📊 Upside Analysis: The Sports Biomarker Market: Key Use Cases, Vendors and Recommendations to Teams
Sports Biomarker Market Analysis
1. Total Market Revenue Opportunity
The sports biomarkers market is rapidly growing, driven by increased awareness of athlete performance optimization and health monitoring. In 2024, the market is valued at approximately $3 billion and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12%, reaching an estimated $5.3 billion by 2030. Major revenue contributors include hydration assessment tools, glucose monitoring devices, and lactate assessment technologies.
2. Main Use Cases of Sports Biomarkers
Sports biomarkers are increasingly being adopted in a variety of applications that improve athlete performance, monitor health, and enhance recovery processes. Hydration assessment tools allow teams to monitor hydration levels in real-time, helping to prevent dehydration and optimize electrolyte balance during training and competition.
Glucose monitoring solutions provide athletes with insights into energy levels and dietary needs, enabling better fatigue management and recovery strategies. Lactate assessment technologies are crucial for evaluating anaerobic thresholds, optimizing training intensity, and detecting overtraining risks. Furthermore, blood biomarker analysis is an emerging category that provides comprehensive insights into recovery, fatigue, and performance readiness.
a. Hydration Assessment
Monitoring hydration levels to prevent dehydration and maintain peak performance.
Real-time hydration monitoring during training and competition.
Why is monitoring and preventing dehydration and heat stress issues is important in elite sports?
Many athletes endure vigorous or prolonged physical activity (i.e. during endurance sport or exercise). This can often lead to an increase in the body’s core temperature. Resulting in a higher sweat rate, an increase in body temperature and physical activity leads to the loss of bodily fluids and electrolytes and can cause mild to moderate dehydration.
When exercising, athletes lose fluid and electrolytes through sweat which can cause dehydration. Because dehydration can affect their mental and physical state, it can lead to problems that affect their performance, including::
Cramps, spasms, and soreness
Fatigue
Impaired concentration
Optimal sports performance requires an athlete to be at their peak – physically and mentally. Maintaining the proper balance of electrolytes and fluids will help athletes avoid performance pitfalls of dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration, such as headaches and fatigue, can hinder their athletic performance. Drinking sugary sports performance drinks doesn’t provide the necessary electrolytes needed to recover after sports or exercise.
A study out of the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that when participants lost 3% of their body weight in water, overall resistance exercise performance was impaired.
Participants were not able to complete as many repetitions, had higher ratings of perceived exertion, and experienced delayed heart rate recovery, meaning it took longer for their heart rate to return to normal.
Researchers at the University of Connecticut found similar results when they examined the impact of dehydration on resistance training.
They found that a 2.5% decrease in body weight led to significantly less work being completed during multiple sets of back squats.
As shown in the chart below, according to the Internal Journal of Sports Medicine, there is a real impact of dehydration on the human’s body depending on the percentage body weight loss.
A 5% decrease in body weight leads to heat exhaustion. But things get much worse once we reach a 7% decrease in body weight as athletes often start suffering from hallucinations. Finally a 10% decrease in body weight often leads to heat stroke and circulatory collapse. This point here is that dehydration can have disastrous consequences on athletes’ performance and health if it is not monitored carefully in real time.
Even being mildly dehydrated can impact the performance of athletes.
In fact, if athletes are only mildly dehydrated they’re 114% more likely to make an error, which is similar to drinking low levels of alcohol, according to the research carried out in the UK by Loughborough University.
Not surprisingly, over the past few years there has been continued interest from teams towards hydration assessment tools. in fact, as shown in the graph below, back in 2020 we at Upside conducted a team survey which showed that 24% of teams that we surveyed were looking to invest in hydration assessment tools. This number is probably even higher now.
Picture: Upside team survey (n=42), confidential, 2020
b. Glucose Monitoring
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for energy management and diet optimization.
Assessing recovery needs and preventing fatigue.
Monitoring blood glucose levels is crucial for athletes, particularly those with diabetes, to optimize performance and ensure safety. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices provide real-time data on glucose fluctuations, enabling athletes to make informed decisions about nutrition and training.
Glucose Uptake During Exercise: Skeletal muscle glucose uptake can increase up to 50-fold during exercise compared to rest, highlighting the significant impact of physical activity on blood glucose levels.
