The XX Factor

by Lisa Schofield | March 1, 2025

What’s going on in the women’s supplement market? Turns out, quite a bit.

The famous question, “What do women want?” can largely be answered as “good health, love and happiness.”

While retailers can’t help their women customers with the last two, they sure could help fulfill the first desire. And the good news is that it’s easier now than ever to guide women to elevated health and well-being.

Sales in the category prove this. Market data from Grand View Research, the women’s health segment was the dominant supplement category in 2022, with a 68.4 percent revenue share. Further, the global women’s health and beauty supplements market reached $53.4 billion in 2022.

A 2024 report from Global Market Insights finds that the global market size of the women’s health supplement market reached $41.4 billion in 2023 and is set to experience a CAGR of 5.6 percent through 2032. The report’s authors write, “The expansion of the elderly female population has propelled the market. Along with age, health considerations, such as bone health, hormonal balance, and overall well-being, escalate to increased demand for supplements tailored to meet health needs. For instance, research indicated that hormonal imbalance is prevalent among females, with approximately 80 percent experiencing it during their lifetime, often beginning during reproductive age.”

Carl Germano, CNS, CDN, vice president of Verdant Nature, New York Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist, “the dietary supplement market for women’s health in 2025 is experiencing exciting developments and growth. Women’s health supplements are projected to reach $66.5 billion by 2032, according to Global Market Insights.”

Women of all ages and life stages appear to be not only knowledgeable about their health, and supplements, but are also keen on more specificity as told by their health care practitioners.

According to retailer Rosanne Reinartz, general manager/co-owner, Wayne & Mary’s Nutrition Centers, Sioux Falls, SD, women are looking for products that are clearly labeled for what they need, and they are increasingly working with natural health practitioners who recommend products specifically for them.

In other words, just a “multi for women” may not be brought to the cash register, but a multi with fertility-support will be. As she explained, “Women across the generations are well-informed and looking for both quality and results, so finding products they can trust is important to them—more so than simply brand name.”

She added that currently, ingredients that are getting a lot of attention among women customers include general hormone supporters like DIM and vitex, adaptogens like rhodiola, ashwagandha, stress and sleep-focused products like L-theanine, GABA and reishi. Women are also interested in overall health support with specific multivitamins, omega-3s and probiotics to support their short- and long-term health.

Women Thrive in 2025

This year will be marked by a growing optimism and more buzz and activity in the women’s health market. “The landscape of women’s health is finally catching up with the realities of our lives, and 2025 feels like a pivotal moment,” said Marina Pen, co-founder, New York-based NNABI.

Further, she noted, “technology is amplifying the natural wellness space.” Examples include wearable products with symptom trackers, at-home hormone tests and education platforms. Personal health tech is “bridging the gap between knowledge and action, helping women make informed decisions about their health. It’s an exciting time to see holistic solutions embraced not just as a trend, but as the future of women’s health.”

Emma Heming Willis, co-founder of Make Time Wellness, California, said she sees extraordinary opportunity in this sector, expressing, “2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for women’s health. I’m most excited about the growing movement around women’s brain health as an essential component of overall well-being.”

She elaborated that there’s a deeper focus on making time to address the unique cognitive-support needs of women, an area of women’s health that has often been overlooked in younger or middle-aged women. “We’re seeing advancements in research, increased transparency in product formulations, and more innovative solutions that cater to women’s health specifically their brain, body and beauty in that order. It’s inspiring to see the industry embrace the idea that empowering women starts with prioritizing our brains which is our most important asset,” she commented.

Marilyn Austin, CEO and co-founder, Hempress Hygienics, Texas, asserted that she is “thrilled about the incredible innovations happening in natural women’s health support for 2025. The growing number of new entrants and resources in the space means women now have more options than ever; this is essential, as we know health is not one-size-fits-all.”

