NEW YORK — After the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have realized the importance of taking care of both their cognitive and immune health, and supplements have become a sought-after way to do so, according to a study conducted by Kyowa Hakko.

With the launch of two white papers — “Evolving Consumer Attitudes About Immunity Support” and “New Survey Reveals What’s Driving Consumers to Energy Drinks and Supplements” — Kyowa Hakko found 40% of consumers report taking supplements to support immunity in the past 12 months and of those, more than three-in-four do so as part of their regimen for long-term immune support.

“This renewed focus on immune health indicates that consumers are looking for new solutions to ensure they’re feeling and performing their best every day,” said Karen Todd, RD, vice president of global brand marketing, Kyowa Hakko USA, Inc. “That’s where ingredients like our Immuse postbiotic come into play, those that present a new mechanism of action for immune health and are backed by numerous clinical studies.”

The survey also states that among US supplement consumers, four-in-five said it is important to their quality of life to have mental focus, mental energy, and the ability to concentrate.

“So many of us experience a number of different stressors throughout our day that are jeopardizing our ability to focus, think clearly, and keep our mental energy up,” Ms. Todd said. “Consumers want more products that include ingredients that are clinically researched to help us overcome those challenges and improve brain health, like Cognizin citicoline.”

In addition to seeking the need for more supplements, nearly one-third of supplement consumers said they feel underserved and unsatisfied with the current market for both immune- and cognitive-boosting drinks.

“Our surveys are telling us that beverages are a major white space for product development, as consumers look for more opportunities to get functional ingredients into their bodies through their diets,” Ms. Todd said.