Novel nutraceuticals: Spotlight on consumer-centric solutions from healthy aging to preventative care

The nutraceutical and functional ingredients market continues to innovate and expand, with data from Innova Market Insights indicating a 5% CAGR growth from July 2019 to June 2024. We examine new, consumer-centric solutions and their scientific support in the booming health areas of healthy aging, active nutrition, preventative care and weight management with Lycored, Gencor, Lonza Capsules & Health Ingredients and Ingredients By Nature. 

“Healthy aging is a major focus across the nutrition industry, and there is wide interest in personalization as consumers look to take an individualized approach,” Tammi Higgins, senior commercial VP at Lycored, tells Nutrition Insight. 

“Consumers today are also broadening their definition of beauty and searching for nature-based, holistic self-care solutions that support beauty-from-within throughout their timeless aging journey. We’re also seeing more demand for and growth in the functional food space as consumers look for more opportunities to integrate wellness into their everyday routines.” 

She adds that this demand for functional foods drives a need for nutrient formats beyond typical oil forms, which have limited applications. “Emulsions are essential for functional beverages and gummies. There is also a rise in the need for encapsulation to keep pace with consumer lifestyle needs and ensure nutrition is available whenever needed.” 

Meanwhile, Maggie McNamara, global marketing director at Gencor, emphasizes that the nutrition industry must provide clinical validation through “gold-standard research” on ingredients and extracts it brings to the market. 

“Companies that invest in scientific validation, innovation and sustainability while navigating regulatory complexities will be well-positioned to thrive.”

“Personal nutrition and plant-based, sustainable ingredients will drive this sector,” she predicts. “It’s crucial that we, as an industry, prioritize sustainability in our practices. Utilizing technology to advance how nutraceuticals are used will help companies stand out and lead the category while ensuring we are responsible stewards of our resources.” 

Higgins says that emulsions are essential for functional beverages and gummies (Image credit: Lycored).Consumer-centric innovations

Juliana Erickson, global product innovation manager at Lonza Capsules & Health Ingredients, underscores innovation as key to creating products that stand out in a crowded nutraceutical market. She points to consumer interest in products with “more enjoyable and experiential delivery formats.” 

“This includes the development of multi-sensorial supplements that go beyond active ingredients, offering consumers a more enticing experience through visual aesthetics, taste or aromas, without compromising efficacy.”

Erickson highlights Lonza’s research, indicating that “70% of consumers would pay more” for enjoyable, memorable supplement experiences. 

“To tap into this trend, Lonza has launched AromatiQ technology, a new aroma capsule coating technology that enhances the sensory aspect of supplements. It pairs natural essential oils and enticing flavor coatings with intended supplement health benefits, such as peppermint and cognitive health. In turn, this offers an enhanced experience that encourages compliance.” 

In addition, she observes a continued consumer demand for plant-based and vegetarian options. “According to Lonza’s proprietary research, 40% of supplement users cite the importance of ‘vegan’ as a purchasing factor. There has also been a 25% increase in supplement users who state that ‘plant-based’ is important to them when making a purchase.” 

Erickson points to several formulation options that can help brands develop supplements that cater to this growing market, such as Lonza’s plant-based capsules, like Capsugel Plantcaps pullulan capsules and Capsugel Vcaps and Vcaps Plus HPMC vegetarian capsules. 

Lonza has launched AromatiQ, an aroma capsule coating technology that enhances the sensory aspect of supplements.Timeless aging

Healthy aging and longevity continue to be priority areas in the market, underscores Higgins. She notes that two of Lycored’s naturally derived, tomato-based solutions, Lycomato and Lumenato, harness the power of nature to support healthy aging. 

“Both Lycomato and Lumenato deliver carefully calibrated mixes of nutrients that are balanced to work independently and synergistically, going beyond the benefits of each nutrient to support timeless aging.”

She highlights that solutions and delivery formats must evolve with expanding science. For example, new research demonstrates “Lycomato’s beneficial effects on cellular aging, mitochondrial function and oxidative stress.” 

