“How Are You Feeling?”

by Joy Choquette | November 1, 2023

An inside look at the mood support market, trends and key ingredients now.

It’s no surprise to many that the last few years have resulted in a lot of stress, anxiety, and mental wellness issues. One good thing to come out of the pandemic, as noted in the media, is an increased awareness of mental health. Counseling, journaling, exercise, healthy eating, relaxation—all are important keys to a better mood for most.

Sometimes though, a little something extra is needed to promote a good mood in the face of ongoing stress and strife. That’s where natural health supplements come in. These products, intended to offer good mood support, may help individuals find relief from mental health issues or just a lingering negative mindset.

What’s trending now in mood support products and what is consumer confidence like in this market? Are there key ingredients, studies, or research shedding light on which supplements might work best for most individuals? Who is buying these products and how are retailers reaching these customers most effectively?

Trending in Mood Support Products

Claire Barnes is the senior technical advisor at Florida-based Bio-Kult and an MBANT registered nutritionist. Barnes noted that consumer interest in mood support products is continuing to grow and being proactive about their mental health is a high priority for many people now. “In particular, functional food and drink, which fit with people’s lifestyles are becoming more popular. Consumers also have more choice in delivery format, whether it be capsules, gummies, drinks, yogurts or shots,” said Barnes.

Roy Krebs is the founder and CEO of Natural Stacks, a manufacturer based out of Washington. Krebs stated he’s noticed a wave of specificity in the mood support arena. “The biggest trend now is that mood support products are becoming more targeted,” he said. “Not only targeting different sex and age groups but also targeting different aspects of mood to meet consumers’ personalized needs.”

Neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and GABA are responsible for completely different mood states, explained Krebs. “At Natural Stacks, we take it [specificity] a step further by targeting specific neurotransmitters, with products such as ‘Dopamine Brain Food’ and ‘Serotonin Brain Food.’” This approach, said Krebs, is because there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to mental health.

“There are some more generic mood products in the market with ingredients that activate multiple neurotransmitters all at the same time,” Krebs explained. “But these products won’t work the same for everyone.”

At OmneDiem, a Michigan-based manufacturer, Tim Prince is the chief sales executive. One of the biggest trends the company has noticed in recent months is the growing awareness of mental health issues. This, he said, is resulting in more online searches and in-store visits for products that may support one’s mood. “We continue to see growth in many of the mood support ingredients like omega-3 fatty acids, S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine, ashwagandha, B vitamins, vitamin D and others,” said Prince. “Brands are continuing to develop multi-modal products,” that is to say, products with multiple ingredients with various methods of action he explained. This is beneficial “to cater to savvy consumers looking for new and unique formulations to help support their emotional health.” Additionally, Prince noted, “Another trend that hasn’t lost any steam is the search for plant-based, vegan-friendly options.”

Keirstyn Johnson is the manager of a retailer in Idaho, Vig’s Health Food & Discount Supplements. She noted a growing interest in the delivery formats of products intended to support mood. “The desire for chewables and gummies in this category,” Johnson noted, is something that she’s seeing more of. Additionally, Johnson explained, “It seems like the younger generation needs mood support quite a bit. This includes children as well as teenagers and very young adults.”

What’s Consumer Confidence Like in the Mood Support Market?

Prince noted that the post-pandemic work-from-home lifestyle may be contributing to the desire for more mood-boosting supplements. “Many consumers continue to opt to work from home because it is convenient, and many feel they are more productive. However, lack of in-person interaction can leave people feeling isolated and have a negative impact on mood,” said Prince. “As a result, consumers are looking more toward supplements for support. Online sales continue to lead the way, followed by specialty brick-and-mortar stores with trained floor staff offering individualized customer experiences in pursuit.”

The increased demand makes sense considering statistics. “According to the World Health Organization (WHO), during the year 2020, global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25 percent,” noted Barnes. This means that mood support supplements have experienced accelerated growth since the onset of the pandemic, particularly in the U.S., she said.

Still, there are responsibility needs on the side of retailers, Krebs said. “Consumer confidence in mood support supplements may dwindle if retailers don’t offer a thoughtful assortment of mood products with a focus on efficacy,” he noted. “The continued downward pressure on price points blinds retailers to great potential products that would drive incremental sales for their stores. Consumers want to feel noticeable results and are willing to pay more for products that work.”

While there are considerably more mood products now than three years ago, Krebs explained, there is still a lot of opportunity to capture demand. “The mood category is in need of more innovation and formulas with better effectiveness,” he said.

Mood Support Products: Who’s Buying?

When it comes to this market, who is the most likely customer? Women are the biggest purchasers of natural mood support products, said Barnes. This in part is due to different life stages, hormone changes and menstrual cycles. Additionally, she noted that talking about mental health in recent years has really opened the doors in both women and men discussing these issues. “Therefore, whilst mood products have typically appealed to women, keep in mind that we may see an increasing number of male consumers in the mood supplement market,” Barnes said.

