Women’s health and nutritional needs are underpinned by hormonal and physiological processes throughout their life stages, from adolescence and the reproductive years to perimenopause, menopause and beyond.
Research from Euromonitor International shows that over half of global female consumers are “moderately” or “extremely” concerned about their unique health issues, including pregnancy, menstruation and menopause.1
It’s not surprising, then, that the global trend for adopting proactive, holistic strategies to nurture long-term wellbeing is particularly marked in the women’s health space. Innova Market Insights found that in 2025, 80% of women were regularly using nutritional supplements, while around 25% had increased their intake.2 In addition, 36% were seeking targeted nutrition to meet their unique health needs.2
Creating better supplements with microencapsulation
To meet the growing demand for women’s health and wellbeing supplements across every life stage, Lubrizol has developed a range of branded ingredient solutions using its microencapsulation technologies. These help to address supplement manufacturers’ formulation challenges, unlocking ingredient potential and enhancing the consumer experience – which is key to repeat purchases.
Microencapsulation processes allow the active ingredient to be dispersible in different delivery formats to improve the bioavailability of a poorly absorbed ingredient and mask any unpleasant flavours. They can also limit interactions with other components in a formulation and enable slow release of an active where required.
To demonstrate how this approach can help brands personalise and target supplements for women, Lubrizol has developed five female personas, each highlighting nutritional challenges and solutions for a particular life stage.
Iron in adolescence and pregnancy
World Health Organization data shows that iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder worldwide, with iron-deficiency anaemia affecting over two billion people.
Women are disproportionately impacted due to menstruation and increased needs for iron to support the growing fetus during pregnancy. Up to 5% of women develop iron-deficiency anaemia due to heavy menstrual periods, while 84% of pregnant women in a recent study were found to be iron-deficient during their third trimester.3-4
The challenge for formulators is that iron is reactive, leading to stability issues, reduced bioavailability and poor sensory appeal. Traditional forms of iron, such as ferrous sulfate, are often characterised by an unpleasant taste and digestive discomfort.
Lubrizol’s Lipofer™ microcapsules (microencapsulated iron) are water-dispersible to improve bioavailability and stability, with a pleasant texture and taste, and no gastrointestinal discomfort. This allows for convenient formats such as gummies and iron-fortified products, including infant formula and dairy products.
In pre-clinical research, supplementation demonstrated superior efficacy compared to ferrous sulfate, ferrous bisglycinate and other encapsulated iron salts. No signs of gastric irritation or inflammation were observed, even after prolonged administration.
Curcumin for beauty from within benefits
Women increasingly recognise that health and beauty are interconnected and are seeking ingestible solutions for their skin health that work from the inside out.
Skin ageing is associated with the deterioration of collagen, one of the skin’s major building blocks and responsible for maintaining elasticity and strength. High levels of reactive oxygen species caused by UV exposure activate collagenase, an enzyme that breaks down collagen. In addition, the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) results in more brittle collagen.
Curcumin, the main bioactive in turmeric, can slow down the skin-ageing process by protecting skin from oxidative and inflammatory damage, yet its potential can be hampered by its low bioavailability.
Lubrizol’s Curcushine™ microcapsules use microencapsulation technology to transform curcumin into a water-dispersible and bioavailable form while counteracting its naturally strong flavour. This makes it suitable for trending formats including beauty drinks, powders and plant-based gummies.
In vitro research into microencapsulated curcumin has demonstrated significantly greater protection against UVA-induced glycation, reducing AGEs by up to 63.7% compared to an untreated control. It additionally highlighted significant protection from oxidative stress. Microencapsulation also facilitates slower curcumin release compared to the quick absorption, metabolisation and removal of free curcumin.
In a clinical trial, microencapsulated curcumin reduced fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots while improving skin luminosity in just six weeks compared to placebo.5
Magnesium to support active lives
Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in hundreds of bodily processes. The role it plays in energy metabolism, respiratory function and the maintenance of normal muscle contraction and relaxation makes supplementation particularly beneficial for active consumers. Magnesium can also support stress management, sleep quality and reductions in tiredness and fatigue.
However, conventional magnesium salts can have an unpleasant off-taste, poor texture and low bioavailability, which can lead to larger serving sizes and unwanted digestive side effects. Lubrizol’s Magshape™ microcapsules (microencapsulated magnesium) have clinically proven higher bioavailability and reduced gastric side effects compared to non-microencapsulated magnesium oxide and other common magnesium salts.6
The microencapsulation process also enhances flowability, compressibility, taste and texture for use in a wide range of consumer-friendly formats, including chewable tablets, capsules, soft gels and orosoluble powders.
Phytosterols for cardiovascular health in menopause
Before menopause, women have far lower rates of coronary heart disease than men. This is due to estrogen’s cardio-protective effects and its ability to control cholesterol levels. After menopause, when estrogen levels decline, women’s risk of heart disease rises significantly. This is partly due to a menopause-associated increase in “bad” LDL cholesterol, which is the primary risk factor for coronary heart disease.
Research shows that daily consumption of 1.5g to 2.4g of plant phytosterols can reduce LDL cholesterol by 7% to 10%. However, phytosterols are insoluble in water and lipids, making their use in food and beverage formulations challenging.
Lubrizol’s Lipophytol™ microcapsules (microencapsulated plant sterols) are water-dispersible and highly concentrated. These characteristics enable easy incorporation into a wide range of enjoyable, everyday applications such as milk and yoghurt, soya drinks, rye bread, cheese-type products and spreads.
Pre-clinical trials have demonstrated significant reductions in VLDL and LDL cholesterol compared to controls, as well as reduced aortic damage, indicating an artery-protective effect. Lipophytol™ microcapsules have also been found to modify sterol excretion and reduce triglyceride levels, further supporting its benefits for metabolic health.
Consumer-centric solutions
Women are increasingly keen to proactively transform their health and wellbeing at every life stage. They are also increasingly informed, expecting science-backed benefits and measurable results.
Lubrizol’s core technological strength in advanced microencapsulation can help brands create efficacious, scientifically proven products that are easy to formulate, with enhanced bioavailability, stability, taste and texture to improve the consumer experience.
This opens up opportunities for sensory-appealing applications that resonate with women of all ages seeking effective nutraceutical solutions to live their best life.
Lubrizol will be demonstrating its solutions for women’s health needs in a Women’s Health Growth Platform at Vitafoods Europe (5 to 7 May in Barcelona, Stand #5B12).
Its new online nutraceutical portal amplifies the conversation around women’s health by highlighting the unique health challenges women face at different life stages and demonstrating the impact of its nutraceutical solutions for creating life-changing therapies. The portal features five female personas, each highlighting nutritional challenges and solutions for a particular life stage.
References
- Euromonitor International. Supporting Women’s Health and Wellness Through the Lifecycle.
- Innova Market Insights. Global Ingredients for Women’s Health Supplements.
- OASH. Iron-deficiency anemia.
- Yale Medicine. The Importance of Iron in Pregnancy: What Women Should Know.
- Negra, T.; et al. Efficacy of Oral Curcumin Extract Microcapsules on Skin Appearance. AgroFOOD Industry Hi tech. 2025;36(1).
- Pajuelo, D.; et al. Comparative Clinical Study on Magnesium Absorption and Side Effects After Oral Intake of Microencapsulated Magnesium (Magshape Microcapsules) Versus Other Magnesium Sources. Nutrients. 2024;16(24):4367.
