The report, commissioned by Food Supplements Europe (FSE) and conducted by Frost & Sullivan, covered the 27 EU Member States and the UK over 2025–2035. The researchers modeled the potential reduction in cardiovascular events and associated healthcare, social care, informal care and productivity costs, using published scientific evidence and country-level economic data.
For every €1 spent on supplements, the analysis estimated up to €8.30 could be made in savings for society overall, with the authors reporting that supplementation with omega-3 EPA+DHA, phytosterols and beta-glucans could significantly reduce CVD among defined at-risk populations aged 55 and over.
“For us, the policy implication is clear: Evidence-based supplementation deserves consideration within a broader approach to cardiovascular risk reduction, alongside healthy diets, physical activity and appropriate medical care,” Patrick Coppens, director of regulatory affairs at FSE, told NutraIngredients.
The economic case for targeted supplementation
Cardiovascular disease places a substantial economic burden on the EU, costing the region more than €282 billion each year.
The European Commission launched the Safe Hearts Plan in December 2025 as the EU’s first coordinated approach to tackling cardiovascular disease. The plan focuses on prevention, early detection and screening, as well as treatment and rehabilitation, while also promoting research, digital innovation and action to reduce health inequalities.
A previous 2017 Frost & Sullivan study estimated that supplementing people at risk of heart disease due to severe hypercholesterolemia could save EU healthcare providers €26 billion over four years, noting that supplementation could generate €4.37 in healthcare savings for every €1 spent. The report estimated €5.3 billion in annual avoidable healthcare savings, with a net benefit of €4.1 billion after supplementation costs.
The new analysis now “reaffirms the potential contribution of targeted food supplementation to cardiovascular health and healthcare cost savings, at a time when the EU is placing greater emphasis on prevention and risk reduction through public health initiatives such as the Safe Hearts Plan,” Coppens noted.
“This new study builds on that work with updated evidence and economic data, examining three interventions and looking ahead to 2035,” he added. “It brings renewed relevance to the findings in light of Europe’s public-health priorities and the growing pressure on health systems.”
Omega-3, phytosterols and beta-glucan supplements could deliver billions EU savings
The new analysis estimated the potential financial impact of three supplements across the EU and UK from 2025 to 2035: Omega-3 EPA+DHA at 1,000 mg/day, phytosterols at 1,500 mg/day and beta-glucan at 3,000 mg/day.
The analysis focused on adults aged 55 and over with elevated triglycerides for omega-3, and those with elevated cholesterol or familial hypercholesterolaemia for phytosterols and beta-glucan.
Using published research and risk-translation methods, the authors applied estimated relative risk reductions of 5%, 7% and 6.4%, respectively, to calculate potentially preventable cardiovascular events and related societal savings. They then subtracted supplementation costs and tested different assumptions to assess how robust the results were.
Coppens noted that the approach proved particularly relevant to CVD because its impact extends beyond hospital treatment to ongoing care, informal caregiving and productivity losses. By considering these factors together, the model provided a broader view of the potential value of nutritional interventions and helped identify where further research and real-world evaluation could add value.
“Scientific research tells us about the effects of an intervention in the populations studied,” Coppens noted. “An economic model takes that evidence a step further by asking what those effects could mean at population level: How many events might be avoided, what costs might be reduced, and how those potential benefits compare with the cost of supplementation.
“Looking at these consequences together gives policymakers a fuller picture of the potential value of risk reduction.”
The analysis results suggested that the total societal cost of CVD across the EU and UK could increase from approximately €307 billion in 2025 to €399 billion by 2035, driven partly by population aging and rising healthcare expenditure.
The study estimated that specific supplements could potentially deliver several times their cost in wider health and economic benefits, estimating that every €1 spent on supplementation could generate an estimated net societal benefit of €8.10 for omega-3 EPA and DHA at 1 g/day, €8.30 for phytosterols at 1.5 g/day, and €4.00 for beta-glucans at 3 g/day.
He explained that the analysis identified three priorities for translating its findings into practice: Integrating dietary assessment and personalized follow-up into cardiovascular health checks, improving affordability and access to targeted supplementation for relevant at-risk groups, and supporting further research and pilot programs to evaluate long-term use, health outcomes and costs.
“To realize these potential benefits, nutritional support, including targeted supplementation where supported by evidence, would need to become a more systematic part of cardiovascular disease risk reduction,” Coppens said.
Better integration of nutritional interventions in CVD prevention needed
Coppens explained that there is an opportunity to integrate nutritional interventions into cardiovascular disease prevention strategies as long as the right collaborations and conversations can happen.
“We believe there is scope to strengthen understanding of the role that targeted supplementation can play in cardiovascular risk reduction, particularly among healthcare professionals,” he said. “This means providing clear, accessible information on the evidence for specific ingredients, the populations that may benefit, and how supplementation can fit alongside dietary advice, lifestyle changes, and appropriate medical care.”
He noted that an important part of the discussion will involve the opportunity to act earlier, stating that identifying people with elevated cholesterol or triglycerides could help address these risk factors before cardiovascular disease develops. Where evidence and individual needs supported its use, targeted supplementation could form part of this broader prevention approach.
“There is also an opportunity for industry to support further scientific research and collaborate with independent researchers and healthcare professionals on programs that assess uptake, sustained use and outcomes in practice,” he said.
“This study contributes to that discussion by showing the potential economic value of acting on cardiovascular risk factors in defined populations.”