Krebs agreed, stating that women, particularly in the 45-to-65-year range are most likely to purchase mood support products. The demographics though, are starting to skew younger. “Younger buyers are taking their mental health seriously and are more open to experimenting with new solutions,” said Krebs.

“The mental health of young people was particularly badly hit during the pandemic,” noted Barnes. “We also know that younger consumers are also more proactive in seeking support for their mental well-being and often search for natural supplements for support.”

Another segment of the population that reaches for mood support products are individuals with chronic health issues like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or autoimmune conditions. This population has a higher risk of depression and may seek out products to support mood health, said Barnes.

Retailers: How to Talk About Mood Support With Customers

Prince recognized that discussing mood support products with customers can be a challenge. “Like with any discussion retailers have with their customers, talking about mood support products must be managed according to our industry guidelines,” he noted. “Before starting any supplement regimen for mood, customers should first talk to a health care provider or mental health expert to determine the best plan.

“From there, helpful questions to ask a customer might be: are they proactively working to balance their mood with regular exercise, good nutrition, proper sleep and being social? Did their health care provider identify any nutritional deficiencies or other issues that may be helped by mood-supporting supplementation?” With so many internal and external factors impacting mood, Prince noted, it’s critical to understand the customer’s needs, have a sound understanding of each supplement’s benefits, and avoid limiting their options.

Barnes agreed, stating that most individuals are more open now to discussing mental health and well-being. They are also proactively looking for mood support products. “Many are also taking a more holistic approach to their health, looking at the health of their whole body as opposed to one particular area and are making the links between their symptoms. For example, when looking at depression, stress or anxiety, other symptoms such as gastrointestinal symptoms and skin conditions are often accompanied,” said Barnes.

What Key Ingredients Are Individuals Looking For?

“Discussing the link between the gut and the mind, via the microbiome-gut-brain axis can be an interesting and inciteful way to explain how supporting the gut microbiome can also support brain health,” Barnes noted. “Choosing a combination supplement, such as probiotics with additional vitamins and minerals, may have a synergistic effect in the body and help support a number of symptoms, such as anxiety and depression alongside other symptoms such as gastrointestinal issues,” she explained.

At Vig’s Health Food & Discount Supplements, Johnson stated that a lot of customers come in looking for similar ingredients. “When it comes to mood-boosting supplements, many of my customers are seeking out adaptogens like ashwagandha, and saffron,” she noted. “They want quick results, and typically choose products that work the same day over traditional supplements that take time to work, like 5-HTP.”

There is another key ingredient many individuals seek out for mood support, one that Johnson hadn’t expected. “It is surprising the amount of people that have been seeking out mushroom products for mood regulation,” she noted. This isn’t an ingredient most people associate with mood regulation to her knowledge.

Studies & New Findings in the Mood Support Market

Studies on magnesium are hopeful in the mood support arena, stated Krebs. “The studies on magnesium L-threonate are truly amazing, showing how important magnesium is to brain health,” he noted. “Stress can deplete magnesium levels in the body, and a magnesium deficiency can also increase stress. Magnesium L-threonate has the potential to improve mood because it provides the brain with magnesium which is a necessary cofactor in natural serotonin production,” Krebs stated.6

At Bio-Kult, Barnes said she’s excited about a study published this year in JAMA Psychiatry. A trial consisting of 49 adults with major depressive disorder were given Bio-Kult 14-strain probiotic supplements or a placebo, stated Barnes, along with their standard of care antidepressant. “Over the course of eight weeks, both groups showed a positive effect, but greater positive results were seen in the Bio-Kult group from week four onwards,” Barnes noted. “At week four, anxiety scores reduced by 26 percent in the probiotic group and 9 percent in the placebo group. By week eight, Barnes said, depression scores were reduced by 33 percent in the probiotic group compared to 19 percent in the placebo group. Barnes added that the results of the study were “extremely exciting” and built on previous studies. “[They] . . . provide an incredibly promising data set showing the beneficial role of the gut microbiome in emotional well-being.”

With more interest in and discussion around mental health and well-being, the mood support market is likely to continue to experience steady growth. Each business involved—from manufacturer to social media influencer—plays an important role in the trajectory of mood support products. VR

References:

COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25 percent increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide (accessed Sept 13, 2023).

NIMH » Chronic Illness and Mental Health: Recognizing and Treating Depression. www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/chronic-illness-mental-health (accessed Sept 14, 2023).

Magnesium-deficient diet alters depression- and anxiety-related behavior in mice–influence of desipramine and Hypericum perforatum extract. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15567428/ (accessed Sept 26, 2023).