Role Of Nutraceuticals Research Articles

Management of Dyslipidemia in Individuals with Low-to-Moderate Cardiovascular Risk: Role of Nutraceuticals.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of premature deaths globally and in Ukraine. Dyslipidemia is a recognized risk factor for the development of CVD. Therefore, early detection and appropriate management of dyslipidemia are essential for the primary prevention of CVDs. However, currently, there is a lack of Ukraine-specific guideline recommendations focusing on the management of dyslipidemia in individuals with low-to-moderate CV risk, thus creating an urgent need for structured and easily implementable clinical recommendations/guidelines specific to the country. An expert panel of cardiologists, endocrinologists, and family physicians convened in Ukraine in March 2019. The expert panel critically reviewed and analyzed the current literature and put forth the following recommendations for the management of dyslipidemia in individuals with low-to-moderate risk of CVDs specific to Ukraine: (1) family physicians have the greatest opportunities in carrying out primary prevention; (2) lipid-lowering interventions are essential for primary prevention as per guidelines; (3) a number of nutraceuticals and nutraceutical combinations with clinically established lipid-lowering properties can be considered for primary prevention; they also have a suggested role as an alternative therapy for statin-intolerant patients; (4) on the basis of clinical evidence, nutraceuticals are suggested by guidelines for primary prevention; (5) red yeast rice has potent CV-risk-lowering potential, in addition to lipid-lowering properties; (6) in patients with low-to-moderate cardiovascular risk, a nutraceutical combination of low-dose red yeast rice and synergic lipid-lowering compounds can be used as integral part of guideline-recommended lifestyle interventions for effective primary prevention strategy; (7) nutraceutical combination can be used in patients aged 18 to 75+ years; its use is particularly appropriate in the age group of 18-44years; (8) it is necessary to attract the media (websites, etc.) to increase patient awareness on the importance of primary prevention; and (9) it is necessary to legally separate nutraceuticals from dietary supplements. These consensus recommendations will help physicians in Ukraine effectively manage dyslipidemia in individuals with low-to-moderate CV risk.

Role of Nutraceuticals in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: A Review in the Indian Context

Nutraceuticals have been around for quite some time. As the nomenclature suggests, they are placed somewhere between food (nutra-) and medicine (-ceuticals) in terms of their impact on human health. Researches have focused on the impact of various types of nutraceuticals on health, their efficacy in health promotion and disease prevention, and often on suitable uses of certain categories of nutraceuticals for specific health issues. However, we are still far from utilizing the immense potential of nutraceuticals for benefiting human health in a substantial manner. We review the available scholarly literature regarding the role of nutraceuticals in health promotion, their efficacy in disease prevention and the perception of nutraceuticals' health benefits by consumers. Thereafter we analyze the need for regulation of nutraceuticals and various provisions regarding the same.

The Emerging Role of Nutraceuticals and Phytochemicals in the Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

One of the major challenges of medical sciences has been finding a reliable compound for the pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). As most of the drugs directed to a variety of targets have failed in finding a medical solution, natural products from Ayurvedic medicine or nutraceutical compounds emerge as a viable preventive therapeutics' pathway. Considering that AD is a multifactorial disease, nutraceutical compounds offer the advantage of a multitarget approach, tagging different molecular sites in the human brain, as compared with the single-target activity of most of the drugs used for AD treatment. We review in-depth important medicinal plants that have been already investigated for therapeutic uses against AD, focusing on a diversity of pharmacological actions. These targets include inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, β-amyloid senile plaques, oxidation products, inflammatory pathways, specific brain receptors, etc., and pharmacological actions so diverse as anti-inflammatory, memory enhancement, nootropic effects, glutamate excitotoxicity, anti-depressants, and antioxidants. In addition, we also discuss the activity of nutraceutical compounds and phytopharmaceuticals formulae, mainly directed to tau protein aggregates mechanisms of action. These include compounds such as curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, morin, delphinidins, quercetin, luteolin, oleocanthal, and meganatural-az and other phytochemicals such as huperzine A, limonoids, azaphilones, and aged garlic extract. Finally, we revise the nutraceutical formulae BrainUp-10 composed of Andean shilajit and B-complex vitamins, with memory enhancement activity and the control of neuropsychiatric distress in AD patients. This integrated view on nutraceutical opens a new pathway for future investigations and clinical trials that are likely to render some results based on medical evidence.

