Synthetic and Natural Nutritional Supplements: Health "Allies" or Risks to Public Health?
BACKGROUND
The modern way of life involves high stress levels, poor eating habits, lack of exercise, obesity and other detrimental health factors. Nutritional supplements (NS) are complexes of nutrients with variant activity that may infer reversal to nutrient depletion. They tend to be popular amongst social categories associated with the healthy life style, such as the elite and amateur athletes, military people and the general population.


OBJECTIVE
An overview of the state of play with regard to nutritional supplements - natural and synthetic-, is important both from toxicological and commercial point of view.


METHODS
From a thorough literature review on nutritional supplements, several patents of application have been identified and herewith reviewed which recommend natural vegetable extracts as food supplements for prophylaxis, therapy, protection of immune system, diabetes, oxidative stress, cancer, chronic inflammations and other health conditions. Besides, nutritional supplements of pharmacological validity and high popularity are discussed relative to their contents and group of use.


RESULTS
Cases of adulteration or unintentional contamination of commercial products with abusing substances (doping substances, narcotics etc.) or toxic compounds (heavy metals, plant toxics) have shed light to the problem of causing recalls of some products by the FDA.


CONCLUSIONS
From the safety/ quality point of view, NS lack of harmonisation and sovereign laws/ institutional controls on the market and their wide commercialization may possibly lead to risks to public health.
General Chemical State Laboratory of Greece, 16 An. Tsocha Str., 11521, Athens. Greece.
Nassia
N
Kioukia-Fougia
European Food Safety Authority, Via Carlo Magno 1A, 43126, Parma. Italy.
Nikolaos
N
Georgiadis
Department of Cardiology, University General Hospital of Larissa, Mezourlo, 41110, PO Box 1425, Larissa. Greece.
Konstantinos
K
Tsarouhas
Center of Toxicology Science and Research, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion. Greece.
Fotini
F
Vasilaki
Center of Toxicology Science and Research, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003, Heraklion. Greece.
Persefoni
P
Fragiadaki
Emergency Department, Amalia Fleming General Hospital, 14 25th March Av., 15127, Melissia, Athens. Greece.
Evangelia
E
Meimeti
General Chemical State Laboratory of Greece, 16 An. Tsocha Str., 11521, Athens. Greece.
Christina
C
Tsitsimpikou
D000818:Animals; D001688:Biological Products / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards*; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D010330:Patents as Topic; D057051:Product Recalls and Withdrawals / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011634:Public Health
D001688:Biological Products
Natural extracts; nutritional supplements; patents; prohibited substances; public health; quality assurance