No longer exclusively the realm of bodybuilders, marathon runners, and professional athletes, a changing sports nutrition landscape has opened up to a wide range of demographics. Often referred to as “active nutrition,” and sometimes “performance nutrition,” the category has been democratized by broad access to information and varied product formulas as consumers pursue healthy lifestyles.

Euromonitor defines sports nutrition as, “nutritional products to improve physical endurance, increasing muscle growth/development/mass, or speeding recovery after exercise.”

Although the focus is shifting from serious athletes and gym-goers, building muscle and boosting energy are still key factors among a broad consumer set.

SPINS data shows that the performance nutrition category experienced 35% growth from last year, while performance supplements saw 13% growth.

Euromonitor tracks the sports nutrition category through protein and non-protein products, both of which experienced significant year-to-year growth from 2021-2022 ($4 billion and $11.4 billion, respectively), with similar growth forecasted in the coming years.

“The sports nutrition category is ever-evolving, and it is expanding into a larger ‘active nutrition’ arena, welcoming consumers from all walks of life,” said Vaughn DuBow, global director of marketing, microbiome solutions, at ADM. “These consumers are looking to address a wide range of wellness areas, including performance, energy, recovery, digestive health, and immune function.”

Whether it’s the new mother who no longer has time to go to the gym but doesn’t want to give up her active lifestyle, or the 75-year-old who wants a longer, more mobile life, muscle recovery and joint health, as well as ingredients like magnesium and calcium, are as important as they are to athletes, said Silvi Siddhu, global director of nutraceuticals for Univar Solutions. 

Nutrition Business Journal’s (NBJ) 2023 Sports Nutrition and Weight Management Report indicated that 63% of sports nutrition consumers are more focused on improving their general health, compared to 39% concerned with sports performance. Consumers seeking healthy aging support are another significant market driver, according to the report.¹

“Much of the growth in the sports nutrition category has been attributed to the increased purchasing power and influence of the Millennial consumer,” said Emily Navarro, global marketing manager for Lonza Capsules & Health Ingredients.

Leveraging sports nutrition products into adult nutrition can be a tricky marketing game. The challenge is how to do it without making the consumer feel they’re getting old. Siddhu suggested the answer is through audience and positioning. Placement in the breakfast aisle will target moms and kids, whereas the natural food aisle will grab the attention of a different consumer segment. In other words, formulators should take into consideration how they will sell their products to stores, and where stores will place it.

Sports and performance drink brands might be shifting their image away from exercise, but Mintel’s “2023 US Executive Summary for Sports and Performance Drinks” report noted that fitness identity is still a reference point for marketing. It suggests that layered functionality—everything from refreshment, to fitness-oriented claims—can bridge extremes, offering “long-term insurance against fickle exercise habits.”

Maintaining Consumer Loyalty

Although there are clear associations between finances and engagement within active nutrition, Mintel reported that most consumers are maintaining or increasing their use of sports nutrition products, regardless of financial health. As many as 32% have reported more frequent consumption in the past year.

Brand recognition becomes more important as today’s educated consumer encounters more information than ever before, said Maggie McNamara, marketing director for Gencor. This includes consumer reviews with usage details that add value and credibility to a product. Consumers want to know not only that their ingredients are safe and backed by research, but that the brands they choose are going the extra mile to ensure this, too.

Mintel reported that while inflation will continue to push sales, modest, consistent growth should continue as layered functionality and more inclusive marketing broadens the consumer base. Providing loyalty incentives to reinforce continued positive relationships can help companies weather the economic storm.

Market Drivers and Trends

Personalization, plant-based, clean-label, and functional ingredients like probiotics, adaptogens, and nootropics. are among stand-out trends in today’s market, according to Nutrition21.

Katie Emerson, manager of scientific affairs for Nutrition21 believes the proliferation of these functional ingredients is directly related to the number of new active nutrition customers willing to pay a premium for clean sources of traditional protein and energy ingredients—as long as they are safe and effective.

