Your Top 7 Evergreen Dietary Supplement Ingredients

Written by: Wan SofaSyifa

Reviewed by: Fenny Lim, BSc. (Hons) Nutrition, UKM

Since the pandemic outbreak, the market for dietary supplements has blown up and is going through unprecedented growth. Fortune Business Insights predicts that the global market for dietary supplements will grow from $71.81 billion (2021) to $128.64 billion (2028) [1].

As a result of this growth trajectory, dietary supplement trends tend to change over the year with the introduction of more new ingredients. However, even with the ever-changing trends, there are so-called “evergreen” ingredients that have been thoroughly researched and give you proven results.

According to our in-house nutrition experts, here are your top seven “evergreen” dietary supplement ingredients.

Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that can be sourced from plants and animals. The richest source of astaxanthin for plants is the freshwater single-cell microalga, Haematococcus pluvialis [2], either in powder form or as an extract.

What are the benefits of astaxanthin? For one, as an antioxidant, it can slow or prevent free radical damage to the cells. Studies on astaxanthin have shown and proven that it can;

Improve skin elasticity and tone
Improve the immune system and reduce inflammation
Improve cognitive function
Relieve eye fatigue

You can find astaxanthin as a combination of productivity and beauty-based dietary supplements. It is also available on the market as an individual product because of its proven effectiveness.

Lycopene

Lycopene is a carotenoid that can be found in most fruits and vegetables, especially tomatoes [3]. Among its many benefits are its antioxidant properties that protect organisms from the harmful effects of light and oxygen. Lycopene may also inhibit a variety of degenerative diseases [4] and is known to help;

Moisturize the skin
Improve skin elasticity
Reduce UV-light damage on the skin
Regenerate the cells
Improve the immune system
Support cardiovascular health
Reduce hypertension
Inhibit “bad cholesterol” oxidation

Most dietary supplement brands would include lycopene in products targeting hypertension, cardiovascular health, and overall beauty.

Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acid, or omega-3, is a natural oil found in seafood and certain mammals such as seals. It is high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) [5]. Omega-3 is a popular item; you can see this ingredient in many dietary supplement combinations.

What are the health benefits of omega-3? According to research, omega-3 may [6];

Reduce pain and inflammation
Reduce bad cholesterol
Improve fertility
Improve blood flow
Improve memory and brain cognitive functions

Omega-3 supplements are touted as health supplements that can lower cholesterol, but in recent years, they have also been touted as fertility and productivity boosters. If you intend to take omega-3 as a medicinal supplement, you should always consult your doctor first.

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C, is a water-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in some foods and added to others. Compared to the chemical components of other ingredients in this list, humans are incapable of synthesizing vitamin c, making it essential for us to receive it from external sources [7]. As a result, it is a hot commodity in the dietary supplement industry.

There have been numerous studies on the benefits of vitamin c since its first discovery in 1923. It is known to;

Help improve immunity
Help with wound healing
Help maintain healthy skin, blood vessels, bones, and cartilage

These benefits make vitamin C one of your must-have dietary supplements, either by itself or in combination. Even so, you need to remember that taking too much vitamin C can be harmful [8] – which is why you should always check your vitamin c supplement label for the correct daily intake.

Marine Collagen

Marine collagen is liquid collagen sourced from marine animals such as fish, jellyfish, sponges, and other marine vertebrates. Collagen is a protein consisting of the amino acid glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. Our body naturally produces collagen, but its production rate reduces once you reach your 20s [9].

Studies show that marine collagen may be able to support our body’s collagen deficiency [10] and also help;

Support skin health
Increase skin firmness (for anti-aging)
Promote quality sleep (from glycine)
Promote gut health
Promote bone strength
Support hair and nail growth

You can typically find marine collagen in beauty-based dietary supplements focusing on anti-aging.

Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil is a byproduct of grapes, usually from winemaking. Studies show that grapeseed oil is typically high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as omega-6 [11].

There are debates [12] that grapeseed oil may help with;

Skin moisturizing
Skin lightening
Pore tightening
Acne healing
Scar healing

The American Heart Association has also released an article on how PUFAs – a component of grapeseed oil, can help with heart disease [13]. As such, some experts believe that grape-seed oil can reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

You can find grape-seed oil as a beauty-based dietary supplement for oral intake, as part of beauty products, and even as cooking oil.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a plant widely used in medicine for thousands of years and is the only edible aloe variant [14]. It contains antioxidants, vitamins C, A, and E, beta-carotene, folic acid, calcium, and magnesium. Some research [15] has shown that aloe vera used for oral consumption can;

Promote weight loss
Help with diabetes
Help with hepatitis
Improve inflammatory bowel diseases
Boost the immune system
Boost collagen production
Encourage skin repair and wound healing
Improve skin elasticity

Dietary supplements include aloe vera in powder form or as an extract. Asian countries also sell aloe vera in juice or jelly for commercial consumption.

The Takeaway

Understanding your daily supplement’s ingredients is vital to getting all the benefits you want. Our pharmaceutical industry is constantly evolving, and trying out new trends is fine, but be careful not to have high expectations. Dietary supplements are health support and not medicines on their own.

Still, there’s also no harm in going for these top seven “evergreen” ingredients – especially since these ingredients are more widely studied. Are there other ingredients you feel worth mentioning in this blog? Comment below and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest blog updates.