Moving towards personalisation is a challenge for professionals in the field of food supplements. In 2024, consumers want to live healthier lives and are turning to self-care and supplements tailored to their specific needs. At the same time, rapidly developing technology is revolutionising the nutraceuticals industry as it is other sectors, speeding up product development by taking it a step further towards personalised solutions.

Personalisation, or how to create a unique and distinctive user-experience

According to a Grand View Research analysis report (1), the main consumers of food supplements are adults, pregnant women, children and the geriatric population, and by 2030 it is supplements for newborn babies that are expected to experience the strongest growth, with an increase of almost 14%. 

It is estimated, for example, that liquid supplements for children will grow by 13.2% between 2024 and 2030. Factors such as growing awareness of the importance of nutrition for children's development, and the ease of use of these supplements (drinks, dilutable syrups, etc.) are driving growth in this segment.

The children's health market has great potential, with €117m in sales and a highly focused offer from five suppliers representing 2/3 of the market (2). These new products, with their  galenic formulations and attractive formats, focus on sleep, child development and allergy prevention.

  

In addition, manufacturers and industrials are continuing to strengthen their positions in the supplements market for seniors and athletes, with product launches tailored to the specific needs of these categories. For the first time: Nutrients that are easier to ingest and digest with vitamin D, calcium for bones and joints, vitamin B12 for the nervous system, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants for cognitive function and collagen for skin and joints.

For the fast-growing sports nutrition segment, supplements target the fight against fatigue, performance optimisation, energy recovery and hydration (electrolytes, vitamins and minerals, macronutrients essential for physical activity and maintaining a normal metabolism).

In recent years, recognition of women's health issues has led to the development of a wide range of products specifically designed for women's symptoms at every stage of their lives (painful periods, endometriosis, maternity, menopause, PCOS, etc.). This booming market, with growth of +16% and €128 million, is concentrated on urinary comfort (35%), despite the emergence of numerous new categories: intimate comfort +60%, pre-menstrual syndrome +13%, menstrual comfort +10% (3).

Leading brands and products include: Cys Control-ARKOPHARMA, Feminabiane - PILEJE, Gynefam® – EFFIK, Ergyphilus - NUTERGIA, Gestarelle – BIOCODEX, Pranarom - PRANAROM, Urisanol - NATURACTIVE PIERRE FABRE, Manhae - HAVEA GROUP, Femannose - MELISANA PHARMA.

The Phenology brand has been designed ‘to give women personalised support during menopause, with a combination of diagnostics, daily supplements, rescue products and personalised lifestyle and nutrition recommendations‘ (4).

Advantages of personalised supplements

The solutions provided to consumers must offer significant advantages. In this respect, personalised products are more effective because compliance is made easier thanks to a practical galenic and/or format that is simple to use on a daily basis. Adjusting the dosage to suit individual needs is possible, particularly with ready-to-drink food supplements, which represent a relevant choice for personalised nutrition (5). Product choices are also simplified, as consumers are given recommendations that correspond as closely as possible to their body's needs and health objectives. The fact that these supplements are manufactured to order also makes them eco-responsible.

Use of data, platforms and AI for food supplements

As a result of advances in fields ranging from data use to biotechnology and genetics, it is now possible to create a health profile for each consumer. By analysing the sum total of this personal information, personalised products can be designed. There is also talk of hyper-personalisation, where research into specific genotypes or genomics can lead to the creation of an individual product with preventive aims, revolutionising medicine and our relationship with health.

Manufacturers and start-ups are all trying to grasp the impact of the AI revolution, and they agree on one point: the AI market in healthcare is set for at least double-digit growth every year (6). They offer a range of customised applications for consumers who want to take advantage of the latest technology.

• Skin360 ™ is a virtual skin analysis tool that identifies the skin's specific characteristics and offers product suggestions, advice as well as personalised key ingredients.
  
  
  
  
• In just a few clicks, the Epycure laboratory enables its customers to find the ideal cure to achieve their health goals and instantly create THE personalised routine.
  
  

• Cuure is also focusing on personalisation, with an online questionnaire that can be used to suggest a course of treatment tailored to the customer's needs, using daily sachets. 
  
  
  
  
• DSM Firmenich has created the Health from the Gut platform, to meet growing consumer demand for gut health. Based on a holistic approach to the human microbiome, the company is also developing clinically proven multi-ingredient products (7). 

• ‘Because no two people have the same nutritional needs, the trend towards science- and data-based nutritional solutions is accelerating. This personalised approach is crucial to sustainably improving people's nutrition and behaviours, transforming their health and wellbeing (8)'. Hologram Sciences, a company focused on health and AI (9), is committed to cutting-edge personalised nutrition solutions. Supported by DSM Firmenich, it incorporates the latest protocols and products based on groundbreaking technology (10) and provides a technological approach to consumers of wellness brands, in particular with its d.velop ™ immunity-boosting platform. 

The Nutri AI platform is defined as: ‘more than just a tool: a partner dedicated to your nutritional development’. Based on the information gathered via its profile, this technological innovation offers its customers, among other services, ‘intelligent nutritional monitoring’, where they can also benefit from analyses to fine-tune their diet, leading them towards a healthier lifestyle (11).

Using advanced algorithms to generate customised health recommendations has become commonplace via robotic applications. Based on personal data transmitted about eating habits, preferences and health goals, these robots also enable users to track their progress in real time.

Designing personalised supplementation programmes according to individual needs now seems within the reach of brands. However, apart from a medical background and the advice of professionals, AI raises a number of regulatory issues and precautions to be considered regarding potential health risks, the effectiveness of suggested solutions and consumer safety.

Consumers are reassured by the naturalness and botanical ingredients that are the growing trend in food supplements, as you will discover in our next article on the use of botanicals in supplementation.

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Sources :

(1) Dietary Supplements market size, share and trend analysis report, by ingredient, by format (tablets, capsules, soft gels, powders, gums, liquids, others), by end user, by application, by type, by distribution channel, by region, with sector forecast, 2024-2030
(2) & (3) Source : OpenHealth Company, The HUB – CL-OHC-PRJ-TOUS PRODUITS-PHARMA SMKT – November 2023
(4) https://myphenology.com/products/daily-balance
(5) Liquid food supplements market size, share and trend analysis report by ingredient (vitamins, botanicals, minerals, proteins & amino acids, omega fatty acids), application, end user, type, distribution channel, region and segment forecasts, 2024 – 2030 
(6) https://www.lesechos-etudes.fr/boutique/ia-sante-1436?category=1#attr=6056,6058 A Recent technological approaches and related concepts: LLM, NLP, ML, Computer Vision, Robotics, etc.
Key figures and major trends in AI in healthcare 
(7) https://www.dsm.com/human-nutrition/en/talking-nutrition/press-releases/2024-04-26-dsm-firmenich-to-unveil-humiome-b2-the-first-biotic-vitamin-powered-by-patented-microbiome-targeted-technology-at-vitafoods-2024.html

(8) & (9) https://www.hologramsciences.com/

(10) https://www.hologramsciences.com/offerings

(11) https://nutriai.app/