Anti-Aging Supplements Are Officially a Thing

With longevity on everyone’s lips, health-conscious consumers are rethinking their ingestible beauty rituals.

According to Spate‘s Popularity Index, they’re minding what they eat and supplement with. Leading the trends? Anti-aging supplements and foods.

Anti-Aging Supplements

Aging well is a blessing, and with advancements in science and technology, options abound to potentially slow down some of its less-desirable effects. In this information age, today’s tech savvy consumers are fully versed on the physiological systems that impact one’s experience of aging, just as much as the food and lifestyle choices that may support them.

Analysts say anti-aging supplements are up 217.2% year-over-year (YoY) with low popularity, meaning the trend is not yet widely known or adopted, but is growing rapidly across platforms. TikTok holds 59.5% of the popularity share and has grown 278.2% YoY, positioning the category as discovery-driven and creator-led rather than search-based.

The top ingredient is Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, or NAD, at 16,800 popularity, which consumers are reaching for to support cellular energy and anti-aging. The molecule is essential for converting food into cellular energy, and studies show that NAD levels in the body decrease significantly with age, so raising these levels with supplements is thought to promote a longer “health span.” However, high-quality, large-scale human trials remain limited, making long-term effects unclear.

Collagen (2,900 popularity) and superfoods (2,200 popularity) follow, with superfoods reflecting interest in supplements that deliver the concentrated nutritional density of whole foods. Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, or NMN, (1,800 popularity), closely related to NAD, signals a more ingredient-literate consumer going deeper into the cellular health conversation.

On TikTok, the sentiment score is mixed at 6.6/10, showing not everyone is on board with anti-aging supplements. Many are skeptical about claims that appear too good to be true, or are not resonating with messaging that demonizes aging overall, analysts say. Analysts say brands can capitalize on closing this credibility gap through education-led content, separating unsupported claims from science-backed expectations and a more positive attitude toward how bodies evolve and change.

Anti-Aging Foods

Anti-aging foods are up 162.7% YoY, also with low popularity but showing rapid growth. Instagram holds 55.5% of the popularity share and has grown 168.1% YoY, suggesting the conversation is more aspirational and visually driven than the supplement side. The top related category is hormonal (169,000 popularity), reflecting consumers’ understanding of hormonal health as a driver of aging and its relationship to diet. Gut health (35,900 popularity) and cortisol (30,800 popularity) follow.

Slow aging (23,100 popularity) reflects a language shift away from “anti-aging” and people questioning the utility of being “anti-” something all people experience over time. Along similar lines, analysts say, holistic (18,000 popularity) shows consumers are approaching anti-aging foods as part of a broader lifestyle framework and integrating them into an intentional set of daily habits and choices.

Read more on longevity in the May issue of Happi.