How Active Nutrition Is the Name of the Game

The Panel:

The sports nutrition market has changed rapidly—so much so that the marketplace of consumers of these products has become more of a continuum than a target.

From hard-core muscle builders to all levels of people seeking varying degrees of active nutrition—including seniors and e-sports gamers—the nature of active nutrition has evolved, and, along with it, so are the products that are developed.

Here to discuss sports-and-active nutrition is a panel of industry experts.

VR: How has the sports-and-active-nutrition category changed over the past few years?

Billingslea: Manufacturers are now creating products that emphasize the real need we all have for active-nutrition throughout our lives, personalizing nutrition choices in this category for all stages of life. Collagen has risen to stardom as not only a protein athletes take to help their bodies in recovery. People from all walks of life now seek this fantastic nutrient for skin, hair and nail health as well as support for the daily recovery our bodies need, especially as we age or seek to age well.

With the rise of information (and sometimes misinformation) at our fingertips, we are also seeing consumers with more “sophisticated” requests, seeking particular support for nitric oxide (NO) levels or understanding more than ever the need for safety when choosing products in this category, for example.

Sugarek MacDonald: Current marketing research suggests that the global sports nutrition market is valued at $42.9 billion with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8 percent from 2023 to 2030. Moreover, the U.S. dominates 60 percent of this market.

This market growth and demand has allowed the sports nutrition category to grow by leaps and bounds, helping consumers achieve optimal body weight and muscle gains while reducing injury by elevating recovery and maximizing performance.

Emerson: In just the past five years, the sports nutrition category has shifted from the athlete focus to the everyday active nutrition user. You do not need to participate in games or competitions to enjoy the benefits that a sports nutrition supplement offers. Protein powders and bars are the perfect example of how this category has changed. Body builders turned to these supplements for more protein to bulk up, but these protein products are extremely useful for everyday use—from kids, to active adults and even seniors seeking nutritional support. I foresee this category continuing to evolve, continuing to move beyond a sports/active nutrition focus to a category inclusive of everyday use.

Walin: Chrome labels, fanciful names and bold colors are not enough for today’s consumer. Quantified and substantiated claims will increasingly become the ante for participation in this space. Well-designed, sufficiently powered, placebo-controlled clinical studies with statistically significant outcomes will help justify consumers’ investment in premium (expensive) sports nutrition products. Consumers today are empowered to research the validity of the quality/claims of products. This consumer insight has driven BIO-CAT’s team of seven PhDs to accelerate our clinical deployment with six trials initiated in the past two years.

Kalman: There has been an evolution of what and who is described as an “athlete” over the years and this has led to an expansion of the “sports nutrition category” to the “active wellness” or “fitness nutrition” categories.

VR: There’s been a blurring of the lines between nutritional, performance and weight-loss drinks. Agreed?

Kalman: This is true, I agree. This in my mind started years back when those looking for a post-workout protein or protein with carbohydrate drink, started buying Slimfast and other ready-to-drink products (RTDs) based upon price. Slowly, or concurrently, as more was learned about the impacts and effects of protein on satiety and weight management, product offerings and marketing started to also change. This allowed more blurring of the lines.

VR: There seems to be a real focus on stim and non-stim sports nutrition products. Why is there such an interest in this now?

Billingslea: We are always cautious with stim products because our customers are often people who are too sensitive, or at-risk (like with blood pressure concerns), or on medications that make stimulants in nutritional products a no-no for them. We always try to put safety before demand, including refusing to sell products to a customer if we feel the product will harm the customer in any way. So, stimulant-carrying products are always a concern for us.

Emerson: [While even] the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has determined that 400 mg of caffeine a day can be safely consumed by most adults, caffeine works in part by raising heart rate and blood pressure, and, while caffeine has known clinically researched benefits, too much of a good thing can be bad. Having products that are non-stim is extremely important for individuals that recognize their need in maintaining blood pressure/heart rate and for those that want a pick-me-up at the end of the day but still want to sleep at some point.

Sugarek MacDonald: Non-stim pre-workout formulas are now available that still give individuals that extra push in the gym to improve performance in areas of strength, endurance, power and recovery, but without the stimulants. While both product types are made to improve overall performance, consumers now have the option to choose supplements that help build strength and muscle mass and improve performance without loads of caffeine.

