Sports Nutrition Market Size & Share Analysis - Trends, Drivers, Competitive Landscape, and Forecasts (2025 - 2032)

Sports Nutrition Market Dynamics

Clean-Label Products Are Trending among Customers Worldwide

• The biggest trend in the sports nutrition market is clean-label, sustainable, and plant-based products.
• This shift reflects the rise in the awareness of people of their health and the disadvantages of conventional, chemical-based supplements.
• Another reason for the rising demand for these products is the growing population of vegetarians and vegans and the rising concerns over the animal testing of nutraceuticals.
• India already has a large vegetarian and vegan population, mainly due to religious beliefs.
• Additionally, with the increasing awareness of the claimed benefits of such diets, people in developed countries are increasingly turning to it.
• Therefore, as per research, the sale of plant-based proteins is expected to more than double over this decade, reaching USD 26,721.3 million by 2030.
• Moreover, clean-label products, apart from being made from sustainable sources, contain minimal artificial flavorings, coloring agents, and preservatives.
• This is why the players are increasingly offering health drinks, protein powders, energy bars, and supplement tablets made from plant sources.
• For instance, Glanbia offers a range of sports nutrition products made from flaxseed, peas, and chia seeds.
• Soy, which contains over 35 grams of proteins in every 100 grams, is another common source of such supplements.
• The sustainable aspect of these products is not limited to the ingredients and production methods but also extends to packaging.
• Packaging made from cellulose and other bio-based plastics, including PHB, PLA, PE, PET, and PGA, printed with equally sustainable inks that consume less water and dry without much energy use is being chosen by the players.

Growing Health Consciousness Drives Market

• The sports supplements market is primarily driven by the growing health consciousness around the globe.
• This trend has especially ballooned since the pandemic, where the physical and immunological weakness of people was severely exposed.
• As a result, a lot more people are taking nutritional supplements, taking up sports, and going to the gym.
• While gyms earlier saw a predominantly male membership, in the last decade, female membership has steadily increased.
• This has a lot to do with social media influencers posting videos and photos of their gym workouts on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
• This also serves as an effective marketing tool for companies offering sports nutrition products, who now find it way easier to reach the masses than before.
• Since working out at the gym is an energy-intensive application, members are recommended to take supplements, especially those high in proteins, before and after their gym session.
• Additionally, the government of numerous countries is encouraging people to take up sports, exercise, and other forms of physical activity to stay fit and healthy.
• For instance, India’s aim to do well at international sports events, such as World Athletics Championships, Olympics, and Commonwealth Games, continues to drive supplement consumption.
• India’s National Sports Policy 2024 aims at creating sports programs, organize sports leagues at various levels, establish a system to identify talent and individuals with potential, provide comprehensive infrastructure, educational, and training support to athletes, and promote sports as a viable occupation for people.
• This is to be done by making at least 2 physical trainers available to every 1,000 people, renovate 5,000 fitness venues, and create or expand 2,000 more gyms and health clubs.
• In all, the plan envisages raising the size of the national health & fitness industry from USD 463.0 billion (RMB 2.95 trillion) in 2019 to USD 784.8 billion (RMB 5 trillion) by 2025.
• Moreover, the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030 of the World Health Organization is targeted at using exercise and physical fitness to reduce the burden of chronic diseases.

Rising Preference for Healthy Food Could Hamper Market Growth

• The key restraint for the sports nutrition market is the growing preference of people to get their nutrition from actual food, over supplements.
• Despite their multiple claimed and proven benefits, the fact remains that sports nutrition products are ultra-processed, even if clean-labeled.
• This means that a certain variety and amount of chemicals are still used in their production, which may still pose certain health risks.
• Additionally, the rising influence of nutritionists and dieticians is restraining the market growth as most of them recommend proper food intake and regular exercise over supplements.
• Many of these professionals have are active on social media, YouTube, and blogging platforms, where they educate people about the disadvantages of substituting actual food with supplements and other ultra-processed nutritional products.
• Further, for people looking for application-specific food habits, custom dietary plans, with recommendations for physical exercise, are formulated by these healthcare professionals.
• Additionally, these products are way more expensive than actual food, which limits access in low- and middle-income countries.
• Further, many cultures have long-established dietary habits and knowledge on nutrition, which is why they are often reluctant to adopt supplements over regionally available and historically consumed food.

