The data: Over half (52%) of US adult podcast listeners have listened to a health podcast in the past six months, according to the M3 MI 2026 MARS Consumer Health survey, released in May. Specific health podcast categories measured in the survey include exercise and fitness, diet and nutrition, health conditions and treatments, and mental health and well-being. Each reaches between 21% and 27% of podcast listeners.

Health podcast listeners skew younger, which aligns with our estimates of podcast listeners generally. Nearly two-thirds of health podcast listeners are millennials or Gen Z, while boomers make up only around 10% across all health podcast categories, per M3 MI. Men and women make up a roughly even share of health podcast listeners overall, with one notable exception: exercise and fitness podcasts, where men account for 65% of listeners versus 35% for women.

Why it matters: Drugmakers and healthcare companies have an established advertising presence across podcast networks, streaming audio, and terrestrial radio. But health podcasts offer a more contextually relevant environment: health brands can reach consumers who are already actively engaged with health content.

On the popular Huberman Lab podcast hosted by neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman, for instance, sponsors include healthcare companies BetterHelp, Function Health, and Lingo by Abbott. These brands can reach listeners who are already immersed in conversations about science, wellness, and health behaviors.

Advertising prescription drugs in podcasts can be more challenging than on TV because audio-only formats make it harder to communicate FDA-required risk information while maintaining an engaging promotional message. However, several pharma companies have tapped into the popularity of health podcasts by launching branded shows that engage consumers with science-based content that breaks down complex medical topics, while reinforcing their credibility on health trends and disease prevention. Examples include Pfizer’s “Science Will Win,” Genentech’s “Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar,” and AstraZeneca’s “That’s Understandable.”

Implications for healthcare and pharma marketers: While health podcasts may not rival news, comedy, or sports in popularity, they give brands a way to advertise alongside content listeners intentionally seek out rather than unrelated entertainment. Still, marketers should recognize that there is no single "health podcast audience." Aligning messaging with specific podcast categories, such as fitness or chronic disease, is likely to generate greater engagement than broad health campaigns because listeners have distinct information needs and levels of health engagement.