Mind over muscle: Sports nutrition evolves to support brain health

As the sports nutrition consumer base broadens and becomes more diverse, so do the type of products and ingredients it demands. We continue our conversation with experts in the field who dive deeper into the growing interest in active nutrition that offers mental health benefits.

“Although sports and energy products have traditionally been consumed for their physical energy-boosting properties, consumers are increasingly interested in them for their mental stimulation, relaxation and mood-boosting qualities,” Lubrizol Life Science’s global marketing manager Isabel Gómez, tells Nutrition Insight.

“As a result, I have seen many nutraceutical companies focus their innovation efforts on mental support, promising to help consumers focus, relax and concentrate. Brands can counter this with specific messaging about the functional benefits and appropriate needs their products target, such as mental focus and study support.”

Andreas Petrik, marketing director of specialized nutrition at ADM, similarly highlights: “Sports and active nutrition consumers are increasingly interested in products that not only help to improve energy but also mental acuity and focus, with many drawn to natural sources of caffeine, which our guarana, green tea and yerba mate extracts can provide.”

“Many active nutrition consumers are also seeking support for their emotional well-being, including reducing stress. Ongoing evidence points to connections between the gut microbiome and mood support or the gut-brain axis,” he adds.

Consumers are increasingly interested in sports nutrition for its mental stimulation, relaxation and mood-boosting qualities.Mental performance

Gómez explains that sports nutrition products that provide improved energy are of particular interest to those seeking benefits beyond physical performance. 

“I think this generation is very focused on a proactive approach to health, and they want products that enhance their mental state while supporting their physical health. Also, being highly educated, they are looking for reassurance about health claims, so they are looking for science behind products,” she explains.

“In addition, this generation of consumers wants sports and energy formats that offer greater customization options and a more sustainable appeal, which is why we are seeing more launches of powder formats as consumers embrace the convenience of mixing drinks at home.” 

Katie Verlaan, global marketing lead for muscle and mobility at FrieslandCampina Ingredients, adds that consumers “want products that keep them full and energized and support them with their broader health goals."

“Energy drinks are proving popular and in 2024, there’s an increased focus on natural energy boosters and healthy ingredients,” she reveals. “This is driving innovation in multi-functional sports nutrition drinks.”

Gómez argues that some brands are “blurring categories” by incorporating “other” functions, “such as those related to physical performance and improved hydration.”

“For example, we see this happening with energy launches, reflecting the broader increase in category blurring and the crossover appeal of hydration properties.”

Petrik spotlights ADM’s WKUP formulation: “We combine our guarana and green tea extracts with our carob extract. Our WKUP formulation has shown indicators that it may perform comparably to caffeine without common concerns, such as increased heart rate and temporary impact on blood pressure.”

Energy for gamers

Discussing which sports activities are currently dominating the innovation space, Gómez brings up gaming as increasingly relevant. “We see the most innovation in sports that require high levels of physical fitness and mental well-being.”

“There is a strong focus on both individual and team sports, such as football, athletics, cycling and tennis, with increasing participation by women. The term sport is increasingly applied to a wider range of non-physical challenges, such as video games, also known as esports.”

According to Verlaan, ingredients for improved mental performance, stamina and energy are increasingly sought after by consumers in the now well-established esports market. 

Consumers are increasingly interested in sports nutrition for its mental stimulation, relaxation and mood-boosting qualities.“Interestingly, one of the biggest upcoming areas is the rapidly growing esports market. This segment is now considered a sport in its own right — the Olympic esports games were even recently announced for 2025,” she comments. 

“Just like other athletes, esports players need the right nutrition to perform at their best — so it’s a hugely promising area for innovation.”

Gut-muscle-brain axis

In our previous conversation, Petrik outlined the growing significance of the gut-muscle axis in the sports nutrition space. He explains that ADM further offers biotics that simultaneously offer mental health- and sports performance-improving benefits. 

“We have conducted two studies on a 14-strain probiotic supplement with results demonstrating positive changes in mood. We also recently published research with our ES1 probiotic and postbiotic, which examined adults with mild-moderate IBS-D (irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea) condition and it indicated a significant reduction in stress versus placebo, as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Index,” he concludes. 

“Further supporting this wellness area are our botanical extracts, including our green rooibos extract, and the University of Canberra in Australia is currently examining it in relation to everyday stress and feelings of worry.”

By Milana Nikolova