As part of Nutraceuticals World’s 2026 State of the Industry review, Shaheen Majeed, Global CEO and Managing Director of Sabinsa, examines how supply challenges, market volatility, and emerging science are impacting nutraceutical innovation.

The last 12 months have presented a complex confluence of challenges and opportunities across the nutraceutical sector. At Sabinsa, we recognize that the trends warranting the closest industry attention span far beyond borders and traditional business models.

While tariffs and the related uncertainty dominate industry headlines, the deeper, more systemic issue is persistent supply chain disruption driven by ongoing climate challenges impacting raw material cultivation and harvesting globally. When coupled with volatile currency valuations, this dynamic triggers unpredictable price fluctuations, which are sometimes detrimental to manufacturers in specific markets. Transparency, ethical sourcing, and backward integration are no longer differentiators; they are essential for mitigating the range of related risks. Sabinsa’s long-standing commitment to sustainability and our vertically integrated farm-to-formula approach provides a necessary buffer in this unstable environment, allowing us to maintain consistency and quality despite external pressures.

Looking ahead, several market and scientific trends are set to dominate innovation and consumer demand.

Protein Everything

The market’s focus on protein shows no sign of waning. From sports nutrition to healthy aging and weight management, protein remains the foundational nutrient. However, we anticipate the emphasis shifting toward quality, digestibility, and sustainability rather than sheer quantity, with continued innovation in plant-based and novel sources.

The GLP-1 Side-Effect Solution

The rise of GLP-1 agonists for weight loss creates a parallel market need: addressing side effects such as muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and gastrointestinal discomfort. This represents a crucial white space where nutraceuticals can provide evidence-based, supportive solutions. Formulators are actively seeking ingredients that support muscle retention, gut health, and nutrient absorption.

Precision and Longevity

Longevity is rapidly moving from niche concept to mainstream goal, driving demand for ingredients supporting cellular health, mitochondrial function, liver health, and healthy aging. Hand-in-hand with this is the development of more robust microbiome science. Moving beyond basic probiotics, we’re watching advanced research into postbiotics and personalized approaches utilizing the gut-brain-immune axis. The science is expanding beyond gut health alone to explore connections with immunity, skin, metabolism, and even mood, opening opportunities for condition-specific formulations backed by clinical validation.

A Focus on Men’s Health

While women’s health has seen significant growth, we project companies will increasingly develop comprehensive men’s health products for 2026 and beyond. This encompasses a holistic approach addressing cardiovascular, prostate, cognitive, and hormonal balance, reflecting more proactive engagement by men in their long-term health and vitality.

The industry’s success in the coming year will depend on its ability to marry scientific rigor with operational resilience — pairing innovation with the ability to adapt to a fast-changing global environment while ensuring novel, effective ingredients reach consumers who are more engaged with their health than ever before.