The overlooked importance of joint health

Despite joint health and mobility being so fundamental to our present and future quality of life, joint health as a category within the world of active nutrition and nutraceuticals is often overlooked, particularly in terms of specialism and innovation. 

This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a reflection of where joint health currently stands in the industry: important enough that brands often include them in a product line up, but not (currently) a brand-owning proposition. 

What is joint health and why does it matter?

Before we start, it’s worth considering what joint health is and why it’s important to maintain healthy joints. 

Joint health simply refers to the condition of the joints in your body. And healthy joints allow for ease of movement, reduce the risk of injury or inflammation and improve flexibility.

In one sense, it’s so we can run as fast and as hard as we can. In another, it’s so that we can emotionally still be mobile with friends and family as we age.

The role of joint health supplements

This is exactly where joint health supplements stake their place in the market – either as preventative measures (proactive) or treatment solutions (reactive).

But joint health, as it currently stands, is very much a generalist execution rather than a specialist proposition. 

That’s not to say joint health is unimportant or doesn’t hold its own in the supplement industry, as we know that’s not true. But it’s interesting that this health need has yet to become specialised. 

Could joint health become a specialised market?

The question is: will joint health always be part of a generalist approach, or will a brand find a connection between this need and the consumer to take it one step further? 

If you think about other primary health needs, they’re often defined and underpinned by specialist brands.

But where does joint health fit?

A multitude of brands include several joint positioned supplements within their product ranges – a recognition of the importance of joint health. However joint health as it currently stands – no matter how big the market is – is not yet a brand-owning proposition.

But “yet” is the key word here. There’s no reason why any health need cannot be ownable. Maybe it’s just that the proposition of joint health isn’t exciting enough at this point in time, and therein lies its innovation challenge.

The generalist approach to joint health

Which brings us back to the reason why brands take a generalist approach when it comes to joint health. 

The basis of this approach tends to be grounded in well-known ingredients that represent the so-called ‘good, better, best’ solutions.

NOW Foods: a case study

NOW Foods is a great example of a well-established brand that has cracked the essence of what a broad joint health range should look like using this good, better, best framework. 

It has 25+ joint health positioned products, primarily centered around the capsules/tablets format with additional powders and liquid alternatives.

The product range includes single-sourced, paired-sourced and multi-sourced supplements – with the active ingredients collagen, MSM, chondroitin and glucosamine at their core. 

• Good: single-sourced active products e.g. MSM or Chondroitin Sulfate
• Better: here’s where paired active combinations come into play, e.g. Glucosamine and MSM
• Best: look no further than multi-sourced active products e.g. Glucosamine & Chondroitin with MSM, or products that double down on active dosage, e.g. extra strength Glucosamine & Chondroitin.

Unsurprisingly, the price of each product is reflected according to the three markers above, ranging from lower to higher prices respectively, making joint health supplements accessible to all, just as they should be.

Innovation in joint health 

One of the ways that we are seeing innovation in joint health products is by delivering supplements in alternative formats – a simple solution that ignites consumers’ interest and appreciation for joint health beyond its current scope.

Liquids

Holland & Barrett's Liquid Joint Complex contains a “glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin and MSM complex” in liquid form for easy intake. 

LiquidHealth’s Optimum Joint liquid helps to “support healthy joints and cartilage”.

Gels

An alternative to liquids? That’s where gels come in. 

HealthyCell’s Joint Health & Mobility gel is designed to “increase joint performance, comfort and range of motion”, thanks to a blend of potent extracts and joint-lubricating nutrients including glucosamine, chondroitin and curcumin. 

The future of joint health brands

There's nothing revolutionary or unique about a liquid or gel format, we know that. But what these formats do provide are refreshing alternatives to the typical capsules and tablets, powders and increasingly now gummies.

You never know, maybe it’s only a matter of time before we see joint health becoming the brand-leading proposition. 

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Want to know more about joint health and dig into the data behind the category? Talk to us today to access the latest data, including:

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- Product range, format and branded ingredients
- Active ingredients in joint health capsules and tablets
- Active ingredients in joint health powders
- Active ingredients in joint health gummies
- The use of branded collagen ingredients across all joint health formats
- Collagen dose across all joint health formats
- Anything else not listed here that you might want to know!

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