Heightened performance via nutraceuticals: Shifting trends in sports nutrition

21 Apr 2022 --- Formulators are shifting their strategy for personalized performance nutraceuticals, addressing a wider consumer base and increasingly mental health. Where gender is concerned, women now increasingly seek out products tested on women rather than men. With more research on how this impacts efficacy, this is ringing the death knell on the “pink it and shrink it” strategy.

The marketing technique would see standard products transformed into smaller, cuter and pink versions to appeal to women.

“In sports nutrition, we saw the trend, expecting female athletes to accept it. But studies show that the physiology and metabolism, and thus nutritional needs, of women, are different from men,” Dr. Julia Wiebe, managing director of Red OTC – a Finzelberg company, tells NutritionInsight.

“Therefore, formulators are looking for ingredients studied in men and women, not only for physical performance but also for stress and anxiety. Companies investing in clinical trials should keep this in mind when designing their studies.”

The space is diversifying to encompass mind and body.Diverging on formats
According to Niki Kennedy, senior marketing manager at Glanbia Nutritionals, there is also a divide between the generations in the type of products they seek.

“For example, Millennials and Gen Z are more likely to choose sports drinks to improve performance. Within this age group, females are more likely to choose ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages compared to male counterparts who are more likely to opt for drink mixes,” she tells NutritionInsight.

Similarly, Vaughn DuBow, director of marketing, North America dietary supplements, ADM, explains that active nutrition consumers are also looking for new formats within the dietary supplement arena, including performance supplements, that are enjoyable and better fit into their individual lifestyles.

“Beverages are having a moment as dietary supplement formats expand, both for their convenient portability and the growing active nutrition consumer’s desire for hydration-plus attributes,” he tells NutritionInsight.

“Many people are adding drinks with isotonic properties – containing purposeful concentrations of sugars and electrolytes – to their daily routines that may support their performance in different endeavors, from work to athletic activities.”

Changing demographics
While performance has long been associated with the sports nutrition space, office workers and students are increasingly seeking them to aid in concentration and focus.

“Gone are the days of performance nutraceuticals only addressing the needs of professional athletes. Today, active nutrition is becoming more popular amongst athletes and non-athletes alike,” Rajwant Gill, marketing executive, Gencor, tells NutritionInsight.

“As the number of health-conscious consumers increased exponentially over the last few years, the performance nutrition space has expanded to meet the demands of the broader demographics.”

According to Gill, interest in the category is dominated by three main groups: bodybuilders, athletes and weekend warriors. Bodybuilders are more focused on enhancing lean muscle mass and strength for body sculpting, while athletes look for supplements that provide strength for higher outputs, energy and endurance during training and muscle recovery post workouts. 

“These two groups of consumers are more ‘nutritionally informed’ and seek premium products that enhance sports performance and support their daily lifestyle – from muscle mass to mobility and recovery.” 

Weekend warriors are generally looking to stay fit by maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular sports. They are typically drawn to practical, quick and easy, on-the-go product formats, he adds.Women are increasingly seeking out products tested on women, rather than men.

Supplements for stress
In the past two years, stress and sleep disorders have grown, impacting consumers’ overall daily energy levels and ability to perform, Séverine Lemoine, communication manager, Ingredia, points out to NutritionInsight.

“Stress has always been known to impact cognitive functions, the ability to concentrate, memorize and perform with clarity. But when stress settles in, it can also impact sleep and the ability to recover properly. It can also impact immunity and our metabolism’s efficacy.” 

As a result, various interest groups are eyeing stress relief options for different reasons. Athletes, for instance, will be motivated by relaxation before competition or recovery post-effort, Lemoine explains. 

Office workers or students studying for exams will seek out items targeting brain performance or sleep improvement to optimize the day function-night function loop in the long run, she adds. Currently, the market has a clear division between offerings that support the mind and body, DuBow notes.

“While certain supplements are more centered around focus, mental acuity and memory, others are targeting strength and muscle mass support. However, we recognize the growing consumer desire for products that may support more than one area at a time.”

Eyeing functional ingredients
Consumers who have a higher awareness of performance nutrition are more likely to choose products with functional ingredients to help with specific needs, such as products containing amino acids, including branched-chain amino acids and essential amino acids, to optimize muscle protein synthesis, Glanbia Nutritionals’ Kennedy outlines.

Other popular ingredients include amino acids like L-citrulline and beta-alanine to support muscular endurance and creatine for pre-and-post-workout, she adds.

“The most appealing benefit is to help boost energy levels, leading to a rise in consumption of functional snacks, such as protein-, fiber- and micronutrient-fortified bars that improve focus and provide energy. Products promoting calming benefits are also proving popular, following the increase in consumers feeling unsettled and anxious during the pandemic.”

According to Gill, ingredients that target the athlete and office worker are, in fact, the same when it comes to the end-benefit targeted. This could mean caffeine in a pre-workout powder vs. in an energy drink or magnesium in a post-workout blend vs. in a nootropic capsule before bed.  

“Ultimately, it is about how brands position their products and resonate with the target consumer. One difference between the two consumer groups would possibly be the formats that these ingredients are formulated in – with a heavy focus on powders, caps and bars for athletes and caps, gummies and RTD for office workers.”

Students seek out performance nutraceuticals during exams.Mainstreaming products
Additionally, with the space becoming more mainstream, ingredients such as whey protein, are now produced for the majority as opposed to just targeting athletes, Kennedy explains. “Some of the most popular products on the market for consumers looking to boost performance now contain whey due to its quick absorption of the protein elements and its ability to be consumed on the go.”

Functional ingredients, including prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics, that are associated with supporting the gut microbiome are highly sought-after by a wide range of dietary supplement users, DuBow explains. 

This is driven by a growing interest in the gut-brain axis from industry and consumers alike, he notes. 

R&D paving future potential
As more consumers look to improve their health, manufacturers have had to invest in R&D to adapt to the changing target consumer of products, Kennedy outlines.

“We predict that as we continue to move on with day-to-day life post-pandemic, the increase in demand for healthier products is likely to continue to increase. New performance-boosting product launches are more likely to have reduced sugar, clean labels and functional ingredients, especially amino acids and botanicals, to improve both physical and mental well-being.”

Consumers are also growing more aware of the role the microbiome may play in various body processes, DuBow underscores.

“With that, we have been actively exploring the relationships between the human brain and the gut microbiome, or the gut-brain axis, particularly as it relates to holistic well-being. As the body of scientific evidence expands, we expect to see far more ingredients tailored to support the gut-brain axis.”

By Andria Kades