The PricePlow Podcast

The supplement industry is pushing back. In May 2026, a group of long-tenured ashwagandha producers and regulatory experts launched the Ashwagandha Standards Alliance (ASA), a new coalition dedicated to countering misinformation about ashwagandha leaf safety, defending GMP standards, and responding to what many in the industry see as scientifically unsupported regulatory actions: India’s April 2026 FSSAI/AYUSH leaf advisory and Denmark’s earlier ban.

In Episode #218 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben sit down with Blake Ebersole, founding member of the ASA and president of NaturPro Scientific, a B2B quality and regulatory consulting firm. Blake unpacks and rejects the “root good, leaf bad” narrative, explains why in vitro cancer cell studies are being misused to target ashwagandha leaf, and details how lab shopping and supply chain fragmentation quietly erode quality across the botanical category. This episode pairs directly with our companion article on India’s ashwagandha leaf advisory. Together they cover both the regulatory deep-dive and the industry coalition response.

Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for our ashwagandha news alerts on PricePlow before diving in.

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/ashwagandha-standards-alliance-218

Video: The Ashwagandha Standards Alliance Responds to India’s FSSAI Leaf Advisory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxYGLOcgVIw

Detailed Show Notes: Blake Ebersole on the Ashwagandha Standards Alliance, FSSAI, and Industry GMP

(0:00) – Introductions

(2:45) – What Is the Ashwagandha Standards Alliance?

(4:30) – How ASA Fits the Industry Landscape

(6:15) – Educational, Policy, and Standards Goals

(8:00) – Adverse Events at Scale and Ashwagandha’s Safety Record

(11:15) – Denmark’s Ban and the Hazard-Based Regulatory Model

(15:15) – Withaferin A and the In Vitro Extrapolation Problem

(18:30) – How Competitive Interests Drove the Market Off Track

(21:00) – Label Disclosure, Dilution, and Maltodextrin

(25:00) – The Billion-Dollar Market and Supply Chain Fragmentation

(30:00) – India’s Regulatory Framework: Food, Drug, and No Middle Ground

(32:15) – Farmers, Brokers, and the FSSAI Advisory’s Unintended Consequences

(38:00) – Research Gaps and the Clinical Literature

(41:00) – Extraction Methods: Milk, Solvents, and Withanolide Chemistry

(44:30) – Consumer Education and the Demand for Transparency

(46:30) – Lab Shopping and the Broken Incentive Structure

(52:45) – Branded Ingredients and GMP Supplier Qualification

(55:15) – ASA Founding Members: Sabinsa, Cepham, and Arjuna Natural

(58:00) – Formula Ideas: Sleep, Lifestyle, and Beyond the Basics

(1:00:45) – Anhedonia, Cortisol, and What the Science Says

Where to Follow and Learn More

Connect with Blake Ebersole and the Ashwagandha Standards Alliance

LinkedIn: Blake Ebersole (founding member of the ASA and president of NaturPro Scientific)

Ashwagandha Standards Alliance Website

Ashwagandha Standards Alliance on LinkedIn…

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NuLiv Science ingredients are everywhere in the modern supplement stack. AstraGin® shows up in pre-workouts, protein powders, energy drinks, and gut health supplements. Senactiv® anchors some of the most performance-focused formulas in sports nutrition. Yet for all that visibility, the brand hasn’t sat down for an in-depth podcast with Team PricePlow for quite some time.

Episode #217 brings in Luis Gonzalez, VP of Sales at NuLiv Science, for a 70-minute walkthrough of the NuLiv story and its full ingredient portfolio. Mike hosts solo and the two cover Luis’s path from financial services into supplement sales, the full NuLiv Science ingredient lineup, the evolution of the brand’s research, and every ingredient in the portfolio: AstraGin®, Senactiv®, Zylaria®, InnoSlim®, JointIQ®, Astrion®, and CordycepsPrimeâ„¢.

