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| '''Glyconutrients''' are described as a set of individual ] nutrients by the multi-level marketing company, ]. The company markets glyconutrients, under the name ], for the treatment of multiple diseases as a nutritional supplement. The company uses the term to refer to mixtures of ]s, such as exudate tree gums and high molecular weight ] extracts containing fermentable ] and plant extracts, as well as sugars or starch. These ] are large sugar polymers made up of saccharide monomers such as glucose, galactose, fucose, fructose, mannose, xylose and arabinose. These have been found to be important to ] and the ]. But there is no reliable evidence that people are generally deficient in glyconutrients, except for certain rare genetic diseases. In fact, quite the opposite is true. There are ] systems in place to convert nearly any sugar into any other sugar because they are fundamentally needed by the body. Furthermore, there are no reliable, controlled studies to show that glyconutrients provide any improvement against cancer or any other medical disorder.<ref name="cancersociety"> for glyconutrients</ref><ref name="wellnessletter"> by the ] School of Public Health, January 2006. Retrieved ], ].</ref> | |||
| Polysaccharides are not digested and absorbed by the human digestive tract but rather are utilized by intestinal bacteria to create several kinds of short chain ], important nutrients, bacterial biomass, and other gastrointestinal benefits. Some very long chain polysaccharides may have gut immunity stimulation properties (Lentinan, KS2, AC2P, etc). | |||
| The use and marketing of '''glyconutrients''' has been popularized worldwide by the ] corporation. | |||
| ==Characteristics== | |||
| The polysaccharide components have a significant ], often over 100, with the highest ] polymers well over 1,000,000 ]. Some glyconutrient formulas may contain an individual sugar (e.g. ]) or starch either as a ] or filler. Other minor content such as minerals, protein and peptides may be present from the natural sources. The polysaccharides in glyconutrient formulas typically have higher molecular weight components, monosaccharide structural units less common in prebiotics, and, possibly, additional mechanisms of action over typical ] containing ]s and shorter polysaccharides. | |||
| ==Use as alternative therapy== | ==Use as alternative therapy== | ||
| A number of companies sell formulas labeled as glyconutrients, but Mannatech is the primary distributor of the supplement and uses ] to promote sales by word-of-mouth. Websites promoting the use of glyconutrient supplements claim the supplement can provide beneficial health effects for a wide-range of diseases and conditions ranging from cancer to ] and ]. The sites claim that current diets do not include sufficient levels of 8 polysaccharides that they label as glyconutrients or that stress destabilizes the balance of these polysaccharides in the body. Many of these claims are unsubstantiated and a lawsuit was filed against Mannatech in September 2005 for violations of the ] related to material misrepresentations made by the company concerning its products' efficacy and uses.<ref name="lawsuit">. Business Wire. ], ]. Retrieved ], ].</ref> | |||
| A number of companies sell formulas labeled as glyconutrients. Also individuals attempt to empirically optimize formulas for perceived individual performance and to reduce costs. Components of various mixtures have included high molecular weight extracts from ], of , (), ], , oat ], ] seed, ], ], , ] mushroom, ], ] husk, bovine cartilage powder, ], Red Roselle as glucosamine precursors and ]. Many of these components have long been used in food processing and health remedies. | |||
| ==Lack of scientific validity== | |||
| Nutritional and medical sciences have long noted soluble fiber, including polysaccharides, as largely undigested in the small intestine. The soluble fibers are then fermented in the colon into highly beneficial short chain fatty acids, ] being especially beneficial. Anti-inflammatory benefits are associated with various polysaccharides, including ],Red Roselle Polysaccharides and glucosamine. | |||
| For some sources of these formulas, sensationalism, misattributed scientific references and controversial marketing methods abound. No scientific organization recognizes glyconutrients as a valuable nutritional supplement. The body can generate all of the polysaccharides contained within the supplements being sold.<ref name="cancersociety" /> | |||
| There are claims that current research supports benefits and mechanisms such as increased beneficial bacteria (e.g. bifidus, lactobacillus) - a ] effect, a decrease in opportunistic pathogens, immune activation and stimulation, increased efficiency of digestion and absorption of nutrients, decreased circulating free fatty acids that cause cellular insulin resistance, decreased luminal ammonia concentration. For example, various clinical studies with (AG) extracted from Larch examine prebiotic effects, immune stimulation and immune-enhancing effects, increases in total gut anaerobes, including beneficial gastrointestinal bacteria and reduced ammonia levels. | |||
| Amounts advertised as minimum vendor recommendations, apparently for healthy customers, are sometimes substantially lower than actual daily usage amounts reported by other customers as necessary to achieve satisfaction, often by a factor of 8 to 25. Amounts consumed typically depend upon individual perception of requirements for improvement, product cost, financial constraints, formulation and physiological limitations on fiber load. Self mixers report 70%-85% savings for high cost commercial formulations. In the US, during 2005, retail costs of typical "glyconutrient" formulations ranged from about $14, self mixed, to over $500 per pound ($30 - $1200+/kg) depending on source(s), quantity, and components. | |||
| ], with a lower degree of polymerization, available under $8/lb for some mail order inulin sources, are used both as complementary and as alternative materials to glyconutrient formulas. | |||
| ==Relation to the science of glycobiology== | |||
| For some sources of these formulas, sensationalism, misattributed scientific references and controversial marketing methods abound. Substantial supplementation with any dietary formula is generally recommended as a part of a comprehensive nutritional, medical or health plan, not a replacement for one. The Society for Glycobiology, "a nonprofit scholarly society devoted to the pursuit of knowledge of glycan structures and functions" has published a on their website addressing "glyconutrients". | |||