“Plant-based and clean-label options have been popular with the active nutrition crowd for the last several years,” Emerson said. “These market drivers are dominated by an increasingly discerning active nutrition consumer who places enormous value on the ingredients in their products and where they come from.”

Mintel’s December 2022 Kantar Profiles found the same is true for synthetic ingredients, with more than 25% of athletic edge-seekers willing to pay more for clean-label attributes, and a similar interest in cutting-edge synthetic ingredients. Mintel reported that consumers perceive synthetic ingredients as “intentional” rather than “unwanted contamination.”

“As these same consumers drive clean-label investments within the category further, brands can carve space for ‘unnatural’ ingredients through verification of efficacy and safety—ultimately, adjacent goals of clean-label pursuits,” Mintel noted.

Meanwhile, according to a consumer survey commissioned by Kyowa Hakko, 21% of supplement users sought support in recovery from physical activity, and 36% of respondents purchased mental focus products specifically to support physical activity like sports or exercise.

The survey showed the largest percentage of respondents (82%) are seeking immune support through increased activity in addition to diet and supplements.

McNamara sees another huge trend across the sports nutrition category: targeting women’s unique needs through studies focusing specifically on women in sports, gender-specific dosing, and specially-formulated finished products.

“There has been an increase in demand for effective, scientifically-backed products and ingredients,” McNamara said. “The sports nutrition industry has even grown past this, looking to incorporate more inclusive, female-centric ingredients after recognizing the ‘shrink it and pink it’ approach does not fulfill female athletes’ needs.”

Health Considerations

Despite the rapid and sustained change in the sports nutrition category, the edge-pushing athlete’s needs and concerns remain primary market drivers. Following are some of the market’s most popular pain and talking points, with notes and examples of how these needs translate to various consumers.

Cardio, Energy & Recovery. Cardiovascular health is as important a concern for aging and overall health as it is for active nutrition, Siddhu said. It translates into more muscle energy, longer exercise sessions, and faster recovery times. “Whether weights or cardio, [consumers want] to get the good workout, while also thinking about the long-term health of their heart,” she said.

Creatine is one of the most popular and studied ingredients for sports and exercise performance, hitting on most of these key factors. It shows the largest growth of any sports nutrition category, a whopping 130% from last year, sailing above hydration and electrolytes (which has seen an impressive-on-its-own growth of 55%). Studies have found creatine to improve the availability of ATP energy, resulting in more speed, power, performance, and fat-free muscle mass, while also supporting faster recovery.²

Nitric oxide, meanwhile, has been found to benefit both athletic recovery and overall cardiovascular health.³ L-citrulline and L-arginine, precursors to nitric oxide, have also been found to improve blood flow, strength, and skeletal muscle performance by making nitric oxide more bioavailable,⁴ whereas glutathione combined with L-citrulline, has been found to increase nitric oxide and muscle protein, potentially increasing muscle mass over time, both during and after resistance training.⁵

Kyowa has created several nitric-oxide-supporting ingredients intended for breakthrough supplement and functional foods products. Setria Performance Blend combines Setria Glutathione with L-citrulline to reduce fatigue and improve recovery time, while the company’s Velox blend combines L-citrulline and L-arginine to get the added benefits of both.

“Both Velox and Setria are examples of using differentiating ingredients to create breakthrough supplement and functional food opportunities in the sports nutrition market that are appealing to early adopters of these ingredient benefits,” said Maria Stanieich, marketing manager at Kyowa Hakko USA.

Lonza’s TWK10 Sports Probiotic is derived from Taiwanese kimchi, and formulated to improve endurance by as much as 75% while improving energy and reducing fatigue.⁶ The company’s Carnipure L-carnitine is a long-standing example of a well-studied energy-production ingredient found to optimize performance and recovery by reducing muscle damage, soreness, and fatigue while increasing muscle power during exercise.⁷


Cognitive Health. Cognitive health speaks volumes to mental motivation. Memory-retention ingredients are commonplace in esports nutrition, and Siddhu said active nutrition consumers are recognizing the mind-to-muscle connection now more than ever; if your mind says you can do it, your body can make that extra pump or push happen.

