A growing holistic approach to wellness is driving the latest trends in supplements. Our team at Glanbia Nutritionals offers insights into the 2024 supplement trends, from energy gummies to female-focused positioning.
Consumers taking a holistic approach to wellness
The US accounts for over one-third of the $183 million global supplement market (1), making it the market to watch for up-and-coming trends. In the US and globally, the prioritisation of holistic wellness is growing as more consumers realise the importance of both physical and mental wellness to truly feel their best. Wanting to “feel well” is the number one driver globally for consumers to seek a healthier lifestyle (2).
More sleep and exercise, stress reduction and dietary changes are being embraced by consumers as they take a proactive approach to wellness. Consumers are also showing an interest in supplements that can help support their holistic wellness journey.
Global supplement market, select countries and regions
| Country | 2023 est. sales ($ mil) | 2026 est. sales ($ mil) |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 62.7 | 70.3 |
| China | 26.1 | 31.0 |
| Western Europe | 21.5 | 24.0 |
| Latin America | 17.9 | 24.0 |
| India | 13.5 | 17.0 |
Source: NBJ, Global Supplement Business Report, 2023
Top 2024 supplement trends
1. Botanicals
The shift toward holistic wellness also includes a return to traditional, natural remedies like botanicals, which appeal as a safer option with minimal risk of side effects. Nearly half (48%) of US consumers think botanical ingredients are effective, with about one in three consumers interested in botanicals for improving mood and mental wellbeing (3).
Fast-growing botanical categories include adaptogenic herbs (like ashwagandha, rhodiola, and ginseng) and mushrooms (like lion’s mane, cordyceps, and reishi), which historically have been used to help the body better adapt to stress. New supplement launches with these ingredients are positioned for sleep support, balance, mental clarity, energy and even immune support.
2. Mood, stress and mental wellbeing
An emphasis on mental wellness is another key trend in supplements. Brain-mood health is the second top claim globally (after immune health) in supplement launches over the past five years, featured in just over a quarter of new supplements (4). In the US and Eastern Europe, brain-mood health claims accounted for about a third of supplement launches in the 12 months ending March 2023 (5).
Younger generations are especially focused on mental wellbeing. 30% of Millennial and Gen Z consumers report seeking a healthier lifestyle due to concerns over their mental health (compared to 27% of Gen X and 23% of Boomers) (6). Over the past year, 93% of consumers worldwide have taken some action to improve their mental/emotional wellbeing, from increasing exercise (34%) to diet and nutrition changes (28%) to taking supplements (24%) (7).
3. Energy
Of recent supplement launches making brain-mood health claims, nearly half also make energy/stamina claims, illustrating an important overlap (8). Energy/stamina claims account for 29% of supplement claims in recent North American launches (with similar rates in Europe), making it the third top claim (9).
Gummies are a popular format for new energy supplements—offering a convenient, enjoyable way to get an energy boost whenever and wherever needed. B vitamins are often central to energy supplement formulations, although herbs like ginseng and natural caffeine sources like guarana are also prevalent. One in four supplement users globally is taking supplements to boost energy, with Millennials over-indexing in this area (10).
4. Skin health
Another area to watch is supplements for healthy skin, which have grown at a CAGR of 23% globally over the past five years (11). Skin health claims account for nearly one in three of all claims in recent launches in North America, more than one in four in Eastern Europe, and about one in five in Western Europe and Asia (12).
Vitamin C is the most widely used ingredient in new skin health supplements, followed by vitamin B7 (biotin), with magnesium, vitamin E and other B vitamins also prominent (13). In addition, flavour options are expanding. Lemon has given way to orange as the top flavour in new launches, while strawberry, red raspberry and peach have been growing steadily (14).
5. Female-focused
Female health and wellness supplements, particularly those focused on life-stage needs are an expanding trend with enormous potential. Globally, there has been significant growth in supplements with women’s health claims (CAGR +16.4%) and pregnancy/breastfeeding claims (CAGR +19.8%) in the past five years (15).
Supplements for menstruation, maternal health, and menopause are offering needed nutrients like iron and calcium, plus relief of symptoms. Many newer female-focused supplements also contain ingredients to boost mood, support sleep and reduce inflammation. Since women use a variety of supplements (including iron, royal jelly, vitamin E, mushroom extract, collagen, green tea extract, and protein) for women’s health purposes (16), supplements formulated with ingredient blends for holistic support will provide real value.
Supplement solutions for total wellness
As consumers’ interest in holistic wellness continues to build, brands focused on new positionings and formulation innovations will be ready to meet these needs. The team at Glanbia Nutritionals offers formulation expertise and a wide range of ingredients—from bioactives to custom premix solutions to TechVantage™ Functionally Optimised Nutrient Technologies—to help you support consumers’ wellness journey. Find out more here.
References
(1) Nutrition Business Journal, Global Supplement Business Report, 2023.
(2) Innova Market Insights, Holistic Wellbeing, December 2022.
(3-4) Innova Market Insights, Mood Health, February 2023.
(5) Innova Market Insights, Category Insider: Global Trends in Supplements, May 2023.
(6) Innova Market Insights, Holistic Wellbeing, December 2022.
(7-8) Innova Market Insights, Mood Health, February 2023.
(9) Innova Market Insights, Category Insider: Global Trends in Supplements, May 2023.
(10) Innova Market Insights, Powerful Energizers: Unveiling the Latest Global Trends in Caffeine and Energizing Ingredients, August 2023.
(11-12) Innova Market Insights, Category Insider: Global Trends in Supplements, May 2023.
(13-14) Innova Market Insights, Supplements: Focusing on Skin Health, October 2022.
(15) Innova Market Insights, Category Insider: Global Trends in Supplements, May 2023.
(16) Euromonitor, International Health and Nutrition Survey, 2022.