Male consumers are seeking targeted supplements to support their specific issues.
Men’s health issues are not spotlighted in the media as frequently as women’s health issues. Perhaps it’s because of many men’s reluctance to talk about their health concerns and a corresponding notion that men keep things bottled up inside. But men make up half of the population in this country, so it follows that there is a demand for information and education about conditions that predominantly affect them.
In fact, almost half of all dietary supplement users are men, points out Corinna Bellizzi, senior vice president sales and education with the Utah-based manufacturer, NutriGold. Bellizzi, citing from a 2015 CRN consumer survey on dietary supplements, said, “Though brands have traditionally targeted female shoppers first, men who supplement already surpass women in both multivitamin and sports nutrition product consumption. Men are increasingly looking for solutions that support their general health and fitness, heart, prostate and youthful vigor.”
Already strong, the supplements industry is growing in scope as it responds to male health concerns.
Men’s Health Concerns/Consumer Demand
At the top of the list for men’s health concerns are support for prostate health, heart health, energy and libido, reported retailer Ramona Billingslea, marketing manager for Betsy’s Health Foods in Texas. The store limits their men’s health products to those categories, which represents about 20 SKUs.
Still, she added, “More and more men are also interested in brain health and vitality, especially as overall, healthy-living awareness increases. They also want to know about trends like endocannabinoid support, metabolism, glucose support, vitality and healthy aging.”
Of course, men have many of the same concerns as women, particularly as they age, such as digestive health, cardiovascular health, cognitive health, joint support, pain management and even skin health.
“Supplements that target these concerns have rising success with men as they start to feel their old injuries and as their health professionals offer advice about watching their cholesterol levels or their blood pressure,” said Bellizzi.
Emily Crawford, CNHP, has been associated with the retail store Garner’s Natural Life in Columbia, SC for the past nine years. She said that men visit the store seeking products that address such concerns as inflammation or to help with energy levels.
And what they are seeking from a vitamin retailer can depend on where they are in life and can reflect their lifestyles.
“Men seeking out dietary supplements to improve their health or address a specific issue has grown exponentially over the last decade. Younger men are looking for ways to increase bulk and add muscle, middle-aged men look for focus and productivity supplements, and older men look for energy,” said HR Payne, chief sales and marketing officer for Quantum Nutrition Labs, a manufacturer based in Texas.
As noted, many of the concerns for men are the same as for women. However, some of those same concerns present themselves differently in men and women, said Jim Daily III, PhD, president and research director of Daily Manufacturing, Inc., headquartered in North Carolina.
“Obesity, for instance, is one of the major concerns for both genders but in men it will adversely affect testosterone levels and can lead to sexual dysfunction and further accelerate weight gain. Men are also susceptible to hair loss. Of course, enlarged prostate is a concern for most men as they age, and alleviating prostate problems is one of the most important issues unique to men,” said Daily.
Jery Cochern, owner and president of Pure Essence, a Nevada-based manufacturer, agreed that in addition to prostate and virility issues, men have similar health concerns as women, like blood sugar, gut health and weight management “Beyond these specifics, men are looking for general health and dietary support by using things multivitamins, minerals, green foods, protein powders, etc.,” he said.
Products of Interest
At Garner’s Natural Life, Crawford reported that she’s noticed a recent buying trend, with men interested in products to boost testosterone or support their prostate. In fact, she said, the store carries more than 25 products specifically for these purposes.
“We have had a lot of men begin to get interested in bulk herbs and the Irish sea moss and burdock root that has been very popular lately,” she said, noting that their bulk herb section consists of more than 50 herbs, and that customers are able to order products that they don’t carry in the store.
Besides those herbs, Crawford said that CBD has become extremely popular with men.
Nutrigold manufactures a variety of supplements that address specific health challenges common to both men and women. For men, the company’s bestselling men’s health product is Men’s One Daily Multi Gold and Men’s Multi Gold, followed closely by Maca Gold.
“The Multi Gold products do so well because they fill common nutritional gaps while providing nutrients sourced from organic and non-GMO (genetically modified organism) whole foods. They are 100 percent vegan, cruelty free and provide key nutrients in the most bio-available form including vegan vitamin D3 sourced from lichen, and 100 percent of the RDI (recommended daily intake) of vitamin K2 MK-7. This too when so many brands feature animal-sourced vitamin D3 and the less effective and FAR less expensive version of vitamin K, vitamin K1,” said Bellizzi.
