Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Nutraceuticals
November 16, 2015

Nature Made Ginkgo Biloba Otsuka Pharmaceutical Introduces Japan's First Food with Specific Function Claim for Cognitive Functions

  • Nature Made, America's number-one selling brand*1 of nutritional supplements, will release a Ginkgo Biloba supplement on December 3, 2015. Nature Made Ginkgo Biloba is the first Food with Specific Function Claim for improvement of memory acuity to be released in Japan.
  • Traditionally prized in Europe for its health benefits, Ginkgo Biloba has also been recognized as a health food in Japan for many years. A systematic review of research results for flavonoid glycosides and terpene lactones extracted from Ginkgo Biloba leaves led to the granting to this supplement of the first Food with Function Claim for cognitive function in Japan.
  • Also from Nature Made, Super Fish Oil was renewed on November 4, 2015 with new packaging indicating the specific health benefit of "inhibition of triglyceride levels in the blood." The December 3 launch of Ginkgo Biloba will expand to five items, the lineup of Nature Made nutritional supplements displaying specific function claims, as the company continues to promote day-to-day health and wellbeing for Japanese consumers.

Tokyo, Japan -- Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Head Office: Tokyo, Japan; President: Tastuo Higuchi) has announced the launch of Nature Made Ginkgo Biloba, Japan's first Food with Function Claim for cognitive function. The introduction of Ginkgo Biloba and the recently renewed Super Fish Oil expands the number of Nature Made nutritional supplements displaying specific function claims to five items. Nature Made Ginkgo Biloba will be available from December 3, 2015 at retailers throughout Japan and through the Otsuka Pharmaceutical "Otsuka-plus1" online store.

  • The Secretary General of the Consumer Affairs Agency, Government of Japan, has designated these products as Foods with Function Claims, in which Otsuka, the manufacturer, takes responsibility for indicating specific health benefits that can be expected. However, unlike Food for Specified Health Use, these products have not been subjected to case-by-case review by the Consumer Affairs Agency.
  1. 1Neilsen Scantrack® Survey. Total Vitamins Category, US Food Drug Mass Channel (revenue and volume base), 2007 - 2008; Total Vitamins Category, US xAOC Channel (revenue and volume base) 2009 - 2014.