5 Things Customers Look for in Health Supplements

supplements

Many people take supplements as part of their daily routine for staying healthy and preventing disease. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and people’s renewed focus on their health and wellbeing, has since manifested in a dramatic uptick in the demand for health supplements, from pills and capsules to tinctures and powders. While there’s a lot of research being done on just how effective these supplements are at preventing and treating certain nutrient deficiencies, there’s less information available on what customers look for when choosing supplements for themselves. 

But this is an important consideration to make, especially if you intend on manufacturing your own health supplement products. Knowing what your target market prioritizes and values in their health journeys will help you craft quality supplements that align with their needs. Here are five qualities that your customers are likely to seek in their health supplements, which will definitely assist you in creating products that will satisfy them:  

Sourced From High-Quality and Natural Ingredients

First, consumers need the assurance that the health supplements they intend on taking are actually healthy. Thus, one of the first things people look at when selecting a health supplement is its ingredient list. The modern consumer is more literate than ever with food and beverage labels, and will likely shy away from any health supplement that contains synthetic ingredients.

This is especially true for certain health supplements whose ingredients are required to be organically sourced and of premium quality so that they can deliver maximum benefits. For example, coconut oil-based medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplements, which can improve gut health and energy levels among others, need to be sourced from a trusted coconut oil manufacturer for them to be effective. Poorly-derived MCT supplements, on the other hand, may induce the opposite effect of the product’s indications and damage the gut environment. 

Manufactured in a Certified Plant

As a distributor of health supplements, you must also ensure that the manufacturing plant you rely on has the necessary certifications to operate and produce in the country where it is located. Depending on where your plant is, this can range anywhere from a food safety certification to certification for good manufacturing practices for dietary supplements. 

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You must carefully consider what certifications you’d need to further promote and highlight the efficacy of your product. One good strategy is to work closely with an ingredient manufacturer who already has several certifications under their belt. By sourcing your products from high-quality ingredients that are processed in a certified manufacturing plant, you’ll improve your chances of making people consider your health supplement over the products of other businesses. 

Easy to Consume

Today’s consumers also want health supplements that are easy to consume. The ideal supplement is something that can be taken with minimal water or even dry swallowed. If your health supplement comes in capsule form, you should find the balance between the capsule size and the number of ingredients that can be safely placed inside one. 

With regard to products like MCT supplements, research suggests that people can consume around four to seven tablespoons a day to receive maximum benefits. Because the average-sized MCT capsule can hold up to 750 mg of MCT, which is less than a tablespoon, you should clearly indicate that consumers should take a few capsules daily, spaced over the entire day. This prevents consumers from feeling too overwhelmed about taking their supplements or finding their supplements too hard to swallow. 

Tested by Independent Labs

Consumers will want to know that your health supplement is truly effective, and this means having your product tested by third-party labs. It’s a good idea to have your product tested independently before you start heavily promoting it to your target market. By having your product tested first before you release it to the public, you’ll also gain the opportunity to see potential discrepancies or challenges in the formulation of your health supplement—and, just as importantly, be able to immediately resolve them. 

Though it may be tedious to acquire, don’t underestimate the value of having a third-party certification. Most people will research a specific supplement—including its certifications—before purchasing it. Supplements that do not have enough independent research backing up their claims have a higher chance of being ignored in favor of something that seems more reputable. 

Realistic Claims

Lastly, when promoting your health supplement to your target market, make sure that you do not make bold claims about it, such as the fact that it “cures” a certain disease. The United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for example, is particularly strict about this and does not allow any health supplement to be marketed under such claims. To be more truthful and balanced in your approach towards your customers, go for more tempered assertions such as the fact that your product supports immunity. 

Make it a point to be realistic about the health benefits your customers can expect out of your product, even if you’ve done your homework by partnering with a trusted ingredient supplier and have started sourcing your products from a certified manufacturing plant. Always consider how you’ll speak about your product’s benefits, as this will factor into whether your customers will see you as a snake oil salesman or a reputable supplier of a high-quality product. 

Conclusion: Have Your Consumers’ Best Interests at Heart 

The most important consideration that you should make when releasing a health supplement of your own is to have your consumers’ best interests at heart. Place yourself in their shoes and think about what a typical customer would want to see from their health supplement of choice. What are the things that you would look for, and what would make you trust one business more than another? 

Taking the extra effort to address the needs of your target market will significantly improve your chances of getting your product out there. While there may be technical challenges along the way, you won’t regret thinking about what your customers value and making the right decisions for your brand.