With all the talk about gut health, it’s surprising that the nutraceutical industry has not given more attention to America’s #1 complaint—digestive regularity and constipation. 
 
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), 63 million U.S. adults suffer from chronic constipation. In fact, 5.3 million prescriptions are written annually for this all-too-common condition.
 
One-third of U.S. households have a member regularly coping with constipation. SymphonyIRI estimated the annual sales potential for regularity-directed supplements and OTCs at $5.3 billion (“2010 OTC Medication Report”). 
 
And, children represent a large market too! While those age 60+ are five times more likely to suffer from constipation than those in their 20s, children under age 15 are the second most afflicted demographic (NIDKK, 2010).
 
However, despite the trendy interest in cleansing, colon cleansing remains a niche behavior practiced by only a small part of core health and wellness consumers (Core H & W consumers represent only 13% of the U.S. population, according to the Hartman Group, “Health & Wellness Deep Dive,” 2011).
 
SPINS reports that for the year ended 10/29/11, sales of cleansing/organ supplements in natural/FDM channels reached $27 million, down nearly 13% vs. 2010. Furthermore, the American Medical Association, American Diabetes Association, American Cancer Society and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics have all spoken out about the risks of cleansing diets.
 
Market Potential
 
According to Sloan Trend’s TrendSense model, constipation is a strong and accelerating Level 1 mass market. Medical Counts and research activity have more than doubled during the past decade and are now at a very high level, which although flattening, will continue to support market growth for the foreseeable future. Consumers counts appear to be somewhat artificially inflated in 2009 and 2010 due to the release and subsequent media coverage of The NIDDK’s “Burden of Digestive Diseases in the U.S.” report and the NIDDK’s campaign on bowel health.
 
The term “regularity” has also been a mass-market opportunity for the past decade. With Medical Counts more than doubling—and at a respectable level—Consumer Counts should have been increasing, indicating that this market may be held down due to other market forces, most likely the sensitivity of this specific term. Either way, alleviating constipation is currently more marketable than preventing it. Still, both are viable mass-market ideas.
 
Lastly, as mentioned previously, colon & cleansing is a fad-like market still in the Emerging Phase, which warrants no action at this time especially by major players. Colon & cleansing has not crossed the Medical Threshold indicating the beginning of a long-term sustainable trend.