Solutions
Insights
Sustainability
About us
Contact us
Careers
Media
Suppliers
Croatia
Home Insights Cases and articles Areas that drive demand in special and medical nutrition

Nutrition can support stabilising multiple body systems.1 When core nutritional needs are unmet, downstream effects appear across muscle function, immunity, metabolism, digestion, cardiovascular health and cognition.2,3 These areas present significant opportunities for further innovation.

Recovery drinks in Tetra Prisma Aseptic carton package, text: 21%

Nutrition management

Involuntary weight loss and impaired food intake are recognised diagnostic components of malnutrition – a condition that negatively affects eating and digestion.4 Launches with malnutrition claims show +21% year-over-year growth (MAT Sep 2024 vs MAT Sep 2025) and paediatric care claims show +17% year-over-year growth (MAT Sep 2021 vs MAT Sep 2025).5 “Free from” claims are a major mainstream trend, with gluten-free the most dominant.5

Holding recovery drink in Tetra Prisma Aseptic carton, text: 57%

Muscle functionality

57% of patients are aware of the link between protein consumption and muscle function,5 and one in two has been diagnosed with a condition impacting muscle functionality,5 Launches with muscle function claims show +16% CAGR (MAT Sep 2016 vs MAT Sep 2025).5 Milk and whey protein remain the most common protein ingredients, while caseinate is gaining traction in applications.5

APAC is the largest and fastest growing weight-management market, showing +39% YoY in medical and special nutrition launches with weight-management claims (MAT Sep 2021 vs MAT Sep 2025).5 One in three patients in the study has been diagnosed with diabetes or glucose intolerance. “No added sugars” is the most popular claim.5

Recovery drink in Tetra Prisma Aseptic carton packages, nuts and seeds, text:31%

Cardiovascular health

Although still a relatively niche segment, cardiovascular health has grown rapidly over the past five years, primarily driven by APAC.  Launches with cardiovascular health claims show +31% YoY growth globally, vs 40% in APAC.5 Omega-3 is often used by patients. At lower doses, it can be positioned for its anti-inflammatory properties – an attractive claim that does not compromise flavour.5

Hand holding Tetra Prisma carton, text: 28%

Immune support

Immune support solutions continue to show stable growth, with APAC emerging as the largest and second-fastest growing region, showing +28% YoY growth in medical and special nutrition launches with immune health claims (MAT Sep 2021 vs MAT Sep 2025). 72% of patients find "high in vitamins/minerals" claims appealing, and 65% have been recommended dietary supplements by a healthcare professional.5

17% of patients globally have been diagnosed with mental health conditions in 2023.7 Neurocognitive launches have moderated in recent years, yet growth continues to be driven by APAC and Latin America.5 Medical and special nutrition launches with neurocognitive and mental health claims grew +53% YoY (MAT Sep 2024 vs MAT Sep 2025).5 Taurine and galacto-oligosaccharides are the fastest-growing ingredients.8,9

Oatmeal with fresh raspberries, text: 25%

Digestive health

Although new product launches in this category have declined in recent years, APAC remains the largest and continually growing market, showing +15% YoY growth in medical and special nutrition launches with digestive claims, vs +10% globally. Over one third of patients receive recommendations to include probiotics in daily diet, yet functional ingredients centre around minerals and fibres.

Walking on street holding recovery drink in Tetra Prisma carton in his hand, text: 58%

Renal and urinary function

This remains a niche area where APAC and Western Europe lead innovation in products with balanced nutrition and minimal kidney burden. Formulations focus on low protein with reduced sodium, potassium and phosphorus. Ready-to-drink formats are most popular in this segment, accounting for 58% share compared with 30% for powders.5

Get in touch with us!

Service engineers training

Have questions about our solutions and products, or need some expert advice? Our friendly team is here to help! Just fill out the form, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Select most relevant product or service

Error - please select product or service most relevant for your enquiry

Get in touch with us!