Sports Nutrition Market Segmentation and Category Analysis

Product Type Analysis

Sports supplements account for the largest market share of 40% in 2024. This is due to the growing consumption of protein supplements such as whey protein for muscle strengthening by athletes and gym-goers. Furthermore, the availability of various plant proteins, such as soy, spirulina, pumpkin seed, hemp, rice, and pea, and other variety of protein supplements in retail facilities including Walmart and Amazon will support the growth of product sales in the sports nutrition market.

The sports food category is expected to expand at the highest growth rate over the forecast period. Sports foods such as protein and energy bars are gaining popularity as on-the-go snacks. Also, the demand for healthy snacking for weight management is rising, owing to the increasing prevalence of obesity.

These products are covered in the report:

• Sports Supplements (Largest Category)
• Sports Drinks
• Sports Foods (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Meal Replacement Products
• Weight Loss Products
• Others

Application Analysis

The post-workout category generated the largest revenue share in 2024. This is because post-workout supplements offer benefits such as repairing damaged muscles, enhancing muscle gain, helping in recovery, and maintaining muscle mass. Moreover, post-workout supplements, such as branched-chain amino acids, glutamine, and casein, are gaining traction globally, owing to the growing awareness regarding their benefits.

Weight loss is the fastest-growing category during the forecast period. This is due to the increasing incidence of obesity and the rising awareness of its ill effects. As per the WHO, more than 2.5 billion people around the world are obese, with the incidence nearly doubling since 1990. Obesity does not just look bad physically but is also dangerous; chronic diseases attributable to a high BMI cause over 5 million deaths each year. Moreoer, the focus on looking good and be accepted by society is driving people to take nutraceuticals that help cut weight. Social media, the influence of TV and beauty/fashion magazines, and general peer pressure are behind this increase in weight reduction efforts.

Here are the applications studied:

• Pre-Workout
• Post-Workout (Largest Category)
• Weight Loss (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Others

Consumer Group Analysis

The adults category dominates the market, with about 35% market share attributed to a large number of consumers falling in the age group of 1%–64 years. As per the United Nations Trade and Development, this is the largest age group, making up 65% of the global population in 2024.

Additionally, consumers in this age group are actively involved in fitness and sports activities. Also, the increasing working women population is driving the demand for women's nutrition products in this age group. Moreover, the rising disposable income and growing concerns about maintaining a healthy lifestyle are boosting the adoption of sports supplements.

Additionally, it is expected to emerge as the fastest-growing category over the forecast period. This can be ascribed to the surging spending on health products and supplements, the growing awareness regarding well-being, the increasing availability and demand for sugar-free, vegan, and convenient supplement formats, and the rising trend of holistic well-being. Moreover, the demand for plant-based supplements is rapidly increasing. Companies are addressing the rising trend of plant-based or vegan products by launching compatible products in the industry.

The report offers insights into these consumer groups:

• Children
• Adults (Largest and Fastest-Growing Category)
• Geriatric

Distribution Channel Analysis

The hypermarkets/supermarkets category holds the largest revenue share in 2024. This is due to the easy availability of a large number of products in brick-and-mortar stores, such as specialty stores, small retail stores, fitness institutes, grocery stores, and general discount stores. Moreover, brick & mortar stores offer customer loyalty programs and membership benefits.

The online retail category is expected to grow at the highest CAGR over the next few years. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns boosted online sales. Additionally, e-commerce retailers such as Amazon are delivering nutritional products to consumers’ doorsteps. An increase in the number of self-directed consumers is one of the important factors driving the adoption of online channels for the purchase of supplements because of discounts offered by online stores.

