If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that your family’s health is not something to take for granted. While we’re always looking for ways to keep everyone in our lives healthier — by eating, sleeping and moving right while listening to experts about how to mask up and stay safe during the pandemic — sometimes we all need a bit of back-up. This is where some high quality vitamins and supplements can come in to play and really help you level-up the products in your daily self-care routine to make sure you stay feeling your best.
“More than ever before, consumers are looking for supplements that will help them stay healthy and resilient, while dealing with adversity. The pandemic has encouraged consumers to focus on their health and well-being as well as connect the benefits of optimizing nutrition in general, but specifically for immune health,” Susan Mitmesser, the VP of Science & Technology at Pharmavite told SheKnows. “Supplement sales trends for 2020 reflect this focus, with immune health supplement sales soaring in 2020 and projected to continue to increase in 2021. Some of the supplements driving this increase in sales include multivitamins with immune support claims, botanicals such as elderberry, and the immune health superstars, vitamins C and D.”
Mitmesser also shared some of her expertise to let us know how the supplement needs of 2020 might influence what parents will want to stock up on heading into next year.
What will 2021’s supplement trends be?
Immune Health
In a pandemic, immune system support is no doubt on everyone’s minds: “In 2021 immune health supplements will most likely remain a focus with consumers, with many consumers continuing to take their immune support supplements daily as a lifestyle routine rather than at the onset of symptoms,” Mitmesser said. “Parents will be interested in picking up immune support supplements for their kids as well, to support their overall health and immune system. Parents should talk to their family doctor or pediatrician about how to optimize their kids’ nutrition to stay healthy, which may include a simple blood test to check Vitamin D levels and provide recommendations on a supplement regimen for the whole family. Parents should seek immune support supplements that the whole family can take together as a daily routine.”
She adds that Nurish also offers Elderberry Gummies, “which provide a delicious way to support your immune system with Elderberry, Vitamin C and Zinc.”
Innovative Forms
These aren’t just your mom’s chalky vitamins anymore, supplements today come in a number of different forms to suit your needs and tastes. Having a bit more control of how you can take your supplements will totally boost your chances of remembering to take them every day and making them a consistent part of your routine.
“Supplement forms will continue to become more varied in 2021, including syrups, powders, gummies, fast melt tablets and other alternative forms, in addition to traditional softgels and tablets,” Mitmesser said.
Sleep & Stress Support
Being at home and under a whole mess of stress, sleep is all the more important for staying healthy and functioning while managing everything you need and want to do — plus, getting the rest you need plays a role in keeping your immune system strong!
“We will also see consumers seeking sleep support supplements and supplements to help manage stress. Additionally, we need to find ways to address mental health as we continue to see mental and emotional well-being issues arise,” Mitmesser said. “This will likely become as much of a focus as immune health support in 2021. Consumers are becoming more aware of how adaptogens such as Ashwagandha can help relieve perceived stress and lower cortisol levels. Supplements containing Melatonin will remain popular as well as combination products with other active ingredients, such as L-theanine and Magnesium, that relax the mind and body and get you ready for a good night’s rest.”
How do you find the right product for your family — and are there any red flags to avoid?
Mitmesser is the first to note that the supplement market gives families tons of options. But there are ways to tell which supplements are the highest quality and which are maybe stepping out into snake oil, false-promise territory.
“One way consumers know they are getting a high-quality supplement is to look for third party, independent verification on the label, like the USP Verified Mark from the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is a scientific, nonprofit organization that sets federally recognized public standards of quality for medicines, dietary supplements, and foods. USP has been establishing standards since 1820, and today USP standards are used by manufacturers and regulators in more than 140 countries,” Mitmesser says. “While others may provide testing and quality seals, USP is the only standards-setting organization recognized in U.S. federal law that offers third-party verification. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibits supplement manufacturers from marketing products to prevent, treat, or cure a disease. Avoid supplements that promise to prevent, cure, or treat any illness or condition.”
While you should absolutely check in with your healthcare provider to see what supplements are the right fit for your health and your family’s health, you might still find yourself a bit overwhelmed when actually faced with picking the supplements that are right for your body.
Mitmesser also adds that you can check out Nurish by Nature Made, a subscription service that brings you daily packs of the supplements you’ve hand-picked through their comprehensive quiz: “Because no two people are alike, we combine all the info you provide with our deep knowledge of how nutrients work in the body, to recommend the vitamins and supplements best for you—in a 30-day supply of grab-and-go daily vitamin packs shipped to your door every month. If you prefer, you can choose from some of our combination packs, like the Immunity Support pack, with Vitamins C, D and Zinc. Or add one of our herbal ingredients, like Ashwagandha, to your daily pack to help reduce stress.”
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Before you go, check out our favorite natural products for soothing your kid’s cold symptoms:
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