Prevention & the Price of Health

While the U.S. healthcare system remains narrowly tailored to treat illness, consumers are searching for ways to proactively manage their health. From physical activity and diet to sleep, stress management, and supplementation, preventive wellness is becoming a bigger part of how Americans think about health and longevity.

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association reported that 250 million Americans participated in at least one sport, fitness, or leisure activity in 2025, a record high. Meanwhile, Gallup found that just 54% of U.S. adults reported drinking alcohol in 2025, down from 62% in 2023 and the lowest level in its tracking history. And according to a recent consumer survey from the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), roughly three-quarters of U.S. adults take dietary supplements.

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Consumers are taking greater ownership of their personal health. But the opportunity for the supplement industry goes beyond meeting demand. Companies have a responsibility to invest in clinical research and science-based innovation that puts efficacy, quality, and consumer needs ahead of marketing claims.

Health does not operate in silos. Consumers recognize connections between stress, sleep, cognitive performance, gut health, weight health, and broader physical and mental well-being. Supplement brands can’t claim their products prevent, treat, cure, or mitigate disease. But science-based products can play a role in wellness routines alongside a balanced diet, physical activity, adequate sleep, and mental health.

It’s challenging for brands to substantiate products, communicate benefits effectively (and legally), and help consumers make informed decisions. Rigorous, credible research should underpin product formulation. When marketing outpaces the evidence, credibility suffers. Trust is built through transparency and demonstrated quality, not empty promises splashed onto TikTok.

Alongside compromised credibility, affordability threatens to undermine industry progress. Overall, consumer prices are approximately 30% higher than at the beginning of 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and inflation added further pressure in 2026. For supplement brands, the economic reality directly affects consumers’ ability to maintain established wellness regimens.

CRN’s consumer research found that cost was the most commonly cited barrier to supplement use: 31% of adults said supplements being too expensive had discouraged them from taking them or made regular use more difficult. Asked how they would respond to an approximately 15% price increase on supplements they buy or might consider buying, 73% said they would seek savings, reduce purchases, or forgo buying them. Only 9% would pay more without making another change.

So while consumers are investing in their health, that commitment has limits. If supplements are to remain an integral part of long-term wellness strategies, companies need to balance credibility, strong science, access, and affordability.