Nutraceuticals World (NW): How might Cognizin^® help consumers reach their goals in the sports nutrition and e-sports arena?

Danielle Citrolo, VP of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs, Kyowa Hakko USA: Regardless of whether you’re someone participating in the sports nutrition and e-sports realm, everyone experiences times when they struggle to maintain focus and attention. This may happen when citicoline, which is an important nutrient found in our cells, can’t keep up with our cognitive needs.

Taking Cognizin^® Citicoline can help fill that gap to support brain function, memory, and overall cognitive health. Clinically tested for efficacy, Cognizin^® is a vegetarian and allergen-free nootropic ingredient that delivers a patented form of citicoline to supply your brain with this important nutrient to help you stay sharp. In recent studies from Kyowa Hakko with healthy middle-aged individuals, citicoline continues to show promising results. Professionals with demanding roles in this demographic were given low doses of citicoline or a placebo, and those who took citicoline reported improved mood, focus, and concentration. Used in more than 200 energy supplement and beverage applications, Cognizin^® is a trusted and premium ingredient to help your consumers stay sharp.

NW: What product formats appeal to gamers compared to more traditional sports nutrition consumers? Or do they overlap considerably?

Citrolo: In 2023, Kyowa Hakko conducted a study on supplement consumers to further understand consumer types and their wants and needs in cognitive-forward supplements. The results revealed a particularly interesting overlap between gamers and traditional sports nutrition consumers.

Those who use supplements for gaming are likely to also use supplements for sports/exercise (56% of consumers). But the overlap doesn’t work the other way. For sports nutrition consumers, only 25% say they also use supplements for gaming. But what they do have in common is their active avoidance of consuming artificial ingredients and the tremendous value they find in supplements that help improve their focus and attention.

When it comes to their preferred format of supplements, both consumer groups opt for energy drinks and coffee beverages. The main difference between the two consumer groups is their share of the market. There are nearly double the amount of sports nutrition consumers than gaming consumers. It’s also safe to infer that the market for non-beverage formats is also larger for the sports nutrition consumer than the gaming consumer.

NW: What factors should NPD teams consider during the formulation process? How can Cognizin^® help address challenges?

Citrolo: While many gamers look for supplements that will help improve their focus, they’re also concerned about potential negative effects. Anxiety and loss of sleep are major concerns for over 70% of gamers. NPD teams should consider common side effects of the ingredients they use to truly meet the needs of their consumers.

Gaming consumers are also trying to avoid artificial ingredients—almost 76% said they try to avoid both artificial flavors and colors. It would be wise to ensure that the ingredients in formulations reflect these desires while also being backed by clinical studies. Gamers place a large amount of trust in published research. In fact, 86% said they trust the output of clinical studies.


NW: How can brands stand out in a busy functional sports beverage market?

Citrolo: There are two main considerations. First, Having multiple products with varying functions for your consumers. In our 2023 consumer survey, many gamers said they took supplements for energy, which is to be expected, but more than half also take supplements to help with their sleep and support their immune systems. To stand out more to this consumer, consider implementing multiple benefits into your formulations.
Our second consideration is to hone in on your marketing channel mix. Gamers are extremely integrated into online communities, so it’s no surprise that they get most of their supplement information from channels like YouTube (67%) and Facebook (54%). While these are popular channels, it’s wise to also consider highly trusted channels for deeper information. Health and nutrition blogs and news sites are considered the most trusted sources of information, with 82% stating it’s a trusted source, followed by social media (80%) and samples/demonstration (78%).

NW: Do you see opportunities to diversify product formats?

Citrolo: We’ve seen more and more consumers seeking to combine function with snacking and indulgence, so functional foods are an area we are continuing to keep an eye on. But at the same time, there’s no getting away from the fact that gamers equate energy with beverages. When asked which product formats or types they’ve purchased in the past 6 months to help with energy: 74% said energy drinks, 69% said coffee, 59% said smoothies, and 49% said ready-to-drink shakes.

One area we’re really excited about is combining beverages that haven’t traditionally been thought of as “supplements” with more active nootropic ingredients. Just last year, High Brew, the popular brand of ready-to-drink iced coffee, launched its “Smart Coffee” premium product line formulated with Cognizin^® Citicoline to support attention and focus. We’re excited to keep navigating the possible opportunities within this space.