For formulas and ingredients to consider, I suggest using products with beta-alanine, creatine, citrulline malate, arginine alpha ketoglutarate or betaine anhydrous. Additionally, Bluebonnet offers Nitro Powder which delivers the patented ingredient Nitrosigine, which bonds arginine, inositol and silicate—unlocking the powerful synergistic effects of each.

VR: Are whey protein and soy protein isolates still big? If so, any trends?

Walin: Whey protein has long been recognized as the most effective protein source for muscle/strength support. More recently, plant protein is emerging as a challenger for market share, but currently lacks the scientific credibility of being able to deliver equal or superior outcomes as whey.

Emerson: New food technology, such as precision fermentation, is making it possible to get the proteins we have known for centuries in new ways. It really is an exciting and new world for protein. Companies are even able to use new technology to target individual amino acids (AA) and focus formulation based on increasing or decreasing the AAs they want.

VR: For consumers who want extra protein to put on muscle mass or to hold onto muscle while they diet off fat, how can pepsin help?

Sugarek MacDonald: Pepsin was one of the first digestive enzymes ever to be discovered. Bluebonnet’s Betaine HCl & Pepsin Vegetable Capsules are formulated with a special blend of betaine HCl (650 mg/serving) and pepsin (130 mg/serving) to help aid in the proper digestion of proteins from the diet, which helps maintain optimal digestive for individuals who are taking in large quantities of protein or who are at high risk for low levels of stomach acids.

VR: What about amino acid formulations and NO-boosting products?

Emerson: There are several compounds that have known nitric oxide-boosting effects, which is particularly important for athletes looking to increase blood flow to their muscles. When you improve blood flow you also get more oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles, which can have a direct effect on performance and recovery. Arginine is well-known for this effect and has been clinically studied to show increases in muscle pump, blood flow and NO production.

Sugarek MacDonald: Bluebonnet’s Sports Nutrition Line offers clean and effective single-ingredient options that are designed for anyone who is active and is working to achieve their personal performance goals. These products can be taken before, during, and after training. We offer Amino Acids 1,000 mg Caplets from whey and egg protein, L-Arginine 1,000 mg Caplets, BCAA Vegetable Capsules, and Glutamine Powder from vegetarian sources, plus Nitro and BCAA + Glutamine Powder. Each free formula is free of unnatural excipients, binders, hormones, antibiotics, artificially-derived sweeteners, flavors or colors.

VR: Today, we see formulations geared to extreme sports and even e-sports. How has this change in the nature of sports changed the nature of products?

Kalman: It is great to see the inclusiveness and expansion of sport nutrition products to more than what used to be defined as the “core user” or “hardcore person.”

The definition of “sport” has changed to more of an “active wellness” or “fitness nutrition” lifestyle, and this has helped with the changing of how active nutrition and health supporting nutrition—dietary supplements are formulated, marketed, sold and consumed.

This very well may be a reflection of companies wanting to be of utility to a wider potential customer base, as well, as some innovators who have helped open up new categories or novel ones, not previously contemplated.

Emerson: You can have the most well-thought-out formula with efficacious studies but if the delivery format and taste are not applicable to the sport or athlete, the product will not be successful. For example, a gamer participating in an esports competition may want a gummy format to keep their hands free while they play. Whereas a professional athlete cannot drink or eat while on the field, therefore they require the product to be consumed prior or after. The formulation should be created to improve the activity at hand. A gamer may want increased focus and attention while a CrossFit athlete may want increased blood flow and energy. The individual ingredients in the formulation will change based on these needs.

VR: What are the newest delivery systems and forms you find the most exciting?

Bailey: Delivery formats that allow a combination of ingredients that historically could not be readily mixed are exciting as they increase opportunities for unique formulations. GNC recently demonstrated this with the launch of Mega Men Ultra Testosterone Free & Total Test Booster which included an inner cap housed inside an outer cap. The inner cap included several ingredients such as Tesnor, Gencor’s new, clinically studied herbal extract blend designed to support healthy testosterone levels while the outer cap contained choline and TSI Group’s myHMB Clear, a liquid, free acid form of HMB (ß-hydroxy ß-methylbutyrate).