Widespread availability of non-stimulant options has pushed the market toward safer choices that deliver the same—or better—results without any jitters or crash, Emerson said. Nootropic ingredients align with a growing desire for cognitive fitness, specifically focus, attention, and memory.

“Historically dominated by stimulant products, newer entrants, called nootropics, are finding favor with active nutrition consumers, particularly for the non-stim mental performance benefits they provide—without jitters or crash,” Emerson said.

Nootropics can be found in natural sources, and are traditionally used when cognitive function is clearly impaired. However, they have also shown benefits for improving brain health, memory, and reaction time in healthy individuals. Nootropics do not generally show effects after a single dose, but require an extended period of use in order to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and achieve stable change.⁸

Kyowa utilizes a fermented form of citicoline, a naturally occurring nootropic, in its Cognizin ingredient, which has a wide range of formulation applications thanks to its neutral taste, heat stability, and solubility in water. Working differently than stimulants like caffeine, nootropics like citicoline have been found to exhibit neuroprotective properties and maintain ATP levels, often supporting neuroplasticity and sensorimotor recovery following a stroke.⁹ Citicoline has also been found to support healthy brains and improve neurological function following COVID-19 and cognitive decline.¹⁰

Made using arginine silicate, which is known to increase nitric oxide levels, Nutrition21’s nooLVL is a non-stimulant cognitive health ingredient found to enhance performance cognition while reducing mental fatigue.¹¹ The appeal of the ingredient is in its rapid turnaround time; Emerson said effects can be felt in as little as 15 minutes without negatively affecting heart rate or blood pressure like stimulants. Nitrosigine from Nutrition21 is another non-stimulant arginine silicate ingredient intended to boost nitric oxide levels for improved performance.

Hydration and Gut Health. Many active nutrition consumers are seeking beverage products with electrolytes and isotonic properties to address the rapidly growing interest in hydration. SPINS said the hydration and electrolytes sector has experienced an impressive 55% increase in U.S. sales since last year, while sports and rehydration drinks are also growing at 9%. DuBow said ADM research has found that young adults are especially seeking hydration solutions with labels referencing electrolytes.¹²

In response to this demand, Univar Solutions offers a broad portfolio of mineral salts as well as proteins for a range of formulation combinations to ensure brands choose the best match for their preferred delivery format (e.g., citrates and gluconates for beverages).

A survey conducted by ADM found that 58% of global respondents understand the connection between gut bacteria and overall emotional and physical wellbeing.¹³

“This increased understanding in the gut microbiome is a turning point for sports and active nutrition solutions, with consumers showing interest in seeing gut microbiome-supporting ingredients, including prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics, in their active nutrition purchases,” DuBow said.

ADM has leveraged this consumer awareness alongside the growth of the beverage category for its “ProIsotonic” concept, which has key vitamins and minerals in an easy-to-format powder, as well as its new Active Lifestyle Blend which combines three probiotic strains to support recovery by addressing post-exercise oxidative stress.¹⁴

Protein Still Reigns

Despite the clear shift toward healthy living and exercise, Siddhu said the use of protein for proactive energy and muscle recovery is still a top market driver.

“If you are a wise formulator, you would not stick with one kind [of protein] because it might not be complete,” Siddhu said. “Protein is all about structure. As long as you know how to formulate it, you can make it tasty.”

DuBow noted that while demand for protein is still strong in the category, consumer desire for a wider range of alternative and plant-based sources continues to grow. He said soy and pea protein are gaining traction as alternative and plant-based options, with soy offering both diversity and desirable amino acids and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) like L-leucine that support muscle recovery and growth.

Plant protein is no longer just about targeting the vegetarian/vegan customer, Siddhu said. Wider focus is on flexibility and a movement toward “flexitarian” eating, she said, where a consumer that prefers whey protein may switch to a vegetarian option for a few days or weeks to offset or support their eating habits, for example.

