The Sports & Active Nutrition Category, Defining Users’ Needs

The sports and active nutrition category has exploded over the last decade with new clinically-studied ingredients, innovative finished-product formulations, and unique delivery forms. This category, once defined by just bodybuilders and athletes, has expanded to healthy lifestyle users, active nutrition enthusiasts, and weekend warrior go-getters. More than ever consumers, no matter if they are bulking up in the gym or taking their daily neighborhood walk, are demanding products with clinically-substantiated benefits that meet their nutritional needs. While each sports’ and active nutrition user is unique in the health benefits they are targeting, they have one goal in mind–optimizing their workouts to meet their overall wellness needs.

Bodybuilders & Athletes

The sports nutrition category became more defined with the emergence of bodybuilders in the 1960s and 1970s. At that time, sports nutrition products consisted mainly of protein powders and amino acid supplements to enhance performance and improve physique.  Bodybuilders popularized the use of protein supplements such as whey and soy protein and helped hype the use of creatine to enhance strength and power. Athletes, similarly to bodybuilders, wanted to achieve enhanced performance and improved physique to put their best foot forward during game day.

Both bodybuilders and athletes pay close attention to their macronutrient and micronutrient intake to help achieve their goals of building muscle mass, increasing strength, and improving recovery. In regard to supplementation, these two groups look for ingredients such as protein to support muscle growth and repair: amino acids, specifically, branched chain amino acids (BCAA) to help promote muscle protein synthesis and reduce muscle breakdown and creatine to increase muscular strength, power, and endurance. Supplements containing caffeine, beta-alanine, and nitric oxide boosters are also popular within these groups to help enhance energy, muscle pump, focus, and performance during workouts. Bodybuilders and athletes that train extremely hard look for products with enhanced recovery benefits including carbohydrates and electrolytes to replenish glycogen stores and support hydration.

Active Nutrition Users

Active nutrition users are those who participate in regular physical activity such as competitive sports and group workout classes or are individuals who are simply trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Active nutrition users consume a variety of dietary supplements to meet their specific fitness goals, including protein powders and bars, amino acid supplements, energy drinks, pre-workout supplements, post-workout supplements, and other sports related products.  These users may also consume nutritional products that support their overall health and wellness such as multivitamins, immune-health boosting products, and probiotics.

Active nutrition users seek products with unique delivery forms including beverages, gummies, gels, and functional foods.  As the active nutrition user population grows and product demands increase, more emphasis is being put on clinically-studied ingredients with science backed benefits. In addition, unique formulations that include plant-based, non-GMO, gluten-free, and natural ingredients are becoming more popular in the mainstream market.

Biofortis’ Clinical Studies

Biofortis offers recruitment and screening of participants with various levels of physical performance from sedentary adults to highly-trained athletes. In-house assessment of exercise performance endpoints test products that may influences a person’s strength, endurance, hydration, energy expenditure, and cardiovascular fitness. Biofortis partners with external labs and experts for related measurements of biological specimens before and after an exercise challenge or program.

Biofortis is dedicated to protecting consumers’ health and wellness by delivering a wide range of clinical services for the food, supplement, and nutrition industries.  With over 400 completed studies and 15 years of experience, Biofortis has a leading clinical research team focusing on the development of innovative new ingredients, foods, dietary supplements, and nutrition programs.

On the forefront of its offerings, Biofortis’ clinical research provides its clients with dependable science with exceptional on-time budget track records.  The company’s team of experienced scientific and dedicated project managers guide clients through the entire research process.  The robust subject database has more than 20,000 research-integrated subjects for rapid recruitment as well as an advanced research facility where execution of clinical trials is the company’s top priority.