Walin: Necessary innovation focused on sensory and overall organoleptics (e.g., taste, texture, flavor and mouthfeel) have improved consumer acceptance, especially for difficult to mask plant proteins. New delivery forms include stick packs, power shots, gel shots and improved protein bar formats provide consumers new reasons to enter the category or expand into new uses.

Emerson: Shots, RTD beverages, gummies and chews have increased in popularity because they work best for today’s user and their busy lifestyle. We have seen the category truly move beyond these conventional forms to bold tasting range of high protein snacks, high protein coffees, even high protein brownies and marshmallows! Gone are the days where high protein means mouth-drying bars and chalky shakes—there is an exciting new world of options for every type (and taste) of consumer.

VR: What is the biggest advance in functional drinks for sports nutrition, whether ready-to-mix or ready-to-drink?

Bailey: For ready-to-mix powders, one of the most promising advances has been the application of Pharmako Biotechnologies’ LipiSperse to lipophilic ingredients. The technology allows lipophilic ingredients to be readily dispersed in cold water. Beyond this functional improvement for a more favorable mixing and consumption experience, LipiSperse has been demonstrated in published human clinical trials to improve the bioavailability of various ingredients including curcuminoids, palmitoylethanolamide and resveratrol.

Kalman: Better taste, greater use of validated ingredients and doses typically used in research studies.

VR: For ingredient companies, which one or two of your proprietary branded ingredients for sports nutrition should retailers take notice of and why?

Emerson: Nutrition21 has two extremely well researched and efficacious sports nutrition ingredients—Nitrosigine and Velositol. Nitrosigine is a pre-workout ingredient that increases nitric oxide production, improves blood flow and enhances cognitive performance. The bonded-arginine silicate offers a non-stimulating source of energy that every athlete and active individual is looking for. Velositol is the perfect post-workout ingredient that pairs nicely with any source of amino acids to stimulate muscle protein synthesis better than amino acids alone. It offers additional exercise performance benefits like increasing muscle endurance and strength.

Walin: BIO-CAT’s Optiziome P3 Hydrolyzer is a proprietary blend of enzymes which helps optimize protein digestion, providing more protein performance without having to consume more grams of protein.

Bailey: For too long, clinical research relevant to sports nutrition has not adequately represented women. Gencor is excited to announce the completion of a new clinical trial involving women already undertaking a regular, low-impact cardiovascular exercise regimen where participants took either 300 or 600 milligrams of Libifem (a proprietary fenugreek seed extract) or a matching placebo for eight weeks in combination with starting a whole-body resistance training program. The study found that the group consuming 600 mg per day of Libifem demonstrated statistically significant increases in lean muscle mass and lower-body strength alongside a statistically significant reduction in fat mass in comparison to the placebo group.

VR: As to the published science behind finished products or flagship ingredients, what newest study is the most interesting, and why?

Kalman: It is great and should be lauded any and every time a dietary ingredient or supplement company is supporting science. Interventional, situational clinical studies are part of the research and development process. This holds true across many industries. We need more support and greater celebration of the published findings from these studies—as the end result is, research allows for the consumer to make a more education decision and manage expectations about incorporating a product into their daily routine.

I would love for more of the industry to earmark a certain percent of revenues to be used for research and development. After all, it is tax-creditable (IRS codes 41 and 174) and helps drive innovation and next generation products. In the long run, this too should help with business stability.

VR: What are your predictions for the sports-and-active nutrition category?

Walin: The consumer decision tree is as follows: protein type (e.g., plant vs. animal), protein source (e.g., made in the USA), protein pay load (e.g., grams), cost per serving, efficacy (e.g., digestibility/BCAAs released), and clean label (e.g., purity). However, product performance with substantiated product claims are moving up the hierarchy.

Kalman: Learning more about the trade organizations (i.e., AHPA, CHPA, CRN, NPA, UNPA) that represent the dietary ingredients and supplement industry is important, and being involved is highly recommended.

Billingslea: For our store, I am excited about the growth in vitality products that also fit into the sports-and-active nutrition category. Helping our customers fill nutrient gaps helps us achieve our ultimate goals, which are to help customers live well now as well as laying the nutritional foundations that will help them live well in the future, no matter what age our customers are today. VR