Germano noted several developments and trends emerging strongly this year. Personalized supplements tailored to individual needs are gaining significant traction, and these include DNA-based supplements for more precise solutions, and subscription-based personalized supplement plans. Other areas of growth are in hormonal health and PCOS (polycystic ovory syndrome) support (e.g., urolithin A, ellagic acid, myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol), GLP-1 optimizers e.g., berberine, tributyrin and thymoquinone), and nutricosmetics (e.g., astaxanthin, collagen, biotin, hyaluronic acid and urolithin A).

One area that has swiftly become prominent for supplement brands is the link between the microbiome and women’s health, Germano emphasized. “Emerging research indicates that women’s microbiomes differ from men’s, influencing various aspects of health. Probiotics and nutrients supporting gut health are becoming essential in addressing women’s health needs.”

He added that postbiotics such as tributyrin are gaining more attention among researchers who are looking at how they impact the health of the microbiome.

Pen observed, “Women are leaning into the functional medicine approach, prioritizing overall balance instead of symptom-chasing. Adaptogens and botanicals are becoming household staples, driven by the understanding that a holistic solution leads to long-term benefits.”

However, Austin cautioned, with the blooming of new women’s products, retailers need to be mindful that greenwashing has become a significant issue. “Many brands rely on influencer or celebrity endorsements to position themselves as leaders in the category, often focusing on flashy packaging rather than true innovation or quality. It’s essential for retailers to look beyond the hype and discern which products truly deliver on their promises and offer meaningful value to customers,” she said.

Product Considerations

The buzzword today is “curate,” which essentially means to mindfully select from a sea of choices. And this is exemplified by the women’s health supplement category. Any woman who visits your store can walk out with an individualized regimen of products that enhance her well-being and support key aspects of her health.

Here are some examples.

Just as a healthy home cannot be built without a sturdy foundation—women’s health cannot be optimized without a powerful multivitamin complex, providing the groundwork of nutrients expressly for women in different life phases.

True Grace’s Daily Women’s 50+ Multivitamin is designed to support longevity, energy and vitality for women over 50, according to Kristie Hall, president/owner, Wisconsin-based True Grace. It features ergothioneine, the “longevity vitamin,” alongside regenerative organic bacopa and lion’s mane, both known for their cognitive and stress-supporting benefits. She commented, “With fermented nutrients for superior absorption, this multi also targets key areas like bone, heart, and brain health, offering a complete solution for aging gracefully.”

For women who are pregnant or who are preparing themselves for pregnancy, Bluebonnet’s (Texas) Ladies One Prenatal and Ladies One Prenatal DHA are companion multivitamins that Germano recommended. “Bluebonnet’s prenatal multivitamins and DHA supplements are crucial for pregnant women, providing essential nutrients that support both maternal health and fetal development,” he commented.

Ladies One Prenatal formula blends folic acid, which is critical for preventing neural tube defects, iron to support healthy blood cell production and reduce risk of anemia during pregnancy, calcium/vitamin D for healthy fetal development of fetal bones and teeth, B vitamins for energy production and fetal development, and iodine for thyroid support. Bluebonnet’s Ladies One Prenatal DHA is a companion supplement to help promote proper fetal brain, neurological and eye development; higher maternal DHA levels are associated with fewer pre-term births.

“Prenatal vitamins help supplement nutrients that may be difficult to obtain solely from diet, especially when nutritional needs increase during pregnancy,” Germano stated. Taking prenatal vitamins before pregnancy can improve overall health and prepare the body for conception; and the benefits extend into breastfeeding, supporting both maternal and infant health postpartum.

Nicole Mahr, brand education & engagement manager, New York-based Country Life LLC, announced that because many women cannot afford prenatal care, the company will donate a portion of sales of its newly launched Real Food Organics Prenatal to March of Dimes, the nation’s leading non-profit for the health of mothers and babies. Real Food Organics Prenatal is a fermented whole food-based multivitamin with enhanced nutrient absorption, providing organic nutrients to support mother and baby before, during and after pregnancy.