HIV and the Antiviral Role of Mushroom Nutraceuticals

Mushrooms, environment and human health are interconnected. Mushrooms’ essential role in the environment and bioremediation have attracted market attention because they are also a potential source of bioactive compounds able to perform several functions in organisms with benefits for the health of the consumer. The HIV/AIDS epidemic poses an inescapable challenge to the world at large and to Africa in particular and more specifically in Mozambique. A brief outline of the historical background discusses the present knowledge of mushrooms containing antiviral factors. Antiviral factors generally do not destroy their target pathogen; rather, they inhibit the development or reproduction of the virus. Administration of mushrooms, also used as dietary supplement extracts or biomass, supplies active immunoceuticals that may block virus cell-to-cell infection, modify viral receptors, prevent the adhesion of the virus to lymphocytes and stimulate interferon which has a general antiviral effect production and may inhibit HIV infection. Current strategies in the therapy of AIDS include antiretroviral drugs and complementary nutritional support considered beneficial. Nutrition is a fundamental part of a comprehensive package of care for people living with HIV/AIDS and mushrooms supply known bioactive molecules that may help HIV positive patients.

Cadmium and lead in geophagic clay consumed in Southern Nigeria: health risk from such traditional nutraceutical.

Geophagy is a cultural behavior, based on the recurrent intentional eating of clay soil, that is raising increasing concern as it implies multidimensional (space, time) potential risk of serious adverse health effects. This study investigated the level of toxic metals (Cd and Pb) in 20 Nigerian geophagic clays intended for both local consumption and distribution to the West Africa market. After sampling in 4 open markets in southern Nigeria (Akwa Ibom, Abia, Rivers, Imo), samples were subjected to digestion, ashing and analysis. The Pb levels in all samples exceeded the WHO/FAO maximum permissible limit of 0.1mgkg-1 whereas 16% exceeded the Cd limit of 0.3mgkg-1. The estimated daily intake of Pb for all samples ranged from 0.0032-0.0286mg kgbw-1day-1 to 0.0024-0.0215mg kgbw-1day-1 for children and adults, respectively. The estimated daily intakes for Cd ranged from bdl (below detection limit)-0.0010mg kgbw-1day-1 to bdl-0.0028mg kgbw-1day-1 for children and adults, respectively. In both cases, the WHO/FAO provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake is exceeded through the ingestion of these soils. Our results confirm health risks related to the geophagic practices, its role in exceeding health guidelines when considering aggregate exposure in the Nigerian scenario and body burden in developing organisms, young women, women at fertile age, and pregnant women. We discuss how geophagists consider clays as traditional nutraceuticals and how clarifying the nutraceutical role of geophagy could facilitate risk communication. Geophagic products are implicitly or explicitly marketed as dietary supplements, and as such they should be regulated (1) by labeling, and prohibition of scientifically unfounded health claims and (2) by safety standards before marketing. This is particularly critical when clays originate from countries living rapid, unplanned and uncontrolled development and dumped, like Nigeria.

Nutraceuticals in Neurological Disorders.

Neurological diseases are one of the major healthcare issues worldwide. Posed lifestyle changes are associated with drastically increased risk of chronic illness and diseases, posing a substantial healthcare and financial burden to society globally. Researchers aim to provide fine treatment for ailing disorders with minimal exposed side effects. In recent decades, several studies on functional foods have been initiated to obtain foods that have fewer side effects and increased therapeutic activity. Hence, an attempt has been made to unravel several extraction techniques to acquire essential bioactive compounds or phytochemicals from therapeutically active food products. This has led to the conception of the term functional foods being meddled with other similar terms like “pharmafoods,” “medifoods”, “vitafoods”, or “medicinal foods”. With a dire need to adhere towards healthy options, the demand of nutraceuticals is widely increasing to combat neurological interventions. An association between food habits and the individual lifestyle with neurodegeneration has been manifested, thereby proposing the role of nutraceuticals as prophylactic treatment for neurological interventions. The current review covers some of the major neurological disorders and nutraceutical therapy in the prevention of disease.

