The sports nutrition category is expected to continue to boom, but the pipe may be empty for new product categories, says the CEO of the International Society for Sports Nutrition (ISSN).

Jose Antonio, PhD, told NutraIngredients that he expects the sports nutrition category to refine its current offerings, with no new categories on the horizon.

There may be new ingredients, but no new categories, said Dr Antonio, who is also a member of faculty at Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

I do expect to see more protein blends, however. But for amino acids, there is nothing new down the pipe. We had beta-alanine but that was about five years ago. Is there a new beta-alanine? I dont see it.

Maturing discipline

Sports nutrition has undergone an incredible decade of development and growth, he said. Go back 10-12 years and sports nutrition did not really exist as a field.

If you wanted to do science on sports nutrition or dietary supplements you would be laughed at. Today, it is a legitimate field, and there are dissertations being written about dietary supplements and sports nutrition. Today, its a booming category for both academia and industry.

While the segment has evolved, so have the consumers. Consumers are a lot more savvy about science-based ingredients. As the US population ages, there is a widening of the category, he said, so that is not only bodybuilding, but more about general health.

Flavor is the number one issue, he added. Such is the importance of flavor that this is often what leads consumers to stay with a product, rather than a traditional brand loyalty. Sports nutrition consumers will try all sorts of different products. Take a post-workout protein shake, for example, consumers will try multiple products and often settle for the one that tastes the best.

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Will product refinement drive the next decade for the ‘booming’ sports nutrition category?