Premenstrual symptoms tend to plague women of childbearing age, and for decades, women have sought natural relief. Country Life’s PMS Rescue features key ingredients like magnesium and saffron extract, to support symptoms like moodiness, cramps and bloating, according to Mahr. “This blend works to provide mental and emotional support during PMS,” she described.

The teeming biotics world has a fertile array aimed at women. SubCulture Probiotics for Women are new from Florida-based Enzymedica. “We talk a lot about ‘self-care,’ but it’s often focused on things that help women recover from stress and other issues,” explained Julia Craven, vice president of education. The formulators selected probiotic strains that have been shown to support women’s health, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1, Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14, Saccharomyces boulardii and Bacillus subtilis DE111. “Each serving is only one capsule daily, but it delivers serious self-care in probiotics for women’s urinary and vaginal health, plus digestion, regularity and immunity,” she commented.

True Grace’s One Daily Women’s Probiotic is designed to provide women with targeted digestive, immune and vaginal health support, according to Hall. “It features a clinically studied blend of probiotic strains, ensuring optimal efficacy,” she described. “Our transparent supplement facts panel stands out by listing the exact percentage of each probiotic strain, unlike most labels that only show a total blend. Plus, rigorous testing guarantees batch-to-batch consistency, so every capsule delivers the same high-quality support.”

Bluebonnet’s women’s-specific probiotic/prebiotic formula, Ladies Probiotic & Prebiotic, supports women’s health in several ways, according to Germano. It maintains vaginal flora balance: probiotics help replenish beneficial bacteria in the vaginal microbiome. It can also reduce risk of urinary tract and yeast infections. “Certain probiotics, like lactobacillus, can reduce the chances of urinary tract infections and help eliminate harmful bacteria causing yeast infections. And it provides support during hormonal changes; probiotics can help maintain vaginal health during various life stages, from puberty to menopause.”

Peri-menopause, that murky time before a woman’s final period, is often a wild ride, lasting about four years, according to MIDI. About four in five middle-aged women endure symptoms ranging from hot flashes and night sweats, brain fog, sleep disturbances and reduced sexual desire.

Country Life’s Menopause Rescue provides targeted relief for women navigating the challenges of menopause. Clinically tested ingredients like Estro-G, a standardized botanical root extract, helps to reduce hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, sleeplessness, nervousness and vaginal dryness, according to Mahr. The addition of Lifenol, hops flower extract, improves the quality of life in menopausal women during this transitional phase.

NNABI’s Peri Essential and Peri Essential 5 CBD are doctor-formulated botanical daily supplements designed to support more than 10 perimenopause symptoms. According to Pen, the supplements are made with peer-reviewed, clinically backed ingredients, and are third-party tested. They are formulated to support five key areas of health disrupted by the unpredictable hormonal fluctuations that occur during perimenopause—nervous system, digestion, blood sugar, inflammation and immunity.

“Results from a physician-led open-label trial revealed significant improvements in sleep quality, energy levels, mood stability and overall well-being, demonstrating the effectiveness of NNABI’s synergistic herbal formulations,” she said. “These powerful formulations eliminate the need for multiple supplements, offering an all-in-one natural approach to empower women during this transformative stage of life.”

Make Time Wellness offers cognitive-support and beauty-from-within supplements. Brain, Body & Beauty Powder features Cognizin and curcumin “with added multivitamins and beauty-enhancing nutrients like biotin. This powerful combination supports cognitive function, overall health, stress resilience and skin, hair and nail health,” described Heming Willis.

New from the company is Brain & Beauty Gummies, a blend of Cognizin, curcumin, and biotin and Beauty Sleep Gummies, which combines melatonin and biotin to help support healthy sleep, which in turn, supports cognitive performance.

