One of the big emerging markets in nutraceuticals is women’s health. Many nutraceutical companies, from startups to established brands, are now creating vitamins and supplements that address issues related to women’s health. From the point of view of many women, this focus on women’s health concerns is long overdue.
Exactly what are these concerns? Women’s health encompasses many things that are unique to the experience of being female, such as menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause and vaginal health. In addition, there is also a growing recognition that gender has a significant impact on the risks and symptoms of a variety of health conditions, including cardiovascular disease.
Premenstrual syndrome, commonly known as PMS, affects up to 75% of women during the years between puberty and menopause. The most common symptoms include irritability, bloating, mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, and appetite changes.
Nutraceutical companies are now exploring how vitamins and supplements can be used to relieve PMS symptoms. For example, PMS may be more likely to occur in individuals who are deficient in various micronutrients.
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Each year approximately two million women reach menopause in the U.S. alone. Today most women can expect to live about 40% of their lives in their postmenopausal years. It’s no surprise that women are looking for solutions, such as vitamins and supplements, to help them address the wide range of symptoms associated with menopause itself, as well as the long-term impact of decreased estrogen.
According to data from Grand View Research, the global menopause market was approximately $16.93 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.37% from 2024 to 2030. To harness this demand, nutraceutical companies can offer products that address:
• Common menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, mood changes and vaginal dryness.
• The risk of cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in post-menopausal women.
• High cholesterol, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
• Bone strength and health, as the lack of estrogen frequently leads to a loss of bone strength and an increased risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture.
• Exercise recovery, which tends to take longer as women move through perimenopause and menopause. Men are not the only ones who are interested in performance nutrition (one of the 2024 nutraceutical trends we identified in a previous article), although the needs of post-menopausal women are likely to be different than those of men.
• Skin and hair appearance, important components of the “anti-aging” and beauty supplements markets.
In the world of women’s health, previously taboo topics are now being normalized, which means that previously taboo issues and concerns are now being addressed.
For example, some nutraceutical companies are recognizing that probiotics can be used to boost vaginal health and combat urinary tract infections, and are formulating products meant for the specific needs of the female microbiome. Other companies are developing products that address the negative impact that hormonal changes can have on sexual response, libido and pleasure.
Some of the other issues being tackled by FemTech and nutraceutical companies include:
• Sleep problems – According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health, the sleep problems that affect women more than or differently from men include insomnia (which affects more than 25% of American women), restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea. The hormonal changes that women experience during certain times and events may be a cause of women’s sleep problems.
• Mental and cognitive health – For many women, the anxiety and depression brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic have continued to linger.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – PCOS, which is one of the most common endocrine conditions in women of reproductive age, can be very difficult to manage.
Regardless of what issue a formulation addresses, capsules have always been a popular dosage form. Capsules are small, convenient, portable and easy to swallow. From the health standpoint, they’re not loaded with sugar like gummies, while from the formulation standpoint they are compatible with a wide range of fill materials.
Vegetarian HPMC empty capsules are an especially popular choice for nutraceuticals, as they address the dietary needs of a wide range of consumers while also reinforcing the perceived “healthiness” of the product.
For brands that choose CapsCanada’s empty capsules, there is an added bonus of being able to take advantage of a wide variety of custom capsule solutions, including color, size, finish, printing, flavor and delivery location (via the use of delayed release or acid-resistant capsules).
CapsCanada’s K-CAPS® vegetarian empty capsules made with natural colorants are a great choice for nutraceutical companies that wish to make “clean label” claims. These capsules are Vegan Registered with the Vegan society; certified Kosher, Halal and non-GMO; and completely free of synthetic coloring, titanium dioxide, animal products, preservatives, starches and common allergens.
If you are looking to expand your nutraceutical company’s or startup’s capsule product portfolio for women’s health products, please contact us today to obtain capsule samples.