Kyowa Hakko’s Katie Emerson & Tony Miano: Setria Glutathione & Cognizin Research Updates | Episode #163

Katie Emerson and Tony Miano of Kyowa Hakko join PricePlow to discuss the latest Cognizin and Setria research developments at Expo West 2025.

In this episode of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben welcome back Katie Emerson of Kyowa Hakko USA after Katie’s year and a half hiatus from the PricePlow Podcast. They’re joined by first-time guest Tony Miano, Director of sales and business development and the man behind putting Cognizin® citicoline into so many numerous beverage innovations. Recording from Expo West 2025 at the Kyowa Hakko booth, the team dives into exciting research developments for both Cognizin and Setria® Glutathione, with particular focus on Setria for sport applications.

Katie Emerson is Back, and Doing Serious Research at Kyowa Hakko

Katie, now Senior Manager of Scientific Affairs at Kyowa Hakko, shares her enthusiasm for leading multiple new research initiatives, including three upcoming Cognizin studies and renewed research on Setria Glutathione. The conversation explores how Kyowa bridges academic rigor with practical industry applications, uncovering quality structure-function claims based on existing research while developing new studies to expand their ingredients’ potential applications in sports nutrition and cognitive health.

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https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/kyowa-hakko-2025-research-updates

Video: Mike and Ben Interview Tony and Katie at Expo West 2025

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:52 — 30.8MB)

Detailed Show Notes: New Research Underway at Kyowa Hakko

It’s good to be back!

• 0:00 – Introductions: Reconnecting with Katie Emerson at Expo West 2025

  

  Cognizin® Citicoline is dubbed the The Brain Choline not just because it provides choline, but because it also supplies cytidine, which is also needed for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine

  The episode opens with Mike and Ben welcoming Katie Emerson back to the podcast after roughly 18 months. Katie shares that she’s experienced some significant life and career changes, now working with Kyowa Hakko USA in a role that allows her to pursue her passion for research. The team introduces Tony Miano, a first-time guest on the PricePlow Podcast who brings extensive beverage industry experience dating back to 2010. Tony’s background pairs perfectly with implementing Cognizin® in various product applications.

  Katie explains her current position as Senior Manager of Scientific Affairs at Kyowa, where she’s taking the lead on numerous research studies. She reveals they’re currently running or planning three Cognizin studies and developing new research on Setria® Glutathione, highlighting her excitement about uncovering new applications for these established ingredients.

• 3:00 – Katie as the Bridge Between Academia and Industry

  Ben acknowledges Katie’s unique ability to bridge the gap between academic standards and practical industry applications. The team discusses how Katie excels at developing scientifically valid research that delivers actionable insights for brands without requiring pharmaceutical-scale budgets.

  Katie emphasizes the importance of creating research that’s “scientifically informative and interesting” while remaining realistic about dietary supplements’ capabilities. She positions herself as connecting academia with manufacturing and application, creating valuable relationships between research and real-world product development.

• 4:15 – Expanded Structure-Function Claims for Cognizin

  

  Check out C4 Smart Energy with Cognizin!

  The conversation shifts to Cognizin, which has been featured in previous discussions focused on beverage applications. Mike mentions a substantial PDF of structure-function claims that Kyowa provides to brands and media partners, noting that the document significantly expanded between 2023 and 2024 thanks to Katie’s efforts.

  Katie confirms her role in this expansion, explaining how she spent her first six months at Kyowa thoroughly reviewing existing research to identify untapped potential. She shares a specific example of discovering studies showing Cognizin reduces MDA (malondialdehyde) levels, a biomarker of oxidative stress. This finding connects to Cognizin’s ability to stimulate glutathione in the brain, opening up new oxidative stress-related claims they hadn’t previously utilized.

  It’s also worth noting the January 2025 article worth reading, “Kyowa Hakko Strengthens Cognizin® Patent Protection: The Gold Standard in Citicoline Gets Stronger“.

• 7:15 – Deep Dive on Aldehydes and Oxidative Stress

  Mike takes a moment to elaborate on why Katie’s MDA discovery is significant, explaining that aldehydes (including malondialdehyde) are “horrifically unhealthy” compounds. He draws parallels to alcohol metabolism, where acetaldehyde causes more harm than the alcohol itself, and explains that methanol’s toxicity comes from its conversion to formaldehyde (which is why wood alcohol — methanol — makes people blind and should not be consumed).

  

  See PricePlow’s ISSN 2024 Conference Recap, Powered by Cognizin® Citicoline

  Katie describes her excitement at discovering this connection between Cognizin and reduced MDA levels, emphasizing it reveals another beneficial mechanism beyond the ingredient’s well-known cognitive effects. She mentions this discovery sparked interest in potential combination studies with Setria Glutathione, given the biochemical relationship between citicoline and glutathione production.

