The clean label concept is entirely driven by consumers who demand transparency in the products they consume. This demand for transparency results in a significant rise in the production of clean-label supplements by the nutraceutical industries.
What are clean-label supplements?
The clean-label supplements are well-labelled to mention what they contain. They are free from artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, additives, and unnecessary ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners.
Do all supplements follow the clean-label concept?
Not all the supplements available in the market adhere to the clean-label concept and may contain emulsifiers (Sodium lauryl sulphate, Tween, Span, etc.), coating agents (cellulose acetate phthalate, etc.), preservatives (methylparaben) and refined sugars (maltodextrin, etc.) (Shilpi, 2022). These additives may raise significant health concerns among consumers. Various studies exist on the health-deteriorating effects of excipients used in nutraceutical products.
A study reported that prolonged consumption of Tween 80 (commonly used as an emulsifier) caused lipid accumulation, insulin resistance and inflammation in mice (Xie et al., 2024).
Maltodextrin is the most frequently used flavoring agent in food and nutraceutical products. However, its safety is questionable, as several reports observed that consuming maltodextrin causes intestinal inflammation and increases colitis susceptibility (Laudisi et al., 2019; Zangara et al., 2022).
Methylparaben is a commonly used preservative in the food and nutraceutical industry. A study reported that chronic exposure to methylparaben, even at an acceptable daily intake limit, promotes the proliferation of mammary tumor cells in mice (Tong et al., 2023).
Therefore, consumers need to take an active role in their health by checking the labels of their supplements. This will help you stay vigilant about your supplements and make healthier choices.
References
Laudisi, F., Di Fusco, D., Dinallo, V., Stolfi, C., Di Grazia, A., Marafini, I., Colantoni, A., Ortenzi, A., Alteri, C., Guerrieri, F., Mavilio, M., Ceccherini-Silberstein, F., Federici, M., MacDonald, T. T., Monteleone, I., & Monteleone, G. (2019). The Food Additive Maltodextrin Promotes Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress–Driven Mucus Depletion and Exacerbates Intestinal Inflammation. CMGH, 7(2), 457–473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2018.09.002
Shilpi, S. (2022). Nutraceuticals: Use of additives, applications and regulatory aspects. Advance Pharmaceutical Journal, 7(2), 32–37. https://doi.org/10.31024/apj.2022.7.2.1
Tong, J. H., Elmore, S., Huang, S. S., Tachachartvanich, P., Manz, K., Pennell, K., Wilson, M. D., Borowsky, A., & La Merrill, M. A. (2023). Chronic Exposure to Low Levels of Parabens Increases Mammary Cancer Growth and Metastasis in Mice. Endocrinology (United States), 164(3). https://doi.org/10.1210/endocr/bqad007
Xie, E., Chen, Y., Yang, W., Pan, Q., Zheng Shen, J., Zhou, F., Shen, J., Li, T., Li, Q., & Li, X. (2024). Long-term exposure to dietary emulsifier Tween 80 promotes liver lipid accumulation and induces different-grade inflammation in young and aged mice. Food Research International, 184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114205
Zangara, M. T., Ponti, A. K., Miller, N. D., Engelhart, M. J., Ahern, P. P., Sangwan, N., & McDonald, C. (2022). Maltodextrin Consumption Impairs the Intestinal Mucus Barrier and Accelerates Colitis Through Direct Actions on the Epithelium. Frontiers in Immunology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.841188