In February 2025, Colorado-based WishGarden Herbs launched its “reimagined legacy bodycare products for mom and baby with a new line of whole-plant herbal-infused oils and balms that are hand-crafted to be safe, gentle and effective,” said Erin Stokes, ND, medical director.

The new bodycare line complements the company’s pregnancy and postpartum specific fast-acting herbal tinctures. She noted that the products are distinctive in how they are made, beginning with the use of whole-plant herbal infusions within the oils rather than adding concentrated essential oils or synthetic fragrances. Stokes explained that infusing whole plants in oil is an effective way to extract their benefits because it allows natural compounds to slowly transfer into the oil without compromising their potency.

This new line addresses what she noted is specific underserved needs. Products include New Mother Nursing Balm, Perineum Massage Oil and New Mother Nursing Balm. She said, “A personal favorite from the collection are the Oh Baby Oils, which are gentle, nourishing blends of whole plant infused herbal oils. Available in two soothing formulations, one features calendula and lavender for calming and relaxing properties, while the other combines calendula and chamomile to soothe and moisturize skin.”

Hempress creates organic, sustainable period and personal care products that are biodegradable, carbon-neutral and are tailored to support women of all ages and flows, according to Austin. The company offers women options such as liners, regular, super and super overnight pads, as well as a menstrual cup for those who prefer a reusable alternative. Hempress also provides 100 percent organic intimate wipes, as well as organic cotton and hemp rounds and swabs. “All our products are made with 100 percent organic cotton and hemp, utilizing regenerative agriculture practices,” said Austin. “They’re biodegradable, fragrance-free, chlorine-free and crafted using renewable energy.”

She elaborated that the pads were tested against several organic competitors and were found to biodegrade the fastest. Hemp, a primary ingredient in the products, uses five times less water and three times less land than cotton while absorbing up to two-times more. Additionally, hemp sequesters an impressive 7 tons of CO2 per acre.

When looking at products to bring in at Wayne & Mary’s Nutrition Centers, Reinartz and her staff consider the requests and conversations they have in the aisles with women, and they also utilize the recommendations of local natural health practitioners as a guide. “We look at formulations with clinically studied ingredients first,” she said. “New products and novel formulations are always of interest to fill gaps, and we’ve found single-ingredient products tend to be more appealing for women who want to know whether or not a product is working for them. Our staff is 90 percent women, so getting their feedback and recommendations is crucial for us too.”

Currently, Reinartz related, conversations about hormone health are constantly happening. “Our customers are seeing this all over social media, especially for women in perimenopause and menopause. Many women are looking to optimize their health in this stage, so they are looking at protein and fiber intake, minimizing declining hormone symptoms through herbs and products like DIM and bio-identical hormones, and addressing gut health concerns.”

For pregnant women, Gnosis by Lesaffre’s Quatrefolic is the active form of folate, readily available for the human body and it has been substantiated by studies. Stefania Sala, product manager for the women’s and reproductive health market, Gnosis by Lesaffre, noted that four clinical studies involving more than 1,000 pregnant women evaluated the oral supplementation of Quatrefolic in combination with other essential compounds for several weeks before conception and during pregnancy. “The studies demonstrated a good safety profile and effectiveness in increasing blood folate levels and inhibiting adverse pregnancy outcomes.”

But folate’s health-promoting abilities is not just for women of childbearing age, it has value for older women too, according to Sala. She explained, “Hot flashes are a problematic symptom of perimenopause and menopause. While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is an effective treatment for hot flashes, its rate of use has decreased in recent decades, and folate presents a viable and effective alternative. A clinical study of folic acid therapy on menopausal hot flashes found a 65 percent improvement in hot flashes in otherwise healthy menopausal women taking folic acid, compared to a 16 percent improvement in symptoms in women given a placebo. The research recommended folate as an affordable, safe, and acceptable method to help lower hot flashes in women.”

