“Nutraceutical” is a prime demand of current scenario of health by Dr. Sangita Gaur

The term “Nutraceutical” was coined from “Nutrition” & “Pharmaceutical” in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice, MD, Founder and Chairman of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine (FIM).Other words used in the context: Dietary supplementation, Functional, Multi- functional Foods, etc.

Lifestyles of human beings have changed drastically due to the industrial age, increasing work, living speed, longer work schedules, and various psychological pressures, which have led to an increased incidence of diabetes, obesity, various cancers and vascular diseases. With recent advances in medical and nutrition sciences, natural products and health-promoting foods have received extensive attention in the public.

 To achieve better quality of life, people started eating more vegetables, fruits, dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, phytotherapeutical substances and other plant foods. The demand for nutraceuticals and phytonutrients has increased over the past few years and they are being used by people for various therapeutic outcomes. This blog brings out the importance of nutraceuticals and their usage in various diseases and ailments.

Nutraceuticals are products, which other than nutrition are also used as medicine. A nutraceutical product may be defined as a substance, which has physiological benefit or provides protection against chronic disease. Nutraceuticals may be used to improve health, delay the aging process, prevent chronic diseases, increase life expectancy, or support the structure or function of the body.

Nowadays, nutraceuticals have received considerable interest due to potential nutritional, safety and therapeutic effects. Recent studies have shown promising results for these compounds in various complications. In the present review much effort has been devoted to present new concepts about nutraceuticals based on their diseases modifying indications. Emphasis has been made to present herbal nutraceuticals effective on hard curative disorders related to oxidative stress including allergy, alzheimer, cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes, eye, immune, inflammatory and Parkinson's diseases as well as obesity.

 

Consumers are deeply concerned about how their health care is managed, administered and priced. They are frustrated with the expensive, high-tech, disease-treatment and management approach predominant in modern medicine; as the consumer is seeking complementary or alternative beneficial products and the red tape of managed care makes nutraceuticals particularly appealing. 

Obtaining adequate nutrients from various foods plays a vital role in maintaining normal function of the human body. With recent advances in medical and nutrition sciences, natural products and health-promoting foods have received extensive attention from both health professionals and the public. New concepts have appeared with this trend, such as nutraceuticals, nutritional therapy, phytonutrients, and phytotherapy.

TYPES OF NUTRICUTICLES

Nutraceuticals can be organized in several ways depending upon its easier understanding and application.Some of the most common ways of classifying nutraceuticals can be based on food sources, mechanism of action, chemical nature etc.The food sources used as nutraceuticals are all natural and can be categorized as-

1.   Dietary Fibre

2.   Probiotics

3.   Prebiotics

4.   Polyunsaturated fatty acids

5.   Antioxidant vitamins

6.   Polyphenols

7.   Spices

Nutraceuticals its uses and health benefits-

Dietary Fibre-

Dietary fiberous molecules include the complex carbohydrates cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectin, algal polysaccharides and mucilages along with the polyphenolic structural molecule lignin. The health promoting benefits of higher fiber diet has made this class of nutrients very recognizable in the rapidly developing nutraceutical field. Diets, deficient in Dietary Fabre, lead to a number of diseases such as constipation, hiatus hernia, appendicitis, diabetes, obesity, coronary heart diseases, gallstones, etc. Consumption of adequate amounts of Dietary Fabre reduces the risk above diseases.

Probiotics-

Nowadays, variety of food available in the market, which have serious health, environmental and social impact. Their consumption is not good for health. Due to all these things, people are fighting with many diseases like diabetes, obesity, cancer, osteoporosis and other allergic health related issues. So, probiotics play an important role in controlling many diseases and ameliorate nutritional, immunological and physiological functions. Basically, it aids proper digestion and improve intestinal health. Probiotics have both nutritive and medicinal values. As it refines physical health, increase longevity and reduces symptoms of many diseases. Also, Nutraceuticals gained popularity among people. They are available in the market in the form of supplements and various food products. By consuming the probiotic as a supplement and food products, people are living active lifestyle

Prebiotics-

Prebiotics are supplements or foods that contain nondigestible food ingredients that selectively stimulate the favourable growth and/or enhance the activities of indigenous probiotic bacteria. Prebiotic therapies have been found to cure gut related diseases such as constipation relief, suppression of diarrhoea, reduction of the risks of osteoporosis, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease associated with dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, obesity, and possibly type 2 diabetes.

·         improving calcium absorption.

·         changing how quickly the body can process carbohydrates.

·         supporting the probiotic growth of gut bacteria, potentially enhancing digestion and metabolism..

 

Polyunsaturated fatty acids-

Fatty acids are considered to be a fundamental building material for the structural components of cells, tissues, and organs as well as for the synthesis of certain biologically active substances. In scientific and medical fields, omega-3 fatty acids are characterized by multidirectional effects in humans: they present anticoagulant and antihypertensive properties, regulate lipid metabolism, and support central nervous system functioning and eyesight. Omega-3 fatty acids also present a wide scope of anti-inflammatory properties.

A healthy balanced diet, especially when combined with regular physical activity and smart supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids, has been reported as being effective in preventing cardiovascular events, cardiac death, and coronary events, especially in persons with high cardiovascular risk.

Antioxidant vitamins-

Antioxidants are molecules that can help fight damaging free radicals in your body. Your body produces free radicals in response to the environment, stress and pressure. Examples include when you exercise, digest food or are exposed to air pollution. They include some vitamins like C, A and E.

A diet high in antioxidants may reduce the risk of many diseases (including heart disease and certain cancers). Antioxidants scavenge free radicals from the body cells and prevent or reduce the damage caused by oxidation. The protective effect of antioxidants continues to be studied around the world.

Polyphenols-

Polyphenol-rich foods are considered as being potential functional foods due to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, anticancer, vasodilating, and prebiotic-like properties.

CONCLUSION

Ø  Nutraceuticals are present in most of the food ingredients with varying concentration

Ø  Concentration, time and duration of supply of nutraceuticals influence human health

Ø  Manipulating the foods, the concentration of active ingredients can be increased

Ø  Diet rich in nutraceuticals along with regular exercise, stress reduction and maintenance of healthy body weight will maximise health and reduce disease risk.