THORNE'S ANNUAL WELLNESS COMPASS REVEALS WHAT CONSUMERS NEED TO TURN HEALTH INFORMATION INTO ACTION

The 2026 edition, The Wellness Clarity Gap, explores how AI, human expertise, and generational differences are shaping everyday wellness decisions.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C., Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Thorne, the leader in science-backed health and wellness solutions, today released the second edition of the Thorne Wellness Compass, its annual research report examining how consumers navigate their health. This year's theme, The Wellness Clarity Gap, explores how consumers evaluate credible expertise, turn information into informed decisions, and determine what works for them as AI and digital health tools reshape the wellness landscape.

Conducted with research firm Censuswide among more than 3,000 U.S. consumers, the study builds on Thorne's 2025 Wellness Confidence Gap and reveals a central tension – more health information doesn't necessarily translate into greater clarity about who to trust, what steps to take, or how to measure progress.

As the number of wellness voices expands, credibility remains a central challenge. 78% of surveyed consumers say too many people claim to be health or wellness experts, while 62% say they trust lived experience over formal training when evaluating health advice. AI is reshaping that dynamic – half (50%) now trust AI tools for wellness advice, up six percentage points from 2025, yet 73% say they trust health advice from human experts more than AI-generated advice.

The challenge extends beyond identifying trusted expertise to understanding what to do next, particularly among younger generations. Gen Z is nearly twice as likely as Boomers to report difficulty interpreting personal health information (26% vs. 14%) and more than twice as likely to be unsure what steps to take next (21% vs. 10%). Meanwhile, 54% of surveyed consumers wish they had more personalized supplement guidance.

Knowing whether those actions are working is equally important. Within three months of making a health or wellness change, 31% of surveyed consumers reported achieving a specific health goal and clearly recognizing progress. While 45% rely on how they feel to evaluate results, 27% use clinical tests or biomarker data, highlighting the different ways consumers assess their progress.

"We have more information about our health at our fingertips than ever before, but information alone doesn't tell us what to do with it," said Colin Watts, CEO of Thorne. "AI is already transforming how people access and interpret health information, but its value depends on the quality of the science and expertise behind it. At Thorne, we're bringing together more than 40 years of scientific rigor and innovation with new technologies to make personalized guidance more accessible, help people make informed choices, and better understand what works for them."

Thorne's annual Wellness Compass research reflects its commitment to helping consumers make informed health decisions while advancing understanding of evolving consumer needs across the wellness industry. That commitment also extends to Taia™, Thorne's AI-powered wellness advisor, which draws on the company's scientific expertise, practitioner relationships, and product knowledge to help consumers explore their wellness goals and discover personalized supplement recommendations.

Read the full 2026 Thorne Wellness Compass: The Wellness Clarity Gap report HERE.

Research Methodology
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 3,004 US consumers - 1,000 Nationally representative adults, 1,004 additional Gen Z and 1,000 additional Millennials. The data was collected between October 2 – October 7, 2026. The 2025 comparison wave surveyed 3,013 US adults aged 18+, comprising 1,000 nationally representative adults, 1,008 additional Gen Z respondents and 1,005 additional Millennials, between October 27 – October 30, 2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.

About Thorne®:
Thorne is the leader in science-backed health and wellness solutions built to connect the science of performance with the science of people. As the top recommended clinical brand by health-care practitioners, Thorne offers a comprehensive range of nutritional supplements and innovative technology tools including Taia™ – Thorne's AI-powered wellness advisor – empowering individuals to take control of their health and wellness journey with confidence. Founded in 1984, Thorne develops products with high-quality ingredients, guided by clinical research and an in-house team of doctors, researchers, and scientists to ensure every formula meets rigorous standards for purity, potency, and efficacy. Thorne maintains a vertically integrated model, setting the industry standard for supplement manufacturing at its own facility in South Carolina. Trusted by tens of thousands of health-care professionals, thousands of professional athletes, 100+ professional sports teams and multiple U.S. National Teams, and over seven million consumers, Thorne is a trusted partner bringing scientific rigor to everyday health and wellness. For more information, visit Thorne.com.

SOURCE Thorne