Smarter companion supplements: how nutrition brands can turn the GLP-1 trend into an opportunity
GLP-1 receptor agonists, originally developed to manage type 2 diabetes, have rapidly become one of the most significant advances in modern healthcare. By mimicking the body's natural GLP-1 hormone to reduce appetite and slow digestion, these medications are now widely used for weight management, with usage in the US almost tripling between 2020 and 2025.1 And the uptake of GLP-1 agonists is showing no signs of slowing down. The global market for these medications is projected to grow from USD 49.3 billion in 2025 to USD 157.5 billion by 2035,2 with an estimated 25 million Americans on treatment by 2030.3 Introduction of generics and oral formulations is expected to accelerate adoption even further.3
But as the adoption of GLP-1 therapies continues to grow, so does awareness of their broader, and less positive, impacts. Side effects including nausea, constipation, slowed gastric emptying, and loss of muscle mass are common and can affect long-term adherence.4 ,5 Meanwhile, reduced appetite presents a significant nutritional challenge: how to meet the body's needs with significantly less food.
This is creating a clear opportunity for dietary supplement brands to develop GLP-1 companion supplements that better support individuals using these medications, for example, by helping to ease digestive discomfort, bridge nutritional gaps, and support overall well-being. In this blog, we explore what GLP-1 users are looking for and how smart formulation choices, including excipient selection, can help supplement brands deliver it.
New needs, new expectations
As GLP-1 therapies become more widely adopted, consumers’ eating habits are changing. GLP-1 medications enhance satiety levels, making users feel fuller for longer, therefore reducing food intake and reducing consumption of essential nutrients needed to maintain proper bodily function. This side effect is leading to a need for supplements and functional foods that can deliver more protein, fiber, and micronutrients effectively. Compact, easy-to-consume formats with high functional value are becoming especially attractive for those who may struggle to eat full meals or tolerate large dosage forms.6
What’s more, because GLP-1 therapies slow gastric emptying, they can lead to feelings of nausea and bloating. As a result, many GLP-1 users actively avoid ingredients that could exacerbate bloating or discomfort and seek out ingredients that support the gut microbiome. In fact, up to 33% of GLP-1 users cite improving digestive health as a top goal.7 Together, these evolving needs present a significant opportunity for brands to develop GLP-1 companion supplements that better meet consumers’ expectations.
Formulating effective GLP-1 companion supplements
To support the increasing number of people using companion supplements with GLP-1 medications, formulation decisions matter more than ever. It is no longer just about which ingredients are included, but also how they are delivered. Thoughtful formulation strategies can play an important role in addressing the unique challenges GLP-1 users face. Factors such as optimal nutrient dosing, ingredient solubility, absorption site, and release profile to enhance GI tolerability, all impact the dosage format selection. Three strategies are emerging as particularly important for next-generation GLP-1 companion supplements.
1. Easing the GI burden with modified release and enteric technologies
The slower gastric emptying and altered GI function associated with GLP-1 therapies means that ingredient release is an important factor when designing supplement solutions for this population. Modified release systems, like METHOCELTM hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-based tablets, and delayed-release coating systems, like Aquateric® N-100, may help to optimize delivery for better GI handling of certain ingredients. This could result in improved tolerability and better supplement adherence overall. Meanwhile, alginate-based solutions can support the development of anti-reflux formulations for consumers experiencing upper GI discomfort – a common complaint among GLP-1 users. At Roquette, our portfolio of alginate solutions, including Protanal®, Manucol®, and Protacid®, can support brands looking to develop anti-reflux products. Extracted from sustainably harvested seaweed, our alginates react with gastric acid and cross-linking ions like calcium to form a buoyant, highly viscous gel barrier, or "raft", on top of the stomach contents. This helps to reduce acid reflux overall.
2. Protecting gut health ingredients where it matters most
Given the frequency of GI discomfort among GLP-1 users, it’s no surprise that interest in gut health supporting ingredients such as prebiotics and probiotics is on the rise. However, delivering these ingredients effectively in supplement form presents its own set of challenges. Probiotics are highly sensitive to heat, acid, and processing stresses, which means these live microorganisms can be damaged during supplement manufacturing and delivery in the body. Probiotics are also sensitive to moisture, degrading overtime within a formulated product. Similarly, prebiotics need to pass through the stomach and small intestine intact to exert their intended gut-supporting effects in the large intestine.
Encapsulation and coating technologies can improve stability during manufacturing and help protect viable organisms and sensitive biotic ingredients through gastric transit, supporting more effective delivery to the intestine. Using low moisture ingredients, like LYCATAB® C-LM pregelatinized starch, formulators can protect probiotic viability and potentially extend shelf-life. In addition, capsules with inherent delayed-release functionality can aid in the delivery of moisture- or acid-sensitive ingredients by slowing down capsule rupture and release. For instance, our Nutra’V Slow capsules have built-in acid-resistance properties, making them ideal for prebiotic and probiotic applications.
