As health issues such as weight management, stress, anxiety, and sleep quality gain increasing attention, more and more female consumers are actively seeking nutritional solutions. According to Innova’s global consumer research, over a third of women are using vitamin and mineral supplements to alleviate symptoms related to their natural hormone cycles or menopause, while a quarter are increasing their use of dietary supplements, mostly to maintain overall health.
Innova Market Insights recently released the report “Women’s Health Dietary Supplements: Global Market Trend Insights,” analyzing the women’s health dietary supplement market from various perspectives, including consumer insights, new product launches, and ingredient trends. The following is an excerpt from the report.
Global Consumer Research
According to Innova’s global consumer survey, among female dietary supplement users worldwide, three-quarters of consumers maintain a high-frequency consumption habit of purchasing at least once a month. This data fully reflects the important position of dietary supplements in women’s daily lives.
Consumption trends show positive signs of market growth. 24% of female consumers increased their supplement intake over the past year, 64% maintained stable consumption, and only 13% decreased. This “one-quarter growth, two-thirds stability” consumption pattern not only reflects the high loyalty of existing users but also indicates the potential for continued category expansion.
Women’s health dietary supplements are growing significantly
According to data from Innova’s global new product database, between 2020 and 2024, the number of new dietary supplements launched with women’s health claims achieved a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12%, far exceeding the 3% growth rate of the overall dietary supplement market during the same period, showing strong development momentum.
2024 marks a critical juncture in the development of women’s health dietary supplements. This year, the market saw a peak in new product launches, with the Product Launch Index reaching 155 (based on a 2020 baseline of 100), a record high. Of particular note, 8% of all new dietary supplement launches in 2024 carried women’s health claims. These figures reflect the growing importance brands place on this market segment.
Diversified functional segments
Within the women’s health dietary supplement category, “women’s-specific formulas” tailored to female physiological characteristics dominate, accounting for 47% of new product launches in 2024. These products primarily address women’s unique health needs, such as menstrual cycle management and menopausal symptom relief, and often incorporate complex formulas with multiple functional ingredients, including vitamins/minerals, herbal ingredients, and probiotics.
In terms of product category structure, vitamins/minerals account for 17%, botanical/herbal supplements for 11%, probiotics for 8%, and essential fatty acids and beauty supplements for approximately 5% each. This diverse product portfolio provides a wealth of choices for female consumers with diverse needs and creates ample room for brand innovation.
It’s also worth noting that other subcategories exhibited varying growth momentum. Hair, skin, and nail supplements were the most impressive, achieving a 35% annual growth rate, making them the fastest-growing segment. This explosive growth reflects the widespread acceptance of the concept of “oral beauty” among female consumers.
Gummies becomes the most popular new form
The women’s dietary supplement market is showing a clear trend of diversification in terms of product form. According to data from the Innova Global New Product Database, while capsules still dominate with a 42% share, gummies are rising at an astonishing rate. Between 2020 and 2024, women’s health gummies achieved a 30% compound annual growth rate, far exceeding the 18% growth rate of the overall dietary supplement gummies category.
The popularity of gummies stems not only from their convenience and ease of use, but also from the pleasurable experience offered by a wide variety of flavors. Data from 2024 shows that strawberry flavor accounted for 23% of new women’s health gummies, making it the most popular flavor. Mixed berry and raspberry followed closely behind, each accounting for 11%. This combination of “nutrition and deliciousness” effectively lowers the barrier to entry for supplement use and improves consumer compliance.
Star Ingredient: Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is undoubtedly the most dazzling star among innovative botanical ingredients in women’s health dietary supplements. According to Innova’s global new product data, ashwagandha achieved a 28% compound annual growth rate between 2020 and 2024, demonstrating strong market potential. Ashwagandha’s popularity stems from its widely recognized adaptogenic properties. It is often combined with other botanical extracts to create complex “super formulas” that help improve mood, relieve stress, and enhance energy and focus. Innovative products on the market fully demonstrate the potential of ashwagandha.