The Critical Nutraceutical Role of Pumpkin Seeds in Human and Animal Health: An Updated Review

Publicity of pumpkins in traditional medicine for relieving diverse disturbances such as hypertension, arthritis, hyperglycemia, inflammation, dyslipidemia, fungal or bacterial infections, tumors, and intestinal parasites made a highlight for more research on pumpkin fruits as well as seeds. Multiple studies have been fulfilled on animal models, clinical trials or cell cultures to assess these medicinal activities. Pumpkin is admitted for its ingested seeds, fruits, and greens. Pumpkin seeds are enhanced by micro- and macro-constituent compositions include proteins, antioxidative phenolic compounds, tocopherols, triterpenes, saponins, phytosterols, lignans, and carotenoids; among these compounds: D-chiro-inositol, trigonelline, and nicotinic acid, those are reflected as insulin action mediators. Pumpkin seeds are also fortified with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), fibers, vitamins, and minerals including zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, manganese, and copper, thus pumpkin seeds have become commonly used as health booster or herbal therapy for human as well as animals, and the food technologists have conquered the commercial food and alternative medicine sectors with pumpkin products. Furthermore, Food companies intend to exploit pumpkin seeds in the starters and snacks industry. This review article provides an update on the therapeutic impacts of pumpkin seeds and mechanisms by which they may limit the risk of diseases.

Nutrients, vitamins, probiotics and herbal products: an update of their role in urolithogenesis.

Nutrients, vitamins, probiotics, and herbal products may be risk factors, or alternately, protect against the formation of urinary stones. The purpose of this review was to update knowledge of the role of nutraceuticals in renal stone formation. A systematic search of the relevant literature published in PubMed in the last ten years was conducted and a narrative review of the data from the included studies was done. Search screened 513 studies that were reduced to 34 after evaluation by title and abstract; other 38 studies were retrieved by references of the selected studies. Beverages high fluid intake confirmed protective effect; orange juice protective effect; apple or grapefruit juice not confirmed as risk factors; sugar-sweetened soda and punch increased risk of stone formation. Energy intake: very high energy intake increased risk factor for women (especially after menopause); dietary acid load increased risk at equal levels of energy intake. Macronutrients confirmed increased risk of high protein intake. Calcium and Oxalate: calcium intake protective effect; oxalate intake only modest increase of risk in men and older women. Metal cations zinc and iron intake no clear impact on the risk of stone formation, dietary copper increased risk; manganese intake reduced risk of stone formation. Fruits and Vegetables decreased risk. Vitamins B6 intake not associated to risk of stone formation; vitamin C intake increased risk in men; vitamin D or supplemental vitamin D intake not associated to increased risk in men and younger women, suggestion of a higher risk in older women; Probiotics Gut colonization with Oxalobacter formigenes associated to lower risk of stone formation, effect of oxalate-degraders probiotics on urinary oxalate equivocal. Herbal products efficacy of some herbal products demonstrated in some trials, more investigations needed to confirm their efficacy and safety.

Role of phytochemicals as nutraceuticals for cognitive functions affected in ageing.

Cognitive decline can occur with normal ageing and in age-related brain disorders, such as mild cognitive impairment and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, with limited pharmacological therapies available. Other approaches to reduce cognitive decline are urgently needed, and so, the role of dietary interventions or nutraceuticals has received much attention in this respect. In this review, we examine the evidence for dietary plants and their chemical constituents as nutraceuticals, relevant to both cognitive decline in normal ageing and in dementia. Pharmacological (in vitro and in vivo), clinical and epidemiological evidence is assessed for both frequently consumed plants and their dietary forms, including tea, coffee, cocoa (chocolate), red wine, grapes, citrus and other fruits; in addition to plants used less frequently in certain diets and those that cross the blurred boundaries between foods, nutraceuticals and medicinal plants. For the latter, turmeric, saffron, sage, rosemary and lemon balm are examples of those discussed. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on The Pharmacology of Nutraceuticals. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v177.6/issuetoc.

Evaluation of Sperm Mitochondrial Function: A Key Organelle for Sperm Motility.

Introduction: The role of nutraceuticals in the treatment of male infertility, especially in the “idiopathic form”, remains the subject of significant debate. Many antioxidants improve sperm motility but the exact mechanism by which they act is still unclear. Although several studies have shown a correlation between sperm motility and mitochondrial function, the effects of antioxidant therapy on mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) are poorly studied. The first aim of this review was to evaluate the efficacy of antioxidants on mitochondrial function and, consequently, on sperm motility in male infertile patients. Material and Methods: we performed a systematic search of all randomized controlled and uncontrolled studies available in the literature that reported sperm motility and MMP at baseline and after antioxidant administration in-vivo and in-vitro in patients with idiopathic asthenozoospermia. Pubmed, MEDLINE, Cochrane, Academic One Files, Google Scholar and Scopus databases were used. Results: Unexpectedly, among 353 articles retrieved, only one study met our inclusion criteria and showed a significant effect of myoinositol on both MMP and sperm motility. We then summarized the main knowledge on anatomy and metabolism of sperm mitochondria, techniques allowing to assess sperm mitochondria function and its relationships with low sperm motility. Finally, we paid special attention to the effect of antioxidant/prokinetic molecules for the treatment of asthenozoospermia. Conclusions: This is the first systematic review that has attempted to evaluate the effects of antioxidants on MMP and sperm motility. Although results are not conclusive due to the dearth of studies, the close relationship between mitochondria and sperm motility is clear. The investigation of this correlation could provide valuable information to be exploited in clinical practice for the treatment of male infertility.

