A feeling of cautious optimism seems to dominate today’s nutraceuticals market. On one hand, companies are hopeful about areas such as stevia, omega 3s, probiotics and superfruits. At the same time, they are keeping a watchful eye on FDA and how it plans to resolve issues related to food safety, GMP inspections, claim substantiation, AERs and new dietary ingredient notifications (NDIs). Add to this the recent study findings calling into question the utility of vitamins and minerals in preventing or reducing the risk of chronic disease and the outlook seems rather bleak for nutraceuticals.

But it is so easy to focus on the negative-just ask columnist Erik Goldman, who discussed the most recent vitamin studies with various industry experts for his latest installment of “Healthcare Practitioner Corner.” As expected, many believe these negative results don’t tell the whole story about the true benefits of vitamins and minerals.

Others, such as Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times writer (former Wall Street Journal writer), frequent “Today Show” guest, and outspoken critic of dietary supplements, wonder aloud whether vitamins are “worth it.”

In Mr. Goldman’s view, negative studies are part of the nature of the scientific process. And though they may not be helpful in selling products, he says they “can be just as important as positive ones in the evolution of our knowledge.”

Clearly this debate is far from over. In the meantime, the impact of the current recession can be felt in every corner of the U.S., and even the world. Companies and consumers are struggling in every facet of their life and their problems only seem to get worse by the day. The good news is, according to “Word from Wall Street” columnist Adam Ismail, the nutraceuticals industry seems to be holding its own, at least from a financial point of view. However, he said it “behooves everyone to carefully watch the U.S. dollar and cost of credit.”

Then there is the issue of healthcare, or should I say, “disease-care” in this country. On January 9th, the Wall Street Journal ran an article titled “‘Alternative’ Medicine is Mainstream,” by Deepak Chopra, Dean Ornish, Rustum Roy and Andrew Weil. In it, the authors stated, “[President] Obama understand[s] that if we want to make affordable healthcare available to the 45 million Americans who do not have health insurance, then we need to address the fundamental causes of health and illness, and provide incentives for healthy ways of living rather than reimbursing only drugs and surgery.”

They went on to highlight the more than $2 trillion spent in the U.S. on medical care last year. Of these trillions, they said, $.95 of every dollar was spent to treat disease AFTER it had already occurred. They concluded, “It’s time to move past the debate of alternative medicine and traditional medicine, and to focus on what works, what doesn’t, for whom, and under which circumstances. It will take serious government funding to find out, but these findings may help reduce costs and increase health.

“Integrative medicine approaches bring together those in red states and blue states, liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, because these are human issues,” the authors continued. “They are both medically effective and, important in our current economic climate, cost effective. These approaches emphasize both personal responsibility and the opportunity to make affordable, quality healthcare available to those who most need it. Mr. Obama should make them an integral part of his health plan as soon as possible.”

Rebecca Wright
Editor
[email protected]