Maca Gold comes in both capsule and ready-to-mix powder formulas. “Maca, native to the high Andes of Peru, has been an important traditional food and medicinal plant for over 2,000 years. Although maca is unrelated to the ginseng family, it has been dubbed ‘Peruvian ginseng’ because it is often used as a folk remedy to enhance stamina, energy and sexual function. Maca is naturally rich in polysaccharides, essential minerals—especially calcium, potassium, copper and iron—fatty acids, including linolenic acid, palmitic acid and oleic acid, and 19 amino acids,” she added.
Rainbow Light, a manufacturer based in Florida, offers a number of dietary supplements for men. The company’s bestselling men’s health product is its Men’s One Multivitamin. “It is a once daily, high potency multivitamin with a combination of 13 essential vitamins and nine minerals, as well as an organic super foods blend with fruits and vegetables. It does well because it is easy to use (one tablet daily), promotes energy and provides immune health support. It is also gluten free and vegetarian, which appeals to a broad range of consumers,” said Susan Piergoerge, MS, RD, LDN, nutrition education manager.
Another product in Rainbow Light’s line is Certified Men’s Multivitamin made with such organic fruits and vegetables as extracts from green tea leaves, hawthorn fruit and schisandra; an organic liver support blend with milk thistle seed extract, artichoke leaf extract, and ginger root extract. And the company’s Men’s Energy Multivitamin Gummies, in grab-and-go packets, are comprised of B vitamins to promote energy production as well as vitamins C and D for immune health defense.
Daily Manufacturing, in business for 40 years, has included men’s health products for at least 30 years. The company has always recognized that some health issues are gender-specific and that there is a need to meet the unique nutritional needs of both men and women.
Specific to men are Vitality for Men and ProstaMin, while Metabolic Factors and Easy-Flex are popular as well. “ProstaMin, which supplies nutritional support for prostate health, is our bestselling men’s health formula. It is a common problem with men, and the ingredients have a well established track record and solid research to support their efficacy and safety,” said Daily.
Daily added that saw palmetto has been used for many years for prostate health. “However, supply issues related to saw palmetto and the problem of low-quality saw palmetto has affected its popularity. Since the sterols in saw palmetto, especially beta-sitosterol, appear to be the main active ingredient, some manufacturers, including our company, have put increased emphasis on phytosterols from other sources, which can supply more of the beta-sitosterol and other sterols at a higher concentration and with fewer concerns about the identity and quality of saw palmetto.”
Quantum Nutrition Labs offers Quantum Men’s Potency and Quantum Testesterone. Payne said that the company’s bestselling Quantum Men’s Potency is “…formulated as a quantum-state, natural-source formula that can help promote men’s sexual desire and vitality while helping to maintain healthy testosterone levels already within normal ranges.”
One of the two “masterpiece” herbs that comprise this formula is tongkat ali, an aqueous extract made from the roots of Eurycoma longifolia. In addition to being used to support sexual desire and stamina, it has also been used to support healthy cortisol levels after endurance exercise.
The second herb is Testofen, a fenugreek extract. “Fenugreek seeds are a surprising botanical powerhouse, which naturally contain more than 100 different phytochemical constituents, such as furostanol saponins and steroidal saponins. Clinical research shows that Testofen supports healthy sexual desire and vitality and can also help reduce common symptoms of male andropause,” said Payne.
For the past 15 years, Pure Essence has been manufacturing a number of products that pertain to men’s health. These include a variety of multivitamin and mineral supplements, such as their bestseller, The One ‘n’ Only Men’s. “It sells well because men like the convenience of taking just one tablet daily without sacrificing the benefits they want,” said Cochern. The formula includes “ … energy rich super foods, like chlorella and spirulina; prostate supporting factors like beta sitosterol, nettles and pygeum; a combination of five immune supporting mushrooms; an herbal complex to support vitality and virility; and a 250:1 concentrate of fruit concentrates, that single tablet makes a difference that men will actually feel,” he added.
The Market
Some manufacturers agree that the market for men’s health products is strong and has the potential for significant growth.
“The natural products industry has been steadily growing over the years partly because consumers have become much more knowledgeable and health savvier, thanks to quick and easy research capabilities,” said Andreas Koch, marketing director with Pure Essence. He added that the men’s health category has grown steadily too, as men are embracing preventative care.
When it comes to supplements, he said that manufacturers have extended product lines to provide customized ingredients for men. “The days of “one-size-fits-all” supplements for men are losing shelf space to now formulas designed for only a man’s body,” he added.
