Keep your eye on the supplements section at  Natural Products Expo West 2011. With consumers increasingly taking health into their own hands—and becoming more supplement savvy—manufacturers are responding by expanding product lines, developing retailer-education tools and placing greater emphasis on sourcing and transparency. “This year, more exhibitors are focusing on the authenticity and standards that their brands adhere to,” said Adam Andersen, Expo West show manager. “For instance, manufacturers are letting consumers know they are GMP certified.”

To learn more about the supplement trends likely to reign supreme at Expo West, delve into the following stories.

Retailer education
Last summer, retailers were caught on tape making statements about supplements that violate the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Now, the trade associations are stepping in to improve retailer education about what they can and cannot say about dietary supplements.

Condition-specific supplements
SPINS research shows that customers shop for supps based on specific health concerns. Heart, brain, digestive and women’s health rank among the most common reasons for which people seek supplemental support. We scoured sales figures and consulted three top integrative practitioners to get a grip on which supplements should be hot sellers in 2011.   

Top 7 ingredients
Nobody knows better which ingredients are poised to rock the supplements world than our colleagues at Functional Ingredients magazine. They’re trumpeting krill, polyphenols, vitamin D and more. This primer digs into the science backing each ingredient, recommends the best delivery methods for each and mentions manufacturers to check out.

Easy detox
With exposure to environmental toxins more prevalent than ever, consumers want to rid their bodies of crud. Restrictive cleansing regimes can be daunting and unrealistic, but daily detox supplements—along with a healthful diet—can help keep the body firing at full tilt. See which supps work best to support healthy organ function, and make sure you’re stocked and ready for those down-to-detox customers. 

Vitamin D
This sunny vitamin still dominates supplements conversations, especially after the Institute of Medicine amended its recommended dietary intake levels last November. Exactly how much vitamin D people should get per day continues to spark debate, but the message has gone mainstream that D is key and diet alone often doesn’t provide enough.

Expo Update: Don’t miss the Organic Center Dinner
Want the latest on the scientifically proven benefits of organics? Look no further than The Organic Center, a renowned nonprofit that has been conducting research on organic food and farming since 2002. Our comprehensive website provides a wealth of free resources: hard science substantiating organics’ benefits, a consumer-friendly blog, a monthly newsletter, the “organics 101” info page, and more! Visit organic-center.org.

Announcement: Enjoy a bountiful organic reception and dinner as you reconnect with 500 industry leaders at The Organic Center’s Annual Benefit Dinner, Friday, March 11, 6:30 p.m., at the Anaheim Hilton. Ken Cook, president and cofounder of the Environmental Working Group, will be the keynote speaker and environmental TV host Sara Snow will emcee.