Health Areas
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Reference
Health Areas
G&G Cloud staff reference · last edited 29/10/2026
Supplement health areas (sometimes called "need states" or "health platforms") are the main consumer health benefits that food supplements are positioned around. This page summarises the main areas in the UK and international supplement market as of late 2026. For each area it lists the vitamins, minerals, botanicals and other actives most commonly promoted. It is intended as a starting point for new product development and customer enquiries.
The vitamins and minerals in each area are the ones that carry authorised GB health claims for that benefit (see the GB NHC Register). Botanical claims remain "on hold" in GB. This is why most products pair a "hero" botanical with a vitamin or mineral that carries the legal claim.
Important: several ingredients that are widely promoted in these areas are Novel Food, Medicinal or THR according to this wiki, so G&G cannot sell them, or can sell them only in restricted forms. These are marked in the tables below and summarised under G&G regulatory flags. Always check the individual ingredient page before quoting.
Key to flags: (NF) Novel Food or restricted form · (Med) Medicinal · (THR) Traditional Herbal Registration · (?) not yet assessed on G&G Cloud
The main health areas
The order is a rough guide to market size and activity, not an exact ranking.
| # | Area | Vitamins & minerals (typical GB claim) | Botanicals & other actives | Current trend notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Immunity | Vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, selenium, vitamin A, B6, B12, folate, copper, iron (normal function of the immune system) | Elderberry, Echinacea (THR), beta-glucans (yeast/mushroom), Probiotics, colostrum, quercetin, Pelargonium Root (THR) | Demand has settled since the COVID peak. Vitamin D remains the UK anchor product. |
| 2 | Energy & fatigue | B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, folate, vitamin C, iron, magnesium (reduction of tiredness and fatigue) | CoQ10, ginseng, Rhodiola Rosea, cordyceps, creatine, NAD | Interest in "brain energy" and in clean energy without caffeine. |
| 3 | Cognitive / brain | Zinc, iron, iodine (normal cognitive function), B5 (mental performance), omega-3 DHA (normal brain function, 250 mg) | Fish Oils (DHA), lion's mane, Bacopa, Ginkgo biloba, L-Theanine (NF), Citicoline (NF – approved, Cognizin only), phosphatidylserine, creatine, Magnesium L-threonate (NF), Alpha GPC (Med), Huperzine A (Med) | One of the fastest-growing areas. Creatine is spreading from sport into cognition. |
| 4 | Mood, stress & sleep | Magnesium, B1, B3, B6, B12, biotin, folate, vitamin C (normal psychological function) | Ashwagandha (NF), saffron, L-Theanine (NF), 5-HTP (NF), Valerian (THR), chamomile, lemon balm, GABA (Med), tart cherry, Melatonin (Med) | Magnesium (glycinate/bisglycinate) is the standout ingredient. Melatonin is medicinal in the UK. |
| 5 | Digestive / gut | Calcium (normal function of digestive enzymes), riboflavin, niacin, biotin (normal mucous membranes) | Probiotics, Prebiotics (inulin, FOS, GOS), Postbiotics, digestive Enzymes, psyllium, ginger, peppermint, glutamine, Triphala (?) | Strain-specific probiotics, and the gut linked to brain, skin and immunity (the "gut-X axis"). Triphala is an Ayurvedic blend of amla, haritaki and bibhitaki, traditionally used for digestion and regularity. |
| 6 | Women's health (by life stage) | B6 (regulation of hormonal activity), folic acid (maternal tissue growth in pregnancy), iron, vitamin D, calcium, iodine | Menstrual / PMS: Agnus Castus (Med), evening primrose oil, inositol (PCOS) Menopause: sage, red clover, Black Cohosh (THR), soy isoflavones, saffron, Maca, Shatavari (?) Urinary: cranberry, D-mannose |
Fast growth in perimenopause and menopause products, and "life-stage" ranges. Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) is an Ayurvedic root promoted for female hormonal balance, menopause and lactation. |
| 7 | Men's health | Zinc (normal fertility; normal testosterone levels), selenium (normal spermatogenesis) | Saw Palmetto (Med in prostate products), lycopene, pumpkin seed, Tongkat Ali (NF), fenugreek, Ashwagandha (NF), Pygeum (Med) | Men's fertility, testosterone and prostate products. |
| 8 | Healthy ageing / longevity | Vitamin D (muscle function), B12, vitamin K (bones), vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, selenium (protection of cells from oxidative stress) | CoQ10, resveratrol, Nicotinamide Riboside (NR), Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NF), Urolithin A (NF), spermidine, Astaxanthin (NF in oleoresin form), Fisetin (NF), PQQ (approved NF), Collagen, creatine | Most premium launches are in this area, and many longevity actives are novel. |
| 9 | Bone, joint & mobility | Calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese (normal bones), vitamin C (collagen formation for cartilage) | Glucosamine (max. 1100 mg base), chondroitin, MSM, turmeric/curcumin, Boswellia, Collagen (incl. type II), eggshell membrane, Fish Oils, Devil's Claw (THR) | A mature category that is now framed around "active ageing". |
| 10 | Heart / cardiovascular | Thiamin (heart function), B6, B12, folate (homocysteine metabolism), potassium (blood pressure), EPA/DHA (heart function, 250 mg) | Fish Oils, plant sterols and oat beta-glucan (cholesterol claims), CoQ10, garlic, hawthorn, red yeast rice (restricted, ?) | Stable demand from an older customer base. |
| 11 | Metabolic & weight | Chromium (normal blood glucose), zinc (carbohydrate metabolism), glucomannan (weight loss, 3 g/day) | Berberine (NF + Med), cinnamon, inositol, green tea extract (pure EGCG is NF), fibres, protein, Probiotics, Gymnema Silvestre (Med), Hydroxycitric Acid (Med) | The biggest new driver is "GLP-1 companion" products for people on Mounjaro or Wegovy, which support protein intake, muscle retention, fibre and gut comfort. |
| 12 | Beauty from within | Biotin, zinc, selenium (hair, nails), copper (hair and skin pigmentation), vitamin C (collagen formation for skin), vitamin A (skin) | Collagen, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, Astaxanthin (NF in oleoresin form), horsetail / silica, keratin | Collagen-led products combined with gut and skin ingredients. |
Adjacent areas
- Eye health: lutein, zeaxanthin, DHA (normal vision), vitamin A, riboflavin, zinc (normal vision).