The centerpiece is NuLiv’s most ambitious AstraGin® clinical to date: a 2026 whey protein absorption study documenting 12% to 14% amino acid uptake improvements and a meaningful zonulin reduction across three age demographics. A lot has changed since Episode #059 in 2021. This episode gets you fully caught up, and Luis has a pretty cool story getting into the industry as well.

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/nuliv-science-luis-gonzalez-217

Video: Luis Gonzalez of NuLiv Science: AstraGin, Senactiv Senolytics, and the Full 2026 Portfolio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et_ErGPaP2I

Detailed Show Notes: NuLiv Science’s Full Ingredient Portfolio with Luis Gonzalez

(0:00) – Introduction

(1:30) – Luis’s Path from Financial Services to NuLiv Science

(5:00) – Getting NuLiv Science Into Sports Nutrition

(7:15) – NuLiv’s Content-First Strategy

(9:30) – The Ghost Connection: How Senactiv Found Its Audience

(13:30) – Senactiv: Ten Papers and a Research Arc Unlike Any Other

(21:00) – Senactiv Doses: 50mg vs. 100mg

(23:30) – Zylaria®: Deep Sleep, GABA Support, and No Next-Day Grogginess

(26:00) – AstraGin as Flagship (And the CordycepsPrimeâ„¢ Volume Surprise)

(27:30) – The 2026 AstraGin Study: Whey Protein, Amino Acid Absorption, and Zonulin

(33:45) – AstraGin for Gut Health and Healthy Aging

(38:45) – NuLiv’s Origins: Founded as a Mushroom Company in 1997

(40:45) – MLM Clients, Quality Standards, and Vitafoods Europe

(46:45) – JointIQ® and the “Same Plant, Different Compounds” Explanation

(50:45) – InnoSlim and the GLP-1 Market Shift

(53:45) – NuLiv Ingredients as GLP-1 Adjuncts

(57:45) – Grinding the 1099 Hustle: Luis’s Path to VP of Sales

(1:01:45) – Formulator’s Corner: The GLP-1 Support Stack

(1:05:30) – New Senactiv Research, Astrion Skin Health, and Closing Thoughts

Where to Follow and Learn More

Connect with Luis Gonzalez

LinkedIn: Luis Gonzalez

Instagram: @luisjr_fit

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Balchem makes its first appearance on Episode #216 of the PricePlow Podcast. Tom Druke, Senior Marketing Manager at Balchem’s Human Nutrition & Health division, joins Mike and Ben to cover three flagship branded ingredients: VitaCholine® (choline bitartrate), Albion® Minerals (chelated mineral technology), and a first look at K2VITAL® (vitamin K2 MK-7).

Tom walks through Balchem’s growth story: from roughly 30% human nutrition a decade ago to 60-70% today, driven by strategic acquisitions (Albion® in 2016, then Bergstrom Nutrition for OptiMSM® and Kappa Bioscience, which brought K2VITAL®, in 2022). He also explains the New York Jets partnership launched in May 2024, which Balchem and the Jets jointly described as the first partnership between an ingredient company and a major U.S. professional sports team.

The choline discussion covers depletion in athletes and knowledge workers, the L(+)-bitartrate vs. DL-bitartrate distinction, the connection to nitric oxide, and what a 2015 published study on visuomotor performance revealed about choline’s role in focus and fine motor coordination. On the mineral side, Tom unpacks Albion’s chelation technology, FT-IR quality verification, and what NOW Foods’ 2022 Amazon audit revealed about third-party magnesium products.

This is an educational one, to say the least. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast and sign up for Balchem news alerts before diving in!