Do Dietary Supplements and Nutraceuticals Have Effects on Dental Implant Osseointegration? A Scoping Review.

Several factors affect dental implant osseointegration, including surgical issues, bone quality and quantity, and host-related factors, such as patients’ nutritional status. Many micronutrients might play a key role in dental implant osseointegration by influencing some alveolar bone parameters, such as healing of the alveolus after tooth extraction. This scoping review aims to summarize the role of dietary supplements in optimizing osseointegration after implant insertion surgery. A technical expert panel (TEP) of 11 medical specialists with expertise in oral surgery, bone metabolism, nutrition, and orthopedic surgery performed the review following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) model. The TEP identified micronutrients from the “European Union (EU) Register of nutrition and health claims made on foods” that have a relationship with bone and tooth health, and planned a PubMed search, selecting micronutrients previously identified as MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms and adding to each of them the words “dental implants” and “osseointegration”. The TEP identified 19 studies concerning vitamin D, magnesium, resveratrol, vitamin C, a mixture of calcium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D, and synthetic bone mineral. However, several micronutrients are non-authorized by the “EU Register on nutrition and health claims” for improving bone and/or tooth health. Our scoping review suggests a limited role of nutraceuticals in promoting osseointegration of dental implants, although, in some cases, such as for vitamin D deficiency, there is a clear link among their deficit, reduced osseointegration, and early implant failure, thus requiring an adequate supplementation.

Lifestyle Modifications and Nutritional Interventions in Aging-Associated Cognitive Decline and Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a type of incurable neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ; plaques) and tau hyperphosphorylation as neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the brain followed by neuronal death, cognitive decline, and memory loss. The high prevalence of AD in the developed world has become a major public health challenge associated with social and economic burdens on individuals and society. Due to there being limited options for early diagnosis and determining the exact pathophysiology of AD, finding effective therapeutic strategies has become a great challenge. Several possible risk factors associated with AD pathology have been identified; however, their roles are still inconclusive. Recent clinical trials of the drugs targeting Aβ and tau have failed to find a cure for the AD pathology. Therefore, effective preventive strategies should be followed to reduce the exponential increase in the prevalence of cognitive decline and dementia, especially AD. Although the search for new therapeutic targets is a great challenge for the scientific community, the roles of lifestyle interventions and nutraceuticals in the prevention of many metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases are highly appreciated in the literature. In this article, we summarize the molecular mechanisms involved in AD pathology and the possible ameliorative action of lifestyle and nutritional interventions including diet, exercise, Calorie restriction (CR), and various bioactive compounds on cognitive decline and dementia. This article will provide insights into the role of non-pharmacologic interventions in the modulation of AD pathology, which may offer the benefit of improving quality of life by reducing cognitive decline and incident AD.

Small airways in children with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis: the potential role of a multicomponent nutraceutical.

Allergic rhinitis and asthma are closely linked. A progression from rhinitis to overt asthma is common. FEF25-75 is a spirometry parameter that could reflect small airways patency and could reliably predict early bronchial involvement in allergic rhinitis patients. MEF50 very strongly correlates with FEF25-75. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible spirometry change in two groups of children suffering from AR over time. The first group took a course of a nutraceutical (Lertal®) before the observation (active group, AG); a second one was considered as control (control group, CG). The children were visited at baseline, at the end of the nutraceutical course, and after 1 year. FEV1, FVC, and MEF50 were the primary outcomes. After one year, children in AG had significantly higher MEF50 than CG children (p=0.009). In conclusion, the present study showed that a course with a multicomponent nutraceutical could prevent the MEF50 decline in children with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Respiratory infections in allergic children: the preventive role of a multicomponent nutraceutical.

