What are Nutraceuticals?
Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella word used to describe any food-based substance with additional health benefits in addition to the essential nutrient value found in food. The term “nutraceutical” incorporates two terms – “nutrient” (a nutrient component) and “pharmaceutical” (a medical drug). The name was conceived in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice, founder and chairman of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, an American organisation based in Cranford, New Jersey. They are referred to as non-specific biological treatments used to encourage general well-being, regulate symptoms and avoid malignant processes may be viewed as non-specific.
Nutraceutical or ‘bioceutical’ is a medicinal substitute that claims physiological benefits. The theory behind nutraceuticals is to emphasize on prevention, as the Greek physician Hippocrates (known as the father of medicine) said, “Let food be your medicine.” Their function in human nutrition is one of the most critical fields of research, with far-reaching consequences for consumers, health care providers, policymakers, food suppliers and others.
Brief History/Origin of Nutraceuticals
The term “nutraceutical” is a portmanteau of the terms “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical” coined in 1989 by Stephen L. DeFelice, founder and chairman of the Invention Medicine Foundation. Indians, Egyptians, Chinese, and Sumerians are mostly a handful of the cultures that have used food as medicine. “Let food be thy medicine.” is a common misquotation credited to Hippocrates, who is believed by some to be the founder of Western medicine.
The new nutraceutical industry started to expand in Japan in the 1980s. Unlike natural herbs and spices that have been used as folk medicines for centuries in Asia, the nutraceutical industry has evolved with the growth and exploration of modern technology.
One example of this is the traditional Japanese medicine called Kampo, which is extracted from many medicinal plants. This test was conducted to examine the pharmacological effects of functional foods and Kampo medication. Experiments have been done using disease models. There was a reduced pro-inflammatory levels when extracts from Kampo and functional foods were taken and administered.
Classification of nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals are items/products obtained from food sources that are meant to offer additional health benefits, in addition to the essential nutrient value inherent in foods. Depending on the jurisdiction, products has been found to contain substances that are helpful in preventing chronic diseases, improve fitness, slow the aging process, increase life expectancy or help the structure or work of the body. The concept of nutraceuticals and associated products usually depends on the source of the substance. They can be categorized on the basis of their natural origin, the pharmacological conditions as well as the chemical structure of the products.
Most often they are grouped in the following categories:
- Dietary supplements;
- Functional food;
- Medicinal food; and
- Farmaceuticals
Dietary supplements
A dietary supplement is a substance that includes nutrients obtained from food sources and is mostly concentrated in a liquid, capsule, powder or pill form. A dietary supplement is a food ingested by mouth that includes a “dietary ingredient” that is meant to supplement the diet. “dietary ingredients” in such products can include: vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, glandulars, and metabolites. Dietary supplements can also be ingredients or concentrates and can be available in various types, such as tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids or powders.
Functional food
According to their generally recognised definition, functional food is a category that includes whole foods and fortified, enriched or improved dietary components that can minimize the risk of chronic disease and provide health benefits beyond the typical nutrients it provides. Functional foods are fortified or enriched during processing and then sold as giving some value to customers. For example, additional supplementary nutrients, such as vitamin D, are often added to some milk. According to Health Canada “ordinary food that has components or ingredients added to give it a specific medical or physiological benefit, other than a purely nutritional effect.” In Japan, all functional foods must meet three established requirements: foods should be (1) present in their naturally occurring form, rather than a capsule, tablet, or powder; (2) consumed in the diet as often as daily; and (3) should regulate a biological process in hopes of preventing or controlling disease.
Medical food
Medical food is made to be used or given internally, under the guidance of a trained health practitioner. Its target use is the precise dietary treatment of an illness or disorder on which the medical examination defines distinctive nutritional criteria (on the basis of recognized scientific principle). Medical food is a food that is specially designed and intended for the dietary treatment of an illness that has distinctive nutrient requirements that cannot be fulfilled by a regular diet alone.
Health foods, classified as “food for special medical purposes” are distinguished from the wider group of food for special nutritional use, conventional foods that have a wellness claim, and dietary supplements.
In order to be considered a medicinal food, the substance must have at least:
- be labeled for the dietary management of a specific medical disorder, disease or condition for which there are distinctive nutritional requirements;
- be intended to be used under medical supervision; and
- be a food for oral ingestion or tube feeding (nasogastric tube)
Medical foods can be classified into the following categories:
- Formulas for metabolic disorders;
- Oral rehydration products;
- Nutritionally complete formulas; and
- Nutritionally incomplete formulas
Farmaceuticals
Farmaceuticals are medically useful components manufactured from altered agricultural crops or livestock. The definition is a mixture of the terms “farm” and “pharmaceuticals.” They are typically medically useful compounds developed from modified agricultural crops or animals (usually through biotechnology). The advocates of this idea are confident that the use of crops (and probably animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost-effective than traditional practices, with higher profits for agricultural practitioners.
Health Benefits of Nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals have gained significant attention over the years due to their possible dietary, protective and therapeutic effects. They could play a role in a plethora of biological processes, including antioxidant defenses, cell proliferation, gene expression, and the preservation of mitochondrial integrity.
Nutraceuticals can also be used to enhance health, avoid chronic diseases, slow the aging process (and, in exchange, increase life expectancy) or merely enhance the roles and quality of the body. They are regarded as healthy sources for the prevention of life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, kidney and gastrointestinal conditions, as well as multiple illnesses.
A wide variety of nutraceuticals have been found to have a key function to play in the immune status and vulnerability of certain disease states. They also exhibit diseases modifying indications related to oxidative stress including allergy, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, eye conditions, Parkinson’s diseases and obesity.
Notable Criticisms of Nutraceuticals
Since nutraceuticals and bioceuticals are largely unregulated, these supplements are subject to more marketing speculation than real clinical trials and, for many, it is not yet clear if they have more benefits than threats to customers. For all of these items, the most persuasive proof of effectiveness remains anecdotal or, at best, dependent on suggestions of gain from limited or poorly controlled trials. And if their statements do not fit the facts, legal implications can occur.
For example, when scientists questioned the effects of nutraceuticals such as probiotics in Dannon yogurt, the firm was pressured to reimburse millions for misleading statements that its products Actimel and Activia improved the immune system. Steven Nissen, chair of cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic, said, “The concept of multivitamin supplements was sold to Americans by an eager nutraceutical industry to generate profits. There was never any scientific data supporting their usage.”