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/balchem-vitacholine-216

Video: Tom Druke of Balchem on VitaCholine®, Albion® Minerals, K2VITAL®, and the NY Jets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3FYWarAy0E

Detailed Show Notes: Balchem’s Tom Druke on VitaCholine®, Albion® Minerals, and K2VITAL®

(0:00) – Introductions: Tom Druke and Balchem

(3:30) – The New York Jets Partnership

(7:00) – Why Choline Is Essential and Widely Deficient

(11:15) – VitaCholine® and Natural L(+)-Bitartrate Sourcing

(14:30) – Choline Depletion in Athletes and Knowledge Workers

(18:00) – The 2015 Focus Study and Cholinergic Signaling

(19:00) – GHOST Legend V4: VitaCholine® at 1 Gram

(21:00) – L(+)-Bitartrate vs. DL-Bitartrate: Why Isomers Matter

(26:15) – Safe Dosing, Upper Limits, and Genetic Factors

(31:15) – Choline, Betaine, and Nitric Oxide

(34:15) – Albion® Minerals: The Science of Chelation

(39:15) – Magnesium Bisglycinate: Deficiency, Bioavailability, and Sleep

(42:45) – Quality Verification: FT-IR Testing and the Albion Brand

(47:30) – The NOW Foods Amazon Audit: Why Branded Ingredients Matter

(50:45) – K2VITAL® and Other Albion® Minerals

(1:00:00) – Looking Ahead: Choline Science and Longevity

Where to Follow and Learn More

Connect with Tom Druke and Balchem

Balchem Human Nutrition & Health on LinkedIn

Balchem Corporation on LinkedIn

Instagram: @balchem.hnh

Balchem Human Nutrition & Health Website

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Jim McMahon turned 60 in early 2026, and his supplement industry experience now spans nearly four decades. He founded Fit Foods Ltd. (parent of Mutant, PVL, Whey Gourmet, and North Coast Naturals) in 1996 with $13,000 and a newborn at home, and built one of the industry’s most disciplined manufacturing operations: 200,000 square feet in Port Coquitlam, BC, roughly 200 employees, and distribution in 70+ countries. This is his first appearance on the PricePlow Podcast, and he doesn’t hold back.

In Episode #215 of the PricePlow Podcast, Jim traces the full arc from introducing whey protein to Canada at the 1993 CHFA trade show to signing the Creapure® trademark agreement two days before Prolab. He explains that Mutant’s internal testing found creatine gummies at 28 times the allowable impurity limit, predicts whey protein prices will roughly double within six months, and breaks down the Canadian NHP regulatory system from the inside.

Jim also teases a novel pre-workout stimulant nobody has used in sport, Mitchell Hooper‘s upcoming “Stronger” signature line, and a protein extension partnership with Dr. Daniel Traylor of DePaul University. This is a good one — subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Mutant news alerts on PricePlow before diving in.

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/jim-mcmahon-mutant-215

Video: Jim McMahon on 40 Years, Creatine Gummy Quality, and the Whey Protein Avalanche

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zUsvh5PlrQ

Detailed Show Notes: Jim McMahon, Founder and CEO of Fit Foods / Mutant

(0:00) – Introductions

(3:15) – First to Market: Whey Protein and Creapure in Canada

(11:30) – Founding PVL with $13K, a Newborn, and No Room to Fail

(16:30) – The Mutant Mass Origin Story

(19:00) – Rich Piana, Big Ron Partlow, and What Mutant Really Sells

(31:00) – COVID Lessons and “Happier Lives Through Healthier Living”

(33:30) – Why Mutant Won’t Make Creatine Gummies Yet

(40:30) – Canadian Supplement Regulation: The NHP System

(49:00) – MPL, FDA Reform, and the Case for a Clear Innovation Pipeline

(53:15) – Ingredient Science, Creatine Impurities, and the Zero-Sum Fallacy

(59:15) – EAAs, Intra-Workouts, and the Shawn Clarida Project

(1:02:15) – Inside Mutant’s 200,000-Square-Foot Operation

(1:06:30) – The 2009 MusclePharm Near-Insolvency and Why Mutant Went Inward

(1:11:00) – Supply Chain Discipline: 97% Fill Rates and a Distribution-First Model

