The summit—held from June 23 to 25 in Austria—is set to deliver an in-depth program of sessions and panel discussions, along with ample opportunities for networking and engagement through live Q&As, roundtable lunches, speed networking sessions, a morning 5K run/walk and a highly-anticipated social evening.
The agenda offers an exploration of the evolving active nutrition landscape, looking at the category’s shift from niche sports products to mainstream wellness. Industry leaders will showcase innovative technologies, novel ingredients and forward-thinking strategies revolutionizing R&D and business models.
Expert speakers will also delve into weight management, looking at science-backed solutions and the opportunities created by GLP-1 drug popularity, and share insights into personalized nutrition, where AI, biomarkers and wearables are enabling precision health solutions. Furthermore, mind health will take center stage with a deep dive into how nootropics are reshaping product development and broadening the scope of active nutrition.
Women’s Health
A dedicated session on female athletes will dive into performance optimization and health topics like menstrual cycles, PCOS and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S).
Active women may be unknowingly running on empty as underfueling relative to exercise puts their hormones, bones and performance at serious risk from RED-S, Pippa Woolven, former Commonwealth Games athlete and founder of Project RED-S, told NutraIngredients ahead of the event.
Recent studies have shown that even within-day energy deficits such as going too long between meals or snacks can mimic the effects of an overall energy deficit, she explained. And while active lifestyle fueling is a growing trend among consumers, one overlooked key nutrient, particularly within active females, is carbohydrates.
“It’s crucial to ensure that carbohydrate intake isn’t too low, as carbohydrates are our primary source of energy for bothtraining and recovery,” Woollen said. “While there’s a lot of focus on protein in active consumer content, carbohydrate intake often gets overlooked, especially for women.”
She explained that much of the nutrition information for women has historically been based on research conducted in men. However, while men might be able to get by with a low-carb diet or even fasted training, the female hormonal system does not respond in the same way.
“We need to stay updated with research and shift the focus towards increasing carbohydrate intake for many women, as it helps maintain balance, fuels the body and supports hormonal health,” Woolven said.
Featured speakers in the Women’s Health session include Nicky Keay, honorary clinical lecturer at University College London, Renee McGregor, sports dietitian and clinical lead, James Morton, chief science officer at Science in Sport (SIS), and Steffen Oesser, director of the Collagen Research Institute.
Agelessness
Experts will also spotlight longevity-focused innovation, tackling musculoskeletal health, mobility and recovery.
As speaker Nick Morgan, managing director of Nutrition Integrated, told NutraIngredients, brands must shift messaging from quick fixes to long-term health goals as ageless consumers reject the aging narrative.
More and more people are not only focused on improving their health today but are also planning ahead for a healthier tomorrow, Morgan said, meaning a growing number of consumers are actively adopting healthier habits, signaling a long-term commitment to wellness.
This is creating a greater demand for supplements, functional foods and products that promote long-term health, such as those focused on joint health, cognitive function, heart health and healthy aging.
And while traditionally, aging-related products were marketed to older adults, this new trend suggests that younger generations are also becoming proactive about their health, Morgan explained. Companies in the active nutrition industry may now target younger consumers who are looking to “future-proof” their health with preventative measures.
As Morgan noted, a few things are driving the shift in consumer attitudes toward healthy aging. More people are actively trying to improve their habits when it comes to exercise and nutrition, and at the same time, the traditional idea of aging in stages is breaking down. People are stretching out their youth and middle age, embracing what some call “kidulthood.”
The result is a growing desire to live without the limits of age—“that is, looking to prolong their time in middle ages—then you have people effectively trying to be ageless,” Morgan said.
For businesses, this means the trend falls under “longevity”, but what really connects with consumers is the idea of agelessness: not fearing age but embracing life with confidence and energy, no matter the number, he explained.
Morgan will be joined by Sophie Chabloz, co-founder and chief science officer at Avea, and Sergej Ostojic, professor at the University of Agder, to discuss the future role of nutrition in aging well.
Navigating the noise
The summit concludes with a session that will cover essential insights on marketing, regulation and social media, with expert talks on how EU regulation struggles to keep up with sports nutrition industry growth.
Sluggish approval processes and inconsistent enforcement could risk stifling innovation and undermining market trust in sports and active nutrition, according to Luca Bucchini, managing director of Hylobates Consulting. Bucchini will be presenting the latest regulatory updates, the main challenges brands face when balancing innovation and compliance, and the best practices for transparent communication.
Bucchini recently told NutraIngreidents that novel food regulation in both the EU and the UK plays a key role in food safety, but its scope is overly broad, its interpretation and application are stricter than safety alone demands, and approval timelines are excessively long.
He noted that if the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Commission were to allocate resources more efficiently, keep the application process proportionate and focus on safety, it would significantly reduce approval times—providing an opportunity for the EU to reposition itself as the go-to global hub for novel food approvals.
“Many companies used to go to the US first for a GRAS affirmation or an NDI notification and then go for Europe while leveraging the steps taken in the US internationally,” he added.
If the EU were to reform its process and establish itself as a primary market for novel food approvals, companies may shift focus from the US to Europe given current regulatory uncertainties in the US.
Bucchini will be joined by Alice Millbank, co-founder and CSO of Rooted Research Collective, Sunna van Kampen, founder and CEO of Tonic Health, and Marit Veenstra, brand and innovation strategist at The Healthy Marketing Team (HMT).
Secure your spot
It's not too late - don’t miss the opportunity to gain cutting-edge insights, network with industry leaders and explore the evolving landscape of active nutrition! Book your tickets now!