Since then, a stampede of supplement firms and ingredient suppliers have pushed forward with condition-specific marketing and product development efforts aimed at providing more targeted value propositions to consumers looking for natural solutions to precise health needs, such as immune-system support or cholesterol management. After more than a decade of implementation, this trend shows no sign of abating and, today, one can walk into a health food store or other supplement retailer and find rows of products targeted to diabetes management, gut health or other specific health conditions.

Nutrition Business Journal estimates that the top 16 health conditions—which range from general health to vision health—accounted for 92% of U.S. supplement sales in 2007. Not including the sports/energy/weight-loss and general health categories, the top three condition-specific categories tracked by NBJ in 2007 were cold/flu/immune (which accounted for $1.57 billion in sales), joint health ($1.52 billion) and heart health ($1.51 billion).

NBJ provides an in-depth look at each of the 16 condition-specific health categories in our Condition-Specific Supplements and Functional Ingredients issue, which publishes later this month. To order your copy of the issue or to subscribe to NBJ, go to www.nutritionbusinessjournal.com.