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You just gotta love your readers – yesterday, one of mine asked a very insightful question about nutraceuticals, and I was like, “Wow, I’ve never featured those on my blog!”  So today is the day.    (Thank you, Carla!)

Nutraceuticals are simply nutritious products that have proposed or confirmed pharmaceutical applications, whether in the prevention or treatment of disease.  Examples include antioxidants like green tea, vitamins C and E, and resveratrol.

The market for nutraceuticals is currently growing strong, with ICIS.com reporting 7.4% sales growth in the nutraceuticals field from 2008 to 2009, making the overall global market reaching a cool $117.53 billion.  Not too shabby.

But Do Nutraceuticals Work?  Science Says Yes…

According to this 2008 study in The Journal of Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, nutraceuticals have incredible potential in aiding the skin, as it found that eating an ingredient is more beneficial than topically applying it. However, the study further suggests that both eating and topically applying a beneficial ingredient provides the most benefits.  (This may be the reason it is rumored that Dr. Fredric Brandt, M.D., a renowned dermatologist, drinks numerous cups of green tea each day and includes it is his skin care line).

One of the newest companies to feature nutraceuticals is BORBA, which has lines that feature topical and edible products for Age Defying (with Açaí), Firming (Guanábana), Replenishing (Lychee), and Clarifying (Pomegranate).  Of these, my favorite is the Clarifying (Pomegranate), which has been shown in independent studies to have anti-aging antioxidant activity plus the benefits of supplementing UV protection, according to the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology.  I personally like the BORBA Clarifying Water with Pomegranate ($28.00 for fourteen packets or $36.00 for twelve bottles, Amazon.com) used with the BORBA Clarifying Complexion Night Moisturizer ($26.10, Amazon.com).

The History and Future of Nutraceuticals

In the past, nutraceuticals have been used in skin care lines such as that of Dr. Howard Murad, who suggested using supplements in complement with topical skin care ages ago.  Furthermore, many patients note that their skin looks better when they eat more fruits and vegetables (i.e., antioxidants), ingest more soluble fiber (i.e., less inflammation than from white sugar), and drink more water.  This makes scientific as well as common sense: if the skin is the body’s largest organ, it should look and feel better when you are living in a healthy way.  With that said, I personally love nutraceuticals, whether through an established line like BORBA or through eating healthfully and using scientifically proven, ingredient-rich topical skin care separately.

Overall opinion:  This one’s a winner, and I bet we’ll see a lot more of nutraceuticals in the future!