Supplements are working for stressed-out Americans

Americans are stressing more and sleeping less. That’s not so great for the state of our collective mental health—and explains a thing or two about some of our more petulant post-pandemic behavior. But there’s better news, especially if you’re a supplement brand selling products to help people calm their minds or rack up more ZZZs. Consumers who are turning to supplements for mood and mental health issues are finding relief in the capsules and gummies they’re swallowing, according to a Nutrition Business Journal survey published in the recently released Mood and Mental Health Report.

Two-thirds of consumers who were experiencing mood and mental health issues said stress was their primary concern, and about half said they were having trouble sleeping. Stress is what’s driving most consumers with mood and mental health issues to take dietary supplements, but a good percentage would like those supplements to address sleep at the same time. 

What’s stressing people out the most? Believe it or not, even after a pandemic that cost more than a million Americans their lives and triggered a host of related medical problems, financial issues are most people’s biggest source of stress. Inflation and constant warnings about a looming recession (that has yet to materialize) are weighing heavy on well over half of agitated Americans.

Our survey paints a somewhat grim picture of America’s mental health, but it also found that more than half of consumers who are experiencing mood and mental health issues believe supplements could relieve their symptoms and nearly two-thirds of consumers who use them believe they are effective and show positive results. More than 60% said they experience immediate improvement when they take supplements for mood and mental health.

In another piece of good news for brands in this category, Gen Zers—more than any other generation—say supplements make a difference in their mood and mental health, providing a lot of runway for market growth in coming years. Infinitely more in touch with their mental and emotional well-being than other cohorts and unabashedly willing to talk about both the problems and the solutions, Gen Zers are emerging as a key market for mood and mental health supplements.

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