EKPOMA-Nigerians have been advised to be cautious of their intake of supplements, owing to their side effects to humans.
Professor Marshal Azeke, a nutritionist gave the advise while delivering the 95th Inaugural Lecture of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State.
Delivering his lecture entitled : “Functional Foods: Making Food Your Medicine”, the erudite nutritionist recommended regular consumption of foods rich in antioxidants and regular exercise as part of healthy diet.
He explained that though many of the supplements/ extracts contained antioxidants, as they could have other uncharacterized phytochemicals in concentrations higher than liver and kidney thresholds.
According to him, antioxidants in their natural environment contained phytochemicals that are less than the threshold of the liver and kidney, hence the need for the consumption of foods rich in antioxidants.
“The use of these extracts or concentrations should be with caution. Some of these extracts may contain antioxidants and other yet uncharacterized phytochemicals in concentrations higher than the liver and kidney thresholds.
“Considering the potential risk involved, it is hereby recommended that antioxidants rich food be regularly consumed as part of healthy diets.
“This is because, in their natural environment, the phytochemicals are present in concentrations that are not above the liver thresholds,
“Besides, depending mainly on extracts, concentrates, and supplements for nutraceuticals will deprive the consumers the health benefits of other food components such as dietary fibres.
“We should consume healthy functional foods as our medicine in order to reduce the risk of taking medicine as our food”, he advised.
He similarly cautioned against the consumption o f processed food, and called on the government to come up with deliberate policies that would check the activities of producers of supplements and extracts to ensure they do not contain phytochemicals that are harmful to the body.
Azeke defined functional food as any food/ingredient that may provide health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains; pointing out that the lycopene in tomatoes reduces the risk of cancer incidences in human.
The lecturer further explained that oxidative stress is harmful and according to him gives room for oxygen free radicals to attack biological molecules such as lipids, protein, and DNA
He, however, added that it could be useful in some instances, as it induces apoptosis to prepare the birth canal for delivery and also strengthens biological defence mechanisms during infection, appropriate physical exercise and ischemia.
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