Nutraceuticals Flashcards
Define: Nutraceutical
Food, or parts of a food, that provide medical or health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease
what are Functional Foods?
A natural or formulated food that has enhanced physiological performance, or prevents or treats a particular disease
- FFs are normally in the form of a food or beverage, rather than in a capsule or tablet, as is usual with nutraceuticals
what do you need to do before a health claim can used on labelling or packaging?
- who is in charge of verifying the claim
1) Health claims made in relation to food products require authorisation under Regulation EC 1924/2006 before they can be used in the labelling and marketing of these products in the EU.
2) Within the context of this authorisation procedure, EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) is responsible for verifying the scientific substantiation of the health claims.
what are the regulations surrounding food, medicines and vitamins within the EU?
1) Food: maintains healthy organs and tissues
- Foods (EC Regulations 172/2002)
2) Medicine: physiological function/treatment of disease
- Medicines (Directive 2001/83/ED)
3) Foods for Particular Nutritional Use (PARNUTS) (Directive 89/398/EEC): Vitamins, minerals, amino acids, carnitine and taurine, nucleotides, choline and inositol.
list some Important nutraceuticals that are of plant origin
1) Garlic
2) Green tea
3) Grape seed extract
4) Blueberries
5) Carotenoids: lutein, astaxanthin, xeaxanthin, lycopene, β-carotene
list some Important nutraceuticals that are of animal origin
1) Glucosamine
2) Chondroitin
3) Fish oils
4) Co-enzyme Q10
5) Melatonin
what plant does all tea come from? and how are the different types of tea produced?
1) All types of tea come from the plant Camellia sinensis
- Contains polyphenols (catechins in the untreated plant)
2) Green tea is steam-treated – which denatures the enzyme polyphenol oxidase – so it does not ferment
3) Black tea is dried naturally, and the leaves rolled and crushed, so the enzyme is released and can convert the catechins to theaflavins and thearubigins
4) Oolong tea is produced in the same way, but the leaves are dried with hot air after 30mins, so it is only partially fermented
what does green tea contain, what are its uses, what therapeutic use does it have and what supplements are available?
1) Contains caffeine, theophylline and theobromine, essential oil, and polyphenols: catechins, a type of flavonoid, e.g. epicatechin, epicatechin gallate and others
2) Uses: as an antioxidant, to protect against oxidative damage
3) specifically: to help maintain cardiovascular, bone, skin and oral health, and also for weight management
Some evidence but there is a problem: the bioavailability of the polyphenols is very low
4) Supplements: 250-300mg extract daily (usually standardized to polyphenols 50-97%) = 4-6 cups of tea
what does grape seed extract contain, what are its uses, what therapeutic use does it have and what supplements are available?
1) Extract is from the seeds of red grapes
2) Contains polyphenols called proanthocyanidins
3) Similar uses to green tea (and similar constituents), especially to maintain cardiovascular health
4) Supplements: 100-300mg extract daily (usually standardized to proanthocyanidins 92-95%)
what do blueberries contain and what therapeutic use do they provide?
1) Fruit of Vaccinium species: bilberries are V. Mytillus
2) Contains polyphenols: anthocyanins, procyanidins, flavonols and resveratrol
3) Used for cardiovascular effects: especially to increase blood flow to the brain (to help memory) and the eye, and other age-related degenerative conditions
4) Much pharmacological evidence and some clinical studies to support these uses
where are Carotenoids and xanthophylls found and what compounds do they contain.
1) Pigments found in fruit and vegetables
2) Non-oxygenated compounds: carotenes, lycopene,
Oxygenated (xanthophylls): lutein, astaxanthin, xeaxanthin
3) β-Carotene - from carrots
4) Lycopene: main source tomatoes - bioavailability better when cooked – especially ketchup and pizza sauce!
5) Lutein: concentrated in the eye, found in green veg
6) Astaxanthin and xeaxanthin: mainly found as the colouring in prawns, salmon etc – obtained from red algae in the diet
7) Vitamin A activity in some (carotenes) – beware overdose!
where is Glucosamine normally found and what is it used for and what is the daily dose?
1) Naturally found in mucopolysaccharides (abundant in human joints) and chitin
2) A basic building block for biosynthesis of components of cartilage, e.g. chondroitin and often used in combination with it, or with fish oils
3) Usually used for maintaining elasticity, strength and resilience of cartilage in joints
4) Dose: usually about-1500mg daily
what is Chondroitin, where is it naturally found and what is the typical dose?
1) Naturally found in cartilage and connective tissue
Stimulates chondrocyte metabolism, inhibits elastase and hyaluronidase, which break down cartilage
2) Used to treat osteoarthritis – clinical studies conflicting
Often used in conjunction with glucosamine
3) Dose: usually 400-1200mg daily
where is Co-enzyme Q10 found, what is its purpose in the body and how is it used therapeutically?
1) Also called ‘ubiquinone’ - mainly found in meat and fatty fish
2) Involved in electron transport and the synthesis of ATP
3) Has a vital role in intracellular energy production in many systems – e.g. heart muscle – but no RDA determined
4) Deficiency seems to be important, but little evidence as to how that may arise or that supplementation works
5) Use: CV mainly – CHF, angina, hypertension, migraine; also for athletes and many other conditions.
6) Safety and interaction profile not known.
where is Melatonin, when is it secreted in the body and what does it regulate?
1) A natural hormone synthesised by the pineal gland, from tryptophan, via serotonin
2) It is secreted in a 24-hour circadian rhythm, regulating sleep-awake periods. Secretion starts when darkness falls and is inhibited by exposure to light.
3) Daily output greatest in the young, declines after age 20
4) It also regulates the secretion of growth hormones and gonadotrophic hormones, and has antioxidant activity
5) Has been investigated for sleeping difficulties, inc jet-lag
6) Clinical studies supportive - but not conclusive