Benefits for Athletes with Type 1 Diabetes: CGM devices offer athletes with Type 1 diabetes insights into glucose trends that may be missed by traditional fingerstick readings, aiding in the prevention of hypoglycemia, which can adversely affect performance.
Adoption by Elite Athletes: Olympic athletes, including Dutch marathon runner Abdi Nageeye, are utilizing CGMs to monitor blood glucose levels, aiming to optimize calorie intake and training routines.
Impact on Training and Recovery: CGMs assist athletes in understanding how dietary intake and exercise affect glucose levels, enabling better management of energy availability and recovery processes
c. Lactate Assessment
Measuring blood lactate levels to evaluate anaerobic thresholds.
Optimizing training regimens and identifying overtraining risks.
Monitoring blood lactate levels is crucial for athletes aiming to optimize performance and training efficiency. Lactate, produced during intense exercise, serves as a key indicator of metabolic stress and endurance capacity.
Lactate Threshold as a Performance Indicator: The velocity at lactate threshold is strongly correlated with marathon performance, highlighting its importance in endurance sports.
Individual Variability in Response: Studies have shown that continuous training at a fixed lactate threshold can lead to varied physiological responses among athletes, indicating the need for personalized training intensities.
Advancements in Monitoring Technology: The development of wearable devices for continuous sweat lactate monitoring offers real-time data, enhancing training precision and performance optimization.
d. Cortisol Assessment
Monitoring cortisol levels is essential for athletes to optimize performance and prevent overtraining. Cortisol, a catabolic steroid hormone, plays a pivotal role in the body's stress response and energy regulation.
Indicator of Training Load and Recovery: Elevated cortisol levels can signify excessive training stress and insufficient recovery, leading to decreased performance and increased injury risk. Regular monitoring helps in adjusting training loads appropriately.
Relationship with Performance Metrics: Studies have found significant correlations between cortisol levels and performance indicators such as countermovement jump (CMJ) height and rate of perceived exertion (RPE). For instance, average salivary free cortisol concentrations correlate significantly with CMJ (r = −0.777) and RPE (r = 0.551).
Anticipatory Stress Response: Athletes often experience an anticipatory cortisol response before competitions, which prepares the body for upcoming physical demands. Monitoring these levels can provide insights into an athlete's readiness and stress levels.
Circadian Rhythms and Overtraining: Disruptions in cortisol's circadian rhythm can indicate overtraining syndrome. Assessing cortisol concentrations at multiple time points within the circadian cycle is necessary for accurate evaluation.
e. Blood analysis
Regular blood analysis is a vital component in optimizing athletic performance and maintaining overall health. By assessing various biomarkers, athletes can gain insights into their physiological status, enabling personalized training and nutrition strategies.
Identification of Deficiencies: Blood tests can reveal deficiencies in essential nutrients such as iron and vitamin D, which are crucial for energy production and muscle function. Addressing these deficiencies can enhance performance and reduce injury risk.
Monitoring Training Load: Biomarkers like cortisol and creatine kinase indicate levels of stress and muscle damage. Tracking these markers helps in adjusting training intensity to prevent overtraining and promote recovery.
Personalized Interventions: Understanding individual biomarker profiles allows for tailored dietary and training interventions, leading to more effective performance enhancements.
3. Key Vendors per Use Case
4. Comparative Table of Vendors per Segment
The following table summarizes key vendors in the sports biomarkers market, categorized by their primary use case and offering insights into their features and pricing:
4a. Hydration assessment tools:
Picture: Epicore hydration patch, logicInk hydration signal
Picture: Nix Biosensor patch & app, FLOWBIO S1 & compagnion app
Picture: Intake Health’s Inflow, MX3 Diagnostics hydration assessment tool
4b. Glucose, lactate assessment tools, blood analysis tools:
Picture: Dexcom CGM, Abbott’s CGM (FreeStyle Libre)
Picture: Lactate Plus’ NOVA Biomedical, Edge Analyzer, EKF Diagnostics (Biosen)
Picture: ORRECO’s Recovery lab, @athlete
Picture/ source: Sanesco’ cortisol assessment kit, Labcorp, Spark Diagnostics, Evexia Diagnostics
These tables above reflect the diverse landscape of sports biomarker solutions, highlighting options across hydration, glucose, lactate, and blood biomarker analysis categories.
