With a ballooning GDP growth and a rapid surge in disposable income, the urban Indian is now no more reluctant to shed hefty amounts for gym and health club memberships. (Photo: Pixabay)

There is a rising notion in the India that a concerted effort related to fitness and health is of paramount importance. While historically Indians have a reputation of ranking among one of the least concerned citizens when it comes to health and fitness, the recent years have witnessed a dramatic shift in this behaviour.

The recent finding by HealthXP, India’s leading online supplement store reveals a soaring demand for health-related products including Probiotics, Proteins, Zero Carb related supplements etc., reflecting an emerging health revolution in the country.

With a ballooning GDP growth and a rapid surge in disposable income, the urban Indian is now no more reluctant to shed hefty amounts for gym and health club memberships.

Lakhs of Indians including college-going youth and young professionals are now enrolling in gymnasiums, health clubs and other fitness-centric events to groom their physical appearance as well as take care of their mental health.

Another major factor driving the growth of health awareness in India is the rising influence of celebrities particularly the fitness and sporting icons.

The unfortunate rise in lifestyle-related diseases including diabetes, hypertension, obesity is also pushing Indians to lift and buy genuine and authentic supplements.

Although it is a well-proven fact that intense physical training can deplete your body of vitamins and other nutrients essential for muscle gain and fat loss and even with the best possible diet, it can be incredibly tough to get all the vital elements necessary for body driving growth.

Consequently, consumers are increasingly relying on alternative channels for targeted health needs, with supplements, becoming their new darling.

As per industry experts, the trend to buy health supplements is on a meteoric rise due to the very fact that today, the consumer base has expanded and is not just limited to the muscle-heads and the weekend warriors.

Pivotal role of health supplements

The industry has gone full spectrum with men, women and even kids. Although millennials are still the driving force behind the wellness trend.

Pregnant women, who are in need of iron, also take the help of supplements.

It must be understood that having supplements alongside your daily diet is no luxury but a necessity.

Researchers inform that our plates are lacking in a number of essential nutrients, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and D.

Therefore, it becomes crucial to take supplements not just to make up for what we're missing in our diet, but also to give ourselves an extra health boost.

Contrary to the belief of many, supplements are not just for those people who wish for a lean muscular body but also for those who wish to better their immunity and avoid any diseases.

As they say, prevention is better than cure, thus, the health supplements must be taken regularly and in the quantity prescribed by your pharmacist or healthcare professional.

And while off late the health and nutrition supplement market was either being largely commanded by international brands in India or by local retail outlets, the competition in the segment has ballooned now with the emergence of substantial Indian brands.

Prevailing Challenges

While the health and fitness related awareness has no doubted mounted in India, it is still way behind as compared to developed parts of the globe. Consumers in many cases are also exploited with fraudulent advertisements and schemes which often furnish either wrong or counterfeit supplements.

The presence of a host of channels between vendors and end consumers also impacts the quality of the products.

Despite the challenges, healthcare has emerged as one of the fastest sectors in terms of job creation and revenue and is poised for an inevitable uphill growth in the coming times.

The article has been authored by Girish Joshi, Managing Director, HealthXP.