At the 45th Natural Products Expo West, Jeffrey Bland, PhD, founder of Big Bold Health and a pioneer in functional medicine, reflected on more than four decades of progress in the natural products industry and where it’s headed next.

A trained nutritional biochemist, Bland has long advocated for elevating the role of nutrition science in standard medical practice. He believes the industry is entering a pivotal phase defined by clinical validation, measurable outcomes, and personalized health strategies.

Over his 30-year career, Bland has contributed to hundreds of clinical studies and helped develop numerous products grounded in measurable outcomes. Key to this process, he noted, is identifying meaningful biomarkers that can demonstrate how nutritional interventions impact the body.

That scientific focus will culminate in an 850-person, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of Tartary buckwheat sprouts on immune aging and longevity, Bland said. Expected to conclude in mid-2026, the study aims to provide robust human data on how targeted nutrition can influence immune resilience, an area Bland believes is central to reducing chronic disease risk and supporting healthy aging.

Looking ahead, Bland believes the industry must move beyond unsupported claims toward demonstrable clinical value. For Big Bold Health, that means continuing to invest in rigorous research and applying those findings to both product development and consumer education.

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At Natural Products Expo West 2026, Scott Dicker, senior director of market insights at SPINS, discussed dietary supplement industry trends, highlighting strong growth in both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce, with the natural products channel posting the strongest in-store growth. At the same time, Amazon remains the fastest-growing channel overall.

Unit sales in natural retail are rising even faster than dollar sales in many categories, a positive signal for long-term category health.

Active and Performance Nutrition

The active nutrition segment has now led supplement category growth for five consecutive years, Dicker noted, with protein products appealing to a broad range of consumers.

Creatine stands out as one of the category’s most notable success stories, and Dicker expects momentum to continue. Historically associated with male gym-goers seeking muscle gains, creatine is now reaching a broader audience, including women. New delivery formats such as gummies and beverages are emerging, and additional indications like cognitive health are offering new directions for brands.

As competition intensifies within the creatine market, brands are exploring new ways to differentiate. Dicker pointed to premium positioning strategies, including sourcing claims and certification labels, as well as formulation innovations. Common ingredient pairings, such as creatine with protein, collagen, colostrum, or HMB, are becoming more common, while alternative forms could re-emerge as companies look for new ways to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Beyond creatine, Dicker highlighted several important trends in performance nutrition. Hydration supplements continue to grow rapidly, even as traditional ready-to-drink sports beverages flatten. The category offers a tale of two nutrients, he noted. Low- and no-sugar formulations remain on trend, along with high-sodium recovery products, which reflects a shift in perception from a once-vilified ingredient to a functional nutrient.

Energy and pre-workout products are also evolving. Brands are experimenting with different caffeine levels and stimulant strategies to target specific usage occasions throughout the day. Some products are reducing caffeine levels to create more moderate options, while others are exploring alternatives such as paraxanthine. At the same time, brands are layering additional functional ingredients, such as nootropics or protein, to differentiate formulations.

Hormone Health

Looking ahead, Dicker said one of the biggest emerging themes for the supplement industry will be testosterone and hormone-related health. The growing use of GLP-1 medications and other medical wellness treatments has increased consumer comfort with pharmaceutical interventions and medicalized wellness approaches. As a result, interest in hormone optimization, including testosterone therapy, is rising.

This shift could create opportunities for both companion products designed to support people using hormone therapies and natural alternatives aimed at supporting healthy testosterone levels. Nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, and boron may see renewed attention as consumers explore different ways to manage hormone health.

Overall, Dicker suggested the supplement market remains dynamic, with strong growth fueled by evolving consumer demographics, new functional benefits, and ongoing innovation in ingredients and delivery formats.

In this podcast, Mary Phillips, Sales Director at Indena USA, discusses an evolving healthy aging market that’s shifting focus from living longer to living better. She explains how consumers are embracing a more informed, proactive approach to longevity, focusing on cellular health, energy metabolism, and emotional resilience alongside physical performance.

Indena’s portfolio of clinically backed ingredients includes Quercefit (quercetin phytosome), Meriva (curcumin phytosome), Ubiqsome (CoQ10 phytosome), and Enovita (grape seed extract), which can support multiple hallmarks of aging such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function.

Phillips also highlights the growing scientific understanding of “cellular crosstalk,” where nutrition influences key biological pathways tied to longevity. Her advice to formulators: lead with science, prioritize bioavailability, and communicate authentically.