8 ingredients and product format trends driving the shift from sports to active nutrition

Year after year, the sports nutrition category has made a natural progression, transforming into what we now call active nutrition. What once was a category primarily designed for elite athletes and fitness enthusiasts has now shifted to encompass a wider demographic of active individuals who aim to support their overall and holistic well-being. As more people prioritize health and fitness, the demand for products that can aid in physical performance, enhance endurance and promote overall well-being has skyrocketed.

By shifting from sports nutrition to active nutrition, consumers can take a broader approach that extends beyond athletic occasions. Active nutrition consumers include people of all life stages and lifestyles who aim to support their body’s overall capabilities and well-being, with research showing that 53% of respondents in a global survey classified themselves as active nutrition consumers.

Consumers are also taking a holistic approach to their well-being and want to address multiple aspects of their health. Many consumers are taking proactive steps to improve their long-term health through changes to their diets and lifestyles, with as many as 58% of North American consumers stating they want to ensure that they stay fit and active until as late in life as possible. Consumers are also researching the benefits of making changes to their diets and lifestyles while looking for balanced and personalized options that fit their specific and unique needs and goals. In fact, 63% of global consumers say they are interested in food and beverage products that are customized to meet their individual nutritional needs.

Related:7 winning branded ingredients for active sports performance products

Ingredients with a purpose

Consumers are increasingly seeking out solutions that both support their goals as well as include sought-after ingredients that support multiple wellness areas—cognitive focus, energy, recovery, muscle-building, weight management, digestive health and immune function and more. Markedly, the top five areas North American consumers would like to support into 2024 include immune function (63%), digestive health (59%), mental well-being (55%), heart health (53%) and strength (51%). As a result, active nutrition consumers want targeted and functional solutions and ingredients that support these wellness areas.

Protein, for instance, continues to be the predominant ingredient within the active nutrition category, with many consumers finding a wide array of protein sources and offerings high in protein of particular interest. The average adult requires around 50 grams of protein per day, but as many as 17% of adults in the U.S. do not believe they eat a healthy amount of protein, illustrating an opportunity for product developers to build solutions with high protein content. For example, protein is the most sought-after attribute in nutritional drinks, with 64% of North American consumers seeking out high protein options. Plus, 58% of active nutrition consumers have increased their overall intake of protein, including products high in protein like energy bars, ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages and milk protein drinks.

Related:7 winning branded ingredients for active sports performance products

Gut and metabolic health support are also important aspects to holistic well-being, with 58% of global adults perceiving a connection between the function of bacteria in the gut to wider aspects of well-being. With that, consumers are growing more aware of gut microbiome-supporting ingredients, and they’re interested in seeing them in their active nutrition purchases. For instance, ingredients like prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics and fiber are catching active nutrition shoppers’ eyes for their associated health attributes. Research shows that prebiotic fiber is the No. 1 ingredient consumers want to add to their diets for reasons like digestion, weight management and satiety. Plus, consumers are linking microbiome-supporting solutions to a wide range of potential benefits, such as support for digestive health, emotional well-being and immune function.

Hydration is also crucial for the active nutrition consumer, and they’re seeking products with ingredients that provide this support, including those with isotonic properties, electrolytes and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Electrolytes in performance beverages are especially sought after for their recovery, performance and hydration benefits, while beta alanine and L-carnitine are incorporated into energy drinks and pre-workout offerings for their perceived associations with endurance, muscle building and cognitive function. These ingredients can also work together to further elevate performance offerings in supporting a variety of active nutrition consumers’ goals. They also work well in combination with protein, microbiome-supporting solutions and botanicals.

For a deep dive on all things sports and active nutrition—muscle-friendly ingredients, hydration formulation hacks, recovery, esports and just what's this thing called the gut-muscle axis?—download the free Natural Products Insider digital magazine here.

Botanicals, moreover, can make active nutrition offerings more appealing for consumers, as many deeming them as being “closer-to-nature” and associate them with various wellness attributes including support for energy, immune function, digestive health, stress and more. Botanical ingredients supporting the active nutrition space include sweet yet tart guarana, which provides a natural source of caffeine, as well as astringent and sweet acerola with its consumer association with products containing vitamin C. Research also shows that that just under 70% of consumers state that the presence of botanicals in a beverage product made them perceive it as healthier for them – whether a health claim was being made or not.

Tailored, functional formats

The active nutrition space was once a category consisting of limited format offerings like basic protein shakes and bars with one-note flavors. However, the industry is shifting with evolving consumer demands for tailored offerings. Convenience, choice, variety and taste are key attributes to encourage consistency in adding specialized nutrition to consumers’ everyday lifestyles, with a variety of format offerings supporting this trend. From beverages to powdered supplements, gummies to stick packs, consumers are searching for health-forward products that taste great, have functional attributes and can be easily incorporated into their daily routine.

Powdered performance nutrition products, for example, are becoming more common – making up 61% of new performance nutrition launches. Powdered options are especially ideal for on-the-go formats, such as ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages and protein shakes.

Stick pack formulations with biotic ingredients further provide a single-dose delivery system for functional beverages.

Protein ingredients also lend themselves well to a variety of active nutrition formats at a time when North American consumers are looking to maximize their protein intake. Notably, over the last 12 months, survey respondents noted consuming sports powder in shakes/beverages (44%), protein fortified foods (41%), protein fortified baked goods (38%), milk protein drinks (38%) and protein ice cream (37%) more frequently.

Combining various functional ingredients has great growth potential for health and wellness brands—fiber, biotics, protein, botanicals, electrolytes and vitamins and minerals—into one food, beverage or dietary supplement to help target multiple wellness attributes in a single offering.

As the active nutrition category continues to grow, product developers are presented with new opportunities to innovate, while supporting consumers in optimizing their health and wellness goals. These emerging trends and developments have fueled widespread and global consumer interest in products that support health and wellness for every lifestyle and at varying activity levels. Brands can meet their varying consumer needs head-on with the help of a supplier that has a global and reliable ingredient portfolio and the technical expertise to create active nutrition offerings that will win with consumers.

For a deep dive on all things sports and active nutrition—muscle-friendly ingredients, hydration formulation hacks, recovery, esports and just what's this thing called the gut-muscle axis?—download the free Natural Products Insider digital magazine here.