Nutraceuticals
In plain language
A nutraceutical is food with a purpose. Where an ordinary nutrient mainly provides you with energy and building blocks, a nutraceutical is deliberately chosen and formulated to support a specific function — for example a polyphenol from plants, a fibre matrix or a targeted bioactive substance.
It is emphatically not a medicine: it treats or cures nothing, but aims to build a bridge between your plate and your health. Importantly, one figure on the label — the amount — does not tell the whole story. What counts is whether a substance reaches the right place and can do something there, and whether your microbiome can convert it into active metabolites. The question therefore shifts from ‘how much is in it?’ to ‘where and when is it released, and for which interaction?’ — the heart of considered formulation.
The science behind
‘Nutraceutical’ is an umbrella term (not a strict legal EU category) for bioactive food components with a functional effect: among others polyphenols, fibre and prebiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids and specific micronutrients. It is distinct from a medicine: the role is supportive and functional, not curative. Its efficacy depends strongly on bioavailability — the extent to which the body actually absorbs a substance — and, for many plant substances, on microbial conversion.
This is exactly where co-metabolism comes into play: numerous bioactives, such as polyphenols and fibres, only become active after the microbiome converts them into metabolites (among others short-chain fatty acids). As a result, how much is in a product often says less than whether the substance is released in the right place and converted there. That explains why a higher dose does not automatically mean a greater effect, and why release, timing and interaction can be more decisive than the gross amount.
In the European context, health claims are strictly regulated: only authorised claims may be made, while other functional properties are described educationally and observationally (‘supports’, never ‘cures’ or ‘treats’). Viewed through co-metabolism, the core question shifts from ‘what is in it?’ to ‘where and when is it released, and for which interaction between host and microbiome?’ — the starting point of formulation science. This reading is supportive and observational — not a medical diagnosis.
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See the books →Scientific references
• Cory H., et al. (2018) — The role of polyphenols in human health and food systems. Front Nutr.
• Regulation (EU) 432/2012 — list of permitted health claims for foods.
• Van Gucht P. — FORMULA (COSMO trilogy): architecture over content.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a nutraceutical a medicine?
- No — it is functional food, not a medicine, and it promises no cure.
- What makes something a nutraceutical?
- A substantiated functional effect that goes beyond mere nourishment.
- Why does bioavailability matter?
- Because a substance only works once the body or the microbiome can actually absorb or convert it.
- Is more always better?
- Not necessarily — release, timing and interaction often count for more than the dose on the label.
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