Women’s health, a complex and largely untapped market, is experiencing a major transformation – transitioning from reactive solutions to a highly personalized, proactive approach.
Depending on the life stage, women’s health can be impacted by a variety of concerns, impacting bone health, cardiovascular health and metabolic health, which can ultimately have adverse effects on mental wellbeing.
For centuries, many aspects of female biology were not discussed – and in some cultures this is still the case today. Women have been sidelined or excluded from research, resulting in an alarming lack of understanding of many health concerns.
However, the conversation around women’s health is shifting. In 2025, the global women’s health market size was estimated at $53.48bn and is projected to reach $75.42bn in 2033. This growth can be attributed to women taking a more proactive, autonomous role in their health, focusing on prevention and gaining a deeper understanding of their bodies.
Women’s health across the lifespan
At every life stage, women experience new, and often complicated changes. But through these changes, one thing remains constant: women are now more than ever seeking support for their health and wellness goals.
From puberty onwards, women’s bodies change significantly. Puberty and menopause mark the beginning and end of a women’s menstrual cycle – and both of these events can have significant effects on the body and quality of life.
During puberty, young adulthood, and perimenopause, women undergo a variety of hormone changes, mood and stress fluctuations, concerns surrounding urinary tract health, and vaginal health. These transitions, marked by surges or declines in estrogen and progesterone, directly affect emotional wellbeing and overall health.
Moving towards menopause, postmenopause and older years, women are again met with significant challenges to hormonal balance, hot flashes, vaginal health, and skin and hair health – among others. While women are actively looking for solutions to support these challenges, less than 5% of global health research funding addresses women’s health beyond reproductive years.1
Considering the wide range of concerns women can experience throughout the lifespan, it is important to provide a highly personalized, proactive approach. This view treats wellness as a lifelong pursuit, with physical health, mental wellbeing, and a sense of community all playing critical roles.
Link between gut health and women’s health
The gut microbiome is a complex system of over 100 trillion microorganisms which live in human intestines. Most of the microorganisms in the gut have a symbiotic relationship with the host, meaning both benefit from the relationship. The host provides microorganisms with food and shelter, while the microorganisms provide important services to the body.
The microbiome interacts with many of the bodies systems and functions. Yet, despite broad recognition that the microbiome can influence health, research specifically focusing on gut microbial composition and functionality concerning women’s health remains limited.
In women’s health, the gut microbiome can influence everything from the menstrual cycle to fertility, pregnancy, and menopause. Understanding the bidirectional relationship between the gut microbiome and hormones – also known as the gut-hormone axis – could open up opportunities for microbial-targeted, life-specific support.
However, in an era where consumers are actively seeking science-backed solutions, it is important that the solutions geared towards gut microbiome support are rooted in science and clinical evidence.
In recent years, emerging microbiome-based science has emerged, showcasing significant women’s health benefits. This has been particularly focused on prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics which have been directly studied and shown to improve health and wellness outcomes specific to women.
Join our event
As women’s health enters a new era – one defined by precision, personalization, and life stage-specific support – ADM’s Spotlight On ‘Winning women’s health: Targeted nutrition strategies for every life stage’ will explore the emerging market insights to reveal how women’s health needs evolve across key life stages.
Experts from ADM – Aouatef Bellamine Ph.D., global scientific marketing director; Alicia Humpert, global marketing director microbiome; and Vaughn Dubow, director of marketing dietary supplements – examine shifting consumer expectations, unmet needs, and the growing demand for targeted, science-backed solutions.
Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how differentiated, branded ingredients can be strategically applied to support women at each stage of life. By connecting market intelligence with clinically supported solutions, this broadcast will provide a clear framework for developing next-generation products that resonate with today’s informed and proactive female consumer.
Join us for ‘Winning women’s health: Targeted nutrition strategies for every life stage’ on 4 June at 16:30 GMT+1 to discover how ADM’s findings can uncover personalized, proactive support for women at every life stage.
References
- Funding research on women’s health. Nature Reviews Bioengineering. 2024; 2, pages797–798.
