NutraStar analytics help customers maximize sales with the right supplement formulation insight at the right time. In this article, we discuss the top 5 supplement ingredients poised for growth in year 2022.

1. MAGNESIUM

Magnesium is one of the most abundant and important minerals in the body, used as a cofactor in over 300 life-sustaining enzymatic reactions. Emerging categories and rising consumer knowledge are now creating fresh magnesium demand, opening new opportunities for supplement manufacturers.

POTENTIAL CATEGORIES

Magnesium’s versatility makes it a nutritional supplement multi-tasker that can help formulas across multiple in-demand categories.

HOT PICK: MAGNESIUM FOR SLEEP

Magnesium is a key mineral for sleep. It helps calm nerves, relaxes muscles, and gently drop blood pressure – bioactivities that combine to encourage sleep onset.

Magnesium deficiency is linked with insomnia. In those who fail to get enough of the mineral, sleep-disruptive consequences include muscle cramps, tension, jumpy nerves, muscle twitches, and restless legs.

Researchers have suggested that supplementing with magnesium may help to:

Induce sleep sooner
Increase overall time asleep
Maintain uninterrupted sleep
Reduce instances of waking up too early
Decrease the sleep-disrupting muscle twitches associated with restless legs (RLS)

Magnesium’s many roles make it a strong ingredient choice for any type of sleep supplement, adding a unique spin that may enable more claims and fresh marketing angles.

ADDITIONAL MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENT CATEGORIES

BRAIN SUPPLEMENTS: Part of magnesium’s sleep support comes from its mood benefits, including support for stress. Magnesium promotes GABA: A neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and sleep.

BONE SUPPLEMENTS: A key mineral for supporting skeletal health, magnesium is primarily stored in bones. Here, it boosts calcium absorption, thereby promoting healthy mineralization and structure.

HEART SUPPLEMENTS: Magnesium’s nerve, muscle, and energy support is also associated with multiple aspects of heart health, including heartbeat stability.

ENERGY SUPPLEMENTS: Magnesium supports cell energy production. It’s required for the formation and release of ATP, the molecule that supplies life-optimizing energy for cognition, exercise, and more.

SPORTS NUTRITION: Magnesium is good for muscle development via its fundamental support for healthy testosterone production. It may also help with muscle comfort after exertion.

FORMS

Magnesium has many forms. Supplement makers can opt for enhanced magnesium forms to help create a more appealing product, especially for older adults who may have difficulty absorbing the mineral. Binding magnesium to amino acids – called chelating – is often used to improve absorption.

Magnesium Citrate: A popular form, found in many leading magnesium supplements. It is suggested for its potency and high bioavailability.

L-Threonate Magnesium: A novel form of the mineral that is touted for its ease of absorption. This magnesium form seems to be popular in mood, sleep, and brain supplements

Magnesium Bisglycinate: Chelated magnesium + glycine: Glycine calms excited nerves while helping to support amino acid absorption.

Magnesium Oxide: Widely available and cost-effective form. It is highly concentrated but may be limited by absorption and bioavailability challenges.

Magnesium Taurate: Chelated magnesium + taurine. Taurine promotes GABA, a relaxing brain chemical associated with restful sleep.

TRAACS® (The Real Amino Acid Chelate System): An organic, chelated magnesium form that optimizes bioavailability via a patented process that protects the mineral from destructive stomach acids.

FORMULATION AND MARKETING TIPS

Older adults have lower dietary intakes of magnesium, less easily absorb magnesium, and require more magnesium than younger adults.
Regardless of age, The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003-2004) suggests most Americans do not get sufficient magnesium from diet.
Additional USDA research reports that 57% of people fail to get adequate magnesium intake.
In the context of bone health supplement formulation, Magnesium boosts calcium absorption. Vitamin D aids calcium and magnesium intake.

SAMPLE BASIC MAGNESIUM CLAIMS

Helps maintain bone mineralization**
Supports healthy sleep**
Required for cell energy production**

2. ARTICHOKE & MILK THISTLE

The FDA has estimated that 84,000 toxins exist in consumer products alone. Consumers’ awareness of toxic load may be creating new demand. We forecast Milk Thistle and Artichoke to rise in popularity due to their far-reaching benefits for the body’s natural detoxification processes, as well as their longstanding use in folk cleansing practices.

Milk Thistle:

A popular liver health herb, Milk Thistle supplies silymarin, a potent natural antioxidant complex suggested to help fight the free radical damage in the liver, specifically. Milk thistle has been shown to support healthy liver regeneration and digestive health, as well as kidney health.

Forms: Milk Thistle may be presented as an extract and standardized to supply an exact level of silymarin, typically in the range of 1% to 5%. It may also be an extract, ranging up to 30:1 in concentration.

Artichoke:

Artichoke is associated with multiple detox organs in folk health traditions, including the liver, gallbladder, and kidneys. Its role in promoting healthy bile secretion from the liver supports yet another detox pathway. Artichoke’s active compounds are believed to be cynarin, chlorogenic acid, and luteolin.

Forms: Artichoke is often presented as an extract and standardized to between 2% and 8% Cynarin

POSSIBLE ARTICHOKE & MILK THISTLE SUPPLEMENT CATEGORIES

Liver Cleanse: The liver is the most important detoxification organ. It filters blood, helping to remove and neutralize toxins. Many liver supplements will include milk thistle and artichoke.

Kidney Health: The kidneys’ blood-filtering bioactivities assist with detoxification. Artichoke is more commonly found in kidney health supplements than in milk thistle.

Brain Health: Beyond cynarin, artichoke supplies luteolin: An active compound associated with cAMP, a molecule linked to cognitive function and memory.

