Denis Alimonti, Director of U.S. Nutrition, Maypro, Purchase, NY
Abdul Alkayali, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Certified Nutraceuticals, Pauma Valley, CA
Tim Hammond, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Bergstrom Nutrition, Vancouver, WA
Shil Kothari, Chief Executive Officer, IminoTech Inc., Carson City, NV
Michael Lelah, PhD, Chief Science Officer, NutriScience Innovations, Milford, CT
Maggie McNamara, Marketing Director, Gencor Pacific, Austin, TX
Eric Meppem, Commercial Director, Pharmako Biotechnologies, New South Wales, Australia
Jim Roza, Chief Scientific Officer, Layn Natural Ingredients, Irvine, CA
Vishal Shah, Director, Nutriventia Limited, Mumbai, India
Liat Shemesh, Head of Marketing, Solabia-Algatech Nutrition, Kibutz Ketura, Israel
Lelah: With so many Americans dealing with acute and chronic pain issues, the field for natural pain-management products continues to grow. Though many do seek conventional treatments and pharmaceuticals, these don’t always work for those experiencing pain. Most individuals don’t want the side effects that often accompany conventional medicine either, which is why there is a significant rise in demand for products that can combat pain and discomfort with natural ingredients.
Kothari: The large market for natural solutions for pain and inflammation continues to grow. One of the largest segments is joint health, particularly older consumers who are concerned about the long-term effects of pharmaceuticals. Another growing consumer demographic is people struggling with excess body weight, obesity and metabolic imbalances. However, natural products face limitations because pain relief usually, and inflammation relief almost always, are viewed as disease claims. Opportunities to increase product recognition and market share are driven by the nutritional cognoscenti, consumers who research the science of ingredients and share information.
McNamara: The natural pain remedy market is finally advancing. For decades the market was stuck due to no new or exciting ingredients. With advancements in technology, there seems to be a spike in consumer awareness and loyalty due to these innovations improving bioavailability and efficacy. Two great examples are HydroCurc and Levagen+. Both ingredients use patented technology to significantly improve bioavailability and formulation offerings (liquids, powders, gummies, etc.). Currently, only non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are well-known for “pain relieving” properties, however, there has been a lack of natural remedies—particularly those with good evidence of their efficacy in reducing pain and inflammation. That said, the awareness of the adverse effects of NSAIDs on the long-term health of the gut microbiome is increasing and thus the demand for natural alternatives is growing. Omega-3s, curcumin, PEA, green tea, ginger, cat’s claw, devil’s claw, spirulina, resveratrol and zinc are all commonly known for their positive effects on inflammation—but the issue here is not whether these ingredients can work on inflammation; the issue is how effective are they due to delivery format and innovation. Not all ingredients are created equal and using branded, clean and clinically tested ingredients will help manufacturers stand out from the crowd.
Alkayali: The market for natural pain and inflammation remedies is intertwined with the markets for healthy aging, joint health, sports nutrition and others. Consumers of all ages desire pain and inflammation solutions because of a growing demand for non-pharmaceutical interventions. For ingredient manufacturers, age-related markets are the most targeted because more older consumers often have long-term needs for products that help address chronic pain and inflammation.
Shemesh: The risk of chronic inflammation increases with a variety of factors, such as obesity, unhealthy diet, inadequate exercise and stress and are very common in modern society. In recent years, as chronic inflammation has become a more well-known phenomenon, the consumption of supplements designed to reduce it has increased. We anticipate that this trend will continue to grow in the coming years.
Roza: Pain can affect people (and pets) of all ages, but with age, several health issues can bring about increased propensity for pain, including arthritis, muscle strains, pain associated with posture and alignment issues, and other reasons. Our global population is aging. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), By 2030, the population of people aged 60 years and over will increase from 1 billion in 2020 to 1.4 billion—and by 2050, the world’s population aged 60 years and older will double (2.1 billion)! Inflammation plays a key role in pain management, and as today’s consumer is increasingly demanding more natural ingredients and remedies, we see the herbal industry responding with several science-backed, sustainable ingredient solutions. Natural, plant-based ingredients such as extracts of turmeric, green tea, pomegranate, cistanche, ginger and Sophora japonica have all been scientifically demonstrated to help support a healthy inflammation response.
Shah: In 2020, the global anti-inflammatory therapeutics market size was $98,026 million, and it is projected to reach $125,552 million by 2028. That is a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 4 percent. Many governments worldwide are taking positive initiatives to uplift the inflammation relief remedies market, especially in the region of Asia-Pacific and LAMEA, and these initiatives, I believe, will play an important role in contributing to overall market growth. Largely, consumers worldwide are moving to natural inflammation-relief remedies because they find these alternatives to be more congruent with their own values and beliefs.
Hammond: Of course, it’s a complex combination of many factors that contribute to chronic discomfort. As such, it may be that some recent escalation of the issue is related to the pandemic and more sedentary lifestyles during that period. In addition, with biochemistry it is well known that ongoing chemical reactions in your body can contribute to aging no matter your genes. Therefore, as we age, there is a nearly inevitable decline in health and functional capacity. Yet, when it comes to anti-aging behaviors, supplements work hand-in-hand with an individual’s choices to lessen the impact of aging through nutrition and fitness, along with other lifestyle modifications.
