Active nutrition for all: Innovations from mobility, energy & sleep to muscle recovery

Active nutrition is no longer for elite athletes. It has expanded to everyday consumers who demand high-quality and proven proteins, fibers, vitamins, minerals, and mobility-supporting ingredients. To learn about how industry caters to these demands, Nutrition Insight speaks to Balchem Human Nutrition and Health, Bioiberica, Cosun Protein, FrieslandCampina Ingredients, Gnosis by Lesaffre, HTBA, Lactalis, Sensus, and Sirio Europe.

Cosun Protein’s technical sales manager, Ricky van Beers, says the company’s Tendra Fava Bean Protein Isolate offers versatile solutions beyond traditional sports nutrition. “Our protein can be used in everyday formats like plant-based cheese, yogurt, and hybrid or plant-based meat alternatives, as well as in specialized recovery and performance products.” 

He adds that several consumers are open to plant-based proteins but are often discouraged by taste. However, Cosun Protein’s ingredient can easily blend into everyday foods without overpowering them. Tendra Fava Bean Protein Isolate can also be used to cater to each demographic and target group’s unique protein needs.

Owner of Cosun Protein, Sensus’s commercial manager, Eszter Heijnen, details: “While athletes focus on performance optimization, blood sugar stability, and sustained energy, active consumers are more concerned with lifelong health, balanced nutrition, and reducing sugar intake.”

“This shift has led to a growing demand for products that support immediate performance and long-term wellness. Frutafit and Frutalose chicory root fibers are ideally suited to meet these needs. They enable sugar reduction and fiber enrichment in active nutrition formats such as high-protein shakes, energy bars, and meal replacers.”

Whey and casein

Senior product manager Elodie Macariou says Lactalis has expanded its protein portfolio with Pronativ native whey and micellar casein to support muscle recovery, everyday wellness, and functional nutrition.

Fava bean protein blends into everyday foods, delivering clean plant-based nutrition without taste compromise.“As the active consumer base expands, expectations around taste and texture grow. By leveraging the functional diversity of our dairy proteins — from Pronativ native whey to micellar casein, Laktein WPC80, and acid/rennet caseins — we create indulgent, nutritious products with tailored textures, meeting performance and sensory needs across age groups.”

Floor van der Horst, marketing director, Performance and Active Nutrition, FrieslandCampina Ingredients, says whey, a fast-digesting protein, is ideal for convenient products providing quick muscle-protein synthesis in between gym sessions. “But it can be tricky to incorporate into formats like drinks due to gelling during heat treatment,” she warns.

“To combat this, we have developed Nutri Whey ProHeat — a heat-stable whey protein originally created for medical nutrition — for the sports nutrition market, so that more people can benefit from high-protein drinks with low viscosity.”

“On the flip side, we’re also highlighting research that opens up new use cases for established proteins to meet a broader range of needs. Casein, for example, is a slow-releasing protein, providing a sustained release of amino acids over time.” 

This mechanism enables innovations for endurance athletes who require sustained recovery after intense events, but even active seniors can enjoy it in an enriched dessert for overnight recovery.

Preventing performance decline and better knee mobility

Gnosis by Lesaffre is diversifying its active nutrition portfolio with Landkind Pure Salidroside and MyCondro.

Chicory root fibers cut sugar while boosting energy and gut health in shakes, bars, and meal replacers.Lorena Carboni, senior product manager and scientific communications expert, says Landkind is the first fermented pure salidroside clinically proven to prevent performance decline and improve mood disturbance — markers of fatigue during exercise. The active compound comes from Rhodiola rosea.

“This versatile compound has a wide range of health benefits relevant to active individuals and athletes: it has been shown to have anti-fatigue, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects, which can support cognitive function, cardiovascular health, and overall well-being.”

“For elite athletes, Landkind may enhance endurance, reduce recovery time, and combat fatigue during high-stress performance. Rhodiola rosea has been shown to have adaptogenic properties, helping athletes better cope with physical stress and optimize their training cycles,” she details.

Furthermore, she advises consumers seeking healthy, active aging to look for supplements that support cognitive function, manage stress response, and enhance overall vitality.

“Salidroside provides these benefits by combating stress, which is linked to the body’s capacity to manage redox homeostasis. This is key for athletes and people who exercise frequently because these endeavors can spike oxidative stress,” explains Carboni. 

