Are all ‘natural products’ safe?
By Dr. Anish Desai
Nutraceuticals are dietary supplements which include ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, and enzymes which are marketed in the form of tablets, capsules, soft gels, gel caps, powders and liquid. Nutraceuticals obtained from natural sources are responsible for multiple health benefits and can be consumed on a regular basis to prevent certain diseases like common cold, diabetes, obesity, arthritis and high blood pressure. Nowadays, nutraceuticals have received considerable interest due to potential nutritional, safety and therapeutic effects.
In the era of revolution in natural products, the need of the day is the development of an evidence base for validation for production, evaluation, regulation, safety, and allied aspects of natural products. Good quality clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of nutraceuticals in different therapy areas will help in supporting claims, making policies, and implementing evidence- based healthcare. The safety and tolerability of the product are of prime concern.
Natural sources are responsible for multiple health benefits and can be consumed on a regular basis to prevent certain diseases like common cold, diabetes, obesity, arthritis and high blood pressure
Nutraceuticals are an easy target for fraud due to their high demand and high prices. Since they are only produced in one or two locations worldwide, their global supply chains can be complicated. Fraud in nutraceuticals can take the form of Adulteration or dilution, Counterfeiting and Diversion and the grey market. Whey protein supplements are a target of adulteration due to their growing demand. Some unscrupulous producers have been motivated by commercial interests to maliciously add cheap soy protein powder or nitrogen-rich substances (urea, melamine) to whey protein powder to cover up the adulteration and obtain fake high protein test results. A common adulteration is the addition of inexpensive amino acids and amino acid derivatives to protein powder products to modify protein content.
Consumers can identify good quality and safe nutraceuticals by:
- The supplement container or packaging should have the safety logo (It varies country to country. Ex. FDA in the US, FSSAI in India).
- Buy supplements from a reputable source.
Whey protein supplements are a target of adulteration due to their growing demand.
Here are a few more supplement safety tips:
- Confirm that you require the supplement.
- Look for scientific evidence to back up your claim.
- If you’re on medication, pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor. Only take a supplement for the amount of time prescribed.
- Store supplements in a cool, dry location.
- Only take one new supplement at a time.
- Discontinue using the supplement in case of an allergic reaction
Nutraceutical companies must be vigilant in protecting their products against the anticipated surge in counterfeits that will occur in the future. Counterfeit and misdirected nutraceuticals now have an easy, accessible global marketplace thanks to e-commerce and the development of online businesses. Because of the excellent quality of printing technology, counterfeiters may manufacture convincing imitations of original product labelling and packaging. Counterfeit nutraceutical goods laced with harmful chemicals and inferior components are wreaking havoc on the business as well as the reputations of well-known nutraceutical brands. Counterfeiting of nutraceuticals must be avoided by manufacturers. Anti-counterfeiting software will go a long way toward solving the problem.
To summaries, the quality and safety of products have always been the focus of attention in the nutraceutical industry. Fake or low quality nutraceutical products are flooding the market and making it impossible for consumers to differentiate between the real and fake. It is important to make consumers aware of the risks of consuming counterfeit dietary supplements. Detecting the quality of nutraceuticals to avoid adulteration is of primary significance for both the government and consumers.
