According to a chapter recently included as part of the Market Growth Insight report, supplements that can aid patients with chronic or sudden-onset dysphagia will continue to experience huge boosts in their segment of the health & nutrition industry. Chronic dysphagia is currently affecting more than 15 million adults in the United States alone, and in sharp contrast to popular consensus, only 22% of them are aged 50 or above.
The condition can have gastrointestinal, neurological, cerebral, neuromuscular, developmental, geriatric or have cancerous origins, to name just a few. In all cases, dysphagia is identified by the patient’s partial or complete inability to swallow solid and/or liquid food. Understanding the reasons cited for this estimated growth is important for dysphagia patients in particular, since breakthroughs have been made in available diagnostic and management options recently.
The market boost was predicted based on multiple new developments, and the introduction of new diagnostic tech for detecting dysphagia is a key part. By being able to confirm early signs of dysphagia much faster, and with greater accuracy than before, it is possible for doctors to now prevent/delay the worsening of the condition further. Patients can minimize their possibilities of being exposed to choking hazards themselves by making diet adjustments and adequate supplementations in accordance with the medical diagnosis.
Given that solid food is almost out of the question for those with diagnosed, chronic/acute dysphagia, nutritional deficiency presents itself as a common issue among the patients. Choking hazards can be avoided in some cases by sticking to a mostly liquid diet, but the liquid must be reinforced with all the necessary nutrients, or it will create a different set of problems such as malnutrition, poor nutrition, poor recovery rate, and other nutrition-deficiency related health problems that are common in dysphagia patients. Supplements which supply those essential nutrients adequately to patients suffering from dysphagia are, therefore, crucial for maintaining health.
Some dysphagia patients can also choke while drinking any liquid, including water. This adds dehydration to the list of problems that a dysphagia patient has to deal with. Liquid thickeners like Simply Thick have managed to solve this to a great extent for dysphagia patients. Thicker liquids, aka fluid beverages do not generally cause issues for dysphagia patients. The thickening supplements are available in varying levels of thickness as well, so that the patients can mix their thickener with a beverage or just water, making it just as consistent as pudding or honey.
The discovery and improvements of thickening supplements for dysphagia patients have not only made life easier for the patients, but it remains one of the prime reasons behind why the sector is expected to grow into a multibillion-dollar industry between 2019-2029, with a 7% CAGR. The report cited for the conclusion can be found here.