{"id":11574,"date":"2022-06-16T15:00:17","date_gmt":"2022-06-16T13:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pharmanutra.it\/food-supplements-what-problems-can-they-cause\/"},"modified":"2022-06-16T15:00:17","modified_gmt":"2022-06-16T13:00:17","slug":"food-supplements-what-problems-can-they-cause","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pharmanutra.it\/en\/food-supplements-what-problems-can-they-cause\/","title":{"rendered":"Food supplements: What problems can they cause?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The world of nutritional supplements, known also as nutraceuticals<\/em>, has grown exponentially over recent years and there are now thousands of products available on the market, boasting a vast range of properties and uses.<\/p>\n

While these are all products generally safe for our health, any improper use can cause unwanted side effects for the intestine<\/strong>, from simple stomachache to nausea and diarrhoea. In this article we aim to clarify the main side effects related to supplements, and how to avoid them<\/strong>, in an attempt above all at understanding how the absorption of nutrients works in our body.<\/p>\n

What is a nutritional supplement? The definition of the Ministry of Health<\/h2>\n

Supplements can be purchased at the chemist\u2019s, the supermarket or online, and do not require a doctor\u2019s prescription and, while not containing any pharmacologically active ingredient, could cause some side effects, and therefore the instructions for use and warnings should always be read with care.<\/p>\n

The Italian Ministry of Health defines nutritional supplements as follows:<\/p>\n

“Food products intended to supplement a standard diet and which constitute a concentrated source of nutritional substances, such as vitamins and minerals, or other substances that have a nutritional or physiological effect, in particular, but not limited to, amino acids, essential fatty acids, vegetable fibres and extracts, both in single and multiple combinations, in pre-dosed forms.”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is important to remember that supplements are not intended as replacements for a varied and balanced diet and must be used as part of a healthy lifestyle.<\/p>\n

How does our body absorb these nutrients?<\/h2>\n

Nutritional supplements can contain various types of nutrients, with different functions<\/a>, mainly: vitamins<\/strong>, minerals<\/strong>, amino acids<\/strong> and natural extracts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The nutrients, based on their chemical properties, undergo a series of transformations in our body; in fact carbohydrates are structurally modified by saliva enzymes, known as amylase<\/em>; proteins are subject to both gastric and intestinal metabolism, thanks to the main action of an enzyme called trypsin;<\/em> meanwhile, fats are structurally modified by enzymes known as lipase<\/em>, which modify them to then transform them into chylomicrons to be absorbed into the lymphatic system.<\/p>\n

Vitamins can be divided into two categories: Hydrosoluble (which dissolve in water) and liposoluble (which dissolve in fats). These are mainly absorbed in the first section of the small bowel by passive diffusion or by active transport.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, minerals<\/a> follow a different path, as they are not modified by any enzymes and they are mainly absorbed in the duodenum, in other words in the first section of the small bowel.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, water and electrolytes (sodium, chloride, potassium) are absorbed via the terminal section of the small bowel, in the jejunum and the ileum.<\/p>\n

What factors can limit the absorption of nutrients? Why are minerals more difficult to absorb?<\/h2>\n

There are many factors that cause limited absorption of nutrients in our body, and the following conditions can play a significant role in this:<\/p>\n