Nutrition Industry Executive (NIE) asked Katie Emerson from Saddle Brook, NJ-based Nutrition21 about the state of the market today for anti-aging ingredients.

NIE: What is the state of the market today for anti-aging ingredients and formulations?

Emerson: With consumers intervening a lot earlier than those of the past, it seems the market has broadened in terms of its consumer base. Today it is common for consumers to seek out products that will pay longevity dividends well into their future. An example is those who want to address their appearance concerns in their 20s and 30s vs. waiting until they hit middle-age and older.

In a survey conducted by The Benchmarking Company in October 2022 of more than 2,100 female respondents aged 18 and older, 87 percnt of consumers who take dietary supplements take them as part of their regular daily skin/body care routine. The average age of respondents in this survey was 46, with 64 percent of respondents being under 30 years of age.

When asked what drives their interest in supplements, 51 percent responded that they are good for their hair, skin and nails. As far as the specific beauty issues she’s looking to address with supplements, almost 80% said hair growth and health, stronger nails (65 percent), and to restore collagen/skin firming (60 percent).

Sixty-seven percent of the women surveyed said they believe in an inside-out approach to overall wellness vs. taking a prescription medicine, with 53 percent saying that ingesting supplements offers more powerful benefits than applying a product topically to the skin. Finally, 92 percent of survey respondents believe the best way to attain their beauty objectives is with an inside-out approach, taking supplements to complement their skin care/hair care regimen.

Some of the must-have ingredients for women in the Benchmarking Company survey were vitamins D, C and B12, as well as antioxidants, probiotics and biotin.

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