We have analyzed the below-mentioned distribution channels:

• Hypermarket/Supermarket (Largest Category)
• Convenience Stores
• Specialty Stores
• Health Clubs/Gyms
• Pharmaceutical & Drug Stores
• Online Retail (Fastest-Growing Category)

Form Analysis

The powder category holds the largest market share of approx. 35% in 2024 in the sports nutrition market. This is to the high consumption of protein powder. Moreover, the use of nutrition powder by athletes and fitness enthusiasts is also growing as a result of the innovation in the powdered form of supplements, including powder that creates thick shakes to assist athletes to sustain longer by giving concentrated nutrients and the inclusion of active components to powder composition.

The gummies category is expected to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period. This can be attributed to the surging consumption of gummies due to their benefits such as convenience, taste, and easy consumption. Moreover, consumers suffering from pill fatigue are looking for alternatives to capsules, pills, and tablets, which, in turn, drives the demand for gummies.

The following forms are part of the research scope:

• Tablets
• Capsules
• Powders (Largest Category)
• Soft Gels
• Liquids
• Gummies (Fastest-Growing Category)

Sports Nutrition Market Geographical Analysis

North America accounts for the largest revenue share in the market. This is attributed to the increasing demand for supplements, the surging awareness regarding health and well-being, and the presence of a large number of players and various strategies adopted by these companies, in the region.

The U.S. leads the North American market as the country has a large number of fitness clubs in the world. According to IBIS World, as of now, there are 112,676 fitness centers in the country. The number of gyms, fitness clubs, and other fitness-related organizations in the U.S. is increasing, as consumers are more conscious about their physical fitness.

The APAC market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR over the next few years. This can be ascribed to the increase in sports participation and the rise in initiatives by public and private organizations in regional countries. Additionally, an increasing number of people in India and other developing countries are going to fitness clubs. China already has a rich sports tradition, regularly bagging the most medals at the Olympics. As per an article in China Daily, over 37% of the country’s population, equaling close to 500 million people, exercise regularly. As a result, nutrition products have increasingly gained popularity among athletes and common people in the region.

Here is the geographical breakdown of the market:

• North America (Largest Regional Market)
  • U.S. (Larger and Faster-Growing Country Market)
  • Canada
• Europe
  • U.K. (Largest Country Market)
  • Germany (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • France
  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia-Pacific (APAC) (Fastest-Growing Regional Market)
  • China (Largest Country Market)
  • India (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia
  • Rest of APAC
• Latin America (LATAM)
  • Brazil (Largest and Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Mexico
  • Rest of LATAM
• Middle East and Africa (MEA)
  • Saudi Arabia (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • South Africa (Largest Country Market)
  • Rest of MEA

Sports Nutrition Market Share

• The sports nutrition market is fragmented due to the presence of global, regional, and local companies.
• These products are not subject to as strong safety regulations as pharmaceuticals, which allows even smaller and new companies to register significant sales.
• Additionally, a variety of sports nutrition products aimed at different purposes and age groups are available in the market, and almost no company sells everything.
• Moreover, in the age of the internet and social media, new companies widely use influencers to promote their products to a wide customer base.
• Further, the emerging companies are specifically promoting bio-based, sustainable, and clean-label products as a substitute to the chemical-based ones sold by major pharmaceutical companies.

Sports Nutrition Market News

• In October 2024, PepsiCo Inc.’s Gatorade brand launched an AI-driven design tool on its Gatorade iD free membership platform, targeted at athletes. Launched in partnership with Adobe Firefly, the tool allows people to customize the design and graphics of their Gatorade squeeze bottles.
• In August 2024, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar launched a campaign focused on young sports fans fans in partnership with EA SPORTS College Football 25.
• In March 2024, Mars Inc. announced an investment of USD 70 million in its Hackettstown, New Jersey, facility to expand its R&D capabilities.
• In January 2024, Abbott Laboratories launched the PROTALITY brand of nutrition products for weight loss. The product is a shake high in slow- and fast-digesting proteins that supply the muscles for up to seven hours.