“Fatigue is not your fate”: Energy NPD soars as industry embraces citrus flavors and antioxidants

31 Aug 2021 --- Supplements with energy claims are soaring as consumers seek help in maintaining their stamina throughout the day, as well as around exercise. In this space, Gundry MD recently launched Active Advantage, while Nutrishop’s pre-workout formula has leaned into the citrus flavor trend.

Innova Market Insights reports that supplement launches with an energy or stamina claim have an average annual growth of 50 percent (2017-2020). These often appear along with immunity, brain-mood health and mental acuity claims. 

Earlier this year, an industry roundtable also highlighted that consumers are searching for safe, natural and ethical ingredients to fight fatigue as the effects of COVID-19 have increased stress levels worldwide.

Active Advantage features ingredients like antioxidants, amino acids and polyphenols.Targeting mitochondria and ATP
Gundry MD’s Active Advantage is an antioxidant blend designed to help promote physical and mental energy. The capsules contain astaxanthin to help promote mitochondria production to ramp up energy inside the body. 

They also offer fulvic minerals and CoQ10 to support ATP levels, which is the primary fuel source for cells. They also aid better digestion for metabolic support and better management of weight and unhealthy cravings.

Finally, the company says that tocotrienols, a vitamin E nutrient, help the body clear away the free radicals that can cause rapid aging and can deplete energy. The blend also contains other antioxidants, amino acids and polyphenols. 

Fighting brain fog
According to Gundry MD, Active Advantage can support the brain’s ability to produce fresh BDNF, a vital protein that supports thinking, alertness, memory, mood and the ability to learn. 

In a company-sponsored trial, 86 percent of Active Advantage users reported feeling sharper, while 87 percent had fewer occasional cases of “brain fog.” A further 94 percent digested their food better, and 96 percent noticed more energy to get through the day and reported feeling better overall. 

“Fatigue is not your fate. We are all designed to enjoy sustained energy, but we must support our metabolic health and ATP production,” says Dr. Steven Gundry, a cardiothoracic surgeon and founder of Gundry MD. 

Fueling work-outs
Meanwhile, Nutrishop has added a “Psycho Citrus” flavor to its Merk Intense Pre-Workout Formula lineup by Stance Supplements. 

Merk’s pre-workout powder contains 6 g of citrulline malate, 3.2 g of beta-alanine, 550 mg of VitaCholine, 350 mg of caffeine, and 200 mg of AlphaSize (L-Alpha glyceryl phosphorylcholine). 

Other ingredients include vitamin B12, Himalayan rock salt, ActiGin and AstraGin. Additionally, Merk contains thermogenics like grains of paradise to help heat the body up during intense training sessions.Merk’s formula is tapping into popular demand for citrus and tropical flavors. 

Citrus trend soars
Merk’s latest flavor joins other varieties like Wicked White Gummy, Brutal Blue Razz and Strawberry Death Punch.

“Psycho Citrus is not your typical orange flavor. It has the bright flavor of citrus with a smooth, tropical finish. Not overpowering, but the right combination of sweet and sour to get you ready to crush your next workout,” says Sir Keevin Hardiman, who owns Nutrishop Costa Mesa/Newport Beach and Nutrishop Huntington Beach.

Flavor has become a key way that sports nutrition brands can deliver a competitive edge in a cut-throat market, with 41 percent of sports nutrition shoppers considering flavor to be an important factor when choosing food and drink.

According to Comax Flavors, indulgent tastes like chocolate and vanilla are proving to be especially popular. However, citrus is also a trending choice, especially when it comes to immunity. 

ADM previously shared that citrus can be used as a “signaling” ingredient to help consumers make a link between functional foods and health benefits.

Other examples of orange-flavored NPD include Peels’ CBD oil and PlantFuel’s All-in-One Recovery. Meanwhile, IBN recently acquired the Sytrinol brand, which uses compounds in citrus peel and palm fruit extracts to support heart health.

By Katherine Durrell