Three Dietary Supplement Categories to Watch in 2023

Of course, everyone in the dietary supplement industry—especially brand owners—is trying to stay on top of the trends that affect our business. But now that we’re officially in the second half of 2022, we have to consider the trends for 2023, not 2022.

Think about it: if you start working on a new product concept, by the time it finally reaches the manufacturing stage and production is complete, 4 to 6 months will have passed which takes us to the back end of 2022 or possibly into the beginning of 2023.

So, the question is what health and wellness categories should you—as a brand owner—be thinking about now? That’s what this article is about. Continue reading or listen to my audio podcast about this topic by clicking below.

Bone and Joint Health Supplement Products

The global bone and joint health supplements market is estimated to be valued at $11.7 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $17.6 billion by 2027, with a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period.[i] Clearly, this product category is on a positive trajectory for growth.

But, which ingredients should you be looking at?

Vitamin K2

With regard to bones, calcium and vitamin D products reign supreme, and they should since these are vitally important nutraceuticals for bone health. However, calcium and vitamin D aren’t very sexy, and every other brand has a calcium and vitamin D product. So how do you stand out? I suggest you consider vitamin K2 as Menquinone-7 or MK7.

Osteocalcin and matrix Gla protein (MGP) are vitamin-K-dependent proteins that have been isolated in bone. Osteocalcin is related to bone mineralization, and MGP has been found in bone, cartilage, and soft tissue. Research suggests MGP prevents the calcification of soft tissue and cartilage while facilitating normal bone growth and development.[ii] [iii] [iv] In a 3-year study,[v] 244 healthy postmenopausal women received a daily dose of 180 mcg of vitamin K2 as MK-7, or a placebo. The results? Compared to placebo, vitamin K2 significantly decreased the age-related decline in bone mineral content and bone mineral density. Bone strength was also favorably affected by K2. In addition, K2 significantly decreased the loss in vertebral height.

Cucumber Extract

Concerning joints, the most prevalent ingredients are arguably glucosamine and chondroitin—but are they the best? Probably not. One reason for this is that people want to take fewer pills, not more. Glucosamine/chondroitin combinations require at least 4 capsules daily to obtain a clinically relevant dose. Instead, consider a relatively new cucumber-based extract.

A 6-month (180 days) randomized, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of a water extract of cucumber fruit (Q-Actin™) against glucosamine-chondroitin (GC) to promote joint comfort in 122 patients (56 males and 66 females) aged between 40 and 75 years. The GC group received 2,700 mg of GC daily and the Q-Actin™ group received 20 mg daily of the cucumber extract. The results were that, in the Q-Actin™ group, joint comfort improved by 70.39%, compared to only 33.7% in the GC group. No adverse effect was reported during the trial period, and the researchers indicated that Q-actin was significantly more effective than glucosamine-chondroitin in promoting joint comfort as well as improving physical function.

Hydration Products

The hydration products market size is expected to increase by $231.39 million at a CAGR of almost 7% by 2025.[vi] Naturally, electrolytes are the first nutraceuticals of choice in these products, but as with the previous category it is easy to find hydration products with electrolytes. If you want to stand out, consider the use of multiple transportable carbohydrates.

Multiple Transportable Carbohydrates

Research has shown that using a combination of carbohydrates that use different intestinal transporters for absorption, carbohydrate delivery, and oxidation can be increased. This is referred to as multiple transportable carbohydrates and consists of a mix of glucose and fructose, or maltodextrin and fructose in a ratio of roughly 2:1.

Studies demonstrated up to 65% higher exogenous carbohydrate oxidation rates of multiple transportable carbohydrates during exercise compared with a single carbohydrate (e.g., glucose only). This is great since an increase in carbohydrate oxidation means an increase in energy/endurance. What is particularly exciting is that the increased carbohydrate oxidation with multiple transportable carbohydrates was accompanied by increased fluid delivery and improved oxidation efficiency! You got that right: increased fluid delivery. That means better hydration. Studies also demonstrated reduced fatigue and improved exercise performance with multiple transportable carbohydrates compared with a single carbohydrate.

Ocular (Eye) Health

The global eye health supplements market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 6.25% during 2022-2027. There is no question that formulas based on the AREDS studies are prevalent and have existed for 20 years. Likewise, lutein products that provide protection against the harmful effects of blue light have also become commonplace.