In addition, Lycored has identified new clinical areas of relevance for phytonutrients, such as phytoene and phytofluene, among the compounds in Lycomato. “Results from a new study suggest Lycomato and similar phytonutrient-rich compounds could be potential agents for promoting cellular health and longevity.” 

Erickson adds that more consumers proactively aim to remain healthy and active for life as they focus on improving not just their lifespan but their health span — the length of time a person is healthy. 

“As a result, mobility is emerging as an important consideration for consumers — including younger consumers, with 70% concerned about reduced mobility — as they realize it is inextricably linked to their long-term quality of life.” 

“Collagen, particularly undenatured type II collagen, is gaining popularity in this space. For instance, Lonza’s UC-II undenatured type II collagen can meet the needs of active consumers looking for easy-to-use, efficacious mobility and joint health solutions.” 

McNamara underscores the need to clinically validate nutraceuticals to meet consumer demand.Preventative science-backed care

Gencor’s McNamara observes a “significant opportunity” for clinically validated nutraceuticals to meet rising consumer demand driven by an interest in health, wellness and preventative care. 

“For example, the rise in stress, anxiety and cognitive decline has increased interest in mental health. Nutraceuticals containing adaptogens (e.g. Rhodiola), nootropics (e.g., ginkgo biloba, phosphatidylserine) and omega-3 fatty acids can address cognitive health, stress relief and memory enhancement.”

Gencor’s palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) also supports stress management. McNamara explains that this endogenous fatty acid amide is produced naturally in the body in response to injury and stress. The company’s clinically validated PEA ingredient, marketed as Levagen+, shows promise in several health areas, such as joint health, sleep, recovery, cognition and skin health. 

“PEA is found in lipid extracts of foods and plants such as egg yolk and soybeans and in human body organs and fluids, including blood. It has important anti-inflammatory, analgesic and neuroprotective properties and is categorized as part of the extended endocannabinoid family with similar health benefits.” 

She explains that PEA levels naturally decrease in the body in response to a pro-inflammatory stimulus (e.g., age, exercise-induced inflammation or stress). “Therefore, supplementation is needed to restore normal levels of this endogenous compound.” 

Active and sports nutrition is also a growing category in nutrition, appealing to a broader consumer base and moving toward holistic health and well-being. 

McNamara notes a consumer interest in products formulated for women, though this is a new category for brands. “Some ingredient suppliers are diving deeper into understanding how their products impact male physiology versus female physiology.” 

For example, Libifem, a standardized fenugreek extract, shows promise in this category. An eight-week, double-blind, randomized, two-active, placebo-controlled trial evaluated the effect of Libifem on 129 women aged 25 to 45 years on exercise performance and body composition. The study results demonstrated Libifem’s ability to support increased muscle strength, endurance, performance and body composition.” 

The increased awareness of GLP-1 is leading to consumer demand for natural alternatives, says Brewster.The GLP-1 craze

Rob Brewster, CEO of Ingredients By Nature, highlights an interest in ingredients that offer “antioxidant support, healthy inflammation support and immunity” as critical to improving overall health and well-being. 

However, he points to weight management supplements and ingredients as a key trending health area in nutraceuticals. “Google Trends data shows a 250% increase in queries related to ‘GLP-1 supplements’ and ‘what supplements lower cortisol’ over the last ten months.”

“With the upcoming holiday season around the corner, we anticipate trends such as weight management, stress support and digestive health to sustain their growth as we head into Q4 of 2024.” 

In addition, he asserts that the increased awareness of GLP-1 in pharmaceuticals has “brought shoppers into the supplement industry looking for plant-based, natural ingredients that could also support this hormone, known to release insulin and support healthy blood glucose levels and weight loss.” 

Ingredients By Nature offers a clinically-backed ingredient, patented in boosting GLP-1 levels. “Eriomin, a proprietary blend of citrus flavonoids, has been shown to boost GLP-1 by up to 22% in three gold-standard human clinical trials,” details Brewster. 

“As people continue to draw toward GLP-1 boosting supplements, ingredient manufacturers and suppliers need to provide clinically validated ingredients and extracts. Holding ourselves accountable and investing in gold-standard research is one critical way to show an ingredient’s efficacy and support specific health conditions.”