N°66 - Ingrédients / Santé de la femme The reality on the ground? Does the offer of food supplements It is clearly in the supplements dedicated for women’s health reflect the to pregnancy, preparation thereof, and breastfeeding while passing through pre- complexity of the ingredients gnancy itself that the number of launches available? Are the ingredients was the most significant with 30% of the published formulae. actually used in food supplements The offer consists of vitamins and minerals truly diverse? What formulae and, therefore, folic acid, vitamin B9 first and foremost. They dominate the market are there on the market? – 22% of launches for women (more than seven out of ten supplements dedicated to pregnancy). These are simple, “no-frills” formulae (blends of vitamins and minerals) At the end of December 2017, exceptfor beauty supplements, the foodsupplements segment in women’sas we are tempted to say. Such examplesare Fertile Vitamin Women from the epony-mous North-American company, Women’s health only accounted for €36 million (IQViaPrenatal Formula from GNC Taiwan. data) in the French pharmacies, namely 0.6% Still for pregnancy, there are supplements of the supplements sold in pharmacies. The based on oils high in Omega-3s: 20% of “overview” is hardly better in drugstores: launches. 0.9% of the market, nearly €1 million… Change of scenery with the supplements 076 Nevertheless, without being the most dedicated to relieving the symptoms related dynamic segment in terms of launches to menopause and the pre-menstrual syn- (2018 witnessed the pharmacies’ “absorp- drome. They account for slightly over 20% of tion” of more than 1,000 new references launches. Heading for plants. Their formulae out of a total of almost 10,900 references, are vegetal, with known extracts (red clover, according to IQVia), women’s health still ishops, yam). Classic! an emblematic subject in the sector of food Finally, in Europe there are almost 38 plant supplements. extracts pending for claim approval: Achillea For several reasons: on the one hand, ageratum L., Achillea ageratum L., Cassia it targets a clearly identified population italica (Mill.) Lam. ex F.W. Andrews, Foeni- segment, whose problems of prevention culum vulgare Mill., Hamamelis virginiana L., and/or relief of “physiological disorders” areLepidium meyenii Walp. (maca), Magnolia specific (e.g. preparing for pregnancy); on officinalis Rehder & E.H. Wilson, Salvia offi- the other hand, some of the formulae deve- cinalis L. loped have been supported both by active The genital-urinary positioning has also research and by the regulatory authorities attracted 10% of the listed launches. These (definitely, the genital-urinary system for formulae are based on plants and botanical which cranberry-based supplements had extracts – they are largely dominated by received regular endorsement and hence cranberry (almost 80% of the new products). a claim from the French authorities before It is worth mentioning that more than 140 LACTATION Europe rejected them). plants target the psychological component of urinary comfort amongst both sexes. Only Few plants have Diving into hypers-pecialisation obtained claims for about thirty position themselves on the pre- lactation. Five, as vention of bacterial infections. follows: Anethum Thus, this segment consists of “hyper-spe- graveolens L. (which is not included in thecialised” formulae. Over the past two years,Probiotics, too BelFrIt list), Carum carviActif’s Magazine has published nearly 45 L., Galega offi cinalis L, Origanum vulgare L.,manufactured in Europe, but also in the Less than 10% of the launched formulae are Verbena offi cinalis L.U.S.A., Asia (source: Innova Market Insight).based on probiotics marketed as intended ■ / Janvier - Février - Mars 2019 / N°66 / L’Actualité des Ingrédients Fonctionnels & Santé