Healthy Aging: The State of the Market in 2025

by Mike Straus | January 2, 2025

Healthy aging ingredients are on the rise, with Future Market Insights predicting the demand for healthy aging supplements will grow by 5.9 percent per year through to 2034, peaking at an annual global value of $2.16 billion.1 Aging consumers are increasingly looking for natural remedies for a variety of health challenges, from cognitive health, to pain relief, to bone and joint maintenance, to vision health and more. As the healthy aging market grows, expect emerging formulations to incorporate clinically proven ingredients that make it easy for retailers to promote effective remedies. Here’s what retailers should know about the healthy aging market in 2025.

Pain Relief Products Expand

The healthy aging market remains strong, said Cheryl Myers, chief of scientific affairs and education at EuroPharma (Green Bay, WI). Myers explained that consumers’ concept of aging has changed; many people want to remain mentally sharp and physically active well into their retirement years, which is driving consumers to seek out natural solutions for a variety of applications.

“There’s an increasing awareness of the potentially harmful side effects of common prescription and over-the-counter drugs,” Myers noted. “These concerns may have been brushed aside at one time, but understandably, many people are turning to clinically validated supplemental ingredients as an effective alternative.”

Myers said that curcumin and turmeric supplements are trending upward, especially for pain relief. Despite this popularity—or perhaps because of it—she said that there remains a significant amount of confusion among consumers over which one is the right choice.

“Curcumin comes from turmeric, so anyone familiar with turmeric as a spice would be tempted to think that powdered turmeric will be enough to stop pain,” Myers explained. “Of course, it’s curcumin—as long as it’s readily absorbed—that delivers the results for pain relief and stopping systemic inflammation.”

EuroPharma has recently introduced its branded CuraMed Acute Pain Relief supplement, which includes BCM-95 brand curcumin. BCM-95 is the most clinically studied enhanced bioavailable curcumin on the market, Myers explained; the formulation also incorporates BOS-10 brand boswellia and black sesame seed oil, which acts as an emulsifier and enables the formulation to exist as an easy-to-swallow soft gel. Myers noted that black sesame seed oil has been traditionally used in ayurvedic medicine for aid in dispersing fat-soluble ingredients; it also has anti-inflammatory properties of its own.

“In one clinical study, curcumin, boswellia and black sesame seed oil emulsified using this special process matched acetaminophen in reducing pain intensity and magnitude,” Myers said. “There was perceptible pain relief in just one hour, and it held steady all the way through the seven-day study. Additionally, this botanical combination was 8.5 times better than acetaminophen at reducing the emotional distress associated with pain.”

EuroPharma’s BCM-95 curcumin combines curcumin with turmeric essential oil to boost absorption by up to 700 percent relative to standardized curcumin extracts.

EuroPharma has also recently introduced its branded PEA Healthy Inflammation Response, a combination supplement of palmitoylethanolamide and serratiopeptidase designed to relieve pain and support an active lifestyle.

“PEA is fairly common in food sources, and it can be synthetized in the body from palmitic acid found in meats, cheeses and butter,” Myers noted. “PEA has endocannabinoid-like actions in the body, and as a result, is an effective anti-inflammatory.”

Myers said that in one case, a clinical study on subjects with TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorders) found that PEA relieved pain and relaxed muscles more effectively than ibuprofen. Another clinical study determined that PEA reduces neuropathy pain by 50 percent in just one week.

Meanwhile, serratiopeptidase has been found to have anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties of its own.

“Serratiopeptidase binds to COX-2 and suppresses the release of inflammatory prostaglandins and interleukins,” Myers explained. “This nutrient is a perfect choice for anyone with an active lifestyle or a physically demanding job, because in addition to reducing inflammation, it helps injuries heal faster. The enzyme travels to the site of the wound and, because of its proteolytic activity, dissolves dead tissue to improve circulation.”

A variety of other pain relief products are trending among seniors. Collette Kakuk, chief commercial & strategic officer at Nutrex Hawaii (Kailua-Kona, HI), said one key emerging ingredient, astaxanthin, has shown a variety of benefits for older adults.

“Astaxanthin is widely recognized as nature’s most powerful antioxidant,” Kakuk noted. “It’s in high demand for healthy aging. As an antioxidant, BioAstin Hawaiian Astaxanthin is 6,000 times more powerful than vitamin C and 800 times stronger than CoQ10.”

One 2021 animal study examined the effects of astaxanthin administration on neuropathic pain in mice who had undergone ligation of the right L5 spinal nerve. Pain behaviors were evaluated before surgery and on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14 and 28; the mice were treated with either 5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg astaxanthin beginning on day five post-surgery. This study found that astaxanthin administration resulted in reduced pain-expression behaviors among the mice, including attenuated paw withdrawal frequency and prolonged paw withdrawal latency relative to the control group. After seven days of treatment, the researchers evaluated cytokine expression and found that astaxanthin administration significantly inhibited the expression of cytokines. The results of this study suggest that astaxanthin reduces pain and inflammation.2

Bone and Joint Health Ingredients Diversify

Bone and joint health ingredients for aging consumers are seeing significant development activity. Emerging supplements like Joint Vibrance by Vibrant Health and Codeage’s Multi Collagen Joint Health Capsules are combining collagen’s proven bone and joint health benefits with ingredients like bone broth and chondroitin to promote joint flexibility and comfort.

Jodi Schneider, national educator for Vibrant Health (Shelton, CT), said the advancement of the healthy aging category means healthy aging isn’t just for seniors anymore. Skeletal and muscular health foster physical, metabolic and emotional well-being throughout the lifespan as consumers age, Schneider explained.

“The advancement of this category makes people realize that it is never too soon to focus on healthy aging,” Schneider said. “(It’s important for retailers to understand) the clinical research behind ingredients and their role in healthy aging. Educate customers on how to choose a quality supplement and how to read a label.”

