Focus on Immune Support, Longevity and Functional Beverages Will Occupy Industry Leaders, Health Consumers in 2021
Need for ongoing education will drive efforts across nutritional supplement industry
Louisville, Colo. (December 3, 2020)—Perhaps like no other year, 2020 was the year when immune support became the laser focus of wellness advocates and consumers of all stripes. Media outlets provided hours of education on viruses, vaccines and how the immune system works. Meanwhile, wellness professionals developed new products aimed at supporting immune health, and consumers scrambled for any advice or products that could help them feel more secure in their health journey.
“As it should be, in 2021 we will see a focus on immune support continue as a trend,” said Christopher Shade, Ph.D., Founder & CEO of Quicksilver Scientific. “Ultimately, we feel this focus on immune health is for the better. Although it appears a vaccine for our current health crisis is right around the corner, fortifying your immune system through wellness practices makes one better prepared for immune challenges that may arise. Many of the products Quicksilver Scientific introduced this year are helping to change regimens with regard to immune support.
Dr. Shade said Quicksilver Scientific expects the industry focus on immune-supportive products to remain at least through the first half of 2021 and possibly beyond. In addition, the Quicksilver team identified the following trends in health, wellness and nutrition supplements that will impact the industry in the coming year.
Longevity’s moment arrives
As a product category and focus of attention, longevity has long been simmering on the back burner. Multiple studies on different areas of longevity and how it is supported have resulted in targeted products, as well as increased consumer attention. But 2021 will see the pieces come together as never before to create longevity as a product category and as an actual discipline. Look for new products that connect the dots of different approaches and an increased effort to link the various scientific and nutritional influences that impact longevity.
“Longevity is such a huge, complex and interconnected subject that reaching both professional wellness and nutrition practitioners as well as the general public will take an enormous educational effort,” Dr. Shade said. “Living longer is of such intense interest as we learn more and consumers discover all that is possible. People not only want to live longer; they also want to have a better quality of life while doing so. That’s where this focus on longevity will lead.”
Beverages move to the front of the line
Grand visions of growth in functional beverages have existed for nearly a decade and have yet to be fully realized. Problems with inconsistent formulations, difficulties incorporating ingredients and lackluster sales have plagued the category. The key to success, manufacturers have discovered, is the emulsification method used to infuse ingredients into beverages. 2021 may be the year that changes the equation. Quicksilver Scientific announced a partnership in June with Canada’s Truss Beverage to power its expanding line of cannabinoid-infused beverages. By November, Quicksilver’s nanoemulsion technology became the lynchpin behind the formulations of all five Truss cannabis beverage brands. The Quicksilver Scientific Delivery Systems® enable cannabis beverage manufacturers to remove the worry of overconsumption, creating a predictable experience closer to what consumers encounter with alcoholic beverages. It provides similar benefits with other ingredients enabling a more consistent delivery and bioavailability.
“We see beverages becoming a stronger category across the board, for a variety of reasons,” Dr. Shade said. “There is more and more interest in cannabinoid beverages, and consumers continue to move away from sugar-based, high-calorie drinks. We’re looking forward to a lot of interesting developments in beverages this coming year.”
Need for education goes on … and on
It is often said that every answer begs three new questions, and that has never been more accurate than in the nutrition and supplement industry. The more we learn, the more we discover there is more to be learned. It is why educating practitioners, consumers, media audiences and policymakers has always been and will continue to be a strong need and focus of the industry in 2021.
“As a whole, the industry can be a mixed bag of information,” Dr. Shade said. “As scientists, we can sometimes get too far into the weeds for some consumers, but it is important to talk about the science behind products. However, an even greater need is clearly explaining some of the key foundational elements of basic health, about minerals, nutrients and other elements that are really the keys behind everything we do. Informed consumers make better decisions, and they typically make more purchases and use more products because they feel more confident. The more we can educate our key constituencies, the better it is for the industry.”
For more information or to schedule an interview with Ahbe, please contact Shawna McGregor at 917-971-7852 or [email protected].
Quicksilver Scientific®: Powering Natural Health
Quicksilver Scientific, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of nutritional supplements featuring proprietary enhanced delivery systems. The company’s advanced liposomal supplements are highly bioavailable and support vital health functions from absorption of essential vitamins to the elimination of ubiquitous toxins, enabling consumers to achieve their genetic potential. Located in Louisville, Colo., Quicksilver Scientific, Inc. is #652 on the 2019 Inc. 5000, ranking #3 among Boulder metro companies. For more information, visit www.quicksilverscientific.com. Shop our products. Learn more about our science on YouTube. Continue the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
