Glyconutrients: Health Supplements or Useless Sugar Pills?

The new term, "nutraceutical" refers to a new concept of combining nutrition with pharmaceuticals. Nutrition is the act or process of nourishing, and pharmaceuticals are defined as substances that have a healing or medicinal effect on the body for the treatment of disease. Glyconutrients are said to be a new and specialized type of nutraceutical." The prefix "glyco" refers to sugar or sugars and "nutrient" refers to a substance that is nourishing to the body, enabling it to heal itself, ward off disease, and remain healthy. A glyconutrient, therefore, would be a nutritious or nourishing sugar. According to the website of Glycoinformation.com, glyconutrients are "dietary sugars" and "provide the monosaccharides recently identified as essential."

Companies and individuals who sell glyconutrients claim that there are eight essential sugars that must be consumed in sufficient quantities for the body to be able to heal itself and remain healthy. Glyconutrients are said to be nutritional supplements that promote cell-to-cell communication, a necessary function in the body's fight against disease and sickness. Claims of the efficacy of these health supplements are supported by testimonials of people who say that they've experienced improvement and healing after taking glyconutrients.

The Truth About These "Nutritional" Supplements

"Glyconutrients, An Honest Review," by Ray Sahelian, M.D., raises many valid questions about the miraculous claims of these health supplements. There are three questions in particular that should raise suspicion in even the most committed advocate of alternative medicine and natural healing. First, the study by Dr. Sahelian points out that there are no studies, at least not any that have been conducted in people, confirming that glyconutrients are truly nutritional supplements that stimulate or equip the body to be able to heal itself or even maintain health. Second, studies confirming that glyconutrients increase cell-to-cell communication are also lacking. Rebuttals to this point claim otherwise; however, closer examination revealed that these rebuttals were made by people who found studies on glycomics, sugars in general, glycoproteins or glycolipids, but not specifically on glyconutrients. Confusing and interchanging terms in the fields of medicine and nutrition is common among laypeople. Finally, one medical doctor who responded to the study pointed out that glyconutrient products are composed of ingredients such as aloe vera gel polysaccharides, gum ghatti, and gum tragacanth--gums and fibers from which sugars can't be released and absorbed by the body.

Some fantastic claims state that glyconutrients are nutritional supplements that can nourish the body in such a powerful way that it can heal itself from any number of serious diseases including, but not limited to, AIDS and other disorders of the immune system, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. What about the testimonials? It's long overdue for the public to realize and remember that testimonials of products and services cannot only be bought, they can also be published by the people behind the product or service, people who pose as customers despite their vehement denial of such deception.

A Simplified Review of These Health Supplements

Again, "glyco" refers to sugar and "nutrient" refers to a substance that nourishes the body. The word "glyconutrient" really ends up being defined as a "nutritious" or "nourishing sugar." Has not God already provided "nourishing sugars" in abundance in the food supply that he gave to people whose bodies he created? Natural sugars are readily available in many different fruits and vegetables, in sugar cane juice, honey, pure maple syrup, and many other foods. Why does man insist on modifying, separating, extracting, and concocting his own "nutrition" for good health when all he has to do is eat the wholesome foods, in their natural state, generously provided by his creator? Good health lies in simplicity, not in science. So then, are the natural sugars glucose, fructose, and lactose glyconutrients? Promoters of these nutritional supplements claim that there are eight essential sugars. Which sugars are essential? Is not glucose essential? Why isn't it called a glyconutrient and why can't these glyconutrients or eight "essential" sugars cure a disease like diabetes? Diabetics should simply be able to take a glyconutrient product and rest assured that they'll have all of the essential sugars their body needs. These extremely expensive "nutritional" supplements appear to be no more than useless sugar pills or powder or whatever the form may be in which they might be sold.

Sources:

Ray Sahelian, M.D.
Glyconutrients, An Honest Review
Glyconutrients: An Honest Review

Glycoinformation.com
Vital Information About Dietary Sugars
Glycoinformation.com