NUTRACEUTICALS VS. OVER-THE-COUNTER SUPPLEMENTS

NUTRACEUTICALS VS. OVER-THE-COUNTER SUPPLEMENTS

Nutraceuticals and over-the-counter supplements are both designed to improve a person’s overall health. They give the body a condensed shot of vital nutrients that promote optimum biological performance. The primary difference between the two is in how effective they are at achieving their goal.

The Difference Between Supplements and Nutraceuticals

A supplement is a substance made up of vital nutrients intended to supplement the diet. They are labeled as “dietary supplements” and can be taken in a number of forms, such as tablet, liquid, capsule, or powder. Supplements are food-grade and can be sold over the counter.

The ingredients in most supplements are sourced from third parties. These third parties are lightly regulated, which makes it difficult to verify the quality of the ingredients in a given supplement. The vitamins found in most supplements tend to be inferior and are difficult for the body to absorb.

Nutraceuticals are a more effective source of nutrients than supplements. Nutraceuticals give the body a concentrated dose of vital nutrients at dosages that are much higher than what is found in normal diets or over-the-counter supplements.

The ingredients in nutraceuticals are more potent and effective because they use pharmaceutical-grade ingredients. Pharmaceutical-grade ingredients have been through rigorous testing to ensure that they are of the highest purity and quality. Only licensed physicians/healthcare practitioner are allowed to provide access to nutraceuticals.

The Benefits of Using Nutraceuticals vs. Over-the-Counter Supplements

Nutraceuticals are ideal in cases where a doctor must be certain that a patient will get the right nutrients in the correct ammounts. They offer a more comprehensive way of safeguarding a person’s overall health.

A biologically active formulation makes nutraceuticals easy for the body to absorb. Nutraceuticals are generally more expensive than supplements, but their efficiency and efficacy make them more cost-effective in the long run.

Nutraceuticals are so effective that they can be used to treat a number of maladies. Supplements cannot be prescribed to treat nutrient deficiencies. They lack the necessary quality control, dosage, and bioavailability that would be necessary for physicians to be certain that they can treat a particular deficiency disease.

Supplements have also been known to cause illness, produce side-effects, and cause allergic reactions due to tainted or unreported ingredients. The strict regulatory oversight that nutraceuticals are subject to means that physicians can prescribe them with confidence.

Consult your healthcare provider before taking any dietary supplement to understand the possible benefits and risks. You should also maintain a record of your supplements that you can share with your doctor while experiencing any health complication.

Nutraceuticals in Nutrition Therapy

Nutraceuticals are a concentration of food parts that provide medical benefits and treat disease. They are used as a part of nutritional therapy.

Nutritional therapy is a form of treatment that uses dietary nutrients to treat illness and disease. This therapy is based on the idea that the right foods provide nutrition that helps the body combat disease. Nutritional therapy reduces the prevalence of disease by detoxifying the body, promoting healthy digestion, and preventing the deficiency of vital micronutrients such as minerals and vitamins.

Nutraceuticals are designed for people who need to be certain that the pills they are taking will replace the missing nutrients that are causing symptoms of deficiency diseases. They can also be used as a form of prevention for patients who are susceptible to certain diseases.

Nutraceuticals are classified according to their food sources or the functions they perform. The sources for the ingredients used in nutraceuticals can be classed as dietary fiber, prebiotics, probiotics, polyphenols or antioxidant vitamins. Physicians/Healthcare Practitioners will provide specific nutraceuticals based on whether they are intended to treat infections, bone health, or organ function.