Home Blog What’s Next in Digestive Health: Trends and Product Development

What’s Next in Digestive Health: Trends and Product Development

Digestive health and nutrition have been a growing segment of the life science and wellness market for several years. Driven by a renewed interest in diet and wellness during the pandemic and made more poignant due to increased gut health issues like colorectal cancer and IBS, the market shows every sign of continued momentum. Find out why broader awareness of GI health, particularly consumer prebiotics and probiotics, is an important opportunity for manufacturers in the thriving digestive health products market.

Snapshot: Digestive Health Supplements Industry

The global digestive health products market value reached over $105 billion in 2024 and now has a forecast of 8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2033. Industry analysts predict these products to continue outperforming the broader life science and food and beverage markets, notably in developed markets like North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.  

The US represents nearly one-third of the global market, driven in no small part by necessity. Increased prevalence of gut-related health issues connected to diet and lifestyle has raised awareness of the importance of gastrointestinal (GI) health.

Common Gut Health Issues

Several digestive and gut health conditions are driving more consumers toward products for digestive health.

  • Nutrient malabsorption: The small intestine is responsible for absorbing nutrients. If the small intestine is damaged, infected, or enzyme-deficient, it may not provide adequate transfer of nutrients to the bloodstream.
  • Obesity: In addition to genetics, diet, and physical activity, gut health plays a significant role in body weight. Gut microbiota imbalances, including those addressed by prebiotics and probiotics supplementation, can cause the body to extract more or less calories from the same amount of food. Over time, this leads to excess calorie intake stored as fat.
  • Inflammation: Individuals at all body weights may still experience significant inflammation due to microbial imbalances in the gut. This can lead to “leaky gut,” or increased permeability, as well as low-grade inflammation in other parts of the body.
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Diagnoses of IBS have steadily increased in recent years, likely due to a mix of increased awareness and shifting consumer dietary preferences. Microbial composition is not considered a primary cause of IBS; it can play a role in how symptoms are expressed, such as constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and gut pain.
  • Colorectal Cancer: Colorectal cancer is relatively common, though rates among American adults under 55 years old have increased alarmingly. Between 1995 and 2019, diagnoses among adults under 55 have nearly doubled, with growth rates highest for teens aged 15-19 (+333%) and adults aged 20-24 (+185%).

These factors have pushed more Americans to rely on supplements for GI health, driving both market growth and rapid digestive health product development.

The Fastest-Growing Digestive and Gut Health Products

There are thousands of companies offering products for gut health operating in numerous sales channels. From direct-to-consumer operations to wholesalers, these product segments in the digestive health industry pose considerable opportunities for brands.

  • Probiotics are the established leader of the space. Most brands now market on strain-specific formulations and dosages. Product development has shifted toward addressing specific imbalances, multi-strain products, and new delivery formats like gummies and probiotic foods.
  • Prebiotics are composed of fiber types that feed healthy gut microbes. Today’s products are primarily focused on fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS). There has also been significant investment in more novel prebiotic fibers.
  • Digestive enzymes are an established component of products that address gas, bloating, and indigestion. More recently, enzyme supplements containing proteases, lipases, amylases, and other varieties are formulated to address specific issues like gluten or dairy intolerances.

Probiotics, prebiotics, and enzymes are all components within the growing functional food and beverage segment. Spearheaded by fermented foods (yogurt, kefir) and beverages (kombucha), manufacturers have developed a range of health bars, snacks, and other products that blur the line between supplementation and traditional fortified CPG offerings.

Formulation and Product Development Support from Tilley Distribution

GI health is an undeniably important segment for any functional food or life sciences manufacturer. Tilley is your dedicated partner for specialty ingredients and formulation support. With international resources and unmatched technical expertise, we’re the right fit for growing your presence in this growing market. Let’s get started; contact us to speak with a Tilley representative today.