Allergic children with respiratory infections (RI) are a demanding challenge for the paediatrician. Antibiotic prescription represents a critical problem, mainly concerning the growing issue of resistance. To prevent RI would be therefore a goal in clinical practice. In this regard, modulation of immune system may have a critical role. The aim of the present study was to measure the number of respiratory infections and the use of antibiotics in two groups of children suffering from allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. The first group took a course of a nutraceutical (Lertal®) before the observation (active group, AG); a second one was considered as control (control group, CG). The children were visited at baseline and after 1 year. The number of RI and of antibiotic courses was the primary outcomes. Children in AG reported a significant reduced number of RI and of antibiotic course in comparison with CG (p=0.01 and 0.002 respectively). In conclusion, the current study showed that a course with a multicomponent nutraceutical could reduce the number of respiratory infections and consequently the use of antibiotics in children with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Osteoarthritis treatment with a novel nutraceutical acetylated ligstroside aglycone, a chemically modified extra-virgin olive oil polyphenol

Recent studies have shown that dietary patterns confer protection from certain chronic diseases related to oxidative stress, the immune system and chronic low-grade inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential and the capacity to attenuate cartilage degradation using extra-virgin olive oil–derived polyphenols for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Results show that both nutraceuticals ligstroside aglycone and acetylated ligstroside aglycone showed an anti-inflammatory profile. Acetylated ligstroside aglycone significantly reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory genes including NOS2 and MMP13 at both RNA and protein levels; decreased nitric oxide release; and, importantly, reduced proteoglycan loss in human osteoarthritis cartilage explants. Our study demonstrated that a new synthetic acetylated ligstroside aglycone derivative offers enhanced anti-inflammatory profile than the natural nutraceutical compound in osteoarthritis. These results substantiate the role of nutraceuticals in osteoarthritis with implications for therapeutic intervention and our understanding of osteoarthritis pathophysiology.

Rice bran as source of nutraceuticals for management of cardiovascular diseases, cardio-renal syndrome and hepatic cancer

Introduction: The interrelation between cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and renal dysfunction and the beneficial role of nutraceuticals are worthy to be studied. Nutraceuticals with anticancer effects are gaining great importance. The aim of this research was studying the anti-cancer, CVDs prevention and renal dysfunction properties of γ-oryzanol (γ-O) and rice bran oil/γ-O mixture (RBO/γ-O) as nutraceuticals. Methods: Rats were divided into 7 groups. Group 1 was fed on balanced diet and served as normal control (NC). Group 2 consumed high-fat-sucrose diet (HFSD) as CVD control. Groups 3 and 4 were fed on HFSD and treated by γ-O and RBO/γ-O, respectively. Group 5 was maintained on HFSD with cisplatin injection (cardiorenal syndrome control) (CRSC). Groups 6 and 7 were treated like group 5 and given either γ-O or RBO/γ-O. Plasma lipid profile, malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), catalase activity, creatinine and urea were determined besides urinary creatinine clearance. Nutraceuticals’ anticancer effect was assessed in hepatocellular carcinoma cell (HepG2) line. Results: Significant increases (P < 0.05) in lipid parameters with reduction of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were noticed in CVD control compared to NC group; the same changes were demonstrated in CRSC with lesser extent. In CVD control and CRSC groups; a significant increase (P < 0.05) in MDA and TNF-α with a reduction in catalase were noticed. Kidney dysfunction was demonstrated in the CRSC group. Administration of both RBO/γ-O and γ-O produced variable improvements in all parameters in both models and had anticancer effects. Conclusion: RBO/γ-O and γ-O had protective effects on CVDs and cardiorenal syndrome as well as anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activities with superiority of RBO/γ-O.

The role of nutraceuticals in prevention and treatment of hypertension: An updated review of the literature

Hypertension (HTN) is a worldwide epidemic in both developed and developing countries. It is one of the leading causes of major health problems such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart attack. In recent years, several studies have reported associations between specific dietary ingredients and improving HTN. Nutraceuticals are natural food components with pharmacological properties. Reports suggest that functional foods and nutraceutical ingredients might support patients to obtain the desired therapeutic blood pressure (BP) goals and reduce cardiovascular risks by modulating various risk factors such as oxidative stress, renin-angiotensin system hyperactivity, inflammation, hyperlipidemia, and vascular resistance. We review the recent clinical experiments that have evaluated the biological and pharmacological activities of several types of nutraceuticals, including sour tea, cocoa, common spices, vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, flavonoids, coenzyme Q10, milk's tripeptides, calcium, magnesium, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and prebiotics in preventing and treating HTN. This review summarizes recent knowledge about the impact of common nutraceuticals for the regulation of BP.

