Nektium’s Vanizem secures double win at NutraIngredients Europe Awards 2026

Nektium’s mood-boosting Vanizem has been named both Botanical Ingredient of the Year and Mind & Mood Ingredient of the Year at the NutraIngredients Awards 2026.  

Launched in 2024, Vanizem is a fast-acting, non-sedative Aframomum melegueta extract that is clinically proven to improve mood, reduce stress levels and enhance sleep quality within just three days.¹ 

It has now been crowned winner in two categories at the NutraIngredients Awards by an expert panel of judges drawn from fields including scientific research, academia and industry. 

The Botanical Ingredient of the Year award honours the best branded or own-label botanical ingredient. It reflects increasing consumer demand for effective, natural solutions and the growing body of research substantiating the therapeutic properties of plant-based ingredients. 

In their citation for the Botanical Ingredient award, the judges said, “Vanizem has been selected as the winner thanks to its compelling blend of innovation, scientific credibility, and responsible sourcing. As a relatively new entrant to the market, it distinguishes itself through proprietary extraction methods and a patent-pending encapsulation technology that elevates its performance and reliability.  

“The ingredient is supported by a robust scientific dossier including toxicology, mode of action research, and clinical studies demonstrating statistically significant benefits – underscoring its safety and efficacy. Sustainably sourced and commercially successful, Vanizem has rapidly gained traction across a wide range of nutraceutical formulations, reflecting both strong market confidence and meaningful impact.” 

The Mind & Mood Ingredient of the Year award is given to the ingredient that best supports cognition, memory, alertness, mood, stress, anxiety, relaxation, sleep and brain recovery.  

Commenting on the Mind & Mood Ingredient award, the judges said, “Vanizem is recognised for its highly innovative vanilloid technology, delivering fast-acting improvements in mood and sleep through modulation of the body’s endocannabinoid system. With a distinctive mechanism, strong early clinical signals, and impressive commercial momentum, Vanizem stands out as a breakthrough botanical with genuine disruptive potential and exciting opportunities for future expansion.”

Vanizem breaks the stress-mood-sleep cycle by inhibiting the FAAH enzyme. This preserves the body’s “bliss molecule” anandamide to promote feelings of calm without causing drowsiness, making it suitable for daytime use. 

The extract is effective at a low daily dose of 100-150mg.  

Miguel Jiménez, President and CEO at Nektium, said, “We are delighted that Vanizem has triumphed in not one but two categories at the prestigious NutraIngredients Europe Awards 2026. This achievement affirms our commitment to advancing nutritional science and delivering high-quality, evidence-backed botanicals. Since its launch, Vanizem has been a great success, with strong early adoption and sales growth. It’s ideal for consumers looking for a natural solution for managing stress, anxious feelings, low mood and sleep problems.”

¹ Pérez-Machín, R. et al. ‘Aframomum melegueta Seed Extract’s Effects on Anxiety, Stress, Mood, and Sleep: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Pilot Clinical Trial’ Pharmaceuticals (2025) https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/2/278