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What are Nutraceuticals?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Dr. Stephen DeFelice is often credited with having coined the term nutraceuticals, also spelled neutraceuticals, in 1989. The word is a marriage of the two words nutrition and pharmaceuticals. It is often used to describe the many dietary supplements derived from plants that may have benefits to the body or may supply the body with essential fatty acids, proteins or other nutrients. As well, foods with such benefits may also be termed nutraceuticals, or functional foods.

Some fortified foods are examples of nutraceuticals or functional foods. For example milk fortified with vitamin D, or with enzymes that help digest milk for those that are lactose intolerant are considered functional. Orange juice fortified with Vitamin C or with calcium is another type of functional food. Typically, the label of nutraceuticals refers to dietary supplements. So in a sense, orange juice and milk that are fortified contain nutraceuticals and are thus functional foods.

Typically, the label of nutraceuticals refers to dietary supplements.
Typically, the label of nutraceuticals refers to dietary supplements.

Usually nutraceuticals are considered natural since they are prepared from food substances, and not from chemical reproductions of substances naturally found in food. Some women might use estrogens found in wild yams or soy. In this case, they are using nutraceuticals. Women who take chemically produced estrogen not made from plant or food substances are not using nutraceuticals.

Children should never consume any type of nutraceutical.
Children should never consume any type of nutraceutical.

A further distinction may be applied to products derived from plants that are used in the form of creams or lotions. These are often called cosmeticeuticals. Some women, for example, use wild yam extracted estrogen in a lotion form, and thus use a cosmeticeutical.

Some nutraceuticals are well known and widely accepted as beneficial supplements. This is particularly the case with folic acid. Women who take folic acid prior to getting pregnant significantly lower their risk of having a child with neural tube defects, for example.

In most cases, the makers of nutraceuticals are loosely regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In most cases, the makers of nutraceuticals are loosely regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Other nutraceuticals are used for their antioxidant properties, such as antifungals, antiseptics, or for anti-aging purposes. Some are used to lower cholesterol or reduce risk of heart disease, like fish oil and flaxseed supplements, which contain Omega-3 fatty acids.

Many vitamins, when derived from plants, are nutraceuticals, but that is only the jumping off point. Herbal supplements are now particularly popular and include things like black cohosh, kava, tyrosine, and resveratrol.

It's possible that nutraceuticals can interact negatively with each other or with prescribed medication.
It's possible that nutraceuticals can interact negatively with each other or with prescribed medication.

What must be understood about some nutraceuticals is that claims of these nutritional supplements may not be supported by research. In fact, almost the whole market of nutritional supplements is excluded from the kind of rigorous testing required to approve prescription medications. So some claims on nutraceuticals may be highly exaggerated or actually false.

Some anti-aging creams and lotions contain nutraceuticals that derive from plants.
Some anti-aging creams and lotions contain nutraceuticals that derive from plants.

As well, nutraceuticals need to be treated as medicine. They may potentially interact with each other or with prescribed medication. Some can have abortive effects on pregnant women or should not be consumed by children. One should ask one’s doctor before using nutraceuticals on a child or if one has certain conditions that might be harmed by certain nutraceuticals. Not all nutritional supplements are beneficial to all people, and some of them can be harmful to some people.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Certlerant

@Glasis - The problem someone like me has is the problem with calcium enriched milk or butter. My family has a history of kidney stones and t scares me to death.

I sat down one day and decided that I had to cut out a lot of milk in my diet. I figured I had to decide between milk or cheese. So, I don't drink milk anymore. No way I give up cheese.

Glasis

@Telsyst - I kind of did the same thing. They're always telling you to eat more fish. I also read in more than one place about the benefits of fish oil on the heart.

The problem is I don't really like fish. There is a lot of research on the subject out there and it is clearly good for you, so I started fish oil supplements.

There is a draw back with fish oil, you need to keep in the back of your mind the mercury problem. Sometimes too much fish or fish oil can lead to eating too much mercury. It bothers me a bit, but I think it's been good for me.

Telsyst

Some of these neutraceuticals have a hefty price tag now. There seams to be a new natural cure for something every day.

I have a predisposition to prostate trouble so I take a saw palmetto supplement. Genetics is something you can't really ignore, so maybe a supplement can help.

Saw palmetto has been used for some time now and many people are happy with the results, so I decided to try it. I think that is the best way to start something like this. I did research and then decided to take it.

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    • Typically, the label of nutraceuticals refers to dietary supplements.
      By: charles taylor
      Typically, the label of nutraceuticals refers to dietary supplements.
    • Children should never consume any type of nutraceutical.
      By: Tatyana Gladskih
      Children should never consume any type of nutraceutical.
    • In most cases, the makers of nutraceuticals are loosely regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
      By: Ariwasabi
      In most cases, the makers of nutraceuticals are loosely regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
    • It's possible that nutraceuticals can interact negatively with each other or with prescribed medication.
      By: Nenov Brothers
      It's possible that nutraceuticals can interact negatively with each other or with prescribed medication.
    • Some anti-aging creams and lotions contain nutraceuticals that derive from plants.
      By: luiscarceller
      Some anti-aging creams and lotions contain nutraceuticals that derive from plants.
    • Nutraceuticals should not be taken by pregnant women.
      By: Alexandr Vasilyev
      Nutraceuticals should not be taken by pregnant women.
    • Taking folic acid supplements before becoming pregnant may help prevent neural tube defects in unborn babies.
      By: Kurhan
      Taking folic acid supplements before becoming pregnant may help prevent neural tube defects in unborn babies.
    • A pregnant woman should consult her physician before using any nutraceutical products.
      By: Gajus
      A pregnant woman should consult her physician before using any nutraceutical products.
    • Some nutraceuticals are widely used supplements.
      By: monticellllo
      Some nutraceuticals are widely used supplements.