Product innovation and broad health claims about protein or fiber content alone may not be enough for food and beverage brands to reach consumers taking GLP-1 medications or who are interested in improving their healthspan, according to health experts recently surveyed by US News & World Report.
Rather, educating consumers about the role of nutrition in supporting muscle, bone and cardiovascular health could be a vital, but largely missed, opportunity in earning shoppers’ trust, and by extension, driving sales, according to Shanley Chien, senior health editor for US News & World Report.
“There is still a major disconnect in consumer health literacy. Most people often conflate overall weight loss with fat loss, but rapid or significant weight loss often causes the body to burn both fat and lean muscle,” Chien said, adding: “This is a critical blind spot.”
For support, she pointed to the publication’s 2026 Health Aging Survey in which 76% of the 63 health experts surveyed agreed that accelerated muscle loss is a “serious healthy aging threat for patients using GLP-1s.”
Food and beverage brands can help consumers close this knowledge gap and choose products that support their long-term health goals by helping them understand why certain nutrients, like protein, are critical when taking these medications or pursuing healthy aging more broadly.
“The biggest missed opportunity right now isn’t simply labeling products as ‘GLP-1 friendly.’ It is consumer education,” Chien said.
“Consumers are flooded with longevity advice and wellness trends online and on their social media feeds, making it difficult to distinguish evidence-based guidance from marketing noise. For food and beverage brands, the opportunity isn’t just selling high-protein products; I think it’s about providing transparent, credible context on how nutrition supports muscle preservation during significant weight loss,” she explained.
Early movers in this area include Danone, which launched Oikos Fusion in August 2025. The cultured dairy drink is designed specifically with GLP-1 users in mind and includes a proprietary blend of whey, leucine and vitamin D to support muscle maintenance during weight loss.
Recognizing that many GLP-1 users have reduced appetite, the beverage packs 23 grams of protein, 5 grams of prebiotic fiber and additional vitamins and nutrients into just 7 fluid ounces.
Danone also created a consumer-facing website to help GLP-1 users understand the role of nutrition in their weight loss journey. It includes a clickable menu with drop-down explanations for why GLP-1 users need protein, fiber, calcium, hydration and other dietary components. It even includes citations to studies on which the information is based.
Kate Farms also launched in 2025 a high protein nutrition shake to support muscle health, weight management and GLP-1 treatment as a way to help fill nutrition gaps.
Other more recent launches include PepsiCo’s Propel Clear Protein, which addresses muscle, digestive health and hydration in a familiar beverage format, and Mission Zero Net Carbs Spinach Tortillas, which pack 5 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber per serving. The tortilla launch shows the evolution of GLP-1 friendly products beyond beverages.
Wanted: Women’s health support
The need for education and innovation combined holds true for other emerging health trends and underserved wellness markets that hold significant market potential, such as women’s health, said Chien.
Specifically, she said she sees an opportunity for CPG brands bringing midlife nutrition solutions to market that target perimenopausal and menopausal women.
“In our survey, experts expressed concern over midlife muscle and bone loss (33%) and cardiovascular risk (32%). Manufacturers should move away from generic ‘anti-aging’ messaging and embrace more functional claims centered on ‘muscle preservation,’ ‘bone density support,’ and ‘heart health’ – all of which are critical to everyone, but particularly to women as we age,” Chien said.
She added there is also an opportunity for brands to move away from marketing focused on aesthetics or weight loss and focus instead on preventive health and wellness “to support women in being more proactive to optimize their midlife years in their 40s and 50s.”
Several CPG manufacturers are already moving in this space, among them is The Cycle, a line of functional beverages designed to support women’s hormonal health and which doesn’t shy away from talking about menstruation, perimenopause and menopause. The company’s website explains how each ingredient can support symptoms associated with different phases of menstruation and when is the best time to drink each option for maximum support.
While not specifically designed for perimenopause support, MOSH’s high protein peanut butter cups and bars offer an example of the broader, function-first approach Chien describes. They use Cognizin Citicoline, which is heavily researched to demonstrate support for focus, attention and long-term brain health. The company’s blog helps consumers understand the science behind the ingredients and why they could help manage health goals.
But the emerging products also highlight a gap. While manufacturers are increasingly targeting individual needs, from GLP-1 nutrition and protein to hormonal health and brain health, fewer products appear to bring together the muscle, bone and cardiovascular priorities identified by health experts in a single, convenient format. For brands, that could create an opportunity to develop multifunctional products for midlife consumers while giving them the education to understand why those benefits matter.
