Clasado Biosciences, a prebiotic ingredients developer, has highlighted the promising future of the immune health segment of the nutraceutical industry.
With a strong compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4% in the industry,1 the company stresses that this segment could see a boom in sales soon, which it predicts will be in two main areas: sports performance and functional beverages with added immune health benefits.
Prebiotics for better sports performance
Vice President of B2B Sales at Clasado, Frederic Narbel, elaborates: “We believe that the immune health category could cross more directly into sports nutrition to support availability to compete and train. We have observed – for example — how prebiotics can significantly reduce the duration and severity of respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. This results in fewer missed events and training sessions, which is critical for supporting consistent performance.”
“When we look to how the immune health category might grow and evolve in the future, it seems clear that sports health will be a focus. Of course, the research that connects prebiotics and immunity goes far beyond sports health and presents exciting opportunities for developing a wide range of health products that cater to proactive health management.”
Immune health-boosted beverages prove popular
Head of B2B & Corporate Marketing at Clasado, Steven Riley, adds: “One of the most interesting areas of exploration is in immunity-supporting prebiotic beverages, which are steadily making their way into the market. We’ve seen the ‘nutrition plus’ trend for some time, where shoppers expect the functional foods and drinks they buy to do more; they need to contribute to health in some way. This can be either through added protein or fibre.”
“Functional beverages show this in action; consumers today are not just looking for hydration, they are seeking beverages that can enhance targeted areas of health that align with their health goals. With the increasing consumer interest in proactive health management, brands have a unique opportunity to innovate.”
“The potential to combine prebiotics with other functional ingredients in beverages is particularly exciting, as it aligns with consumer preferences for holistic health solutions that are easy to integrate into their daily routines.”
With the current market growth expected to continue, Clasado believes this is the best time to invest in immune health product development.
Dr Narbel concludes: “One of the most exciting aspects of the nutrition sector is how quickly it moves and evolves, and we believe that the next wave of immune health innovations will be driven by a deeper understanding of the gut microbiome. By leveraging the latest gut health science, which of course includes prebiotics, brands can develop products that support overall immune function and are built around the latest scientific understanding.”
Reference
1 https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/press-releases/immune-health-supplements-market