Beyond the Surface: Exploring the Complexity of Women’s Health

Women’s health is a multifaceted journey marked by diverse experiences and needs. Unlike the linear path often depicted by the health and wellness industry, women navigate various life stages with unique health challenges. This journey is full of paradoxes that the industry frequently overlooks, focusing predominantly on sexual and reproductive health while neglecting the broader spectrum of women's health needs. At Kemin, we recognize the complexity of women's health and are committed to addressing these paradoxes through innovative ingredient solutions. Our approach goes beyond the narrow focus of the women’s health journey, aiming to enhance the quality of life and promote integrative health solutions for women at every age and stage.

The Health Span Paradox

One of the most significant challenges in women's health is the Health Span Paradox. While women on average outlive men, they also spend 25% more of their lives struggling with debilitating health conditions.¹ Compounding this issue is the fact that 51% of the global health burden is associated with conditions that affect women disproportionately, such as headache disorders, autoimmune diseases, and depression.¹ Despite this, the existing supplement market predominantly focuses on maternal and gynecological concerns, which only represent a small fraction of women's health issues. This narrow focus overlooks the broader spectrum of women’s health needs, missing valuable opportunities for improvement.

The Scientific Paradox

The second major challenge in women’s health is the Scientific Paradox. When it comes to medical studies, women are being underrepresented more than men, leading to a limited understanding of how women’s biological differences impact their response.² Not only are women understudied, but the diseases that disproportionally affect women are also underfunded creating an even taller barrier than women must overcome.³ This gap in research and funding compromises the ability to address the unique health problems and concerns faced by women.

Kemin's ingredients are designed to tackle these complex health challenges. Our products support eye health, cognitive function, stress management, and beauty-from-within health, among other areas. By developing ingredients that address these specific needs, we aim to bridge the gap in women's health care and provide solutions that enhance their overall well-being.

Our commitment to women's health is compelled by our curiosity and passion for exploring the intricate nature of women’s health. This curiosity fuels our efforts to develop ingredient solutions that address their unique needs. By broadening our perspective and being conscious of these complexities, we are creating solutions that may improve the lives of women today, tomorrow, and throughout their health journey.

We invite supplement manufacturers to join us in this mission, to innovate and deliver products that truly meet the diverse health needs of women. Together, we can foster a more inclusive and effective approach to women's health.

Join Kemin as we explore the Health Span Paradox, the Scientific Paradox and the Market Paradox in our four part women’s health blog series.

Discover Kemin's innovative portfolio of ingredients for women's health by visiting kemin.com.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The information on this webpage is a business-to-business information and not intended for the final consumer. Certain statements may not be applicable in all geographical regions. Product labeling and associated claims differs based upon government requirements and country or region specific information should also be considered when labeling or advertising to final consumers.

This web page and its associated brochures and other documents do not constitute or provide scientific or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and are distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressly or implied. This web page, its title or contents and associated brochures and other documents do not in any way make recommendations for health or marketing claims by the reader. Country and region specific regulations should be considered in this regard. Each claim or statement about the effectiveness of Kemin products and/or each claim or statement comparing the effectiveness of Kemin products to the effectiveness of other products is expressly limited to the United States, unless otherwise disclosed on the Kemin websites.

References:

1. World Economic Forum. (2024, January). Closing the women’s health gap: A $1 Trillion Opportunity to Improve Lives and Economies. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Closing_the_Women’s_Health_Gap_2024.pdf
2. Bierer, B. E., Meloney, L. G., Ahmed, H. R., & White, S. A. (2022, March 7). Advancing the inclusion of underrepresented women in clinical research. Cell reports. Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9043984/
3. Kerri Smith, The funding gender gap. (2023) https://www.nature.com/immersive/d41586-023-01475-2/assets/d41586-023-01475-2.pdf
4.  Innova Market Analysis. March 8, 2024.