#220 - Brain Health Ingredients 101 w/ Cognizin, Radicle Science, and Karma Water
The Startup CPG Podcast
Startup CPG
4.9 • 642 Ratings
🗓️ 28 October 2025
⏱️ 52 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff welcomes three distinguished guests shaping the future of cognitive health and wellness: Kelley Bridenbaugh, Marketing Manager at Karma Water; Katie Emerson, MS, RD, CISSN, Senior Manager of Scientific Affairs at Kyowa Hakko USA; and Kaitlyn White, Director of Scientific Affairs at Radicle Science. Together, they explore the rapidly evolving world of brain health and functional nutrition, examining the scientific, clinical, and consumer trends driving growth in this category.
Kaitlyn White offers a compelling perspective on how brain health influences nearly every aspect of daily life—from cognition and emotional regulation to sleep, learning, and social connection—while explaining why consumers today are increasingly prioritizing mental wellness across all life stages. Katie Emerson provides an in-depth look at Cognizin® Citicoline, Kyowa Hakko’s clinically validated ingredient that supports neurotransmitter function and cognitive performance, discussing how science-backed innovation builds trust and efficacy in wellness products. Kelley Bridenbaugh highlights how Karma Water leverages research-driven ingredients and transparent marketing to meet consumer demand for products that enhance both physical and mental vitality.
The conversation also explores emerging research methods, including Radicle Science’s use of wearables, biomarkers, and customizable clinical protocols, which are redefining how scientific data is used to measure real-world health outcomes. Through a blend of marketing insight, scientific expertise, and clinical innovation, this episode provides a comprehensive look at how collaboration between brands, ingredient developers, and research organizations is driving the next generation of mental performance and wellness solutions.
Listen now!
Special thanks to Cognizin® by Kyowa Hakko for sponsoring this episode. Visit them here to learn more.
Listen in as they share about:
- The Rising Importance of Brain Health
- Science Behind Cognitive Ingredients
- Innovation in Research and Measurement
- Brand Application and Consumer Wellness
- Collaboration Between Brands and Science
- Consumer Trends and Market Shifts
- Practical Takeaways for Brands and Consumers
Episode Links:
Website: https://radiclescience.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlyn-kp-white/
Website: https://drinkkarma.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelleysullivan1
Website: https://kyowa-usa.com/ingredients/branded-ingredients/cognizin-citicoline
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-m-emerson/
Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.
Show Links:
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- Episode music by Super Fantastics
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I think a big point to consider is just like how picking the right ingredient needs to be right for the individual. |
| 0:16.3 | The format the ingredient is delivered in really needs to be right for the individual too. |
| 0:20.7 | In trying to find what actually works, I think there's always needs to be a balance between the format the ingredient is delivered in really needs to be right for the individual too. In trying to find what actually works, I think there's always needs to be a balance between |
| 0:24.4 | the format that allows the ingredients to be most effective when the product is used appropriately, |
| 0:29.7 | so used as instructed, and the format that is most likely or at least easy for someone to actually |
| 0:34.7 | use, because you could design the most effective supplement or product in the |
| 0:38.5 | whole world. But if a person has a hard time incorporating it or sticking with it, the efficacy |
| 0:44.0 | of the product doesn't really matter. And the surest way to figure out how to strike that balance |
| 0:48.2 | is to conduct research on both the efficacy of the product in different formats. |
| 0:54.5 | Welcome to the startup CPG podcast. |
| 0:56.8 | We are seeing a huge surge in interest in brain health ingredients and claims from products |
| 1:02.1 | and consumers getting super interested in health and performance in so many different ways |
| 1:06.9 | looking to get an edge. |
| 1:08.7 | So today we're going to dive in. |
| 1:09.9 | We're getting the 101 on what all the |
| 1:12.1 | brain health ingredients are and the different benefits of each of them. We're going to be talking |
| 1:16.4 | about the science, the benefits of branded ingredients. We're going to hear directly from Karma |
| 1:21.3 | Water, who has taken a super innovative approach to infusing functional ingredients. Thank you so much |
| 1:26.7 | to our friends at Cognizin for partnering |
| 1:28.4 | with us on today's episode. They've got a ton more info on their website explaining all of the |
| 1:32.9 | science. It's really interesting. You can check them out at Cognizin.com. It's in the show notes. |
| 1:37.5 | All right, here we go. |
... |
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