Functional beverages, once largely confined to energy drinks, have expanded to deliver almost any health benefit imaginable—from metabolic support to sharper thinking to enhanced circulation. What started as a niche category has evolved into a mainstream way for consumers to get targeted health support throughout the day.

Today, functional beverages represent a dynamic and fast-growing market. With an estimated value of $21 billion in 2024, the market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9%, doubling in value by 2030.¹

What’s driving this growth? 

1. Easy integration. Consumers want support that fits effortlessly into their lifestyles. Since they already consume beverages throughout the day, drinking one with functional benefits slots naturally into their everyday routines. Increasingly, functional beverages are becoming interchangeable with traditional supplements as another avenue consumers turn to for everyday health and wellness support.
2. Better-for-you alternatives. Thanks to growing awareness of the negative effects of high caffeine and sugar intake, consumers are actively looking for healthier swaps.
3. Specificity rules. Gone are the days when consumers were swayed by vague “healthy” claims. Now, they’re choosing products for specific benefits, whether that’s post-exercise recovery or mid-afternoon focus.
4. Ingredient credibility. Proprietary branded ingredients with clinically validated benefits give beverages legitimacy—especially important as consumers become more skeptical and better at reading labels. 

Ingredients for Functional Beverages from Everwell Health

Everwell Health can help you create winning beverage formulations with two completely soluble, clinically studied, game-changing ingredients: Nitrosigine® and nooLVL® Soluble.

Backed by eight human clinical trials, Nitrosigine® is a patented complex of bonded Arginine Silicate that delivers a unique, bioavailable form of arginine—the primary amino acid the body uses to produce nitric oxide. Nitrosigine® has been shown to boost nitric oxide production and increase vasodilation by nearly 25%, at a fraction of the dose required for citrulline.* 

nooLVL® is a patented complex of bonded Arginine Silicate and Inositol, an important signaling molecule that supports neuron function in the brain.* Supported by four clinical studies, this combination improves cognitive performance and increases perceived energy in as little as 15 minutes.* 

Below are five functional beverage categories that are perfect candidates several of the ingredients found in the Everwell Health portfolio.

Sports and Active Lifestyles Beverages

Just as the functional beverage category has expanded beyond energy drinks, sports drinks now appeal to a wider range of consumers—from hardcore athletes to active lifestyle consumers, wellness-focused users, and casual exercisers. Despite their broader appeal, sports drinks sales have been flat or declining, making it important for manufacturers to go beyond traditional benefits.²

Don’t: Formulate for basic hydration or muscle recovery alone.
Do: Create drinks that support energy, stamina, muscle performance, and mental acuity, while meeting consumer expectations for clean labels and everyday use.

Nitrosigine® improves blood flow to keep active adults at the top of their game. Healthy circulation delivers oxygen and nutrients to the body and the brain, fueling physical performance, vigor and vitality, and cognitive function.*

MyoVera™ supports amino acid uptake into muscles and amplifies muscle protein synthesis which supports better movement, stronger performance, and greater endurance.

Functional Carbonated Beverages

Probiotic and prebiotic sodas have taken the functional carbonated beverage category by storm, with the market valued at $820 million as of February 2025.³ But these better-for-you sodas aren’t the only game in town. Other innovations include sparkling nootropic drinks, functional hydration beverages, and adaptogenic seltzers.

Don’t: Overlook functional benefits other than digestion.
Do: Create carbonated beverages that cover a wider array of benefits, such as stress support or cognitive performance.

With focus-you-can-feel that kicks in within minutes, nooLVL® is ideally suited for sparkling cognition-support drinks that improve focus, concentration, and memory.*

Energy and Performance Drinks

People turn to energy drinks for many reasons: to combat the mid-afternoon slump, for focus while gaming, or as a pre-workout boost. What unites these consumers is a growing interest in non-caffeinated ways to get a lift, which is why the global caffeine-free energy drink market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% for the next ten years. ⁴

Don’t: Rely solely on caffeinated energy drinks.
Do: Expand your portfolio with non-stimulant energy options.

Unlike caffeine, which stimulates the brain and nervous system, Nitrosigine® supports energy at the cellular level by increasing nitric oxide production—delivering more oxygen and nutrients to cells throughout the body.*

Still Flavored Drinks

Flavor matters—especially in everyday beverages. In fact, 20% of Americans think plain water tastes boring.⁵ This helps explain why flavored bottled waters are more popular than unflavored waters in the U.S. and Canada. The top-selling flavor? Lime, followed by other citrus, berry, and tropical flavors.⁶ These still formats offer a versatile platform for delivering functional benefits consumers want to experience daily.

Don’t: Treat flavored waters as flavor-first with no functional payoff.
Do: Use still beverages as a delivery system for meaningful, everyday health benefits.

Thanks to its circulation-supporting benefits, Nitrosigine® works well in still beverages targeting muscle health, cardiovascular support, vigor and vitality, and sexual well-being.*

Nutritional Meal Replacements 

Meal replacements aren’t just for those focused on weight management. Many consumers rely on RTD shakes and shake mixes when they’re too busy to cook and need nutrition on-the-go. Today’s next-generation meal replacements do more than just satisfy hunger— they’re increasingly formulated to deliver functional benefits.

Don’t: Formulate only for nutrition and convenience.
Do: Build functional benefits that support physical and mental performance into your meal replacements.

Chromax® promotes healthy insulin function to support healthy carbohydrate metabolism. Chromax is a highly researched form of chromium that works by supporting the actions of insulin, a key hormone involved in the normal regulation of blood sugar and supporting normal metabolic function.

By supporting cerebral blood flow and helping neurons “talk” to each other, nooLVL® helps meal replacements deliver bonus brain benefits—making them more than just a quick nutritional fix.*

Both Nitrosigine® and nooLVL® Soluble are caffeine-free and formulation-friendly. Manufactured using proprietary Cryopure™ technology, they deliver unmatched solubility and performance in liquid systems, making them ideal for consistent RTD formulations. Both ingredients are:

• Soluble in low pH beverages
• Smooth in texture (no sediment or grittiness)
• Neutral tasting
• Compatible with high-temperature processing
• Effective at low doses (1.5 g for Nitrosigine® and 1.6 g for nooLVL®)

Learn more about the latest functional beverage trends with our Beverage Trend Report, and explore how to push the boundaries of innovation on our Beverage Innovation Blog.

• 1. Allied Market Research. Functional Beverages Market Size, Share, Analysis – 2030. Allied Market Research. August 2021. https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/functional-beverages-market-A13087
• 2. 2025 State of the Beverage Industry: Sports, protein drink market experiences growth. https://www.bevindustry.com/articles/97621-2025-state-of-the-beverage-industry-sports-protein-drink-market-experiences-growth
• 3. Marioni M. Coca-Cola enters booming $820M prebiotic soda market with launch of Simply Pop. Fortune. February 18, 2025. https://fortune.com/2025/02/18/coca-cola-simply-pop-prebiotic-soda/
• 4. Wise Guy Reports. Global Caffeine-Free Energy Drink Market Research Report. August 3, 2025. https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/caffeine-free-energy-drink-market
• 5. Miller S. Americans’ main complaint about water is that it tastes too much like water. Grist. May 15, 2013. https://grist.org/food/americans-bored-with-water-turn-to-fakely-sweet-candy-colored-liquids/
• 6. Innova Marketing Insights. Flavored and unflavored water trends in the US and Canada. Global. January 21, 2025. https://www.innovamarketinsights.com/trends/flavored-and-unflavored-water-trends-in-the-us/