Ten Popular Trends in Dietary Supplements for 2022

At the recently held Expo West, a variety of new products for 2022 gathered, what popular trends are emerging in the dietary supplement field in terms of dosage forms, ingredients, and functions?

Popular dosage forms

Gummies

Due to the phenomenon of 'pill fatigue', gummy supplements are showing a significant upward trend. From 2016 to 2020, the compound annual growth rate of new dietary supplement products launched has been steadily increasing, with gummies accounting for 20.2%. Mordor Intelligence predicts that the global gummy supplement market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.8% during the forecast period from 2020 to 2025. In addition to the common gummies for vitamins and minerals, there is an increasing number of gummies with specific functions that add plant extracts, probiotics, and melatonin, continuously expanding in terms of function and ingredients.

Aprico Daily Stress Relief Gummies are known for their rapid penetration effect with nano-particles, adding broad-spectrum, THC-free hemp extract, combined with L-theanine, GABA, and Scutellaria, to help relieve stress.

Healist Advanced Naturals Calming Gummies add full-spectrum hemp extract, along with soothing ingredients such as chamomile, hops, cardamom, and L-theanine, as well as the adaptogen South African Sceletium, to help relax the mood.

Shots concentrated drinks

Shots are another popular supplement dosage form, with a capacity between drinks and oral liquids, generally around 50ml, convenient to drink in one go, and unlike oral liquids, they do not give a strong 'medicinal' feeling, thus are well-received in the market. According to SPINS data, the sales of shot-form supplements increased by 17.7% in the past year.

KOR concentrated juice shots are flavored with ginger, adding real citrus juice, pineapple juice, camu camu juice, and turmeric juice, with a touch of black pepper for spiciness, each serving containing 50% of the daily required vitamin C.

KOR Super Immunity Shots contain superfoods sea buckthorn and baobab, and add fresh pineapple, orange juice, and lemon juice to supplement the daily required vitamin C, helping to boost immunity.

The Ginger People Ginger Shots are made from 30% ginger juice and wild turmeric, also adding concentrated apple juice, organic cane sugar, lemon juice, coconut cream, and black pepper, helping to enhance immunity, promote digestion, and replenish energy.

Popular categories

Oral beauty

Skin health can be improved not only from the outside in through creams, ointments, and lotions but also from the inside out through the use of supplements. From acne to sun protection, from dust pollution to age-related wrinkles and spots, supplements targeting various skin issues are emerging. According to SPINS data, the oral beauty market is expected to grow nearly 10% this year, with total sales reaching $1.45 billion.Collagen isthe hottest ingredient in this category, expected to grow by 23%. In addition to collagen, the markets for hyaluronic acid, carotenoids, astaxanthin, and ceramides are also continuously expanding.

NOW Solutions Marine Beauty Powder contains wild fish collagen, astaxanthin, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid. Clinical studies have found that these ingredients can maintain skin moisture and elasticity, promoting an even skin tone.

Dust is harmful not only to the lungs and eyes but can also have detrimental effects on the skin. Particulate matter can penetrate the skin and cause oxidative damage, leading to wrinkles, fine lines, and mottled pigmentation. Zeropollution is a new type of plant extract composed of various active ingredients (rosemary, olive leaf, verbena, and acacia flower extracts) that work synergistically to help prevent and improve the damage caused by air pollution to the skin.

Immunity

Although immune supplements have declined compared to 2020, they remain one of the health issues most concerned by consumers. Consumers tend to prefer natural ingredients for immune supplements, such as berries represented by blueberries, elderberries, and cherries, as well as herbs/fungi represented by echinacea and mushrooms.

MATYS’ Super Berry Immune Support Supplement adds vitamins C and D, as well as zinc, along with berries such as blueberries, strawberries, wild cherries, chokecherries, and elderberries, sweetened with stevia, supporting a healthier immune system with a small packet daily.

Sun God Medicinals Organic Immune Support Hemp Tincture won the 2022 NEXTY Award in the supplement category. This supplement is formulated with certified organic hemp tincture mixed with herbs traditionally used to support immunity. Ingredients include reishi, echinacea, elderflower, and yarrow.

Healthy aging

There is a global trend of population aging, and how to age healthily and delay the aging process has become a key concern for consumers. 55% of people over 55 believe that healthy aging should involve staying healthy and active. Globally, 47% of people aged 55-64 and 49% of those over 65 are very concerned about how to remain strong as they age, as people around 50 begin to face a series of aging issues such as muscle loss, decreased strength, reduced recovery ability, and slowed metabolism.

Quicksilver's Longevity Elite Supplement targets telomeres, AMPK, and sirtuins, containing 10 mg of pregnenolone, a powerful precursor that can produce all human sex hormones and stress hormones, as well as support aging delay. Additionally, it includes astragalus, fo-ti, licorice root extract, Korean ginseng extract, and Panax notoginseng extract, which are adaptogenic ingredients that help cope with various stresses.