While both types of products have research to support them and are of great value, how do you go about differentiating an ocular product if you introduce one into your brand? My suggestion is to consider capsanthin, zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthin, the other carotenoids for eye health.

Capsanthin, Zeaxanthin, and Cryptoxanthin

A capsanthin-enriched fraction of Capsicum annum L fruits providing 50% to 80% capsanthin, 5% to 15% zeaxanthin, and 1% to 5% cryptoxanthin (CapsiClear™, 40 mg/day) was tested in a 12-week, placebo-controlled human clinical study.[vii] Results showed that cumulative macular pigment optical density (MPOD), which reflects the protective capacity of the carotenoids against blue light damage, was increased at 4 weeks with CapsiClear™, with additional increases at 8 and 12 weeks when compared to the placebo. Cumulative photo stress also improved significantly. This is a measure of how long it takes for visual acuity to be restored after the retina is overloaded with light, such as what might occur from oncoming headlights. The ability to read under different cases of blue and white light exposure also improved.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most commonly used dietary supplement in the US?

In a recent report, vitamins topped the list as the most used supplement category (market share almost 31% in 2021), closely followed by botanicals and omega fatty acids. Minerals, fibers, proteins, and more, though popular, still have to catch up.

Among the vitamins, the consumption of multivitamins outpaces the other vitamins by quite a bit. With the growing awareness about fitness and wellness and the impact of dietary supplements on the same, all the supplement categories show a very healthy growth trajectory between 2021 and 2030.

Why are dietary supplements so popular?

The growing popularity of dietary supplements is fueled by the increasing global life expectancy and the resulting pursuit of wellness and the expectation of a healthier lifespan. Be it the growing geriatric population, or the younger generations, a large percentage of people are actively following healthy exercise, gym, and diet regimes, to live healthy, and diet supplementation is a large part of this. Additionally, the parallel rise of preventive healthcare solutions and ingredients also led to a growing interest in dietary supplements.

Wrapping Up

There are no guarantees when it comes to making predictions about trends, but the data certainly suggests that the supplement categories of bone and joint health, hydration, and ocular health are growing. If you want to have a better chance at getting your fair share of the market for these categories, you need to consider developing new products or upgrading your existing products to include nutraceuticals with distinct points of differentiation.

NutraScience Labs can assist you with this. Our team possesses 120+ years of nutraceutical industry experience and has provided over 2,300 brand owners with best-in-class custom supplement manufacturing services. What's more, we also offer award-winning packaging & label design, as well as convenient order fulfillment services under one roof. Our turnkey solutions save our customers time, money, and stress so they can focus on growing their business!

To get started, call 855-492-7388 to speak with one of our knowledgeable production specialists or request a free custom supplement manufacturing price quote.

--

References:

[i] Research and Markets. Bone & Joint Supplement Marke to Reach $17.6 Billion by 2027. Jul 05, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bone--joint-supplement-market-to-reach-17-6-billion-by-2027--301580445.html.

[ii] Shearer MJ. The roles of vitamins D and K in bone health and osteoporosis prevention. Proc Nutr Soc 1997;56(3):915-937.

[iii] Booth SL. Skeletal functions of vitamin K-dependent proteins: not just for clotting anymore. Nutr Rev 1997;55(7):282-284.

[iv] Suttie JW. Vitamin K. In: Shils ME, Shike M, Ross AC, Caballero B, Cousins RJ, eds. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. 10th ed. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2006:412-425.

[v] Knapen MH, Drummen NE, Smit E, Vermeer C, Theuwissen E. Three-year low-dose menaquinone-7 supplementation helps decrease bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women. Osteoporos Int. 2013 Sep;24(9):2499-507.

[vi] Technavio. Hydration Products Market to Record $ 231.39 Mn Growth between 2021-2025 | Market Share, Trends, Drivers, and Opportunity Assessment | Technavio. Oct. 01, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2022, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hydration-products-market-to-record--231-39-mn-growth-between-2021-2025--market-share-trends-drivers-and-opportunity-assessment--technavio-301389303.html

[vii] Determining the Effect of 12-weeks of Oral Capsanthin Supplementation on Body Weight, Lipid Profile, Liver Health, and Eye/Macular Health in Overweight Subjects. Study conducted by Dr. Brian et al at University of North Texas and sponsored by Unibar Corporation, USA.