FORMULATION & MARKETING TIPS

Milk Thistle and Artichoke seem to be generating interest in the context of cognitive function, especially in relation to the concept of “brain fog,”, as well as in the performance-oriented nootropic category.

SAMPLE CLAIMS

Promotes overall health & well-being**
Supports liver & kidney health**
May assist with cleansing practices**

3. IRON

Iron is found in hemoglobin. It is what loads blood with oxygen in the lungs and delivers oxygen to tissues. Iron is also key in the production of ATP, the molecule that transfers energy in cells. Iron helps to detox harmful substances in the liver and plays a role in regulating some brain chemicals.

FORMS

Heme iron and Non- heme iron: There are two primary forms of iron: Heme and non-heme. Heme is found in meat, poultry, fish, and some animal-sourced nutritional supplements. It is easier to absorb. Non-heme is the primary iron form found in the diet, primarily from fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains. Vegan whole-food multivitamins may supply non-heme iron.

Ferrous sulfate. A gentler bisglycinate form is found in supplements designed for those with stomach sensitivities sometimes associated with the ferrous form.

Fermented iron bisglycinate: Lab-fermented and complexed with the amino acid glycine

Carbonyl iron: Elemental mineral form with small particle size; suggested to assist with complete and comfortable absorption

POSSIBLE SUPPLEMENT CATEGORIES

SPORTS NUTRITION: Iron’s blood-oxygenating properties power peak athletic performance. But training hard also depletes iron levels because it can impair iron absorption while speeding up iron loss via sweat. Low iron status actually diminishes athletic performance, while healthy iron levels restore strength and endurance.

WOMEN’S SUPPLEMENTS: Women have higher requirements for iron than men do. Some women’s wellness supplements may include iron to contribute to higher intake goals.

IMMUNE SUPPLEMENTS: Several immune system activities require iron. It plays a role in producing white blood cells, as well as helping to maintain balanced immune responses.

CHILDREN’S SUPPLEMENTS: Anemia in children may be addressed with iron supplementation; we are seeing an emphasis on gummies and chewable supplements to meet this need.

FORMULATION & MARKETING TIPS

Calcium greatly reduces iron absorption.
Certain populations may have increased iron needs or special iron concerns, including athletes, menstruating women, and vegetarians.
Approximately 25% of the global population has an iron deficiency. Iron is also the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in the US.
Take care in formulation with overload risk; upper tolerable intake of iron is 45 mg per day.

SAMPLE CLAIMS

The harder you train, the more you may need iron**
Iron supports blood health**

4. BEETROOT

Google data reflects a recent rise in consumer interest in beetroot. The root supplies nitrate, an active compound that naturally increases nitric oxide, thereby supporting healthy blood flow. Nitrate’s effects have been linked with exercise performance (both strength and endurance), cognitive function (especially in the context of exercise), and cardiovascular health. Beetroot also supplies antioxidant betalains.

FORMS

Some supplements may supply plain beetroot powder. Additional popular options include concentrated beetroot extracts and standardized extracts, which are typically calibrated for nitrates, but also sometimes for betanin.

RedNite® is an example of a branded beetroot ingredient. It is highly concentrated and standardized to between 1.5% and 2.75% nitrates. RedNite® is backed by clinical research studies that may enable supplement formulators to make athletic performance claims that standard beetroot forms cannot (and should not) make.

POTENTIAL CATEGORIES

SPORTS NUTRITION: In the context of sports nutrition supplements, beetroot may be best deployed in pre-workout formulas, for its potential to enhance performance across both strength and cardiovascular exercise.

BRAIN SUPPLEMENTS: Its circulation-boosting properties may hold promise for cognitive function formulas. It is increasingly seen in nootropic (brain-boosting) supplements, including focus chews, gummies,, and similar edible products.

CARDIOVASCULAR: Beetroot and its nitrates have been suggested to support cardiovascular health in many ways. Researchers have reported it may help with blood sugar balance and maintaining blood pressure in a normal range.

FORMULATION & MARKETING TIPS

Beets supply vitamins A and C, iron, carotenoids, and some dietary fiber.
Beetroot’s taste and color are ideally suited for edible applications, including chewables and drink powders.
Beetroot may be considered a “Cross-training” performance enhancer for its strength + endurance benefits,

SAMPLE CLAIMS

Supports healthy blood circulation**
Promotes overall cardiovascular health**
Optimizes athletic performance**

5. QUERCETIN

Quercetin is a plant pigment antioxidant that is often associated with dark berries. Specifically, it is highly concentrated in the skins of black currants, bilberries, lingonberries, and others. In the context of nutritional supplements, quercetin is associated with cardiovascular health and healthy aging.

FORMS

Plain quercetin is plant-sourced. Quercetin dihydrate is synthetic.

FORMULATION & MARKETING TIPS

Quercetin is found naturally in several other herbal formulas and is sometimes paired with ginkgo biloba.

SAMPLE CLAIMS

Optimizes cardiovascular health**
Promotes healthy circulation**
Supports natural antioxidant defenses**

POPULAR CATEGORIES

CARDIOVASCULAR: Quercetin is popularly used to support cardiovascular health. It has been suggested in research to help with healthy blood flow while contributing to balanced blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

IMMUNE: Quercetin is suggested to have properties that naturally modulate immune responses.

Conclusion

Our proprietary tools have forecast that these ingredients – as well as the supplement categories where they are featured – may continue to drive consumer interest. Manufacturers may consider these ingredients as prime choices for updating existing formulas or expanding into new supplement categories in 2022 and beyond.

NutraStar provides custom formulated capsules, tablets, and powders to growing nutraceutical brands. Our quality is second to none. We ship directly to any location around the globe. Our expert staff can help you create the clean, premium quality supplement that your customers are demanding in 2022 and beyond.