Women’s health has long been overlooked in the realm of nutrition. According to Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute (KHNI), establishing credible scientific evidence based on female populations to develop products that meet the needs of women across multiple life stages is paramount to correct the shortcomings in the current scientific knowledge.

Ahead of KHNI’s webinar titled, Innovating for women’s health: Optimizing wellness across life stages, which will take place on June 14, (16:00 CET), we speak with Dr. Izaskun Monsalve, marketing Manager for women’s health at Kerry and a speaker at the webinar, about the opportunities and challenges for innovation in the women’s health space.

“Now is an opportune time for women’s health and fertility to be further explored due to several factors,” Monsalve tells Nutrition Insight. “Firstly, there is a growing recognition of the unique health needs of women and a shift toward prioritizing women’s well-being. This increased awareness and advocacy have created a demand for more comprehensive research and solutions.” 

“Furthermore, societal conversations around women’s health and fertility have become more open and inclusive. There is a greater emphasis on breaking stigmas, promoting education, and empowering women to make informed choices about their reproductive and overall health. This cultural shift creates an environment conducive to exploring new approaches and challenging traditional norms.”KHNI’s webinar will focus on innovating for women’s health across all life stages.

“A growing recognition”
KHNI states that one challenge to innovation in the women’s health sector is that, though female-specific symptoms and diseases are numerous and widespread, scientific understanding of the female body is not. However, the company emphasizes that the tides are changing.

“There is a growing recognition of the unique health needs and considerations of women throughout their lives and the demand for better female health is being driven by several factors,” Monsalve explains. “Historically, women’s health has been under-researched and often overlooked, leading to a need for more comprehensive understanding and tailored healthcare solutions.” 

“Additionally, increased awareness and education about women’s health issues have empowered women to advocate for their own well-being. Women are now seeking better access to healthcare services, accurate information, and specialized treatments that address their specific concerns. This increased focus on women’s health is to close the gap and provide guidance that is needed for women across the globe.”

Another factor KHNI says is contributing to the demand for science, offerings and innovations in female health is shifts within societies and cultures. Monsalve says that as women take on more leadership positions and larger roles in the workplace, at home and in society, the need for prioritizing women’s health is also growing.

“This has led to a greater focus on reproductive health, menopause management, mental health and overall wellness,” she adds.

Filling the gaps
The space for women’s health across the lifespan is becoming increasingly innovative and competitive. According to Innova Market Insights, supplements and sports nutrition launches with women’s health claims have risen steeply since 2017. 

Globally, there was an average annual growth of 19% in supplements launched with “menopause” in the product descriptions from 2018 to 2022 (CAGR). Monsalve highlights that since there are many needs that need to be met for women’s health across the life stages, there are many opportunities for new products in the space.

“With women’s health spanning from adolescence to old age, there are many areas in which companies can innovate and stay competitive in the market and there is a growing recognition of the significant market potential in this sector, leading to increased investment and research efforts,” Monsalve elaborates. “Innovative technologies, treatments, and products are being developed to address various aspects of women’s health and fertility.”Monsalve says we need a more comprehensive understanding of women’s needs, since, historically, they have been “under-researched” and “overlooked.”

“An increase in life expectancy boosting the worldwide menopausal population and pregnancy and fertility reaching high volumes are also expected to drive growth of this segment. Women’s needs change throughout their life cycle, meaning there is an increased opportunity for brands to offer tailored approaches to health maintenance and multi-symptom solutions." 

Monsalve also notes that the “competitive nature” of the women’s health segment is further driving innovations by encouraging companies and researchers to develop new solutions for women-specific needs.

Expanding markets
KHNI also states that the competition with the sector is setting it up for further expansion and advancements. Technological innovations and increased investment mean that personalized nutrition, mental health support, reproductive technologies and holistic solutions for wellness will shape the future of the women’s health field.

“For example, we are not talking about menopause in general anymore – when we talk about menopause, we talk about more than 40 different symptoms that can affect women to a greater or lesser extent,” says Monsalve. “For each woman, these can be different, so we need specific solutions for the symptoms they are really experiencing.”

She further reveals that another important player in new products is the microbiome, stating that recent investigations show relationships and axes between the gut and fertility, menopause, skin and breastfeeding, leading pro-, post- and prebiotics to become important assets in addressing women’s health.

“Finally, we cannot forget the new technologies, new tools that allow women to know more about what’s happening in their bodies to better understand the symptoms they are experiencing and allow them to make decisions about the consumption of specific diets and functional ingredients to meet their needs,” Monsalve concludes.