Bone broth, creatine, and burnout: Is the $100B wellness industry actually making women healthier?
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In a world where optimisation has turned wellness into a full-time job, women are struggling to cut through the noise to hear the habits that actually matter. HerCanberra’s Online Editor Erin Cross looks at the women’s wellness boom.
Bone broth, creatine, greens, 30 grams of protein and maybe a sprinkle of iron, fish oil and Vitamin C for a bit of fun – usually all before 7 am. If this sounds like your usual morning routine, you’re not alone. *
The biohacking business is booming, and with it, wellness has become a trillion-dollar industry.
From at home-LED masks to sunset alarm clocks, gratitude journaling and copper tongue cleaners, wellness and all the tools that come with it have seen a rise in highly aesthetic schedules that feel like a stressful test of perfectionism rather than a true example of holistic health and well-being.
When you take a step back, it does feel like women are currently living in a golden age of health. With apps that track menstrual cycles, rings that track sleep scores and easy-to-access superfoods and supplements, the control and knowledge modern women have about their health is staggering when compared to previous generations.
In short, anti-ageing science is not only raising hopes of living longer, but women are also trying to live better.
Google Trend data for 2026 shows the term ‘wellness’ is 20 per cent higher than in 2025. When you dive deeper and investigate the functional-nutrition space – which is made of food and beverages that claim to deliver health benefits – the statistics say it all. Search results for ‘protein’ are up 30 per cent, ‘fibre’ is up 50 per cent and ‘creatine’ (the latest in a long line of supplements to reach virality) is up 60 per cent.
This sudden surge is no surprise when you look at what’s dominating social media feeds. ‘What I eat in a day videos’, fad diets and healthy recipes are just some examples of the content that regularly goes viral. The latest example of a wellness topic that is dominating the cultural zeitgeist? Nutrition and gut health.
HerMatters Accredited Practising Dietitian and Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician Rebecca Ponsford has been working in the gut health space for seven years. She says that during this time, she’s seen a rapid increase in dietary, lifestyle and supplement trends, particularly through social media.
“Much like fashion trends, I’ve seen women become focused on particular foods or practices for gut health, whether that’s celery juice or chia seed water or another viral trend, only for them to never be mentioned a few years later,” she explains.
“The recent increased focus we’ve seen on women’s health and wellbeing has been an incredibly positive shift. However, it’s also important to recognise the growing commercialisation of wellness, where products and supplements are often marketed as essential for all women despite limited evidence of their benefits.”
Somewhere along the way to longevity, women have gotten lost. And as the industry only gets louder, they’re struggling to cut through the noise to hear the habits that actually matter.
The high cost of quick fixes
The wellness industry is a complicated – and expensive – business.
Encompassing functional foods and dietary supplements, the global digestive health market was valued at USD 60.3 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 114.8 billion by 2033. In comparison, the women’s health and beauty supplements market – dietary products specifically formulated to support the unique health, wellness, and aesthetic needs of women – are expected to grow to USD 157.26 billion in 2030, with the Asia-Pacific named the largest region in the 2025 market share.
Breaking it down even further, major trend forecasts for the women’s health and beauty supplements market include personalised nutrition and supplementation, natural and organic ingredients adoption, as well as hormonal balance and gut health support. However, as more women look to integrate supplements into their daily routine, Rebecca warns that not all women require them to meet their health and nutrition requirements.
“Even if we strip away the hype, every woman’s body will have different needs. It’s important for anyone considering taking a supplement to consult with a qualified health care professional to ensure the supplement is safe and beneficial,” she explains.
“There are some nutrients women should be particularly aware of during different life stages because nutritional requirements change throughout menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding, perimenopause, menopause and older age.”
Canberra-based MNU Certified Nutritionist and founder of No Nonsense Nutrition & Fitness Ashleigh Kuhn agrees.
“Most people overestimate what supplements can do and underestimate the impact of consistently eating a nutritious diet. The idea behind supplements is that they are supplementing someone’s nutrition, rather than compensating for a diet that’s falling short,” she says.
“I wish there were a single label or website that could tell someone whether a supplement would help them, but it isn’t that straightforward.”
Social media and the illusion of perfection
For many people, using wellness products like supplements have become a daily practice – and it’s Gen Z and millennials pushing the industry forward.
McKinsey’s 2025 Future Of Wellness report found that younger generations are spending disproportionately on wellness, calling them “digitally savvy” experimenters who try a wide range of health and wellness products and seek out science-backed solutions. The report also stated that they’re more likely to be influenced by social media.
In data that would shock no one, studies have found that wellness content on social media isn’t actually helpful. A study in the Journal Of Nutrition Education And Behaviour found that of the 250 most-viewed TikTok videos tagged #healthylifestyle, 38 per cent focused heavily on weight loss, and 24 per cent objectified bodies. The implications? That the content promotes harmful body image and diet culture ideals.
A study published in 2026 about social media use and its effect on dietary choices echoes this sentiment, finding that social media exposure is associated with changes in both healthy or unhealthy food consumption patterns – depending on who creates, curates, and distributes the content.
“It’s great that more women are taking an interest in nutrition, longevity and fitness. But the line between “being healthy” and becoming obsessive or overly restrictive isn’t always super clear,” says Ashleigh.
“One of the problems is that misinformation is incredibly common. This isn’t just confusing, but it can actively cause harm by making women feel afraid of food and exercise. The wellness industry also leverages our very human desire for a quick fix. Taking a capsule or powder is easier in the moment than learning how to feed yourself consistently through busy weeks, family meals, changing appetites and social occasions.”
