GLP-1 and supplements: natural solutions for metabolic health at SupplySide Global 2025

The increased use of GLP-1 medications for weight management has resulted in opportunities for dietary supplements to fill wellness and nutrition needs, particularly with support for metabolic health. A panel presentation at SupplySide Global 2025 (October 28-30, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada) will provide a discussion on how product developers can successfully expand natural solutions for metabolic wellness and health maintenance that complement GLP-1 therapies.¹

This panel presentation, “The GLP-1 effect: Developing healthy solutions to fill nutrition and metabolic wellness gaps,” will take place on October 29, from 2:15 pm to 3:15 pm at Supplement Solutions Stage (located at Booth #957, Shoreline, Level 2). It will include a short market opportunity overview and five- to seven- minute speaking presentations.

Panel discussion at SupplySide Global 2025: expanding natural metabolic health solutions

The discussion portion of the presentation will be moderated by Karen Raterman, associate director, content marketing at SupplySide, and will feature the following speakers:

• Bret Barhoover, specialized nutrition category marketing manager, Cargill
• Shil Kothari, president, Gateway Health Alliances Inc.
• Mark LeDoux, CEO and chairman of the board, Natural Alternatives International Inc.
• Ankit Rathi, director: quality and regulatory, Specialty Enzymes & Probiotics
• Serena Tongiani, PhD, chief portfolio officer, Indena S.p.A.

Panel sponsors are Cargill (Booth #5054), Gateway Health Alliances Inc, Natural Alternatives Intl/CarnoSyn Brands (Booth # 4481), Specialty Enzymes & Probiotics (Booth #3465), and Indena S.p.A (Booth #4565).

A mixer at the SupplySide Networking Pub will follow the presentation, with opportunities for attendees to engage in conversation with the speakers.

Industry leaders share insights on complementary nutrition strategies

In an October 8 press release,² Gateway Health Alliances President Shil Kothari explained that GLP-1 medications are significant tools used to control appetite and glucose, though metabolic wellness still needs to be addressed. “GLP-1s have changed the conversation around weight management, but they’re not the whole story,” stated Kothari. “By supporting complementary pathways with natural, clinically validated ingredients, we can help people achieve sustainable, balanced results and shape a new era of holistic metabolic wellness.”

For long-term and steady weight management, Kothari supports clinically validated ingredients including GLP-1, adiponectin, leptin, and insulin.

The press release also notes that the discussion will explain how natural ingredients can complement GLP-1 therapies, and provide actionable insights for manufacturers on developing supportive complementary products.

Earlier this year, Gateway Health Alliances announced that Vivatis Pharma would become a distributor of their functional ingredients, including weight management ingredients, in Europe.³ One of the ingredients is IGOB131, an extract of Irvingia gabonensis (African mango), intended for healthy metabolism and weight management support using enzyme and hormone modulation. The ingredient was part of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study published in Functional Foods in Health and Disease in 2020.⁴ The 12-week study involved 32 participants and demonstrated reductions in body fat ratio, triglycerides, body weight, BMI, waist and hip circumference, and visceral fat in the test group compared with the placebo.

Addressing common GLP-1 side effects with nutritional support

Manufacturers can also offer GLP-1 medication users nutritional support for the side effects of taking the medications, such as nausea, constipation, dehydration, and loss in muscle mass, explains a feature article in Nutritional Outlook.⁵ Supporting these side effects creates multiple product opportunities, such as hydrating dispersible drink mixes for dehydration, the addition of ginger ingredients for nausea, and fiber for constipation. Additionally, protein supplementation while taking the medications and afterwards can offer support for muscle retention.

References

1. SupplySide Global. Supplement Solutions Stage: The GLP-1 effect: Developing healthy solutions to fill nutrition and metabolic wellness gaps https://www.supplysideglobal.com/en/expo/event/schedule.html (accessed 2025-10-15).
2. Gateway Health Alliances. Gateway Health Alliances President Shil Kothari to Join SupplySide Global Panel on Filling GLP-1 Wellness Gaps. October 8, 2025. https://www.ghainc.com/post/gateway-health-alliance-president-shil-kothari-to-join-supplyside-global-panel-on-filling-glp-1-well (accessed 2025-10-15).
3. McEvoy, E. Functional ingredients from IminoTech and Gateway Health Alliances will be distributed by Vivatis Pharma in Europe. May 27, 2025. https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/functional-ingredients-from-iminotech-and-gateway-health-alliances-will-be-distributed-by-vivatis-pharma-in-europe (accessed 2025-10-15).
4. Shiojimi, Y.; Takahashi, M.; Kikuchi, M.; Akanuma, M. Effect of ellagic acid on body fat and triglyceride reduction in healthy overweight volunteers: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study, Functional Foods in Health and Disease. 2020, 10(4). DOI: 10.31989/ffhd.v10i4.702.
5. Kraweic, S. The GLP-1 train: How dietary supplements can aid GLP-1 drug users. May 15, 2025. https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/the-glp-1-train-how-dietary-supplements-can-aid-glp-1-drug-users (accessed 2025-10-15).