Nutraceuticals have become increasingly popular in recent years, with a growing number of people taking an interest in their health benefits. Nutraceuticals are derived from food sources and they provide health benefits besides their nutritional value. They also help in maintaining cardiac health. There are various types of nutraceuticals such as omega 3 fatty acids, coenzymes, and plant sterols that have become popular in recent years.
Vitamins are essential for many bodily functions and can be found in a variety of forms, such as tablets, capsules, powders, and liquid. Minerals are also important for normal functioning and are marketed to the population in tablets and capsules.
Herbs are a type of botanical remedy used to treat various conditions. They can be taken as tinctures, capsules, tablets, or teas. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in some foods and can provide health benefits, such as reducing inflammation.
A popular saying by Hippocrates states, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” This was centuries ago and it’s no surprise that it stays true today. Aren’t we following the same concept through dietary supplements? Nutrition through daily food is indispensable but when it comes to tackling ailments due to nutritional deficiency, pharmaceuticals come to our rescue. Blurring the line between nutrition and pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals have become a popular class of natural products. They are emerging as an extensive range of trustworthy products, which helps us address an ever-growing range of ailments.
People are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer due to modern day pollution, which increases the demand for nutritional supplements. Increasing focus on preventive health has created a large market for nutraceuticals, as people strive to maintain their health with preventative measures. The combination of these three factors has been driving the growth of the nutraceutical industry.
With growing focus on preventive health, people are also becoming more aware of the benefits of dietary supplements. Growing awareness about health-promoting benefits associated with dietary supplements is projected to significantly drive the demand in the forthcoming decade.
This rise in awareness is largely attributed to advancements in technology and an increase in social media content surrounding nutraceutical products. New research is discovering innovative uses and applications for existing ingredients, therefore creating even more opportunities in this sector.
What Prompts the Increasing Use of Nutraceuticals?
Consumers are looking for natural and organic products, and seeking alternatives to traditional products. Nutraceuticals are derived from natural sources which makes them appealing to consumers who are looking for natural products.
Increasing demand for preventive healthcare in modern era will provide opportunities for growth. People are taking steps to prevent diseases before it occurs. Nutraceuticals are believed to have preventive health benefits, that support overall health and wellbeing.
Current health trends and individual preferences are the key forces that are currently driving nutraceutical market ahead on a global level. Established nutraceuticals are known to help in fighting several health problems such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis. They are also proven to be effective against cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure or cardiac arrest, and congenital cardiovascular defects along with the associated disorders, including obesity, cholesterol, hyper or hypotension, triglycerides, thrombosis, and inflammation.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), around 83.6 million Americans, or one in three adults, suffer from some or the other form of heart disease. Obesity is a global issue today and cholesterol has been a heart health deteriorating factor for quite a long time. Moreover, increasing stress levels are causing various problems related to blood pressure. All these being the predominant factors contributing to heart diseases, it’s no wonder that heart diseases top the list of causes of death worldwide. High technology heart disease treatments are generally expensive and unaffordable for a majority of population. This is where nutraceuticals come in the picture. They are particularly appealing to effectively help against heart diseases, at a considerably affordable cost.
To help keep their hearts ticking smooth throughout the life, people have started to embrace dietary and vitamin supplements, functional foods and beverages, and more such nutraceuticals as a part of healthy lifestyle.
Can Nutraceuticals Really Help in Maintaining Great Heart Health?
Although unlike medicines, nutraceuticals can’t cure heart disease, they can be definitely used to maintain good heart health. Nutraceuticals, along with a healthy lifestyle, can go a long way in maintaining good cardiovascular health. They can play an important role in regulating blood pressure, platelet aggregation, plaque formation, and lipid circulation.
According to recent research findings in the Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, nutraceuticals can potentially pose greater impact on heart health than on any other health condition. Vitamins B and E3, CoQ10 (ubiquinone), antioxidants, garlic, soy products, omega-3-fatty acids, dietary fibres, flavonoids, plant sterols, probiotics, and prebiotics reportedly have significantly beneficial effects on heart. It’s thus not an exaggeration if specialists start using nutraceuticals for effective management of CVD in the future. Nutraceuticals offer a host of assorted benefits, just like patients suffering from osteoporosis are advised calcium and vitamin D supplements, and those suffering from anemic conditions are recommended iron supplements, patients with CVD can be prescribed omega-3s, vitamins, or antioxidant supplements.
- A recent consumer survey by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), Washington, D.C. in 2014, indicated that almost 22% of existing users take the supplements that are particularly targeted to heart health.
As today’s consumers seem to be proactive and sincere in adopting heart health-specific nutraceuticals, it’s obvious that nutraceuticals are highly effective and incredibly convenient in improving and maintaining heart health. They’re proven to act as an important minimising factor when it comes to preventing the risk of developing serious heart health issues and reducing the rate of mortality due to CVD.
