A few weeks ago, The Nutrition 21 team visited the bustling Natural Products Expo West® trade show, where 3,200 exhibitors showcased the latest in natural foods, beverages, and supplements to nearly 70,000 attendees. From walking the show floor to attending educational seminars and networking events, we identified five trends shaping the supplement industry’s future.
Earlier this year, Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ) released its first-ever Sexual and Reproductive Health Report, highlighting the growing demand for sexual health supplements and the consumer trends driving this category’s expansion. [1] Reflecting this momentum, Expo West hosted its first dedicated education session on the topic: Optimizing Sexual & Hormonal Health: Wellness Solutions for Men & Women. Panelists explored the increasing openness around sexual wellness and the surge of new products addressing these needs.
On the show floor, this shift was unmistakable—brands showcased a wide range of offerings, from sexual health supplements to personal care products to pleasure aids like lubricants and topicals. Personalization is key in this category, as consumers are looking for products tailored to their specific needs – be it supporting sexual health and function as we age, supplements that support women’s hormonal cycles before, during and post menopause, and supporting fertility and reproductive health.
Originally marketed for managing diabetes, GLP-1 receptor agonists have gone mainstream in the weight management category, reaching an unprecedented level of consumer adoption. However, they are not without drawbacks. Gastrointestinal side effects like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation are common, and the term “Ozempic face”—referring to the sagging skin and wrinkles that occur after rapid weight loss—is now part of our cultural lexicon.
At the packed educational session Effective Retail & Marketing Strategies for GLP-1 Counter & Companion Supplements, speakers highlighted how the rapid rise of GLP-1 medications has opened the floodgates for new kinds of supplements: those that may support the natural production of GLP-1 hormones, and those that can support users before, during, and after taking them – predominately providing support for common issues that users face. We noticed a wave of products on the show floor claiming to enhance the body’s own GLP-1 production, as well as companion supplements promising support to weight management, offering support to maintain muscle mass and definition, gut health, stress and sleep support, and even beauty-from-within benefits.
Powders and gummies once dominated the “next big thing” in supplement delivery, but Expo West revealed a new array of formats, including lollipops, strips, chews, lozenges, stick packs, gums, pastilles, and jelly sticks. These innovative options don’t just offer novelty—they serve as entry points for consumers who may eventually transition to traditional formats like tablets and capsules, and bring new users to a category looking for convenient ways to incorporate supplements into their lifestyle and individual preferences. According to NBJ’s Delivery Format Report 2023, nearly half (47%) of frequent supplement users started with gummies before expanding their routines to include pills. [2]
Another trend we observed is the expansion of brands offering traditional capsule & tablet formats into liquid supplements. With consumer interest in functional beverages and convenient, easy-to-take formats on the rise, we saw more companies introducing liquid versions of new supplement products. This aligns with broader industry trends, where brands are diversifying delivery systems to meet evolving consumer preferences and beat “pill fatigue.”
Times are stressful, and the supplement industry has stepped up to help consumers find solutions to help support their holistic mental and emotional health. According to Gallup, 49% of Americans now report experiencing frequent stress—the highest level recorded and a 16-point increase over the past two decades. Women, particularly younger women, are feeling the effects most, with stress levels in this group rising 23 points since 2007. [3]
We saw stress and mood support ingredients popping up in supplements as well as functional foods and beverages. Popular ingredients such as ashwagandha, GABA, L-theanine, and mushrooms were prominently featured, highlighting the growing need for products supporting mental well-being. As consumers interest in mental & emotional health solutions continue to rise, there lies an opportunity for new, science backed ingredients to meet their evolving needs and offer differentiation from a market growing quickly saturated with existing ingredients.
According to SPINS, hydration products have been experiencing triple-digit growth in recent years, largely because brands have been able to reach new audiences beyond the sports drink crowd.[4] But one walk around the show floor made it clear that this fast-growing category is also quickly evolving.
Basic electrolyte-only hydration stick packs are giving way to next-gen formulas that offer multiple benefits, delivering hydration plus energy, immune support, or even a boost of protein. This stacking of benefits seems to be the direction of the future, and reflective of what has been seen in other segments of the supplement market. There was also an expansion of delivery formats in the hydration category, with hydration drops and sticks making a splash, as well as non-water-based formats.
From sexual health and stress support to the evolution of delivery formats, Expo West highlighted the rapid innovation transforming the natural products industry, and specifically the dietary supplement category. As brands work to meet changing consumer needs, the right ingredients can make all the difference.
At Nutrition 21, our clinically substantiated, patented ingredients create standout formulations that align with today’s evolving marketplace. Whether it’s Nitrosigine® that is shown to boost nitric oxide, offering support in areas such as sexual health and physical performance, Chromax® metabolic and body composition benefits to complement consumers growing focus on whole body health, or our newest ingredient EverZen™ for a differentiated approach to stress and mood support, our proprietary ingredients provide proven benefits that deliver on consumer expectations. Backed by science and supported by strong brands, Nutrition21 ingredients have offer consumers benefits they can see and feel and are easily incorporated into a wide variety of delivery formats, including traditional and innovative supplement forms.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
References
[1] NBJ Sexual and Reproductive Health Report 2025. New Hope Network. 2025. Available at: https://store.newhope.com/products/sexual-and-reproductive-health-report-2025?_pos=1&_sid=09d08f749&_ss=r.
[2] NBJ Delivery Format Report 2023. New Hope Network. 2023. Available at: https://store.newhope.com/products/2023-delivery-format-report.
[3] Fioroni S, Foy D. Americans sleeping less, more stressed: Women, particularly those under age 50, report sleeping less than they need and higher stress levels than men. Gallup Wellbeing. April 15, 2024. Available at: https://news.gallup.com/poll/642704/americans-sleeping-less-stressed.aspx.
[4] Grebow J. Hydration achieves mainstream success. Nutritional Outlook. February 14, 2024;27(1). Available at: https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/hydration-achieves-mainstream-success.