• 8:30 – From “Supports” to “Improves”: Strengthening Claims

  Katie discusses how her research evaluation allowed Kyowa to strengthen certain claims, changing language from “supports focus and attention” to “improves focus and attention” based on the totality of evidence from existing studies.

  Tony emphasizes the significance of this shift from a sales perspective, noting that while brands always want to make stronger claims, Kyowa maintains a conservative approach as a Japanese company (Kyowa Hakko is a part of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd). Katie’s deep research has helped them confidently offer stronger, scientifically-backed claims that brands appreciate, without overstepping regulated boundaries.

• 10:15 – New Research Areas: Mood, Motor Function, and Sports Performance

  The team discusses ongoing and upcoming research initiatives for Cognizin. Tony reveals that one key area they’re exploring is mood effects, while Katie adds they’re also strengthening claims around motor function and developing sports-specific studies.

  When asked how researchers measure motor function, Katie mentions that one current study with adolescents uses a fingertip test as an assessment method, for which they have a tap challenge phone app. The conversation then transitions to Setria Glutathione, which Tony wears prominently on his shirt.

• 11:30 – Setria Glutathione and Cognizin Connection

  

  Kyowa Hakko’s premium Setria® Glutathione stars in GHOST Basics Vitamin C + Glutathione! This powerful antioxidant duo defends against free radicals, supports immune health, and enhances recovery.

  Mike notes that while they’ve discussed Setria Glutathione previously on the podcast, particularly with GHOST Lifestyle as a significant user (see our recent GHOST Vitamin C + Glutathione article, and it’s also in GHOST Pump), they haven’t fully explored the relationship between Cognizin and glutathione levels. Katie acknowledges she’s still analyzing the data but believes the ingredients work better together than separately.

  She explains that while Cognizin does appear to increase glutathione levels, the effect isn’t as substantial as taking Setria directly. The team discusses how in sports nutrition, Setria is valued for extending pumps, while Cognizin serves different purposes, though the interplay between them is intriguing.

• 12:30 – Kyowa Hakko’s Approach to Ingredient Synergy

  Team PricePlow positions Kyowa as a “patron saint of synergy”, referencing earlier discussions about ingredient combinations like arginine and citrulline, which are covered in our Kyowa Quality article (they’re made in the USA!). Katie explains that while initially there might be concerns about internal competition between ingredients, Kyowa’s Japanese mission of health and wellness drives them to find optimal solutions for consumers, even if that means combining their own ingredients.

  

  Images courtesy Kyowa Hakko, the sponsor of this podcast

  She notes that they haven’t fully explored all potential synergies yet but agrees with the approach of testing whether combinations work better than individual ingredients. This philosophy aligns with their research on citrulline and Setria for extending nitric oxide production and enhancing recovery.

• 14:00 – Review of Setria Research Studies

  The conversation shifts to reviewing recent Setria research studies. Katie mentions a 2023 study that built upon previous research, acknowledging Mike’s point about comparison challenges in earlier studies. She explains that the first two studies, conducted by Darryn Willoughby’s team, used different forms of citrulline (L-citrulline vs. citrulline malate) with 200mg of Setria Glutathione.^[1]

  Mike points out a potential issue with comparing pure L-citrulline to citrulline malate, since the latter contains less actual citrulline by weight. Despite this limitation, Katie emphasizes that the studies still provided valuable endpoints, showing nitric oxide levels continuing to rise 30 minutes post-exercise with the Setria-citrulline combination.

• 16:30 – Extracting Value from Imperfect Studies

  

  Kyowa Hakko USA earns 4th patent for Cognizin Citicoline, further validating visual attention & cognitive performance benefits. New IP covers methods for enhancing attention, motor function & processing speed.

  Ben appreciates Katie’s approach to research, noting how she can extract valuable insights even from studies with methodological limitations. Rather than discounting studies that don’t perfectly match expectations, she uses them to build a more comprehensive understanding and guide future research.

  Mike mentions that modern pre-workouts have evolved beyond the 2-gram citrulline doses used in early studies, citing examples like Cellucor’s new C4 Alpha Bomb with much higher doses. However, Katie emphasizes that the Setria-citrulline combination allows formulators to achieve similar effects with lower doses, creating room for additional ingredients.

• 18:30 – Setria for Sport: Rebranding and Positioning

  Tony discusses the evolution from “Setria Performance Blend” to “Setria for Sport“, representing a strategic repositioning rather than a formula change. The team discusses recent trends in citrulline dosing, with Mike mentioning “citrulline arms races” with doses reaching 12 grams in some products.

  The team agrees that Setria offers formulators an advantage by allowing lower citrulline doses while maintaining benefits, potentially reducing digestive discomfort some users experience with high-dose citrulline products. They reference how Glaxon created multiple products with different Kyowa ingredient combinations to maximize benefits while navigating labeling requirements.