Univar Solutions focuses on whey-based proteins with isolates, including micellar casein, which Siddhu described as an essentially “perfect” ingredient for its ability to provide constant energy, in part because it is slow to digest, allowing a feeling of satiety. Its texture acts as a thickening agent, making it ideal for formulation in foods like pancakes, oatmeal, puddings, and bars.

Nutrition21 has found success with its ingredient Velositol, which enhances the power of protein, and has been clinically shown to double the effect of whey protein on performance.¹⁵ It was created for easy formulation in powders, bars, snacks, and RTD beverages.

Formulation Factors

Whether in sports, as an athlete, or in day-to-day life, Chris Flynn-Rozanski, co-founder of Ingredient Optimized, said people want to see improved recovery, performance, and body composition. Consumers are utilizing supplements to meet these goals through all facets of life stage and style. Familiar products like pea protein that speak to these needs and utilize clinically-backed doses give consumers more from a product they already know and are engaging with, he said.

“As we see a more educated consumer, we’re seeing that they’re asking for more than what’s in the facts panel. They want to understand what they put in their bodies, and one step further, what that means for them,” he said. “People want to know that they’re getting real value, real science, and real innovation.”

Ensuring a variety of options for multiple outcomes is another reason to provide a range of formulations that touch on, for example, different amino acid profiles, digestibility, diet, etc., Siddhu said.

Ingredient Optimized is placing new focus on clear protein, especially for the RTD category, which is more convenient than powders, and is experiencing recent growth—30% over last year, according to SPINS data. The same is true for functional foods, Rozanski said, with SPINS data reflecting a 47% growth for performance nutrition over the past year.

These are newer delivery formats that didn’t exist 10 years ago, and although they’re still competing with growth in the gummy and soft chew categories (showing 63% and 250% growth, respectively), brands now have more freedom and creativity in how they use ingredients.

One-Stop-Shopping

All-in-one-type finished products are as popular a trend in sports nutrition as they are across the nutraceutical world. Brands are more conscious of their time and impact by working with suppliers that can offer more than just a shipment, and creating end products that meet many of their customers’ needs in one complete product.

McNamara suggested that combinations of ingredients that target key areas (e.g., joint health, recovery, muscle strength, etc.) in a protein powder premix would speak to many of the active nutrition needs and trends—especially when formulated into an RTD, stick pack, or bulk powder delivery format.

Meanwhile, brands are finding success with well-rounded products that include adaptogens and mood enhancement for athletes managing stress, according to Rozanski. He said it’s important to consider the person as a whole, not just as an athlete, to provide more value in a product while broadening its reach.

“The inclusivity of the product matrix is broadening really rapidly right now,” Rozanski said. “Now there are more brands that fit their needs … giving customers a chance for choice.”

Whereas brands were once satisfied with an annual refresh, now cycles are a 360-degree brand-to-consumer dialogue, he added, allowing items to come to market that speak more and more to what customers are seeking. That means not just delivering what they’re asking for, but addressing pain points while staying within the brand’s core mission and competencies.

Following the pandemic, brands are seeking simplicity, both in supply chain and in partnerships. Ingredient Optimized has found that being able to provide multiple manufacturing aspects, such as innovation and flavor, create a one-stop-shopping experience brands are seeking.

Flavor Impact

Flavor and taste can be as important to formulation as key health considerations, especially for plant-based options in the sports nutrition market, Siddhu said. People simply do not compromise on flavor.

She suggested using popular flavor combinations that include added benefits, such as ginger, matcha, berry concentrates, or even turmeric. She believes these “true flavors” leverage consumer understanding of health benefits provided by whole foods.

“You’re flavoring, but you’re finding ingredients you would actually consume,” Siddhu said. “That’s the beauty of the flavor world … there’s so much scope. When I see anything with ginseng, I think energy and focus. Green tea, I think energy. If I see lavender, that’s for rest and relaxation. These [flavors] are real and better for you [than other flavorings]. The next generation of active nutrition customer wants these.”

For global brands, McNamara noted that trends, including flavor trends, vary widely depending on region.