Ashwagandha, a plant with a rich history, is capturing the attention of modern consumers with its unique health benefits. In particular, sales of ashwagandha supplements targeting women with menopause and men with prostate health have seen explosive growth, increasing by 1890.3% and 348.7%, respectively. Furthermore, sales of ashwagandha supplements in areas such as sleep support, immune health, energy support, cognitive health, and weight loss have shown distinct trends.
The roots and leaves of Ashwagandha are rich in alkaloids, saponins, withanolides, as well as iron, zinc, vitamin C and other active ingredients, which can improve a variety of health problems such as arthritis, asthma, goiter, ulcers, anxiety, insomnia and neurological diseases. These effects are derived from its adaptogenic properties, which can enhance the body’s “non-specific” resistance to various stressors. For example, jiabeikang ashwagandha gummies. It can reduce stress, boost energy, and enhance immunity.
The main consumer groups of female dietary supplements have the following characteristics:
- Age group: The main audience is between 25 and 40 years old, and women in this age group account for about 80% of the total consumer group.
- Income level: The main income distribution of the audience group is between 7,000 and 19,999 yuan, and the number of people in this income range accounts for about 70%.
- Professional background: Due to the high work pressure of employees, the workplace is less inclusive of women, and the main target audience is corporate employees.
- Marital and fertility status: Married people with children account for 74.5% of the consumer group.
- Geographical distribution: Consumer groups are mainly concentrated in first-tier and second-tier cities.
- Consumption motivation: When female consumers purchase nutritious and healthy foods, they primarily consider whether the products can enhance immunity and meet daily health needs. At the same time, their attention to beauty and body maintenance is also increasing.
- Purchase considerations: When purchasing, female consumers will consider the efficacy and quality safety of the product, while also paying attention to the product’s ingredients, reputation, and raw materials.
- Purchase frequency and spending: About 60% of consumers purchase once a quarter, or four times a year. The spending on a single purchase is mostly between 101 and 300 yuan, with an average spending of about 75 yuan.
- Product ingredient focus: Probiotics, vitamins, proteins, minerals, collagen, etc. are the nutritional and health ingredients that female consumers are concerned about.
In the women’s health supplement market, some of the ingredients consumers are most concerned about include:
- Probiotics: Probiotics help maintain gut health, improve digestion, and have a positive impact on overall health.
- Vitamins: Various vitamins (such as vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin D, etc.) play an important role in enhancing immunity, promoting skin health and bone health. Products like vitamin c tablets is popular in the world.
- Protein: Protein is an important building block of the body, aiding in muscle repair and growth, and is fundamental to many physiological functions.
- Minerals: Minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc are essential for maintaining bone health, blood health, and metabolic function.
- Collagen: Collagen helps maintain skin elasticity and structure and is an anti-aging ingredient many women seek out. like collagen peptides powder.
- Trace elements: Trace elements such as selenium and copper play a key role in antioxidant and cell function.
- Antioxidants: Antioxidants such as green tea extract and grape seed extract help fight free radicals and protect the body from damage caused by oxidative stress.
- Ingredients with both medicinal and edible properties: Some ingredients that have traditionally been used as both food and medicine, such as wolfberry and red dates, have attracted attention due to their traditional health benefits.
- Phytoestrogens： such as soy isoflavones, are believed to have specific benefits for women’s health, especially during menopause.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Good for heart health and brain function, commonly found in fish and certain plant seeds.
Summary
As women’s status, income, and self-awareness rise, their consumption patterns are also changing at different stages of life. Health has become an essential part of women’s lives, and health supplements are one of the primary ways they improve their well-being. Brands need to pay closer attention to the needs of female consumers, offering diverse, high-quality products. They should also strengthen their online marketing strategies, leveraging social media and content marketing to attract female consumers. The rise of the women’s nutritional and health food market not only reflects women’s pursuit of health and beauty, but also heralds the segmentation and personalization of the health food market. Brands and companies need to keep pace with market trends and continuously innovate to meet the growing needs of female consumers.
