Nutrition Conversations Increasingly Connect to Women's Healthy Aging and Active Living in Taiwan

SynbioTech, a Taiwan-based biotechnology company specializing in probiotics, postbiotics and microbiome-based health solutions, will present its internationally renowned Lactiplantibacillus plantarum TWK10® strain and integrated microbiome CDMO platform at Vitafoods Asia 2026. The event will take place from 2-4 September at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, where the company will exhibit at Booth H7-N32B. As GLP-1-based therapies reshape weight management, brands are looking beyond appetite control to nutrition quality, protein utilization, muscle support and long-term vitality. Nutrition conversations increasingly connect to women's healthy aging and active living. "GLP-1 has broadened weight management conversation beyond appetite control, i.e., eating less is no longer treated as being better nourished, said Sean Yang, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of SynbioTech.

"For formulators, the opportunity is to design products that support how consumers use available nutrition while also thinking about strength, mobility and healthy aging. TWK10® provides a gut-muscle axis research foundation for this emerging companion-nutrition category. According to Morgan Stanley Research, the global GLP-1 drug market could reach US$190 billion by 2035, more than twice its estimated 2025 levels.

This shift is creating a new formulation space for companion nutrition, connecting weight management with protein utilization, muscle support, gut health, daily performance and long-term vitality. TWK10® has been studied for its role in the gut-muscle axis, with research showing strengthened gut microbiota modulation, amino acid absorption, muscle mass and physical function. A 28-day human study combining pea protein intake with resistance training showed TWK10® increased peak blood concentrations of total BCA As by approximately 6.9%, total EA As by approximately 3.8% and total amino acids by approximately 3.1% from baseline, while the protein-only group showed decreases.

The same study also observed outcomes related to gut microbiota modulation, muscle thickness, bench press 1RM and anaerobic power. An 18-week randomized, double-blind clinical trial involving frail older adults showed the high-dose TWK10® group achieved an approximately 13% increase in left-hand grip strength and an approximately 3% increase in relative muscle mass from baseline. The group achieved a 51% improvement in 30-second Chair Stand performance from baseline (p=0.0008) and reduced 3-metre Timed Up-and-Go performance time from 9.6 to 8.0 seconds, a significant 16.80% improvement (p=0.0101).

TWK10® is supported by 27 scientific publications, 9 human clinical studies and 18 global patents. Its research foundation spans healthy adults, sports-nutrition populations and older adults, providing a science-backed basis for formulators. For Southeast Asian brands, speed to market is a critical factor in fast-moving categories such as weight management, women's health and active living. SynbioTech also highlights regulatory milestones across Thailand and Southeast Asia.