusion systems, and controlled ionization, to ensure consistent performance and ease of use.

According to Nektium, the innovation supports developers in creating advanced, effective, and consumer-friendly botanical products.

“Our Smartek technologies work by shielding the bioactive components in botanical extracts from external influences,” López-Ríos underscores. “This stabilizes them both physically and chemically, protecting the bioactives in the formulation and supporting longer shelf life.”

“The efficacy of the key bioactives are optimized via controlled release and often improved bioavailability, allowing for lower effective doses. In combination, this delivers maximized health benefits at the lowest possible dose.”

López-Ríos also points out that Nektium’s Smartek strengthens the physicochemical properties of bioactives, improving dispersibility, water solubility, and handling while minimizing taste and odor impact on final products.

Merging function and consumer appeal

Linville at Lonza Capsugel says formulators often face challenges when combining multiple ingredients. Ingredient interactions can compromise stability and reduce biological activity. She spotlights Lonza’s Capsugel Duocap capsule-in-capsule technology as a solution to this problem. Collagen engineering and microencapsulation set new standards for nutrient uptake, formulation stability, and functional product design.

Duocap allows a smaller powder or liquid-filled capsule to be enclosed within a larger liquid-filled capsule. This technology means that typically incompatible activities can be combined in a single dose.

Additionally, she touts Lonza’s Capsugel Beadlets Technology as another solution. The technology suspends colorful beadlets in liquid to combine multiple ingredients while preventing adverse interactions. Beyond functionality, Linville says the approach also creates a visually engaging experience for consumers, adding an esthetic benefit to the technical advantages of ingredient protection and stability in multi-ingredient formulations.

Another factor that can adversely affect formulation is environmental sensitivities. Things like oxygen exposure can affect ingredient absorption and metabolism. Linville points to Capsugel Plantcaps pullulan capsules as a solution for oxygen-sensitive ingredients like plant-based omega-3s and lipid-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins D, E, A, and K. 

She notes that the low oxygen permeability of pullulan ensures enhanced stability, preserving potency, visual appeal, and overall product quality throughout production and storage.

“A key factor impacting the efficacy of supplement products is making sure the ingredients get to where they are needed to be most effective — and are also protected along the way,” Linville reveals. “Sensitive ingredients, such as those that are reactive to pH variations, oxygen, moisture, or light, can break down if not protected, limiting their bioavailability and their efficacy.”  

“Let’s take acid-sensitive ingredients like probiotics as an example. These ingredients need to reach the lower intestine to deliver their intended benefits, which means they must pass through the stomach (and be protected from its low pH) to reach their destination.” 

“Lonza Capsugel DRcaps designed-release capsules have been shown to protect these sensitive ingredients as they pass through the acidic stomach for optimal delivery,” Linville concludes. “When these Lonza Capsugel DRcaps capsules are combined with the Lonza Capsugel Duocap capsule-in-capsule technology, they can increase the viability of probiotics by up to 46 times compared to standard capsules.”