• 20:30 – Labeling and Positioning Setria for Sport

  

  C4 Smart Energy contains Cognizin citicoline

  When asked about specific labeling requirements for Setria for Sport, Katie explains it involves at least 200mg of Setria Glutathione paired with at least 2 grams of citrulline. She notes they’re still finalizing the rebranding details and haven’t determined exact label requirements yet.

  Katie summarizes the four key studies supporting the citrulline-glutathione combination, including the newer research by Abby Smith Ryan examining flow-mediated dilation rather than plasma nitrates. Tony explains this positioning strategy allows them to target different demographics with the same ingredients, similar to how they might position Setria differently for immune health versus skin health applications.

• 22:15 – Solution-Based Approach to Customer Needs

  The PricePlow guys compliment Kyowa’s solution-oriented approach to addressing customer needs. Rather than criticizing existing formulations, they focus on solving problems and finding ways to enhance products. Katie acknowledges the importance of responsible claims, mentioning her experience with potential legal challenges and how that informs their cautious approach.

• 23:15 – Flow-Mediated Dilation and Claims Development

  

  Looking for dietary supplement ingredients that are made in the USA?! There aren’t many, but Kyowa Hakko USA has citrulline, arginine, and glutamine!

  Mike asks for clarification on flow-mediated dilation measurements and how they translate into marketable claims. Katie explains the methodology using blood pressure cuffs and Doppler ultrasound to measure blood flow through the brachial artery, demonstrating that the Setria-citrulline combination enhances blood flow more effectively than citrulline alone.

  She highlights how this research supports both Tony’s “muscle pump” marketing angle and her own interest in recovery benefits, noting that she’d like to conduct future studies measuring recovery parameters like DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) or VASA scoring to quantify post-workout recovery benefits.

• 24:45 – Navigating Regulatory Language for Pump Claims

  The team discusses the challenges of translating research on flow-mediated dilation and nitric oxide production into compliant marketing claims. Katie confirms their current verified claims include “longer-lasting nitric oxide production” and “longer-lasting nitric oxide boost post-exercise” while noting the difficulty of scientifically defining and measuring the commonly used term “pump” in a way that satisfies regulatory requirements.

  Mike acknowledges the lack of standardized methods for measuring pump effects, making it difficult to compare different ingredients objectively. Katie expresses her desire to establish more measurable outcomes like recovery metrics to strengthen claims beyond the current nitric oxide production data.

• 26:00 – Oral Glutathione Bioavailability

  

  Kyowa Quality: Tested Dietary Supplement Ingredients Made in the USA! (BioKyowa)

  The conversation turns to oral glutathione bioavailability, with Katie referencing earlier research examining glutathione levels in whole blood, red blood cells, and even buccal cells after supplementation. She finds the buccal cell data particularly interesting, as it demonstrates how an orally consumed capsule can deliver glutathione to cells throughout the body.

  A potentially controversial question about injectable versus oral glutathione is raised, with Katie confirming that Setria is viable as an oral supplement with its own set of substantiated claims. She clarifies that while they’re not claiming oral glutathione is superior to injections, they are confidently stating that oral supplementation works effectively for its intended purposes.

  The team discusses the practical advantages of oral glutathione supplementation compared to intravenous administration. Katie notes that injectable options aren’t accessible or practical for most consumers, and Tony emphasizes Kyowa’s focus on convenience through various delivery formats including foods, beverages, powders, and pills.

  Katie mentions they’re working on internal stability data to expand Setria applications, acknowledging some challenges but emphasizing their commitment to making the ingredient more widely available. She also references dose-response studies showing that higher doses taken consistently lead to better glutathione stores over time, with no ceiling effect observed.

• 29:15 – Closing Remarks and Acknowledgments

  

  Kyowa SSW 2023 Panel: Branded Ingredients and Collaborative Competition with Dan, Joey, and Chris of Ghost, Glaxon, and Nutrabolt

  The podcast concludes with mutual appreciation, with Tony noting this is his first appearance on the PricePlow Podcast but not the first collaboration between PricePlow and Kyowa Hakko. The team acknowledges this is their first podcast recording outside of SupplySide West, taking place at Expo West 2025.

Where to Follow and Learn More

• Kyowa Hakko USA: PricePlow.com/kyowa-hakko and kyowa-usa.com
• Katie Emerson: LinkedIn
• Tony Miano: LinkedIn
• Cognizin Citicoline: blog.priceplow.com/supplement-ingredients/cognizin
• Setria Glutathione: See GHOST Vitamin C + Setria Glutathione

Thank you to Katie Emerson and Tony Miano for joining us to discuss the latest research on Kyowa Hakko’s ingredients. Stay tuned for more episodes of the PricePlow Podcast featuring industry leaders and scientific innovators, and sign up for PricePlow’s Kyowa Hakko News so you don’t miss new research and product launches!

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