The market for dietary supplements, has legal status similar to that of common foodstuffs. Of course the supplements have a specificity that leads us to conclude Sometimes they are more closely related to the medicines, than with the foods themselves. This conclusion is wrong and even worse, subject, as has happened a little over the last ten to fifteen years, lead to an incorrect information from consumers.
The fact that perform under common ways to medicines, capsules, tablets, ampoules, drops, etc… ; doesn't mean they can consider medicines. In fact some of these forms of presentation, make since many years ago some very common foodstuffs known, as is the case with some chocolates and confectionery, with emphasis on the dubbed “smarties”, There are also various types of packaging dropper like for example some weight “PIRI-piri” in liquid form.
In reality the medicines have legal status very very different, and are no longer, in almost all cases[1], the legal confirmation of a kind of well-known substances, at least as regards its chemical identification and its biochemical activity parameters on the body, substances that we call drugs.
The drugs are almost always Mono-molecular substances and mostly from chemical-organic synthesis, However, some may have origin in biological systems, or not modified by subsequent structural modification processes, nicknamed this way semi-synthetic, as is the case of the latest antibiotics and corticosteroids , There are still others that are the result of molecular biology (Genetics) and of biotechnological processes producing classics[2]. Are substances subject to very in-depth research processes and complicated, According to very strict rules and protocols, with huge sums of money invested over several years.
All this ends almost always lead to substances with a very specific activity on the body, While in most cases the inverse normal flows biochemical effects of metabolic pathways[3], looking for targets much more defined and almost only, acting as “special operations groups”, who risk always something because everything happens, Despite the enormous preparation and planning, of somewhat random, particularly because there was no communication with the other party, as regards the compromise solutions.
That's why the drugs have pharmacological activity dubbed and always involve some risk in its use, and that risk is not only dependent on the quantity used, and may even be higher in individuals predisposed to secundarismos and toxicity, normally not idiosincrasias by detetáveis.
Of food supplements should be part completely different substances in the form of biochemical functional activity on the human organism. Its activity is almost never pursues clearly defined targets or specific and unique, respecting however in almost all cases where the normal flow of metabolic pathways, acting a bit the image of diplomacy, privileging fundamentally intercommunication[4], in order to act in line with the other party, being in fact this form of biochemical activity, that we should call of physiological.
The rule as regards the activity of drug type, It is therefore imposing biochemistry, in which the molecules exert their effects in the most effective way possible, but over a few times a cause collateral damage inherent mechanisms that fall within their effectiveness. In chemical terms we could add that predominates the Covalent type connections.
The margin between effectiveness and safety is something reduced, and requires extreme care and therefore knowledgeable medical-pharmaceutical monitoring in depth of the respective mechanisms of activity of pharmacological molecules, especially at the level of pharmacovigilance.
The rule with regard to medicinal plants and other substances included in food supplements is because the biochemical communication and collaboration, in which the molecules (in the case of plants constituting a complex of substances belonging to different types very different phytochemicals), exerting its effects synergistically and complement, Optimizing the effectiveness so that the collateral damage are void or virtually non-existent and never assuming characteristics of gravity. In chemical terms could add add that predominates the noncovalent type connections, How are hydrogen bonds and Van der Walls. The margin between effectiveness and safety is therefore very dilated, not requiring monitoring and strict monitoring in this way. Anyway the food supplements, should, in our opinion, always be obtained by consumers that may exist in the event of doubt the support of professionals with specific training in the area, in particular by accredited specialists, to the extent that despite its harmlessness, There is need for times to evaluate some situations on a case-.
In some sectors of the market of food supplements, There is a belief that most of the raw materials included in these products originate in the pharmaceutical industry. In reality this is not the case ! Most of the raw materials used in the production of food supplements are produced by a diverse industry[5], in sometimes to groups, which in some cases are also linked to the pharmaceutical industry. However the production of these substances in has nothing to do with the pharmaceutical industry base, they are not therefore subject to the same requirements that force not only extremely rigorous research, but also to production processes and analytical control of pharmaceuticals (drugs).
With regard to production of final products, isn't it also true that products currently considered legally as dietary supplements are essentially produced in pharmaceutical laboratories. In fact throughout the world, but particularly in Europe, There are many production units without pharmaceutical regulations, Since there are many decades produce such products with very high quality standards. The fact that a dietary supplement to be produced in a production unit with pharmaceutical regulations and standards “GMP” – “Good Manufacturer Production”, There is absolute guarantee of quality, not even much less be able to relegate to a secondary position the food supplements produced in units with food type status. In reality as already mentioned previously, in other passages of these articles, We realize that between medicines (drugs) and dietary supplements, There are very significant differences.
Personally we go even further, to defend that a medicine production Park (drugs), should never be produced dietary supplements! And see why ?! Produce medicines (drugs) in the same machinery and technical tools, where are produced dietary supplements, put some risks of greater or lesser severity, Depending on the size of the errors committed willingly or unwillingly.
It is always possible to[6] be productive process residues of drugs that eventually will contaminate the food supplements[7] subsequently produced on the same machinery and technical tools. Of course, the consumption of dietary supplements with waste for example: benzodiazepines, antibiotics, corticosteroids and antihistamines, among others, even in extremely low quantities, It's not tolerable according to the modern concepts of human health. We all know moreover how harmful can be the ingestion of foods containing residues of steroids in meat and various chemicals and agrochemical eventually likely to incorrectly be present in some common foods.
