Opportunities in Esports Nutrition
At the largest esports tournaments where prize money is high, gamers need to perform their best. This not only creates an opportunity for manufacturers to develop products that support the nutritional needs of competitive gamers but also to connect with their large and growing audiences, many of whom are gamers themselves.
Food and beverage manufacturers seeking to tap into the esports nutrition market by creating products or brands just for gamers should understand exactly what gamers are seeking in functional nutrition.
1. Science-Based Performance Nutrition
Serious gamers are interested in anything that can offer a competitive edge. For esports nutrition, this means science-based ingredients that support brain and eye health are a must to address gamers’ needs for optimal energy, focus, and vision.
Top Benefits and Ingredients for Esports Nutrition
| Benefit |
Associated Ingredients |
| Energy |
Caffeine, taurine, B vitamins, creatine, CoQ10 |
| Focus |
L-theanine, L-glutamine, Ginkgo biloba, Panax ginseng, choline |
| Visual health |
Lutein, zeaxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, vitamins A, C, and E |
In addition, esports performance nutrition is seeing a shift toward sustained energy. This is boosting the popularity of low-sugar and sugar-free formulas that have moderate (rather than high) levels of caffeine to prevent “crashing.” Another trend is the interest in ingredients that support the nervous system for optimal reflexes and support the muscles to promote muscle recovery after long gaming sessions.
2. Alternative Ingredients in Esports Nutrition
Esports nutrition is also expanding to include ingredients associated with herbalism and other alternative medicine traditions. Products that take this approach typically rely on science-based ingredients but will feature one or more alternative ingredients. Bacopa leaf extract, lion’s mane mushroom, and cannabidiol are examples of alternative ingredients for esports nutrition.