Quality of Life Turmeric & Black Ginger Supplement adds turmeric extract and black ginger extract, with studies proving that black ginger and turmeric support healthy aging by positively influencing factors including: blood sugar, weight, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, antioxidant capacity, and joints.

Natrol Memory Supplement's main ingredient is silk protein, whose unique structure can work synergistically with receptors in the brain to support brain health and cognitive function. In nine human studies, this ingredient has been shown to help enhance memory.

Sleep

Data released by the World Health Organization shows that one-third of the world's population has sleep problems. According to Innova Market Insights, the compound annual growth rate of global sleep aid supplements from 2015 to 2019 was 22%. Sleep issues are a health concern for most consumers worldwide and can lead to other health problems.

Hello Dreams sleep tea bags contain melatonin and traditional Chinese medicine ingredients such as jujube, poria, licorice, chuanxiong, anemarrhena, and monk fruit. They are individually packaged in strips, and dissolving one before bed can help with falling asleep quickly.

Popular Ingredients

CBD

Although CBD is subject to policy restrictions and the market is continuously declining, the innovation of products targeting CBD has not decreased.

Hemp Fusion CBD Elderberry Gummies

Hemp CBD is being integrated into other supplements, including combinations with immune ingredients like elderberry, cognitive ingredients like mushrooms, and sleep aid ingredients like GABA and melatonin. Additionally, products centered around other rare cannabis components like CBG and CBN have begun to emerge, as these two components are currently not regulated by U.S. law and can be used in dietary supplements.

CBG (cannabigerol) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that is typically present in less than 1% in cannabis. Clinically, it has antibacterial, neuroprotective, pain-relieving, and anti-inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) effects. CBN is a cannabinoid derived from the oxidation and degradation of THC, primarily acting to alleviate sleep disorders and make falling asleep easier.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is currently one of the hottest supplement ingredients. In 2020, sales of supplements containing apple cider vinegar in mainstream retail channels reached $79,257,715, a 133.8% increase from 2019, ranking third in growth. In natural channels, sales reached $3,609,865, a 97.7% increase from 2019, ranking first in growth. Mainstream apple cider vinegar supplements primarily aim for detoxification and digestive health, with common forms including capsules, tablets, powders, and recently gummies. Because some consumers dislike its sour taste, companies are making concentrated apple cider vinegar into gummies, improving the taste by adding sugar or sweeteners.

Enzymedica Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies use organic apples as their source and add 1,000 micrograms of vitamin B12 to provide energy and metabolic support in the form of methylcobalamin.

Garden of Life Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies add 2 billion CFU of Bacillus coagulans and Bacillus subtilis DE111, containing 700 milligrams of apple cider vinegar and 12 micrograms of B12 per serving, supporting immunity and digestion.

Green Superfoods

"Eating grass" has become a popular dietary trend abroad. To cater to office workers, health supplement companies have launched powders that combine various green superfoods, which can be easily added to various foods and beverages for convenient consumption, supplementing plant nutrients, enhancing immunity, and promoting overall health. These superfood powders typically consist of green grasses (wheatgrass, duckweed), vegetables (broccoli, kale, bell peppers, spinach), algae (chlorella, spirulina), and leaves (moringa).

KOS Organic Green Powder is rich in natural proteins, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It contains superfoods like chlorella, spirulina, wheatgrass, oat grass, kale, broccoli, and bell peppers, helping to enhance immunity and reduce stress.

Vibrant Health Green Vibrance Plant Powder contains 25 billion probiotics, 2730 milligrams of plant-based micronutrients, 14 powerful antioxidants including spirulina, goji berries, and flaxseed powder, as well as 6 types of grain grasses like wheatgrass and oat grass to help alkalize the body. It is a comprehensive green superfood powder that supplements various nutrients and promotes digestion and immunity.

Mushrooms

In recent years, traditional mushroom health ingredients from China, such as reishi, cordyceps, lion's mane, and birch polypore, have begun to become important raw materials for new food and beverage products and dietary supplements abroad, thanks to their immune support, brain health, and adaptogenic properties. Immunity and cognitive health are the main selling points of mushrooms as dietary supplements, with capsules and powders being the most common forms. Additionally, new forms such as tinctures, chocolates, and gummies have also gained popularity in the market.

Master Blend Organic Mushroom Powder contains 10 certified organic mushroom mycelium biomass and fruiting body powders, including shiitake, lion's mane, chaga, cordyceps, maitake, reishi, lion's mane, king oyster, shiitake, and cloud mushroom, standardized to 35% β-glucans; as well as 3 types of organic plant adaptogens, including ginkgo leaf, holy basil, and astragalus.
Source: Food Research Institute FTA, authorized for reproduction.