Sports nutrition is no longer reserved for athletes and frequent gym-goers according to speakers at the 2016 Protein Trends & Technologies Seminar. An increase in on-the-go lifestyles, daily stress levels and a desire for continuous motivation has expanded buyers of sports drinks and protein bars beyond the “athlete” consumer group.

Presenters described this recent audience shift and how formulators can capitalize on the popularity of protein. According to Elizabeth Sloan, president of Sloan Trends Inc., recently identified consumer concerns are changing ways sports nutrition products are positioned and to whom. Consumers, such as active weekenders, women invested in fitness and weight management, well-aging boomers, concerned mothers and millennials, are boosting the sales and future growth of sports nutrition products.

According to Chris Schmidt, senior consumer health analyst at Euromonitor International, sports protein products generate 82% of global sports nutrition sales. With this, sports nutrition is predicted to be the top performing global healthcare sector. This success stems from desirable and relevant benefits associated with high-quality protein. Along with lean muscle, muscle maintenance and exercise recovery, protein is being recognized for its potential cognitive function attributes and assisting in weight management.

These new developments are altering sports nutrition positioning, especially those benefits associated with the brain and nervous system. Similarly, energy is the number one health concern of consumers between the ages of 18 and 39. Consumers are looking for ways to stay alert all day, and the carbohydrates within sports nutrition products aid in increasing energy. With busy lifestyles and on-the-go attitudes, energy is essential, and ready-to-drink (R-T-D) sports protein has been the fastest growing format since 2010 because of convenience.

Dairy proteins, specifically whey protein and casein, are high-quality, complete sources of protein. They contain the essential and non-essential amino acids naturally found in dairy foods. Whey protein stands out for its fast digestibility rate and presence of branched-chain amino acids, including leucine. Leucine increases protein synthesis for enhanced muscle recovery and better performance. This explains why whey protein leads the sports protein segment.

It’s been found that both core users and newcomers turn to whey protein as their choice of sports protein. In fact, premium whey blends are preferred against multi-source blends that have grown in the past few years. Whey proteins can be used in R-T-D and protein bar products to satisfy these important new audiences: millennials, women and boomers.