In a second chance always to take into account, in a production unit in that condition and remain in use, substances as different as those that make up the food supplements and the vast majority of medicines, basically those that we've been referencing as pharmaceuticals, the possibility for human error to add pharmacologically to knitting of dietary supplements, Although remote, will not be at all impossible. Course excusamo us to engage in the hypothesis of a possible and remote addition be carried out fraudulently, because we don't believe in this kind of behavior on the part of economic agents.
Finally with regard to choices to make between food supplements and medicines (drugs), Some considerations found convenient to do.
In reality there are no proper situations where there is a real need to choose between each other. As I previously stress, drugs (drugs) and dietary supplements fill spaces of reality quite different, so that decisions of such magnitude has to be taken, in particular for laymen, whether or not consumers.
Eventually a possible choice, should only be made by a skilled health professional, not forgetting never, as already mentioned that medical intervention is critical if there is need to make choices in respect of medicines (drugs). This does not mean that the dietary supplements may not be used without recourse to a healthcare professional, especially if the user (consumer) is someone knowledgeable about these products, and taking into account, which sales channels will give access to technicians with adequate training in this area.
However some general principles can be very objective and practical utility, When you want some answers brief and generalized in this kind of matter.
And despite the new status of the product you wish to invoke the opposite, the medicines (drugs) don't fit completely the ways of prevention[8] itself of disease, but to prevent a disease already installed to escalate and endanger the patient's life. Is not, and in principle will not be never common practice in clinical medicine prescribe drugs with the goal of contributing to the maintenance of the health status of individuals not sick.
However the food supplements fill (always filled) This requirement, serving essentially to prevent the installation of the disease in a healthy individual. If this isn't prevention, We would like someone more savvy at what is ! As we are fully convinced that there is no such explanation, We once more complete, as unfortunately in many other issues and problems that face particularly in modern European Union, with the proper reflexes in Portugal, who settled once more hypocrisy and mediocrity of the ignorant covertly positions in favor of “pressure lobies” I prefer not to speak.
But the food supplements does not fit only this important function of health maintenance ! In many situations in which health can be compromised, especially in some acute serious not dysfunctions[9] and particularly, more evidence on chronic dysfunctions[10], the dietary supplements can often play a key role in the recovery of health. Conceal these evidences is once again ignoring a hypocrite and a mediocre reality well grounded in scientific fact, and experimentation applied that currently takes place in this area of knowledge in which including many common foods are considered as possessors of preventive and curative properties even[11].
[1] There are some products with status of medicine that really aren't drugs, therefore in our opinion likely to be, as the are, considered dietary supplements, as for example: plants and their total extracts; proteins (including some enzymes); some peptides and most amino acids (in particular the components of proteins); vitaminas; minerals and trace elements; most of the carbohydrates and lipids (nutritional effects and (or) physiological; some organic derivatives of amino acids (like carnitine and creatine); some coenzymes; and the vast majority of Bioflavonoids, sterols and other substances not only vegetable source, but also animal and microbial (directly or indirectly metabolites biomass) whose effects are essentially physiological and without side effects or relevant toxicology. [2] Insulin and somatotrophin (growth hormone), are currently produced by recombination of the human gene responsible for synthesis, in microbial genetic material, It ends finally producing these substances in direct fermentation process, with subsequent isolation and purification processes. [3] The substances of biotechnological origin already referred to ( insulin, somatotrofina) are different. However the risks of their use do not allow its use with other legal status, other than the medicine. [4] See article on "Totum plant". [5] This industry produces the most varied raw materials for extremely varied processes, almost always related to biochemical engineering and fine organic chemistry. These raw materials are intended not only to dietary supplements and sometimes the medications, but in the vast majority also, the common foodstuffs, in particular additives and processing AIDS, cosmetics, Agriculture (Agrochemistry and agrobiologica), intermediate industries, industries related to national defence, research laboratories and teaching, clinical analysis laboratories, etc. [6] Due to this ever-present possibility, some legislation has been produced in recent years in E.U.A and u. and. , in order to inform and protect the consumer, but just for now says about cross-contamination between common foodstuffs miscellaneous, having regard to alergológicas issues. [7] Of course the reverse situation is also perfectly possible; the drugs were contaminated by residues of food supplements, which certainly will be very inconvenient for their final purity. Anyway for us this is an issue which we do not wish to discuss, leaving this debate for the responsible pharmaceutical industry. Currently exists technology that allows you to prevent this type of contamination, which does not mean that she is always used, or used correctly. [8] Vaccines represent a situation of exception. However, in the sense that we have been developing our thinking, vaccines should not be considered as pharmaceuticals. Should however have always, legal status of medicinal product. [9] For example colds and flus. [10] For example some diseases of rheumatic Forum [11] See article on vegetais de tipo alimentar em patologia humana
Authors > Eduardo Ribeiro, CEO scientist Department | Quality control| Research and Development- Biogal, Biologia de Portugal Lda.
> Virtue Pegacho, Research and development - BIOGAL, Biologia de Portugal Lda.