Take orthorexia, an obsessive fixation on healthy or “pure” eating. While it’s not yet officially classified in the DSM-5 (the standard diagnostic manual in Australia), it’s becoming increasingly recognised as an eating disorder. Various research shows that the healthy eating community on social media platforms like Instagram has a high prevalence of orthorexia symptoms.
Rebecca says that dieting is one of the strongest behavioural risk factors for developing an eating disorder.
“Eliminating food groups in an attempt to improve gut health can seriously impact our physical, mental and social wellbeing,” she explains.
“I often see this in clinic, where clients have cut out food groups and over time become increasingly rigid, anxious and stressed about eating, negatively impacting their relationships with food.”
Ashleigh agrees that social media is a tricky place to look for nutritional advice, explaining that the nature of short-form content means that nuance and context are often overlooked.
“If a post makes you feel scared or like you need to immediately buy a product to solve a problem, that’s typically a sign it’s not giving you the full picture.”
“It’s also important to remember that what’s optimal isn’t always achievable,” she says. “While someone’s day on a plate post might make you feel inspired or give you some ideas for meals you could try, it should never leave you feeling like you’re failing if your diet isn’t perfect.”
More isn’t always better
As Managing Director of Authentix Beauty and Wellness, Shahnee Jewel has spent over two decades working directly with women struggling with digestive health.
Having navigated her own gut health challenges, she deeply understands the temptation to turn to pills and powders for quick relief – and she has a front-row seat to how obsessed women have become with viral gut hacks.
But when it comes to gut health, she warns that more isn’t always better.
“Many people take multiple probiotics, digestive enzymes, herbal blends and gut powders without knowing whether their body actually needs them,” she says.
“While supplements certainly have their place, taking the wrong product – or taking too many – can sometimes contribute to bloating, digestive discomfort, nutrient imbalances or simply become an expensive routine with little real benefit.”
For Shahnee, the key is shifting away from trendy quick fixes toward personalised care.
“The goal should be to understand why you’re experiencing symptoms, address the underlying cause and use supplements strategically as part of a personalised treatment plan – not rely on them indefinitely,” she says. “Choosing the right supplement, at the right time and for the right reason is far more important than the number of bottles in your cupboard.”
“Supplements can absolutely play an important role when they’re needed, but they work best as a complement to a healthy lifestyle – not a substitute for one.”
Beyond the cost, Rebecca Ponsford notes another major danger of unregulated ‘gut health advice’: taking supplements or altering diets instead of seeking medical investigation.
“Many of the common ways gut health issues present – like experiencing bloating, loose bowel movements and constipation – can also be signs and symptoms of more sinister conditions like Coeliac Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and even bowel cancer,” explains Rebecca.
“It is very important to see a doctor or health professional to screen for these conditions before starting supplements or major dietary changes.”
Food as the ultimate foundation
According to McKinsey’s Future Of Wellness report, energy, gut health, immunity, and muscle, bone, and joint support are the most sought-after benefits when it comes to supplements. And from the rise in popularity of bone broth to protein-packed dumplings (a conversation for another day), the report also found that the products likely to be most successful in the functional nutrition space are not just healthier alternatives. Instead, they will exist at the intersection between supplements and food.
But what does that mean for the future of nutrition?
“Eating in a way that supports your health and fits your life is a skill. It takes practice,” explains Ashleigh.
“It is less exciting to market than a supplement in an aesthetic bottle, but the payoff is much greater: better diet quality, a lower risk of chronic disease, less stress around food and less money spent on unnecessary supplements.”
Shahnee agrees.
“For most people, good health starts with the basics. Before reaching for supplements, focus on building strong daily habits that naturally nourish and support your body.”
“Rather than following supplement trends, I recommend looking at the whole picture – your diet, lifestyle, symptoms and, where appropriate, pathology testing. Supplementation is most effective when it’s personalised to your individual needs.”
Ashleigh believes that a good starting place for most people is thinking about how they can make their existing diet more healthful.
“That typically means eating lots of vegetables – including legumes – and fruit, lean animal and plant proteins, healthy fats like oily fish, avocado, nuts and seeds and wholegrains,” she explains.
“It’s also worth thinking about variety. This doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune on food. A simple upgrade is swapping to blends – for example, getting frozen mixed berries rather than just one type, or buying a multigrain seeded bread or a nut butter that contains multiple nuts and seeds.”
No pill or powder required
The growing interest in supplements and solutions that support long-term health isn’t going to slow down.
As social media feeds continue to be inundated with hacks, recommendations and advice, Rebecca says that while gut health can feel overwhelming, supporting it is much less complicated than social media suggests.
“For any woman who is confused or worried about what to eat, I strongly recommend talking to a dietitian, who can assess your individual needs and develop a plan to meet your nutritional needs and support your relationship with food,” she says.
“There is a strong connection between gut health and mental health, as the gut and mind regularly “communicate” with each other. Because of this, looking after your mental health and managing stress can also benefit digestive function and gut health.”
It might sound simple. But all three women agree that eating a wide variety of foods, eating enough to meet your body’s needs, moving regularly and managing stress is the best way to optimise your health.
No pill or powder required.
“I see a lot of supplement content that feeds into optimising ourselves: our food, our routines, and even our appearances. There’s nothing wrong with searching for inspiration and advice, but it’s also important not to lose sight of the fact that you’re a human with a life to be savoured and enjoyed,” says Ashleigh.
“It’s important to look after yourself, but if the journey to optimisation sucks every speck of joy from your life, what’s the point? In my experience, the goal should be to find a way to eat and move that supports your health alongside your relationships, values and enjoyment.”
*Editor’s note: this is not to shame readers – this is an example of my own personal morning routine. I’m fully on the wellness train if it’s something that genuinely works for you.