Alimonti: All of those are contributing factors with obesity being the most significant culprit. Americans are consuming processed meats, refined grains, snacks, sodas and fried foods at alarming levels. When you couple that with lack of exercise, you get increasing rates of obesity. Environmental chemicals—including cigarette smoke and pollution—make it all worse. We are living longer, but we are also developing chronic conditions marked by pain and inflammation that compromise quality of life and are rooted in poor nutrition, obesity and, to an unknown degree, environmental pollutants.
Roza: Aside from conditions associated with natural aging, diet, smoking, obesity mentioned above, stress and lack of sleep are also as conditions that can lead to chronic inflammation and discomfort. Sleep deprivation can give rise to an over expression of proteins such as protein kinase A and mitogen activated protein kinases MAPKs that can trigger pain as characterized by migraines. Elevated stress levels increase cortisol levels which can lead to inflammation, an increased heart rate and vasoconstriction which all have been implicated in causing pain. In addition to directly supporting a healthy inflammation response, other botanical extracts can also help support good sleep and healthy stress response, including holy basil, hemp, magnolia bark and white peony.
Lelah: Discomfort and fatigue are staggeringly common problems, with 65 million Americans reporting a recent episode of back pain. These issues have been exacerbated amid lifestyle changes due to the state of the world post-pandemic, making it even harder to perform necessary activities such as daily tasks, exercise and sleep. Spending long hours at work and maintaining hectic schedules can lead to a myriad of issues, including stress, discomfort and fatigue. These issues make it difficult to partake in the activities we enjoy most. Additionally, the increase in screen time for most Americans, combined with increased stress, leads to very little or very poor quality of sleep. Chronic lack of sleep can ultimately lead to extreme fatigue, which can cause injury and affect a person’s productivity.
Meppem: There are many reasons that people suffer chronic discomfort. The two most prevalent are probably modern lifestyle factors and chronic inflammation. Once people suffer discomfort, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, which can be a difficult cycle to break.
McNamara: Inflammation is the culprit of all diseases and ultimately many factors can contribute to this. We currently live in a society that, on average, lives in a pro-inflammatory state can mainly be attributed to the abundance of processed foods, lack of physical exercise and the increase in stressors of daily life (like COVID-19, war and economic uncertainty). Lifestyle is the majority of the underlying cause. Poor diet leads to more inflammation, being overweight adds stress to the joints in the lower half of the body, and muscle weakness due to lack of movement/activity. Combine these three (which many people do) and you have the perfect storm for joint problems.
Roza: Our nation has been under attack from the opioid crisis, and when looking at NSAIDs, the side effects such as indigestion, stomach ulcers and allergic reactions are all factors as to why people are seeking natural alternatives—and research is being corroborated that they can be just as effective. A recent study entitled “Herbal formulation ‘turmeric extract, black pepper and ginger’ versus Naproxen for chronic knee osteoarthritis: A randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial” in Phytotherapy Research concluded that a botanical formula consisting of turmeric, ginger, and black pepper provided results similar to Naproxen in relieving pain in individuals with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Alimonti: I think we are seeing an increased interest in preventative care through natural solutions and that same interest extends to holistic treatment of existing health issues. Regardless of price, consumers want effective products that don’t cause more problems than they help with.
Shah: The remedies align with the consumers’ values, beliefs and worldviews. Most OTC products treat the symptoms, while natural botanicals correct the root cause. Natural remedies are also free of side effects most of the time (depending on the ingredients used to formulate them). Moreover, their use in some form has been prevalent for a long time. Natural remedies also offer more personal control and autonomy to the consumer.
Shemesh: Natural remedies usually have a high safety profile, posing very low risk of side effects and are consumed to support health rather than cure disease.
McNamara: Natural products are increasingly more widespread in most consumer product markets, and the OTC market is not exempt. U.S. consumers are increasingly and enthusiastically seeking to live less toxic, more natural lives by choosing products that are less “contaminated” and buy clean products wherever they can. These sentiments are manifested in the growth of BPA-free packaging, paraben- and formaldehyde-free cosmetics, GMO (genetically modified organism)-free organic foods, and now natural OTCs. While natural OTCs can be more expensive than traditional OTC counterparts, consumers are willing to pay more for them, and many are using them in addition to traditional OTCs. The desire to use “safer” products with fewer side effects is a primary motivation for purchasers of natural OTCs. About 50 percent of the consumers surveyed perceive natural OTCs to be safer than traditional OTCs.
Alkayali: Consumers are wary of pharmaceuticals, especially the potential negative effects of long-term use, and they are increasingly open to science-based ingredients that can help them live healthier and free of pain.
McNamara: At Gencor and the relationship with Pharmako, the technology behind LipiSperse has a significant impact on not just bioavailability, but on what delivery forms that can be used. HydroCurc and are superior ingredients compared to similar ingredients that do not use this technology. Affron extraction helps provide a proper balance of the primary bioactive compounds found in saffron. While Affron (a premium saffron ingredient standardized to 3.5 percent Lepticrosalides) is not a joint health ingr