Sala related that Gnosis’ goal for 2025 is ensuring the public is truthfully informed about the benefits active folate offers not only over folic acid, but also over new enriched folates that have been introduced to the market “and making a lot of noise,” marketed as being safe, stable, and soluble, as well as bioactive with enhanced methylation capacity.” The truth is these ingredients have no clinical validation confirming these key messages, for better methylation, enhanced stability or solubility, and especially for the use of these ingredients during pregnancy,” she cautioned.

How to Attract Women

Education wrapped in eye-catching promotions create a delectable bon-bon for women seeking to escalate their health and well-being through supplements. And, with the various women’s health awareness days/weeks/months, as well as holidays, such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Siblings Day, National Best Friends Day—creative opportunities abound to attract your female customers to the products that best work for them.

Here are some monthly health observances Germano recommended to promote: January (Cervical Cancer Awareness), February (Heart Health Awareness), April (Stress Awareness) May (Osteoporosis Awareness), September (PCOS Awareness), October (Breast Cancer Prevention, and Menopause Month). There are bundle opportunities, such as adaptogens and stress relief supplements for stressbusting in April, and a reproductive support bundle for September (PCOS). While not exclusive to women, September is also National Yoga Month, and statistics show that more women practice it and teach it.

To highlight the awareness of Women’s Health Week in May, Germano suggested collaborating with local health care providers and nutritionists to host in-store events. “By aligning promotions with health awareness observances, retailers can create meaningful connections between their products and women’s health needs, while providing valuable education and inspiration to their customers,” he commented.

Craven emphasized, that it’s not just Mother’s Day or Women’s Health Month when retailers need to think about themed displays and promotions. “Also, it isn’t about a trend or putting a pink sticker on products, it’s about empowering half the population—and the majority of the primary purchasers—to take care of their health,” she noted.

Brands also extend themselves and their resources to retailers in the women’s health segment, and many have distinctions to amplify that align with women’s core values.

Pen suggested partnering with NNABI and other women’s health brands to host expert-led webinars, in-store talks or digital Q&A sessions featuring thought leaders in women’s health. Topic ideas can include “How to Thrive in Midlife,” “What women need to re-learn about their body in their mid-30s” or “Myth-busting Perimenopause” can turn awareness into actionable wellness choices.

Additionally, she said, “Spotlight diverse stories and inclusivity. Showcase an inclusive perimenopause initiative, addressing diverse women’s experiences. Celebrate how science-backed, natural formulations meet the unique needs of women across ethnicities and lifestyles.”

As a certified woman-owned company, True Grace’s “commitment to women’s health deeply resonates with women of all ages,” Hall related. Authenticity and genuine transparency are key to building strong connections with women. Highlighting woman-owned brands and women-focused products on endcaps during women-centric months facilitates finding products while supporting meaningful initiatives.

Several brands, such as WishGarden Herbs, have an inspirational story that will resonate with your women shoppers. Catherine Hunziker, founder and herbalist, was an activist. According to Stokes, Hunziker was a staunch supporter of women’s rights along with the resurgence of midwifery, along with being an avid environmentalist. And at the time of publication, Hunziker has led her company to offset more than 1.9 million pounds of CO2 emissions, in partnership with EcoCart.

As a sustainability focused brand, Hempress places a strong emphasis on Earth Month, according to Austin. “Additionally, we actively highlight key women’s events, such as Women’s History Month, to celebrate and empower women. We also focus on health awareness months that address critical women’s health issues, like PCOS and endometriosis, providing educational and motivational promotions that resonate with our audience. Retailers can collaborate with us to create impactful campaigns that combine education, inspiration and our sustainable products to truly connect with their customers.”

Mahr summarized, “The focus on personalized nutrition, targeted supplements, and lifestyle integration empowers women to take control of their health in ways that are both natural and evidence based. Innovations like adaptogenic herbs tailored to hormonal balance, gut microbiome support for mood and energy, and plant-based nutrient blends designed for different life stages open up new possibilities for comprehensive well-being.”VR