Abstract

Ankit Kumar63394*, Sushil Singhal63403, Vikrant Kumar63404 and Veenu Choudhary63405

Nutraceuticals are products, which other than nutrition are also used as medicine. Nutraceuticals have emerged as a result of growing public interest in natural ingredients other than synthetic and their associated health benefits. In spite of a lot of ambiguity in comprehending nutraceuticals the world has witnessed a tremendous growth in this multimillion dollar industry both from developed and developing nations. An important aspect of the present study understands the need on the basis of perceived health benefit experienced by the consumers. The findings of the present study establish doctor’s advice and affordability as the prominent factors on which future consumption tendency of nutraceuticals is highly dependent. Supplements, unlike foods or medications, do not need to be registered or authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prior to manufacturing or sale. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) limits FDA to post-marketing adverse report surveillance. Despite widespread use, there is minimal evidence of health benefits associated with the use of nutraceuticals or supplements in well-nourished individuals. A tiny number of these products, on the other hand, have the potential to cause substantial toxicity. Furthermore, people seldom reveal supplement usage to their doctors. As a result, the potential of harmful drug-supplement interactions is high. This section provides a summary of the key supplement and nutraceutical types, as well as documented harmful effects and the possibility for medication interactions.