5. Challenges in the Sports Biomarkers Market
The adoption of sports biomarker technologies is not without challenges. High costs associated with devices and recurring expenses such as sensors or test strips pose significant barriers, particularly for smaller teams and amateur athletes. Data integration is another challenge, as biomarker information often needs to be incorporated into broader analytics platforms, requiring seamless compatibility and standardization.
Athlete compliance can also be a concern, as some technologies are invasive or may cause discomfort. Lastly, regulatory and ethical considerations, such as privacy issues surrounding sensitive health data and the potential misuse of biomarkers, remain pressing issues in the market.
Please note that these challenges may not be applicable to all the products mentioned above as there are products available at various prices and some products are more comfortable to use and wear than others.
6. Market Drivers
Several factors are driving growth in the sports biomarkers market. The emphasis on athlete health and longevity has made biomarker monitoring a priority for professional teams. Technological advancements have resulted in more accessible, non-invasive, and real-time monitoring tools. The demand for a competitive edge has also fueled adoption, as biomarkers offer precise data for tailoring training programs and recovery strategies.
Additionally, the integration of biomarker data into broader sports analytics platforms has enhanced the value proposition for teams, creating a more comprehensive understanding of athlete performance.
Focus on Athlete Health and Longevity
Teams prioritize injury prevention and recovery optimization to protect valuable players.
Biomarkers provide critical insights into hydration, fatigue, and overtraining risks.
Advances in Wearable Technology
Non-invasive and continuous monitoring devices are becoming more reliable and affordable.
Improved battery life and real-time data transfer enhance usability.
Demand for Competitive Edge
Teams and athletes seek precise data to optimize training and outperform competitors.
Biomarkers offer insights into individual physiology for personalized strategies.
Integration with Sports Analytics
Biomarker data enhances the value of broader performance analytics platforms.
Holistic athlete management systems benefit from biomarker integration.
7. Recommendations for Pro Teams
Professional teams looking to adopt sports biomarker solutions should begin with high-impact use cases, such as hydration and glucose monitoring, to address immediate performance and recovery needs. Teams should prioritize solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing analytics platforms to ensure compatibility and ease of use. Educating athletes and staff about the benefits of biomarker technologies can help overcome resistance and encourage compliance.
Teams should also foster partnerships with leading vendors to customize solutions and negotiate pricing. Finally, leveraging biomarker data for personalized training and recovery programs will maximize the return on investment and contribute to long-term athlete success.
Start with High-Impact Use Cases
Focus on hydration and glucose monitoring for immediate benefits in performance and recovery.
Invest in tools with proven reliability and ease of use.
Adopt Integrated Solutions
Choose platforms that combine biomarker monitoring with existing analytics systems.
Leverage tools that offer app-based tracking and reporting for seamless data sharing.
Educate and Engage Athletes
Ensure athletes understand the value of biomarker monitoring in enhancing performance and health.
Address concerns about comfort and data privacy.
Collaborate with Vendors
Partner with leading vendors to customize solutions for team needs.
Negotiate bulk pricing or subscription models to reduce costs.
Leverage Data for Personalized Training
Use biomarker insights to tailor training regimens to individual physiological needs.
Monitor recovery metrics to avoid overtraining and reduce injury risks.
Conclusion
The sports biomarkers market presents a significant opportunity for professional teams to enhance performance, improve health monitoring, and gain a competitive edge. By investing in the right technologies, addressing challenges like cost and data integration, and fostering collaboration with vendors, pro teams can fully harness the potential of biomarkers. A phased, strategic approach will ensure successful adoption and long-term benefits.
In the next 24 months we expect to see more teams (NCAA, pro teams) to continue to invest in innovative solutions to analyze biomarkers. Hydration assessment tools (smart hydration patches, chest straps or arm bands, sensors in the urinals) have become the norm among many teams and we believe that multiple use hydration solutions (FLOWBIO) capable of providing actionable health insights will become the preferred choice for many teams in the future. In addition, we are seeing a growing number of teams looking at new ways to measure hydration via saliva analysis (e.g. LogicInk). A growing number of teams are also adopting blood analysis provided by companies like ORRECO. We expect to see more teams adopting solutions to measure cortisol and glucose levels in a non invasive way.
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