Eas Sports Nutrition Articles & Resources

"We are trying to capture the person who might not understand sports nutrition," explained Rite Aid senior vice president of vitamin initiatives Stanley Kahn. "We are trying to get the die-hard GNC shopper and also the other customers who don't normally shop in GNC."

Currently, Rite Aid operates GNC departments in 550 of its stores.

EAS director of sales Bob Gandert agreed there is huge potential in the sports performance category with mainstream consumers, "people who are not familiar with creatine [for example]," he said, "but who want to eat better and live a healthier lifestyle."

EAS turned its eye to the mainstream consumer this past summer, leveraging its reputation with the serious-minded athlete against the launch of the new mass line of sports nutrition products. AdvantEdge consists of high protein/low carb meal replacement products in ready-to-drink nutritional shakes, spoon stir shakes and protein bars.

One consumer segment holding a great deal of opportunity in sports nutrition is high school athletes and the moms who shop for them, Kahn noted.

According to Jon Fiume, vice president of retail operations and natural products for Ritzman Natural Pharmacies, the opportunity is to not only drive sales for these types of products but also in driving awareness for the assorted health issues related to such supplementation--not only among high school athletes, but for the mothers, fathers and coaches who ask questions on their behalf, as well.

In general, "consumers are looking for that quick fix," Fiume said. But add to that the fact that high school athletes, "get a tremendous amount of pressure at an early age to be able to perform at a higher level," and there emerges a potential health risk.

"The sooner we educate these people, the better," said Fiume. "There are too many unknowns about the possibilities of interactions and the person's health condition." For example, there has been some anecdotal evidence of kidney impairment related to creatine use, but some clinical studies negate such claims. (Creatine is produced naturally in the liver, kidney and pancreas.)

"People must ask questions about these products," said Fiume. "I always think it is good when parents ask questions."

Jeff Pell, Twinlab's director of snorts nutrition, agreed that high school athletes are receiving more pressure from friends, coaches and athletic directors, and are also being heavily influenced by some of the magazines they read. As a result, young athletes are more serious about improving their performance than ever before, he explained.

"The number of high school athletes who are training or exercising has [remained] constant [through the years]," Fell said. "However, their interest in supplementation has gone up in the last few years. High schools have adopted more of a collegiate mentality." According to Fell, many high schools have begun tailoring their athletic programs to match college-level sports. This is often done, for example, by incorporating more extensive weight training into high school basketball and football programs.

Jon Denis, Prolab vice president of sales, agreed that high school students are serious about increasing performance--but it's not just varsity letter-holders bucking for scholarships. Sports nutrition is also for kids who just want to look good, too.

"For the serious or semi-serious athlete, supplementation is for the avoidance of injury and increasing endurance, and for most others, it is cosmetic " Denis said. "They want the physical look of being in shape and being more attractive."

But, whether for sports performance or cosmetic reasons, young men are not the only ones pumping iron and subsequently turning to supplementation for a competitive edge.

"More men and women in the 28- to to 40-year-old range are going to the gym with the 'let's get back in shape' mentality," Fell said. But aside from any internal pressure Generation Xers and baby boomers may feel to turn back the clock to a time when they had a more physically appealing physique, he added, more people are also trying to put a few extra ticks on the proverbial clock, exercising simply for the physical benefits.

Certainly, America's overall fitness craze has helped drive growth in the sports nutrition category. But, it is important to understand that men and women are generally participating in the category for different reasons. "From a female perspective, the interest is associated with dieting or weight loss," Fell said. "For males, it is some weight loss, but they also want to add lean muscle."

While consumers are likely to pick and choose their shots to participate in the category, according to their own individual health goals, the fact that they have such goals is likely to bring the bar that much higher on the sports nutrition business.

"It goes back to the attitude that this category is not just for bodybuilders," Fell surmised. "The consumer realizes that they don't have to be a muscle-bound 225-pound statue to look and feel better."