Supplements have been a staple of sports nutrition, but athletes and active consumers are looking to pare down the pill intake and get even more exercise and recovery nutrients from foods and beverages. This challenges formulators to deliver efficacious dosages of beneficial ingredients, such as protein, in convenient and tasty formats, from snacks and waters to pasta and condiments.

Euromonitor International has reported the U.S. sports nutrition and energy beverage market at about US$24.3 billion dollars with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1 percent through 2021. There are several ingredient and environmental trends driving innovation and growth in this market.

Protein is an obvious focus, with trends ranging from alternative sources, including plants, to clean and responsible sourcing such as with organic, grass-fed and native whey. There have also been some novel ingredients designed and marketed to boost the ability of dietary protein to jumpstart muscle protein synthesis (MPS) for lean body development.

Holly McHugh from beverage development company Imbibe Inc. reported several other ingredients are making a mark on the energy product segment, including ginseng, guarana, creatine, beta alanine and, for keto consumers, MCT oils.

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