“In order to cater to these demands as an international company, Gencor strives to offer ingredients that rather increase formulation capacity to incorporate all possibilities of formats and flavors,” McNamara said.

Brands have also been going beyond basics like chocolate and vanilla to reach consumers via collaborations with cereal and candy bar manufacturers. Technology is becoming less about changing the ingredients, Rozanski said, and more about appealing to a broader customer base by considering things like texture and mouthfeel to create a product that consumers want to engage with. In the end, people want a product they are going to consume.

“People [have to be] excited to add it as a part of their daily routine. Consumers have to want to eat it and go back to the shelves [for it] over and over,” Rozanski said. “Our successful partnerships have a strong flavor team. Whether in-house or externally, they tend to be strong at formulating with flavors, and they have a strong background in co-creating with their partners … to bring a truly complete solution.”

Sustainability

McNamara believes that as problems arise with product sourcing, ingredient sustainability awareness is building traction among consumers. Quoting data from NBJ’s 2023 report, Navarro said, “increasingly eco-conscious consumers are looking for clear and authentic sustainability and sourcing claims from the products they buy—so it’s a huge priority for sports nutrition brands to prioritize sustainability.”¹⁶

For example, Lonza manufactures its UC-II type II collagen from U.S.-sourced chicken cartilage, reducing waste and promoting a more sustainable use of natural resources, while creating lasting and sustainable relationships with suppliers that are committed to Lonza’s Supplier Code of Conduct. Suppliers are audited regularly to ensure they are actively integrating plans to reduce emissions, waste, and natural resources, while ensuring animal welfare.

Univar Solutions has created a public sustainable ingredient resource page that provides transparency into ingredients, touching on six sustainability characteristics so brands can choose options that work for them, their products, and the sustainable-minded consumer.

As the category reaches more consumers than ever, brands have an opportunity to get creative with their formulations. Listening to customer pain points and needs will help to avoid becoming more white noise in a growing market.

“Every brand can’t be everything to everyone, but they can be as well-informed as possible to the customers they want to target,” Rozanski said. “It’s about marrying innovation with the needs of the consumer … You want them to look forward to it as part of their day, versus something that they have to do. And that’s where we see the industry going.”

References

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5. Hwang P. et al. (2018). Eight weeks of resistance training in conjunction with glutathione and L-Citrulline supplementation increases lean mass and has no adverse effects on blood clinical safety markers in resistance-trained males., J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018 Jun 27;15(1):30

6. Huang et al. (2018). Effect of L. Plantarum TWK10 on Improving Endurance Performance in Humans. The Chinese Journal of Physiology, 61(3), 163-170

7. Stefan M. et al. (2021). L-carnitine tartrate supplementation for 5 weeks improves exercise recovery in men and women: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Nutrients, 13, 3432

8. Malik M, Tlustos P. (2022). Nootropics as Cognitive Enhancers: Types, Dosage and Side Effects of Smart Drugs., Nutrients. 2022 Aug; 14(16): 3367

9. Hurtado O. et al. (2011). Neuroprotection and recovery: recent data at the bench on citicoline., Stroke 2011 Jan;42(1 Suppl):S33-5

10. Turana Y. et al. (2021). Citicoline and COVID-19-Related Cognitive and Other Neurologic Complications., Brain Sci 2021 Dec 31;12(1):59

11. Sowinski R. et al. (2021). Effects of Inositol-Enhanced Bonded Arginine Silicate Ingestion on Cognitive and Executive Function in Gamers. A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2021 Oct 24;13(11):3758. doi: 10.3390/nu13113758

12. ADM Outside Voice^SM

13. ADM Outside Voice^SM

14. Macarro MS. et al. (2021) Antioxidants. 10(2): 323

15. Komorowski JR. et al. (2020). The addition of an amylopectin/chromium complex to branched-chain amino acids enhances muscle protein synthesis in rat skeletal muscle. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2020 May 27;17(1):26

16. NBJ. (2023). Sports Nutrition and Weight Management Report.