Bioactive compound explained

A bioactive compound is a compound that has an effect on a living organism, tissue or cell, usually demonstrated by basic research in vitro or in vivo in the laboratory. While dietary nutrients are essential to life, bioactive compounds have not been proved to be essential as the body can function without them or because their actions are obscured by nutrients fulfilling the function.[1]

Bioactive compounds lack sufficient evidence of effect or safety, and consequently they are usually unregulated and may be sold as dietary supplements.[2]

Origin and examples

Bioactive compounds are commonly derived from plants,[3] [4] animal products, or can be synthetically produced. Examples of plant bioactive compounds are carotenoids, polyphenols, or phytosterols.[5] Examples in animal products are fatty acids found in milk and fish. Other examples are flavonoids, caffeine, choline, coenzyme Q, creatine, dithiolthiones, polysaccharides,[6] phytoestrogens, glucosinolates, and prebiotics.[5] Bioactive compounds derived from medicinal plants/herbs has several Phytotherapeutic Applications.

In the diet

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements proposed a definition of bioactives in the context of human nutrition as "compounds that are constituents in foods and dietary supplements, other than those needed to meet basic human nutritional needs, which are responsible for changes in health status", although a range of other definitions are used.[7] [8] Traditionally, dietary recommendations, such as DRIs used in Canada and the United States, focused on deficiencies causing diseases, and therefore emphasized defined essential nutrients.[9]

Bioactive compounds have not been adequately defined for the extent of their bioactivity in humans, indicating that their role in disease prevention and maintenance remains unknown.[9] Dietary fiber, for example, is a non-essential dietary component without a DRI, yet is commonly recommended for the diet to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.[10] [11] Frameworks for developing DRIs for bioactive compounds have to establish an association with health, safety and non-toxicity.[9] [12] [13] [14]

As of 2021, there are no dietary recommendations in North America or Europe for bioactives, except for fiber. However, there are ongoing discussions whether further bioactives should be included in future dietary guidelines.[15]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Bioactive Compounds of Food: Their Role in the Prevention and Treatment of Diseases . 2019 . 6432691 . Teodoro . A. J. . Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity . 2019 . 1–4 . 10.1155/2019/3765986 . free . 30984334 .
  2. Lupton JR, Atkinson SA, Chang N, Fraga CG, Levy J, Messina M, Richardson DP, van Ommen B, Yang Y, Griffiths JC, Hathcock J . 3 . Exploring the benefits and challenges of establishing a DRI-like process for bioactives . European Journal of Nutrition . 53 . Suppl 1 . 1–9 . April 2014 . 24566766 . 3991826 . 10.1007/s00394-014-0666-3 .
  3. Web site: Phytochemicals . Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University . 15 May 2022 . 2022.
  4. Web site: Bioactive Compound - an overview ScienceDirect Topics . 2024-02-16 . www.sciencedirect.com.
  5. Web site: Dietary factors . Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University . 15 May 2022 . 2022.
  6. Srivastava R, Kulshreshtha D . Bioactive polysaccharides from plants.. Phytochemistry. 1989. 28. 11. 2877–2883. 10.1016/0031-9422(89)80245-6. 1989PChem..28.2877S .
  7. Frank J, Fukagawa NK, Bilia AR, Johnson EJ, Kwon O, Prakash V, Miyazawa T, Clifford MN, Kay CD, Crozier A, Erdman JW, Shao A, Williamson G . 3 . Terms and nomenclature used for plant-derived components in nutrition and related research: efforts toward harmonization . Nutrition Reviews . 78 . 6 . 451–458 . June 2020 . 31769838 . 7212822 . 10.1093/nutrit/nuz081 .
  8. Web site: Plants . 2024-02-16 . www.mdpi.com . en.
  9. Yetley EA, MacFarlane AJ, Greene-Finestone LS, Garza C, Ard JD, Atkinson SA, Bier DM, Carriquiry AL, Harlan WR, Hattis D, King JC, Krewski D, O'Connor DL, Prentice RL, Rodricks JV, Wells GA . 6 . Options for basing Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) on chronic disease endpoints: report from a joint US-/Canadian-sponsored working group . The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . 105 . 1 . 249S–285S . January 2017 . 27927637 . 5183726 . 10.3945/ajcn.116.139097 .
  10. Trumbo P, Schlicker S, Yates AA, Poos M . Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, The National Academies . Dietary reference intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein and amino acids . Journal of the American Dietetic Association . 102 . 11 . 1621–1630 . November 2002 . 12449285 . 10.1016/S0002-8223(02)90346-9 .
  11. Book: Great Britain. Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition . Carbohydrates and health . 2015 . Stationery Office . 978-0-11-708284-7 . London . 936630565.
  12. Ellwood K, Balentine DA, Dwyer JT, Erdman JW, Gaine PC, Kwik-Uribe CL . Considerations on an approach for establishing a framework for bioactive food components . Advances in Nutrition . 5 . 6 . 693–701 . November 2014 . 25398732 . 4224206 . 10.3945/an.114.006312 .
  13. Yates AA, Dwyer JT, Erdman JW, King JC, Lyle BJ, Schneeman BO, Weaver CM . Perspective: Framework for Developing Recommended Intakes of Bioactive Dietary Substances . Advances in Nutrition . 12 . 4 . 1087–1099 . July 2021 . 33962461 . 8321833 . 10.1093/advances/nmab044 .
  14. Yates AA, Erdman JW, Shao A, Dolan LC, Griffiths JC . Bioactive nutrients - Time for tolerable upper intake levels to address safety . Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology . 84 . 94–101 . March 2017 . 28110066 . 10.1016/j.yrtph.2017.01.002 . 12640189 . free .
  15. Erdman . John W. . 2022 . Health and nutrition beyond essential nutrients: The evolution of the bioactives concept for human health . Molecular Aspects of Medicine . 89 . en . 101116 . 10.1016/j.mam.2022.101116. 35965134 . 251524113 .

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