Cochern predicted that the men’s health category, which already has grown dramatically in recent years, will grow even faster in years to come. “The key here is younger men, who tend to be more proactive about maintaining health through good lifestyle practices than previous generations. That’s always good news for supplements,” he said.
Despite the market upswing, both manufacturers and retailers face challenges in this space—a primary challenge can be traced directly to the intended consumer.
“One of the greatest hurdles for growth in the market is the personal nature of the unique health challenges of men, and the reluctance of men to discuss them. It is possible that this can be overcome through Internet marketing since the Internet provides an anonymous means of communication. It is also possible to focus more on some of the issues dealing with men’s health that they find easier to discuss,” said Daily.
He added that while there is at least a growing recognition that testosterone is linked to maintaining lean body mass and overall health of men, there are still concerns about the safety of testosterone replacement therapy, which remain an obstacle to its widespread use. “Accordingly, men may seek to use nutritional approaches that assist the body in its own production of testosterone,” said Daily.
Payne said that there is room for improvement in the natural products arena for men’s health. “There have been too many instances of adulterated, contaminated and mislabeled product. Quality and efficacy are the priorities when choosing your supplements. Consumers must do their homework on the companies that produce supplements and not just pick the lowest-priced or best looking bottle,” he added.
In-store Merchandising and Marketing Tips
Many manufacturers provide displays, shelf talkers, in-store demos and the like to assist retailers with sales.
Crawford said that at Garner’s Natural Life, they have a male-specific section of products and use days like Father’s Day to advertise them or hold a sale.
At Betsy’s Health Foods, the men’s health products that are targeted to support prostate, libido and testosterone are grouped together, while other product categories, like multivitamins for men, are in their own category placement throughout the store.
“Too often I see men’s health products, aside from multivitamins, relegated to the bottom shelf. I think it’s time that we feature men’s health products with more prominent placement in-store,” said Bellizzi. As an example, she said, “Libido products don’t need to be buried in a back corner—and if you’re nervous about calling out ‘libido’ on a tag, why not feature the more general terms, ‘energy,’ ‘stamina’ and ‘performance?’ That alone can help remove any stigma from talking about bedroom-related issues men sometimes face as they age. And as an added bonus, it helps your staff communicate in a DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994)-compliant fashion,” she said.
Billingslea agreed that some men are reluctant to talk about libido issues, particularly to a younger staff member. “In these cases, we try to make sure the staff member a customer would likely be most comfortable working with is the one who talks to the customer about any particular product questions,” she said.
Daily agreed that the reluctance of men to discuss such topics as low libido or urinary incontinence due to low testosterone is a significant barrier to those seeking nutritional support for these problems.
“We try to explain that these products do much more than address those more embarrassing issues; the same products may help maintain healthy skin and hair, help with maintaining lean body mass, improve athletic performance, and some research suggests that maintaining normal levels of sex hormones (both testosterone and estrogen) may help slow age-related cognitive decline,” said Daily.
For those that are inhibited from discussing these issues, Daily suggested, “Focus on the less personal aspects of these products and position them next to women’s health products. My experience suggests that women are more likely to buy them for the men in their lives than the men are to purchase them for themselves.”
Education
An educated customer is the best customer. Some men may walk into a store knowing exactly what he wants or is looking for, while others may be uncertain. Crawford said that they educate their customers on a one-on-one basis and use social media to help increase awareness and knowledge about conditions and corresponding products.
With today’s informed consumer, it is important to give them access to educational materials. Koch suggested that retailers should become a health resource center online and to build an A-Z health page on their websites. He also cautioned against stocking too many products that are too similar, which he said can “… result in confusion and paralyze the purchasing process.”
Prior to guiding customers to one product or another, Billingslea said that it is important to take a holistic view of the entire person. “When we aren’t feeling our complete best, there are usually several nutrient deficiencies contributing to our imbalances. We might ask questions about stress, diet and lifestyle, as well as whatever the customer has specifically asked about in order to best help our customers.”
“Keeping retailers educated on our products is one of our top goals. Monthly webinars, lunch and learns, phone trainings, in-store education and more are available to stores. We have point of sale literature that is well-researched and scientific, but easy to understand,” concluded Payne. VR
For More Information:
Daily Manufacturing, https://dailymfg.com
Nutrigold, https://nutrigold.com
Pure Essence, www.pureessencelabs.com
Quantum Nutrition Labs, https://qnlabs.com
Rainbow Light, www.rainbowlight.com
