June is Men’s Health Awareness Month and a good time to take stock of what you manufacture for men and how you market it.
According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition’s CRN 2017 Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements, 42% of men who take dietary supplements said their top reason was for overall health and wellness benefits, 33% for energy, 26% to fill nutrient gaps, 26% for immune health, and 26% for heart health.
Men are concerned with sports nutrition, weight management, reproductive health, cardiovascular health, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, overall health, cognitive health, and aging.
When it comes to performance, men—mostly the 20-30 age group—want to keep their energy and stamina levels high to perform better in sports or to meet daily activity needs. This group may try out protein and energy supplements. Middle-age adults want to maintain their appearance; hence they may opt for weight management products. Similarly, older individuals may want to supplement themselves with products to stay healthy and independent. This group is more likely to be interested in products that can support heart, joint, and cognitive health, prostate, sleep, sexual health, urinary function.
Here’s a breakdown of what men want by age groups
Younger generation (20-40 year-olds) are interested in:
- Dietary supplements to support sports performance and workouts
- Maintaining energy and stamina for work, play, sex
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Researching information on their phones. This gives manufacturers the opportunity to provide published studies on the ingredients in their products so their buyers can make an informed decision.
Middle-age adults are interested in:
- Maintaining their appearance and weight
- Supporting cardiovascular health, including blood pressure and lipids
- Enjoying a healthy sex life and maintaining a healthy prostate
- Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels
- Avoiding muscular and joint injuries
- Getting quality sleep
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Supporting mental energy and focus
- Supporting a healthy gut/microbiome
Older men are interested in:
- Maintaining their appearance and weight
- Supporting cardiovascular health, including blood pressure and lipids
- Enjoying a healthy sex life and maintaining a healthy prostate
- Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels
- Supporting healthy mental cognition and reducing risk of mild cognitive impairment and memory loss
- Protecting joints from osteo-arthritis
- Avoiding bone fractures
- Supporting immunity
- Getting quality sleep
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Supporting mental energy and focus
- Supporting a healthy gut/microbiome
As Baby Boomers age, they will want supplements that reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH).
How can manufacturers meet their customers’ expectations?
In a report in Nutraceuticals World (05.01.18) Mr. Souza of Naturex said, “One of the chief concerns has become traceability, knowing that what’s on the label is also in the bottle. Adulteration has become a serious issue, so it’s something consumers have in mind when making buying decisions. Naturex has instituted an ‘ID pack,’ a comprehensive report that helps customers track our ingredients from field to finished product.”
Efficacy and health claims are also important, he added. “While supplements that are ‘intuitively’ healthy may convince some consumers, many male consumers want hard evidence that products will do what they say.”
Marketing issues that matter:
- Knowing that the bottle includes exactly what the label says it does
- Being clear about what the customer can expect and how the product works
- Documenting double-blind, placebo-controlled studies that point to the products’ effectiveness
- Holistic, organic, plant-based and whole food-based products
- Green labeling and packaging
While dietary supplements can make a difference in one’s health, it’s always important to stress the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes a exercise and a diet of organic, whole foods.
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Barbra Cohn
healthwriter1@gmail.com
303-447-8300
