Abstract

A REVIEW ON NUTRACEUTICAL “CRITICAL SUPPLEMENT FOR BUILDING A HEALTHY WORLD”

*Prevesh Kumar, Nirdesh Kumar and Tushar Omer

ABSTRACT

There is growing recognition of the potential role for nutraceuticals and dietary supplements in helping to reduce health risks and improve health quality. Dr Stephen De Felice first coins the term nutraceutics in 1989 to provide medical or health benefits including the prevention and treatment of diseases. Nutraceuticals have received considerable interest because of their presumed safety and potential nutritional and therapeutic effects‖. Pharmaceutical and nutritional companies are aware of the monetary success taking advantage of the more healthseeking consumers and the changing trends resulting in a proliferation of these value-added products aimed at heart health to cancer. Some popular nutraceuticals include aloe-vera gels, ephedra, garlic, ginger, glucosamine, ginseng, echinacea, folic acid, cod liver oil, omega-3 eggs, calcium-enriched orange juice, green tea etc. Majority of the nutraceuticals are claimed to possess multiple therapeutic benefits though substantial evidence is lacking for the benefits as well as unwanted effects. The present review has been devoted towards better understanding of the nutraceuticals based on their disease specific indications, regulatory aspects of nutraceuticals and classified the large number of nutraceuticals available from various source and its significance.

Keywords: Nutraceutical, Medicines, Functional foods, Dietary supplements herbals nutrients, Regulation Aspects