In addition to traditional ingredients like chondroitin, brands are also introducing newer ingredients like NAD+ boosters, polyphenols and resveratrol. Agustin Quancard, founder of Codeage in Boca Raton, FL, said that advancements in nutritional science have led to the development of innovative new formulations targeting age-related concerns like joint health.

“Codeage’s Multi Collagen Joint Health Capsules and Liposomal NAD+ supplements align with these market trends by offering natural solutions designed to support healthy aging,” Quancard said. “The Multi Collagen Joint Health Capsules provide a blend of collagen types aimed at promoting joint flexibility and comfort, addressing common age-related issues.”

Quancard said that collagen peptides are also increasingly popular with consumers, as collagen supports healthy aging. Codeage’s Multi Collagen Peptides Powder Platinum features five types of hydrolyzed collagen peptides, as well as a mix of biotin, keratin, vitamins B6 and C, hyaluronic acid and 18 amino acids to provide joint health support.

Quancard noted that it’s important for retailers to communicate the value of natural healthy aging products to consumers. He explained that retailers can educate customers through a variety of means, including educational marketing like blog posts and webinars, personalized recommendations through online quizzes, and influencer partnerships with trusted wellness professionals.

Vision Health Takes Priority

Vision health is a rapidly growing segment of the healthy aging category, with vision-oriented conditions driving a substantial interest in vision health supplements. Sevanti Mehta, president of the Unibar Corporation (Houston, TX), said that healthy aging supplement sales are expected to reach $900 million in 2025, and vision health is one of the leading conditions driving future market growth. Mehta lists age-related macular degeneration, computer vision syndrome and dry eye syndrome as some of the leading eye-related conditions driving interest in eye health supplements.

“Current dietary solutions, such as lutein, are very effective at helping address concerns related to AMD,” Mehta explained. “However, the market is lacking a complete solution that addresses the needs of the modern consumer. A newly discovered clinically studied carotenoid, capsanthin, is looking to change that. Capsanthin has been shown in several published studies to alleviate dry eyes, improve macular health, reduce intraocular pressure, combat eye strain, and protect against blue and white light.”

Mehta said there are a variety of emerging ingredients that are trending for eye health. While traditional ingredients like multivitamins and omega-3s remain popular, there’s an increasing interest in ingredients such as CoQ10, DHEA, and eye-health supporting nutrients like vitamin A, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and capsanthin. Mehta noted that lesser-known eye health ingredients are gaining traction among consumers thanks to their multifunctional, holistic approach to eye health.

Unibar has partnered with Health Thru Nutrition to launch CapsiClear-branded capsanthin, a healthy aging eye-health ingredient. Standardized to 50 percent capsanthin, CapsiClear is the only patent-pending clinically studied ingredient for complete eye health support for all ages. In clinical trials, CapsiClear has been found to improve dry eyes, reduce eye fatigue, decrease intraocular pressure, protect against blue light, and boost visual performance.

Mehta explained that delivery formats within the vision health niche are evolving; there are significant new product launches featuring non-pill formats like gummies and gel packs.

“In addition to delivery format innovation, we are seeing a rise in healthy-aging natural products that support complementary health conditions like brain and vision health,” Mehta noted. “I also anticipate that ingredients like capsanthin will be formulated into women’s health supplements in the coming years, given that 61 percent of menopausal women are affected by dry eyes.”

Mehta said that retailers should look beyond the storefront to promote healthy aging supplements. Product discovery happens long before consumers enter the store. That’s why retailers should partner with influential dietitians, integrative doctors and other health condition experts to generate awareness and education around nutritional products.

Cognitive Health Supplements Are Trending

Older adults are keen to keep their minds sharp as they age, and this renewed emphasis on cognitive health has herbs like Ginkgo biloba and eleuthro seeing high sales. Jay Levy, director of sales for Wakunaga of America in Mission Viejo, CA, said that among the newer brain-specific ingredients in use today, phosphatidylserine has been recognized as an essential nutrient for promoting healthy nerve cell membranes and myelin.

“Studies show that supplementing with this trending ingredient helps users maintain short-term and long-term memory, and improves the ability to learn and recall information,” Levy explained. “It also helps to improve problem solving, language skills and the ability to communicate.”

Wakunaga has recently introduced a variety of brain health ingredients, including Brain Focus— a once-per-day Ginkgo biloba extract caplet—and Brain Memory, a combination of aged garlic extract, eleuthro and Ginkgo biloba.

The future of healthy aging supplements, Levy said, is in epigenetic supplements that address factors like telomere shortening, cellular senescence and oxidative damage. Levy explained that it’s these factors that contribute to not only overall aging, but also cognitive impairment.

Levy said that retailers can help customers better understand healthy aging supplements by providing well-researched information in the form of third-party articles, booklets, blog posts and other print and digital resources.

“These educational tools can help customers understand the often confusing, complicated and ever-expanding science of aging and longevity,” he said. “It can also empower customers as they learn about the role that lifestyle and supplementation play in supporting good health at every age.”

Healthy aging products are rapidly gaining acceptance among older consumers, as an aging demographic seeks to recapture the benefits of youth. Emerging supplements in this niche are helping consumers to stay pain-free, energized and mentally sharp well into old age. As the seniors’ market grows, retailers can capitalize on increasing demand for healthy aging products by offering ingredients with proven clinical efficacy.VR

References:

1 Future Market Insights. “Healthy aging supplement market outlook from 2024 to 2034.” Published online April 2024.

2 Zhao L et al. “Astaxanthin alleviates neuropathic pain by inhibiting MAPKs and NF-κB pathways.” European Journal of Pharmacology, vol. 912 (December 2021): 174575.