Survey Shows Education Key to Carnitine Use in Millennials

Increasing awareness among sports-minded Millennial consumers on the key benefits of L-carnitine is a significantly untapped business area for the dietary supplement, according to a new survey. Switzerland-basedLonza, which markets Carnipure® L-carnitine, commissioned an exclusive online survey of 202 Millennials in the United Kingdom and published a report of its findings, Carnipure® L-Carnitine: Sports Nutrition for the Millennial Generation.

In the survey, independent researchers polled 202 U.K. active consumers—they exercise at least three times weekly—between the age of 18 and 35, asking them about their attitudes and behaviors relative to usage of dietary supplements.

Among the key findings, 39 percent of those surveyed are current users of carnitine supplements, primarily for sports nutrition benefits such as recovery, weight management, energy and muscle development. However, 52 percent of Millennials surveyed said they’d never tried carnitine supplement, as most of them (81 percent) had never heard of carnitine. Interestingly, once carnitine mechanisms and benefits were explained to this group, 76 percent said they were more likely to try carnitine as part of their nutrition and supplement regime.

Report Co-Author Jeff Della Valle, marketing manager of nutrition for Lonza, said the market research shines a light on a unique new business opportunity among non-users of L-carnitine. “After some aided awareness of the supplement’s benefits, these consumers were asked if they would be more likely to use it in future and, encouragingly, more than three quarters of them said they would," he reiterated. “This finding means dietary supplement companies have an opportunity to tap into this goodwill towards L-Carnitine with high-quality products backed by the trusted Carnipure® brand."

Lonza considers Millennials a high-priority target for sports nutrition supplements, noted Ilya Zhivkovich, global head of marketing for Lonza. “These consumers are committed to optimizing their wellness through regular exercise and healthy eating," he said. “They value dietary supplements for the benefits they offer and tend to be discerning shoppers who seek out products that offer them the assurance of quality and efficacy."