Emotional wellbeing is gaining importance as part of overall health. Many consumers now recognize the link between mental and physical health and are seeking practical solutions to cope with modern life pressures.
With work demands and family responsibilities increasing stress, 73% of consumers report feeling stressed and 45% report disrupted sleep, highlighting a strong need for effective support. Yet many people remain dissatisfied with current treatment approaches and are looking for new options to bolster emotional health.
The supplement market is responding. Since the start of the COVID-19 era, products targeted at mood, stress, and relaxation have grown rapidly as consumers seek ways to improve wellbeing. At the same time, interest in the gut microbiome as a regulator of digestion, immunity, and mood is reshaping product development. Researchers are increasingly exploring how gut health can influence stress, sleep, and overall wellness.
Despite rising health awareness, a gap persists. While 83% of people believe they lead a healthy lifestyle, 86% regularly take medications that disrupt the gut microbiome, potentially undermining wellbeing. With antibiotic use andGLP-1 therapies increasing, many argue that a healthy diet alone is no longer sufficient to maintain health.
Postbiotics move to the forefront
Postbiotics are emerging as a key development in the supplements space. As people measure stress, mood, and sleep more actively, they are open to gut-friendly solutions. This has given momentum to postbiotic options.
“Postbiotics are still relatively new in the market,” says Ewa Hudson, director of insights at Lumina Intelligence, in Spotlight On Postbiotics: The future of stress, mood, sleep & women’s health, broadcast on NutraIngredients on October 9, 2025. “Consumers are more familiar with prebiotics and probiotics, but 17% already say they are familiar with postbiotics. That’s a strong starting point for a category often viewed as just beginning to gain traction.”
Lumina Intelligence data show meaningful engagement with biotics among consumers managing stress, mood, and sleep. People are not only aware of the benefits of postbiotics for mood, sleep, and stress, but are already acting on them. This suggests widespread readiness to adopt postbiotics as a microbiome-supporting approach aligned with emotional wellbeing and wellness goals.
“Postbiotics offer a next-generation solution with strong safety profiles, straightforward manufacturing, and no viability concerns,” Hudson adds. They are well positioned to meet consumer needs with simplicity and efficacy.
Next-gen biotics: Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305
Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 has eight supporting clinical trials and is positioned as a breakthrough postbiotic formula. It targets mood, stress, and sleep, marking it as the first strain shown to affect three mood states in a single ingredient.
ADM recently launched its latest postbiotic, Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305, with documented results in supporting stress, mood, sleep, and women’s health, as well as exercise recovery. It is positioned as an ideal ingredient for better-for-you snacks, sports nutrition products, dairy, and plant-based offerings.
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