(1:17:00) – Quality Over Trends: The Mutant Philosophy on Innovation

(1:18:30) – The Whey Protein Price Avalanche

(1:28:45) – The Investor Deal: Protecting 200 Teammates and Planning for Continuity

(1:37:45) – Title Sponsor for Eight Years: The Arnold Classic and the Camaraderie Mission

(1:39:45) – What Does PVL Stand For? (And Teasing What’s Next)

(1:42:30) – Mitchell Hooper’s “Stronger” Signature Line

(1:47:30) – The Protein Extension Project: Shawn Clarida, Dr. Daniel Traylor, and What Comes After the Avalanche

Where to Follow and Learn More

Connect with Jim McMahon and Mutant / Fit Foods

LinkedIn: Jim McMahon

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Episode #214 of the PricePlow Podcast goes deep with the two co-founders of NuCelium, a functional mushroom cultivation company operating out of Coldstream, British Columbia. Riley Boudreau and Rob Swiderski join Mike and Ben to explain NuCelium’s biology-first approach to potency and why their full-spectrum growing method can outperform conventional extraction without stripping out a single compound.

The conversation covers Rob’s unusual path to mushrooms (he sold his shares in nine restaurants after a vision he attributes to God) and Riley’s journey from mushroom-picking robotics into cultivation science. Together with a founding mycology team carrying over 75 years of combined experience, they’ve built a facility where quality and affordability don’t have to be trade-offs.

The headline result: NuCelium’s CordyFuelâ„¢ won the 2025 Cordy Cup with a third-party verified 14.83 mg/g cordycepin reading, the highest in competition history, achieved without extraction. For the full backstory on the company, see our NuCelium brand introduction on the PricePlow Blog, but this discussion is worth your full time. Once you’re done, you’ll be figuring out ways to add CordyFuel and these other top-tier mushroom ingredients to your stack.

Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for NuCelium news alerts on PricePlow before diving in!

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/nucelium-mushrooms-214

Video: Biology-First Mushrooms with NuCelium’s Riley Boudreau and Rob Swiderski

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHqyx2tCS3A

Detailed Show Notes: Riley Boudreau and Rob Swiderski of NuCelium on CordyFuel, Full-Spectrum Cultivation, and the Cordy Cup

(0:00) – Introductions

(4:00) – Riley’s Origin Story: Nepal, Automation, and Mushrooms

(12:00) – Rob’s Premonition: The Vision That Started It All

(14:00) – Building for Biosecurity and Scale

(20:00) – Mushroom Growing 101: Full Spectrum vs. Extraction

(26:45) – The Extract Debate: Ratio vs. Standardized

(31:45) – Functional and Psychedelic Mushrooms: Where They Intersect

(36:00) – Learning from Failure: How Potency Gets Unlocked

(44:30) – The Cordy Cup: 14.83 mg/g and Competition Record

(47:30) – Beyond Cordycepin: Adenosine, Uridine, and Longevity Bioactives

(49:15) – Benefits by Mushroom Species

(55:00) – Eight Mushrooms, One Facility

(58:45) – Gut Health and the Prebiotic Fiber Matrix

(1:01:00) – Could the Substrate Become Its Own Ingredient?

(1:04:30) – Play Formulator: Dream Products from NuCelium Ingredients

(1:09:30) – Biosecurity: Why It’s Everything in Mushroom Farming

(1:13:00) – Strain Genetics: Catching and Riding the Wave

(1:18:45) – Commercial Consistency: Under-Promise, Over-Deliver

(1:22:00) – Research Roadmap: From Cell Culture to Human Trials

(1:26:15) – What’s Next: Chaga, Tiger’s Milk, and the Substrate Study

Where to Follow and Learn More

Connect with Riley, Rob, and NuCelium

LinkedIn: Riley Boudreau

Linke…

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