NXT USA Survey: Consumers Want Simpler Digestive Health Solutions

While probiotics, prebiotics, fiber, and microbiome-targeted solutions have been in vogue for decades, a new consumer survey commissioned by ingredient supplier NXT USA suggests that the average consumer might not be as interested in the granular scientific details of gut function as they are in finding a simple solution that provides relief.

Respondents to the survey indicated that they’re less interested in microbiome mechanics and colony-forming units (CFU), and more interested in outcomes that they experience every day: comfort, regularity, predictability, and the ability to stop thinking about their digestion, the company reported.

“The digestive-health industry spends an enormous amount of time talking about bacteria, strains, CFUs, fiber, and the microbiome,” said Eric Anderson, managing director of NXT USA. “Those are important tools. But consumers are reminding us that the tool isn’t the outcome. What they really want is remarkably straightforward: they just want their digestion to work.”

The 2026 ITC Insights Digestive Products Survey was fielded in April 2026 and analyzed by Industry Transparency Center on behalf of NXT USA. The survey included 400 U.S. supplement consumers ages 18 and older, including 334 current users of digestive-health products and 66 consumers willing to use them.

NXT USA also conducted qualitative research involving digestive-health practitioners and patients to provide additional context around consumer needs, language, and desired outcomes. Across the research, a consistent theme emerged: successful digestion is often defined by its absence of disruption.

When respondents were asked which statement best captured what they personally want from their digestive health, “digestive performance” ranked second only to “digestive relief,” ahead of digestive confidence, function, certainty, and rhythm.

Across respondents, the most consistent goals included: easier, more regular bowel movements; reduced gas and bloating; and comfortable, predictable digestion.

In open-ended responses, consumers repeatedly described their ideal product as one that “just works,” delivers “relief,” and allows them to “not have to think about digestion.”

The language consumers used elsewhere in the research was even more revealing. Among the outcomes tested were statements such as “My digestion just works, and I don’t have to manage or think about it,” “I go more easily and regularly, without cramps or urgency,” “I feel lighter and less backed up, without harsh laxatives,” and “I have less bloating and feel flatter.”

“Consumers want to feel normal. They want to avoid surprises. They want less digestive mental load. And they want confidence that their gut will not dictate the course of their day,” said Anderson. “In other words, the best digestive experience may be the one consumers barely notice.”

Much of the digestive health market’s messaging has centered around composition: probiotics add microorganisms, fiber adds bulk and fermentable substrates, prebiotics feed selected microorganisms, and enzymes assist with the breakdown of food. But brands might benefit from shifting away from ingredient-first positioning toward function-driven messaging, the survey suggests.

“Consumers experience digestion as function,” said Anderson. “Food moves, or it doesn’t. Digestion feels comfortable, or it doesn’t. Regularity is predictable, or it isn’t.”

“The microbiome absolutely matters,” said Anderson. “But microbiome composition isn’t the end benefit consumers wake up wanting. Consumers want comfortable, predictable digestion. That’s a fundamentally different way to look at the opportunity.”