“Oxidative stress, induced by exertion, is caused by an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the body’s ability to neutralize them. It can lead to cellular damage and contribute to various age-related cognitive and physiological declines.”

Furthermore, Carboni spotlights MyCondro, the “first” chondroitin sulfate developed through precision fermentation to help protect knee mobility.

“It is supported by two pharmacokinetic studies demonstrating superior bioavailability (+45%) compared to animal-derived chondroitin sulfate, plus two human clinical studies demonstrating superior bioavailability and efficacy at 600 mg/day (compared to 800 to 1,200 mg/day for animal-derived chondroitin).”

MyCondro is backed by clinical studies, she continues. One study in obese adults with moderate knee osteoarthritis showed that the ingredient reduced knee inflammation in two months. Participants with moderate knee arthritis experienced improved knee function and less discomfort after supplementing for three months.

B vitamins and magnesium 

Tom D’hoore, chief commercial officer at HTBA, underlines the importance of vitamin B12 for everyone. It supports energy levels, red blood cell formation, and fatigue.

Heat-stable whey enables high-protein drinks with a smooth texture, supporting fast recovery on-the-go.“Yet deficiencies are surprisingly common, particularly among older adults. In the UK, around 1 in 10 people over 75 are deficient in this important nutrient, as are 11% of those following a vegan diet. This can cause symptoms such as tiredness, lack of energy, muscle weakness, and psychological problems, like depression, among others.”

“Supplementation might sound like an easy fix. But not all B12 is the same. Our vitamin B12 ingredient — MecobalActive — is highly bioavailable and active, produced through a patented proprietary green chemistry process.”

D’hoore explains that since MecobalActive is readily absorbed and remains circulating in tissues for longer, it enables active consumers to replenish B12 levels.

Furthermore, Sara Lesina, general manager of Sirio Europe, notes that all types of active consumers seek effective, trusted supplements.

“Our newly launched magnesium portfolio — Sirio X Mg — is a prime example of how we’re innovating to meet the needs of this broader demographic. Today, this mineral outranks fiber, calcium, and even omega-3s in popularity — and for good reason,” she says. “From energy and muscle health to sleep and stress support, magnesium hits on all the critical needs of this wider active nutrition audience.”

“To help brands tap into the magnesium opportunity in active nutrition and beyond, our new range features six ready-to-launch concepts, such as our HydraBites Energy Gummy. This solution delivers magnesium and vitamins B1, B3, and B6 to support energy and electrolytes for hydration, in a convenient and appealing mango and pineapple flavored gummy,” she details.

Democratization of active nutrition: K2, collagen & HA

Balchem Human Nutrition and Health observes the “democratization” of active nutrition with consumers demanding holistic, tailored solutions.

Dominik Mattern, VP of Science, Business Development, and Marketing, says: “These everyday consumers also expect the same quality as the elite pros. The solutions that power premier athletes hold credibility transferable to more personal performance goals.”

“That’s why we recently launched our ‘Premier Ingredients for Premier Athletes’ platform, which features flagship ingredients such as K2Vital, for healthy bones and hearts, VitaCholine, for supercharged bodies and minds, and OptiMSM, for joint health and beauty-from-within, as well as Albion Minerals chelates, for improved absorption.”

“To further strengthen this initiative, we’ve also partnered with sports organizations such as the New York Jets and FC Bayern Women, aiming to connect the B2B and B2C markets and raise awareness of the benefits of our VitaCholine and K2VitalL ingredients where it matters the most — directly among consumers.”

According to Vanessa Villareal, strategic marketing and product manager at Bioiberia, the company emphasizes the importance of evidence-based solutions, convenient formats, and “all-in-one” products as forces behind innovation.

“In terms of ingredients, protein may be the headline ingredient, but it’s far from the only one shaping active nutrition. Vitamins and other nutrients, like magnesium and creatine, all play a vital role.”

“Additionally, mobility-supporting components like collagen and hyaluronic acid (HA) are recognized for maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. This has led to growing interest in emerging forms of collagen, such as native (undenatured) type II, and the HA matrix ingredient,” she explains.

Villareal spotlights Bioiberica’s Native type II collagen Collavant n2, which is effective at 40 mg/day. Mobilee, dubbed the first HA matrix ingredient for mobility, supports joint and muscle health at 80 mg/day with HA, polysaccharides, and collagen. Both can be added to capsules, foods, or drinks for convenience.