Summary

Select most relevant product or service

Specific area of interest

Error - please select one option that best describes your request

Get in touch with us!

Summary

Select most relevant product or service

Scope of request

Error - please select one option that best describes your request

Food category

Error - please select one option that best describes your request
  • Error - please select one option that best describes your request
  • Error - please select one option that best describes your request
  • Error - please select one option that best describes your request
  • Error - please select one option that best describes your request
  • Error - please select one option that best describes your request

Get in touch with us!

Summary

Select most relevant product or service

Specific area of interest

Error - please select one option that best describes your request

Get in touch with us!

Summary

Select most relevant product or service
Specific area of interest
Scope of request
Food category

What describes your request the best

Error - please select one option that best describes your request
Error - please select your role
Brand Owner Consultant Distributor Integrator Manufacturer Original Equipment Manufacturer Potential Investor Retailer Other
Please describe your enquiry using maximum 1000 characters. The message is mandatory.

Get in touch with us!

Summary

Select most relevant product or service
Message
Specific area of interest
Scope of request
Food category
What describes your request the best
Your role

Company information

The company name is mandatory
Error - please select position
C-suite Vice President Director Manager Specialist Associate Entry level Other
Error - please select function
Administrative Business Development Consulting Engineering Executive Management Finance Human Resources IT Legal Marketing Operations Product Management Purchasing Research & Development Sales Sustainability Other
Enter your valid company e-mail address, such as example@company.com
First name is mandatory
Last name is mandatory
Phone number is mandatory. Please include country code.
The city of workplace is mandatory
Error - please select your country or region
Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Côte d’Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong S.A.R., China Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao S.A.R., China Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu U.S. Virgin Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican Venezuela Viet Nam Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe
Error - please select the Privacy Policy consent

Thank you for your interest

Your request has been submitted to our teams and we will be in touch shortly. Please click on the button below if you want to submit another request or if you have another query for us.

Something went wrong!

Your request could not be sent at this time. Please try again later, or contact support if the issue persists

1. Chen, Y., Michalak, M. & Agellon, L.B. (2018). Importance of Nutrients and Nutrient Metabolism on Human Health. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 91(2), 95–103. PMID: 29955217; PMCID: PMC6020734.
2. Saunders, J. & Smith, T. (2010). Malnutrition: causes and consequences. Clinical Medicine, 10(6), 624–627. DOI: 10.7861/clinmedicine.10-6-624.
3. Carey, S., Deng, J. & Ferrie, S. (2024). The impact of malnutrition on cognition in older adults: A systematic review. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 63, 177–183. DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2024.06.014.
4. Cederholm, T. et al. (2019) ‘GLIM criteria for the diagnosis of malnutrition – A consensus report from the global clinical nutrition community’, Clinical Nutrition, 38(1), pp. 1–9. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2018.08.002.
5. Innova Database, FMCG Gurus Medical Nutrition Survey 2023; *NPL in MAT Sep 2021 – 749 ; NPL in MAT Sep 2025 - 1058
6. The Business Research Company (2026). Cardiovascular Health Supplements Global Market Report 2026: Market Size, Trends, Strategies, and Forecast to 2030. Historical data: 2020–2025.
7. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) (2026) Global mental disorders have nearly doubled since 1990, now affecting 1.2 billion people worldwide. Available at: https://www.healthdata.org/news-events/newsroom/news-releases/global-mental-disorders-have-nearly-doubled-1990-now-affecting  (Accessed: 22 September 2026).
8. Future Market Insights (2025) Taurine industry analysis in Western Europe. Available at: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/taurine-industry-analysis-in-western-europe (Accessed: 22 September 2026).
9. Future Market Insights (2026) Galacto-Oligosaccharide Market Size, Market Forecast and Outlook. Available at: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/galacto-oligosaccharide-gos-market   (Accessed: 22 September 2026).