Nutraceuticals

Nutraceuticals are, as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, foodstuffs which provide health benefits in addition to their basic nutritional value. These may include fortified foods as well as dietary supplements that can be sold in capsules, tablets or powders. The idea behind the use of nutraceuticals is that certain organic extracts can have positive benefits on both the mind and body. From cancer to vertigo, claims of nutraceuticals' effectiveness in combating or altogether curing a long list of ailments are abundant.

The term "nutraceuticals" is a combination of the words nutrition and pharmaceutical, coined by Stephen DeFelice, a doctor and the founder of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine (FIM) in 1989. Since then, the popularity of nutraceuticals has soared, perhaps due in part to increasing suspicions and concerns about chemically over-processed foods and their impact on society at large.

The issues that linger on the minds of many who consider using nutraceuticals to combat their illnesses are frequently safety related. The idea of using nature’s best to cure the body’s problems sounds promising. After all, why should one involve synthetic chemicals—ones with long-term effects that are uncertain—in fixing that which is not synthetic? Then again, natural is not synonymous with safe. Plenty of naturally derived items have a negative impact on the mind and body, and experimenting with the unknown, or little-known, can be risky.

Unfortunately, the solution to this issue is not a simple one. Certain nutraceuticals have indeed been tested and deemed appropriate by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in the prevention of select ailments. Others have been tested repeatedly and deemed effective but not, or not yet, officially approved by the FDA. Yet others have received mixed results during testing, and their usage and effects are of a questionable nature.

Nutraceuticals.com does not in any way promote the use of specific nutraceuticals in the prevention of physical or mental ailments, nor does it support claims of the effectiveness of such nutraceuticals as they are defined and described in our pages. Nutraceuticals.com was created for informational purposes only, and we encourage readers who choose to experiment with nutraceuticals to consult their doctors before doing so.