3. Delivering more in less – formulating for nutrient density
Reduced appetite changes what GLP-1 users need from their supplements: higher functional value in smaller, easier-to-consume formats. Due to the consumption of less food overall, combined with slower digestion, individuals taking GLP-1 medications are at a higher risk of developing micronutrient and protein deficiencies.8 To better support this population, brands developing GLP-1 companion supplements may need to create more targeted, nutrient-dense solutions that help bridge nutritional gaps without requiring large serving sizes.
Format choice is critical here. Consumers are increasingly looking for compact, convenient products that fit easily into their daily routines while still delivering meaningful nutritional benefits. Mini tablets, sachets, powders, gummies, and other low-volume formats can help achieve this balance. Excipients play an important role in enabling these formulations. For example, the gummy dosage form is enjoyable and convenient, especially on-the-go. However, traditional gelatin-based gummy formulas are known to have an unpleasant odor, chewy texture, and be sensitive to heat. In contrast, plant-based pectin gummies are highly heat stable, odorless, and have a clean bite.
Powder or granular formulations in sachets can be convenient on-the-go options for adding micronutrients to foods, like yogurts and beverages. Proper selection of a binder to form the granules is important for flowability (impacting manufacturing and sachet filling), and consistent dose delivery. The binder particle size, chemistry, and water content can all impact granule formation. Desired granule properties and active ingredient characteristics will dictate optimal binder selection. By supporting higher ingredient loads, stability, manufacturability, and consumer-friendly sensory experiences, excipients can help brands deliver meaningful levels of protein, fiber, and other micronutrients in formats that are both practical and appealing for GLP-1 users.
Supporting the new era of GLP-1 users
The GLP-1 era is not a passing trend. It represents a fundamental shift in how a growing population of consumers thinks about health, nutrition, and their bodies. For dietary supplement brands, there is a clear opportunity to develop products that address the real, everyday challenges GLP-1 users face, from digestive discomfort to nutritional gaps. By responding to these needs with more targeted and purposeful formulations, brands can pave the way to more personalized nutrition solutions that challenge traditional approaches and better support consumers’ health goals.
With decades of expertise in excipient science and a broad portfolio of delivery solutions and technologies, Roquette's Consumer Healthcare team can help its partners tap into this growing opportunity with strategically designed consumer-centric formulations.
If you’d like to explore how your brand can leverage the growing GLP-1 opportunity or discuss formulation strategies tailored to evolving consumer needs, get in touch with our Consumer Healthcare team.
1 Rand. Nearly 12 Percent of Americans Have Used GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs; Medications Are Most Used by Women Aged 50 to 64. August 2025. Available at www.rand.org/news/press/2025/08/nearly-12-percent-of-americans-have-used-glp-1-weight.html.
2 GLP-1 Market Industry Trends and Global Forecasts 2024-2035: Over 150 GLP-1 Drug Candidates in Development for Multiple Indications, Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity Drive GLP-1 Drug Development Boom, Global Newswire, March 2025 www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/03/18/3044263/28124/en/GLP-1-Market-Industry-Trends-and-Global-Forecasts-2024-2035-Over-150-GLP-1-Drug-Candidates-in-Development-for-Multiple-Indications-Type-2-Diabetes-and-Obesity-Drive-GLP-1-Drug-Deve.html
3 J.P.Morgan. How demand for (and supply of) weight loss drugs is playing out in 2026. February 2026. www.jpmorgan.com/insights/global-research/current-events/obesity-drugs
4 GLP-1 Market Industry Trends and Global Forecasts 2024-2035: Over 150 GLP-1 Drug Candidates in Development for Multiple Indications, Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity Drive GLP-1 Drug Development Boom, Global Newswire, March 2025 www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/03/18/3044263/28124/en/GLP-1-Market-Industry-Trends-and-Global-Forecasts-2024-2035-Over-150-GLP-1-Drug-Candidates-in-Development-for-Multiple-Indications-Type-2-Diabetes-and-Obesity-Drive-GLP-1-Drug-Deve.html
6 GLP-1 Market Industry Trends and Global Forecasts 2024-2035: Over 150 GLP-1 Drug Candidates in Development for Multiple Indications, Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity Drive GLP-1 Drug Development Boom, Global Newswire, March 2025 www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/03/18/3044263/28124/en/GLP-1-Market-Industry-Trends-and-Global-Forecasts-2024-2035-Over-150-GLP-1-Drug-Candidates-in-Development-for-Multiple-Indications-Type-2-Diabetes-and-Obesity-Drive-GLP-1-Drug-Deve.html
7 Global Nutrition Consumer Research conducted for NutraIngredients by Lumina Intelligence, November 2024: www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2025/04/08/opportunities-for-nutrition-brands-in-the-glp-1-boom/
8 Urbina J, Salinas-Ruiz LE, Valenciano C, Clapp B. Micronutrient and Nutritional Deficiencies Associated With GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Therapy: A Narrative Review. Clin Obes. 2026;16(1):e70070. doi:10.1111/cob.70070