Nutraceutical Compounds as Sensitizers for Cancer Treatment in Radiation Therapy.

The improvement of diagnostic techniques and the efficacy of new therapies in clinical practice have allowed cancer patients to reach a higher chance to be cured together with a better quality of life. However, tumors still represent the second leading cause of death worldwide. On the contrary, chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT) still lack treatment plans which take into account the biological features of tumors and depend on this for their response to treatment. Tumor cells’ response to RT is strictly-connected to their radiosensitivity, namely, their ability to resist and to overcome cell damage induced by ionizing radiation (IR). For this reason, radiobiological research is focusing on the ability of chemical compounds to radiosensitize cancer cells so to make them more responsive to IR. In recent years, the interests of researchers have been focused on natural compounds that show antitumoral effects with limited collateral issues. Moreover, nutraceuticals are easy to recover and are thus less expensive. On these bases, several scientific projects have aimed to test also their ability to induce tumor radiosensitization both in vitro and in vivo. The goal of this review is to describe what is known about the role of nutraceuticals in radiotherapy, their use and their potential application.

Tendinopathy: Pathophysiology, Therapeutic Options, and Role of Nutraceutics. A Narrative Literature Review.

Tendinopathies are very common in general population and a huge number of tendon-related procedures take place annually worldwide, with significant socio-economic repercussions. Numerous treatment options are commonly used for tendon disorders. Besides pharmacological and physical therapy, nutrition could represent an additional tool for preventing and treating this complex pathology that deserve a multidisciplinary approach. In recent years, nutraceutical products are growing up in popularity since these seem to favor the prevention and the healing processes of tendon injuries. This narrative literature review aims to summarize current understanding and the areas of ongoing research about the management of tendinopathies with the help of oral supplementation.

Lysulin: Natural nutritional support to bring better health to people with diabetes and prediabetes

Obesity and type 2 diabetes, both worldwide epidemics, are drastic problems that can be ameliorated dramatically through the combination of lifestyle changes (especially diet and exercise) the treatment of drugs and nutritional supplements [1]. Lysulin is a patent-pending nutritional supplement that contains lysine, zinc and vitamin C [2]. Through double-blind placebo-controlled studies, it has been shown to help people with prediabetes [3] and type 2 diabetes [4] in promoting better glycemic control and lowering their HbA1c.Historically, supplements have had a bad reputation due to aggressive marketing of unsubstantiated claims. That being said, Lysulin is firmly grounded on a foundation of 25 years of research, development and clinical studies. These studies show the ingredients in Lysulin can lower blood glucose and glycated proteins – the cause of diabetes complications. In addition, double-blind placebo-controlled studies found that Lysulin improves glycemic control in people with diabetes and may also slow or even halt the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes [3,4].Glucose is essential in providing the human body an energy source. Glucose relies on the hormone, insulin, to enter our cells to provide the energy we need for everyday living. However, while everyone needs a certain amount of glucose for daily energy production, excessive glucose is dangerously toxic to the body (primarily as a result of protein glycation). In addition, fructose (from High Fructose Corn Syrup) does not utilize insulin to enter the liver or our cells, and thus enters them easily and immediately turns into fat [5]. Poor diets, along with increased consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), have lead to the high rates of obesity and diabetes that we see today. The pandemic of type 2 diabetes, which is expected to affect at least 250 million people worldwide by 2020 and 642 million by 2040 [6], is the result of diets high in carbohydrates, HFCS and sugar, along with the lack of commensurate exercise. This lifestyle leads to insulin resistance, caused by the glycation of insulin and insulin receptors [7], which results in high concentrations of glucose in the bloodstream. The therapy for type 2 diabetes begins with attempts to control glucose through diet and exercise. If this fails, oral drugs are prescribed. If these fail to show improvements in blood glucose levels, insulin injections are given. Over 30% of people with type 2 diabetes are using insulin injections to control their blood glucose levels [6]. There is vast literature documenting the role of nutraceuticals and functional foods in managing the alterations in metabolism and improving the health of people with chronic disease [8, 9]. To make up for the fact that important nutrients are lost during the processing of food, adding nutritional supplements to our daily routine, in addition to consuming a low-carbohydrate diet, can have profound benefits. A well-balanced diet, along with exercise and the right nutritional supplements, can provide the foundation for a lifetime of well-being and good health.Keywords: Diabetes, Nutritional Support, Lysulin, Lysine, Zinc, Vitamin V, HbA1c