Nutraceuticals Anyone?

What does nutraceuticals really mean?  Well, here in the US, nutraceuticals does not have much meaning at all legally speaking.  It's a combination of the words nutrition and pharmaceuticals obviously but this could mean a lot right?

For me, it reminds me of being in medical school and how almost everyone in my class was upset our nutrition instructor made us memorize what every vitamin and mineral did in the body.  In reality, we should have been thanking him. 

What and how we eat has a huge impact on our overall health.  Food and nutritional supplements really should be thought of as fuel and we should be giving our bodies the best food fuel we can.

How can learning about nutrition help improve your health?  And be of pharmaceutical benefit?  Well, let's say you have a serious case of anxiety and depression due to your kid's schedules, your boss giving you extra work with attitude, and who knows what else.  You decide to take a new supplement that your friend told you about.  Did you know that the high dose of vitamin B12 can actually cause damage your kidneys long-term if you have diabetes?  Did you know that combining gingko biloba with certain anti-depressants could cause flu like symptoms? 

The point is that there are a lot of health options out there these days and knowing all of the potential problems is difficult at best.  It's important to have someone to walk you through these different choices so that you don't do more harm than good.

Consumer Reports also has a good database of 100 or more supplements with indexed references.  This could be a good starting point.  Remember, of course, no pill or supplement can take the place of a healthy lifestyle.

If you're concerned about a specific issue, it might be a good idea to talk with your health care provider.

Ash Miller, M.D. is a board-certified physician in pediatric and adult psychiatry.  He practices at Dominion Center for Behavioral Health Services in South Riding.  http://www.dc4bhs.com