A Recap of the Sports & Active Nutrition Summit

Highlights:

Interesting takeaways from the 2022 Sports & Active Nutrition Summit include:

• The accelerated growth of the eSports market
• The increased popularity of CBD in the sports world
• The different uses for creatine 

2022 Sports & Active Nutrition Summit USA

The three-day Sports & Active Nutrition Summit was in-person this year at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay in San Diego. Held from February 14 to 16, the summit brought together professionals in the sports and active nutrition space for presentations, panel discussions, and networking. 

The event is unique in its comprehensive focus on sports and active nutrition—spanning developments in science, business, and government regulations—to provide valuable insights and strategies. The 2022 Summit was produced by NutraIngredients-USA with the Sports Nutrition Committee of the American Herbal Products Association. 

Our Top Takeaways

Here’s a look at our major takeaways from the 2022 Sports & Active Nutrition Summit USA:

eSports

Esports was a key theme at this year’s summit. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the number of eSports players has surged. Gamers are also playing more video games than before and playing for longer.    

Food, beverage, and supplement brands have been paying close attention to the needs of the growing eSports market and exploring ingredients that can optimize focus and reaction time and provide sustained energy for gamers. We heard from an expert panel and start-ups like Ghost Lifestyle, maker of the popular Ghost Gamer product line.

CBD

Cannabidiol (CBD) is growing more prominent in the sports world, especially for its roles in exercise recovery, pain management, and sleep quality. The latest science behind CBD was presented, including a review of the specific molecular targets in the body and the range of clinical studies done. Conditions studied include pain, inflammation, anxiety, depression, insomnia, neuropathy, epilepsy, and addictions.

We also learned that a number of pro athletes support CBD—from NFL players Charlie Batch and Rob Sims to Olympians Gabby Douglas and Sha’Carri Richardson—which is helping to increase awareness of the benefits of CBD in sports. Moreover, CBD is no longer listed as a banned substance for international sports competition. 

Creatine

New research on the use of creatine by older adults and women was another important takeaway from the summit. While creatine remains an in-demand ingredient for workout support, its effects on those groups had not been well studied. It was noted that creatine with resistance training may have beneficial effects on muscle strength, bone mass, and physical performance for older adults and may reduce pregnancy complications in women.

Creatine stability was also discussed. Creatine monohydrate as a powder is very stable, but it becomes converted to creatinine in beverages with a pH between 2.5 and 12.1. Below pH 2.5, conversion is halted, which is why creatine monohydrate is 100% bioavailable during digestion. 

What’s Next in Sports Nutrition?

At the summit, Dr. Ralf Jäger offered some insights on ingredient innovation in the sports nutrition category. According to Jäger, there has been a major disruption every ten years or so. The 1990s brought creatine, and the 2000s gave us beta-alanine. Plant protein began disrupting sports nutrition in the 2010s. What will the 2020s bring?

As you consider the best sports or active nutrition product strategy for your brand based on the latest science and trends, know that we have the sports performance and active and healthy lifestyle solutions to take you there. Our CreaBev allows for improved ready-to-mix and ready-to-drink formulations containing creatine, a soluble and stable creatine monohydrate specially designed for improved beverage performance. Contact us to learn more or sign up for our newsletter to learn more.