The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way consumers address their health, especially as they question aspects of their life that they previously took for granted. Moreover, health goals are evolving, shifting from being aspirational to instead focusing on health maintenance as people look to minimize their vulnerability to illness.
Over the last three years, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of people suffering from cognitive health problems, stress, and poor sleep as a consequence of the pandemic.
However, there are other factors beyond the pandemic that are influencing cognitive health issues across the globe.
- An ageing society: The proportion of consumers aged 65 years and over continues to increase, and increased age can increase the risk of health problems such as an inability to concentrate and focus.
- Poor dietary habits: Many consumers admit that they do not have satisfactory dietary habits, and issues such as over consumption of bad-for-you products and not taking in key nutrients can have a direct impact on cognitive health.
- Time-scarcity: Irrespective of whether real or perceived, consumers feel they do not have enough time in the day to complete all the activities that they would like, which can impact on their focus and ability to relax/switch off.
- Digital dependency: High usage rates of digital devices can increase exposure to blue light, which can directly impact brain and eye health, as well as sleeping patterns.
More than ever, consumers are looking for holistic solutions that support their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. This shift in consumers’ health concerns to a more preventative approach, has resulted in a demand for solutions for mental health including ways to improve sleep and mood, and protect cognitive health for years to come.
One in two consumers say they plan to improve their cognitive health over the next twelve months1, reflecting the extent to which people believe that their mental wellbeing and cognitive health could be improved. One reason is that there has been a considerable increase in the proportion of consumers who say that they recognize the link between good cognitive health and good overall health over the last three years.
At the same time, the proportion of people saying they suffer from stress or poor sleep health has increased considerably. Consumers recognize that stress and poor sleeping habits are detrimental to their health, so they are willing to take action to improve their mental wellness.
In the long-term, consumers want to stay fit and active, and are adopting the notion of healthy ageing. Linked to this, they see good cognitive health as a central focus and want to minimize the risk of long-term health problems such as dementia.
Therefore, as consumers recognize the immediate and long-term importance on good cognitive health, they are looking for nutraceutical products that support their healthy ageing as a lifelong endeavor.
However, despite bold moves in nutraceutical innovation, modern consumers are self-educating about health and ingredients and want to see supporting science on the cognitive benefits of the products they buy.
Therefore building trust in nutraceuticals through established and health claim-validated ingredients, remains necessary to support the growth of nutraceuticals in this space.
Lubrizol provides solutions for cognitive health and mental wellness, including a wide offering of branded botanical and mineral ingredients with value-add and scientific evidence, enabling differentiated nutraceutical solutions to support several cognitive functions.
Lubrizol branded ingredients include:
- Caffeine improves alertness and attention, may improve working memory, and may help relieve and protect against depression. NEWCAFF™ microcapsules is a sustained caffeine release with a clean taste for a long-lasting alertness, focus and concentration.
- Iron has been shown to contribute to maintaining a normal cognitive function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. LIPOFER™ microcapsules is a bioavailable and stable source of iron.
- Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function and helps relaxation, stress relief and improves sleep quality. MAGSHAPE™ microcapsules, a concentrated source of magnesium for an active lifestyle.
Lubrizol’s unique science-backed nutraceutical ingredients provide a multi-functional holistic approach to address the different needs of cognitive and mental wellness
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Reference:
1. FMCG Gurus: Assessing the Importance of Cognitive Health – Global Report 2021