Introduction
What if you could combine the therapy of medications with the health benefits of good nutrition? What if consuming both of these meant also taking fewer pills or tablets? What if together this new preparation not only helped you achieve better health, it also helped prevent and or treat other various diseases? The future technology of nutraceuticals is rapidly moving in that direction. This hybrid, specially designed preparation, may be able to help meet dietary requirements as well as provide preventative health care.
What are nutraceuticals?
Nutraceuticals can be thought of as certain components of good nutrition combined with various therapies of medications. In essence, the word comes from “nutrition” and “pharmaceuticals”; a term coined by Dr. Stephen De Felice in 1989. These formulations are gaining popularity on a global scale, for their nutritional benefits along with therapeutic effects and safety profile. Not only are nutraceuticals being viewed as powerful nutritional supplements, they also may be helpful as support therapy in the prevention and treatment of other diseases, such as reducing side effects of cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
The ingredient list of nutraceuticals is not as foreign as you may think. Most people have already heard of the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids or antioxidant vitamins. It’s nutrients such as these that go into the formulation of nutraceuticals. Cardiovascular disease and cancer are just two examples of where nutraceutical use may be effective in disease prevention and control. Ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids, soy isoflavones, antioxidant vitamins, and phytosterols are all nutritional components that may help reduce the risk of heart disease. This list may also have the ability to lower LDL cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. People facing cancer may benefit from the effects of nutraceuticals containing curcumin, ginger, genistein, and silibinin (milk thistle). Many of these may have the ability to inhibit carcinogenesis or cancer growth and can also be used as an effective way to help reduce the side effects of certain radiation and chemotherapies. Other ingredients such as minerals, fat and water soluble vitamins, carotenoids, and bio-active peptides from dietary proteins, can potentially be beneficial for skin health and anti-aging.
What are the challenges with nutraceuticals?
Like any other medication or treatment, researchers face challenges in formulating nutraceuticals. These supplements can be delivered in standard methods such as tablets, capsules, and liquids, however, challenges arise in maintaining solubility, melting point, and chemical stability. Fatty acids like omega-3’s are very nutritional, but do not dissolve well in water. These fatty acids also can be chemically unstable in certain environmental conditions such as temperature, pH, or pressure. Metals and other oxidation promoting materials can also cause instability. In order for these supplements to have maximum effectiveness, a standard of quality must be ensured. Another challenge that requires consideration, is how to deliver these nutrients in a form that different population groups, such as elderly and children, will be able to consume. Swallowing tablets and or capsules is sometimes difficult, if not impossible for these groups.
What does the future of nutraceuticals look like?
The future of nutraceutical formulation looks small–nano-sized, actually. Research in nanotechnology may be the answer to addressing some of the formulation challenges that currently exist. Nano formulations may be the key to increasing bioavailability, or how the body can absorb the nutrients. By increasing absorption, the nutraceuticals can rapidly enter the bloodstream and by-pass the need for an organ, like the liver, to metabolize them. This can be helpful in certain diseases where the liver may be experiencing decreased function or disease itself.
Liposomes and nanoemulsions are just two vehicles of delivery that fall within the nano formulation technology, although a few other delivery methods are also being studied. Both of these methods can simultaneously encapsulate both hydrophilic (water-loving) and lipophilic (fat-loving) materials. This enables a synergistic effect and can help protect bioactive compounds that are sensitive. Stable shelf-life can also be ensured using these methods.
What are the risks with nutraceuticals?
As with any medications and supplements you take, always consult your healthcare provider for information concerning possible side effects or reactions. While nutraceuticals have a high safety profile, there may be interactions between nutrients/supplements and medications. For example, taking supplements that are high in ginger while also taking anticoagulants (blood thinners) may increase the effect of the blood thinners. Additionally, Gingko biloba, which can be helpful in treating Alzheimer’s and dementia, can reduce the effectiveness of anticonvulsants, potentially increasing the risk of seizures.
Another caution when considering using nutraceuticals is evaluating the purity of the product. Adulterations can occur both intentionally and unintentionally. One serious adulteration is using peanut skin extract in different grape seed products. Grape seed-containing drugs are used in prevention of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. Because peanut skin is cheap and widely available, it is sometimes used as a replacement. However, peanut is a potential allergen, and using it as a replacement in formulations is a serious health concern. As with any other products, label checking, source verification, and knowledge of the company producing the nutraceutical is very important in discerning product purity.
Conclusion
As society trends towards adopting healthier lifestyles, nutraceuticals stand at the forefront of changing the way disease prevention and treatment is managed. The discoveries made in formulation and delivery methods are exciting and may lead to better medical treatment and health care for people on a global scale.
Resources
Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board