- Sports & active nutrition: protein, creatine, electrolytes, beta-alanine, Caffeine. This area now overlaps with energy and healthy ageing (muscle retention).
G&G regulatory flags
These ingredients are commonly promoted in the areas above, but this wiki currently records the following restrictions on them. See each page for the detail and the date it was last updated.
| Ingredient | Area(s) | Status on G&G Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Agnus Castus | Women's health | Medicinal (MHRA). Should not be sold. |
| Black Cohosh | Women's health | THR |
| Valerian | Sleep | THR |
| Echinacea, Pelargonium Root | Immunity | THR |
| Devil's Claw | Joints | THR |
| GABA | Sleep / stress | Medicinal. Cannot be used by G&G. |
| Melatonin | Sleep | Medicinal in the UK |
| Saw Palmetto | Men's health | Medicinal when used in a prostate / men's health product |
| Huperzine A, Alpha GPC | Cognitive | Medicinal (Alpha GPC Novel Food application in progress) |
| Berberine | Metabolic | Novel Food and Medicinal |
| 5-HTP | Mood / sleep | Griffonia seed powder or extract (max. 30% 5-HTP) only. Synthetic 5-HTP is novel. |
| L-Theanine | Cognitive / stress | Not novel only when it comes from green tea (R1652, 60% natural theanine) |
| Ashwagandha | Stress / men's health | Not permitted in Denmark, and restricted case by case in Sweden. Check the destination market. |
| Tongkat Ali | Men's health | Novel Food |
| Magnesium L-threonate | Cognitive | Approved Novel Food, Magtein brand only (R1775). Trademark agreement needed. |
| Astaxanthin | Ageing / beauty | Whole algae is not novel. The oleoresin is an authorised Novel Food with dose limits and warnings. |
| Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, Urolithin A | Ageing | Novel Food. Not authorised (NMN application in progress). |
| Fisetin | Ageing | Pure or purified extracts are novel. Smoke tree bark, leaf and flower are not novel in food supplements. |
| CDP Choline (Citicoline) | Cognitive | Approved Novel Food, up to 500 mg per serving. Cognizin only (R3878). |
| PQQ | Ageing / energy | Approved Novel Food (2020). Can be used. |
| EGCG | Metabolic | Pure EGCG is novel. Green tea extract is acceptable (R2573, 45% EGCG). |
| Gymnema Silvestre, Hydroxycitric Acid | Metabolic | Medicinal (HCA as a purified extract) |
| Pygeum | Men's health | Medicinal and endangered. Not used by G&G. |
| Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) | Ageing | Permitted vitamin form (B3) since 2023 |
| Glucosamine | Joints | Food supplements must stay below 1100 mg glucosamine base |
| Rhodiola Rosea | Energy / stress | Limited to 250 mg equivalent. Listed under CITES. |
| Shatavari, Triphala, saffron, red yeast rice, lion's mane | Various | Not yet assessed on G&G Cloud. Check before quoting. |
Note: the Primrose page on this wiki covers primrose (THR), which is a different plant from evening primrose (Oenothera biennis), whose oil is used in women's health products.
References
- GB Nutrition and Health Claims (NHC) Register – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/great-britain-nutrition-and-health-claims-nhc-register
- NutraIngredients – Forces and factors that fuelled the supplement industry in 2025 – https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2026/01/05/forces-and-factors-that-fueled-the-supplement-industry-in-2025
- NutraIngredients – GLP-1, longevity and mood lead nutrition trends at SupplySide Global – https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2025/11/10/glp-1-longevity-and-mood-lead-nutrition-trends-at-supplyside-global
- Nutraceuticals World – Vitaquest 2026 dietary supplement trends report – https://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/breaking-news/vitaquest-publishes-2026-dietary-supplement-trends-report/
- SupplySide SJ – 10 emerging supplement trends for 2026 – https://www.supplysidesj.com/market-trends-analysis/10-emerging-supplement-trends-2026
- Nutrition Insight – Trends in menopause supplements – https://www.nutritioninsight.com/trend-analysis/categories/trends-in-menopause-supplements.html
- Nutrition Insight – Gut health and digestive supplement trends – https://www.nutritioninsight.com/trend-analysis/ingredients/gut-health-digestive-supplement-trends.html
- BeautyMatter – The ingredient signals defining Vitafoods Europe 2026 – https://beautymatter.com/articles/the-ingredient-signals-defining-vitafoods-europe-2026
- ConsumerLab – 2026 supplement popularity survey – https://www.consumerlab.com/news/2026-supplement-popularity-press-release/02-26-2026/