#216: Balchem's Tom Druke - VitaCholine®, Albion® Chelated Minerals, K2VITAL®, and the NY Jets

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 … Read more on the PricePlow Blog