| Some promoters of glyconutritional formulas espouse a popularized view that some of the polysaccharide components are being materially hydrolyzed and absorbed as monosaccharides for beneficial use in human cells. Based on this long unsubstantiated claim of significant digestion as monosaccharides and the popularized notion of "8 essential sugars (monosaccharides)", these promoters further claim physiological connections, broadly not accepted, to the established science of ] as well as cellular phenomena such as ] and formation of ]s. These popularized notions of digesting "8 essential sugars" from highly polymerized, complex carbohydrates have no support in science and medicine and have no significantly documented basis. | Some promoters of glyconutritional formulas espouse a popularized view that some of the polysaccharide components are being materially hydrolyzed and absorbed as monosaccharides for beneficial use in human cells. Based on this long unsubstantiated claim of significant digestion as monosaccharides and the popularized notion of "8 essential sugars (monosaccharides)", these promoters further claim physiological connections, broadly not accepted, to the established science of ] as well as cellular phenomena such as ] and formation of ]s. These popularized notions of digesting "8 essential sugars" from highly polymerized, complex carbohydrates have no support in science and medicine and have no significantly documented basis. | ||
| ==References== | |||
| Nevertheless some "glyconutrients" extracted from vegetal or mushrooms fibers have been associated with health remedies, various forms of medicine, special foodstuffs, and food additives for centuries and even millennia, across cultures, up to the present day. | |||
| <references /> | |||
| == |
==Further reading== | ||
| * Martin Peterson, Arnold Johnson (1978) Encyclopedia of Food Science, Avi Publishing Co., Westport CT ISBN 0-87055-227-9 | * Martin Peterson, Arnold Johnson (1978) Encyclopedia of Food Science, Avi Publishing Co., Westport CT ISBN 0-87055-227-9 | ||
| * Martin A. Rambal C. Berger V. Parlor S. Louisot P Availability of specific sugars for glycoconjugate biosynthesis. A need for further investigation in man. Biochemia 1988 pg.75-86 | * Martin A. Rambal C. Berger V. Parlor S. Louisot P Availability of specific sugars for glycoconjugate biosynthesis. A need for further investigation in man. Biochemia 1988 pg.75-86 | ||
| * Whelan W.J. Website Horrors - Essential What? IUBMB Life, 57, (10): 709, October 2005. | * Whelan W.J. Website Horrors - Essential What? IUBMB Life, 57, (10): 709, October 2005. | ||
| ==See also== | |||
| * ] | |||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | * | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 19:13, 18 March 2007
Glyconutrients are described as a set of individual carbohydrate nutrients by the multi-level marketing company, Mannatech. The company markets glyconutrients, under the name Ambrotose, for the treatment of multiple diseases as a nutritional supplement. The company uses the term to refer to mixtures of polysaccharides, such as exudate tree gums and high molecular weight aloe vera extracts containing fermentable dietary fiber and plant extracts, as well as sugars or starch. These polysaccharides are large sugar polymers made up of saccharide monomers such as glucose, galactose, fucose, fructose, mannose, xylose and arabinose. These have been found to be important to cellular communication and the immune system. But there is no reliable evidence that people are generally deficient in glyconutrients, except for certain rare genetic diseases. In fact, quite the opposite is true. There are enzymatic systems in place to convert nearly any sugar into any other sugar because they are fundamentally needed by the body. Furthermore, there are no reliable, controlled studies to show that glyconutrients provide any improvement against cancer or any other medical disorder.
Use as alternative therapy
A number of companies sell formulas labeled as glyconutrients, but Mannatech is the primary distributor of the supplement and uses multilevel marketing to promote sales by word-of-mouth. Websites promoting the use of glyconutrient supplements claim the supplement can provide beneficial health effects for a wide-range of diseases and conditions ranging from cancer to multiple sclerosis and diabetes. The sites claim that current diets do not include sufficient levels of 8 polysaccharides that they label as glyconutrients or that stress destabilizes the balance of these polysaccharides in the body. Many of these claims are unsubstantiated and a lawsuit was filed against Mannatech in September 2005 for violations of the Exchange Act related to material misrepresentations made by the company concerning its products' efficacy and uses.
Lack of scientific validity
For some sources of these formulas, sensationalism, misattributed scientific references and controversial marketing methods abound. No scientific organization recognizes glyconutrients as a valuable nutritional supplement. The body can generate all of the polysaccharides contained within the supplements being sold.
Some promoters of glyconutritional formulas espouse a popularized view that some of the polysaccharide components are being materially hydrolyzed and absorbed as monosaccharides for beneficial use in human cells. Based on this long unsubstantiated claim of significant digestion as monosaccharides and the popularized notion of "8 essential sugars (monosaccharides)", these promoters further claim physiological connections, broadly not accepted, to the established science of glycobiology as well as cellular phenomena such as glycosylation and formation of glycoproteins. These popularized notions of digesting "8 essential sugars" from highly polymerized, complex carbohydrates have no support in science and medicine and have no significantly documented basis.
References
- ^ American Cancer Society question page for glyconutrients
- Wellness Guide to Dietary Supplements by the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, January 2006. Retrieved March 12, 2007.
- Milberg Weiss Announces the Filing of a Class Action Lawsuit Against Mannatech, Inc. and Certain Individual Defendants on Behalf Of Investors. Business Wire. September 12, 2005. Retrieved March 12, 2007.
Further reading
- Martin Peterson, Arnold Johnson (1978) Encyclopedia of Food Science, Avi Publishing Co., Westport CT ISBN 0-87055-227-9
- Martin A. Rambal C. Berger V. Parlor S. Louisot P Availability of specific sugars for glycoconjugate biosynthesis. A need for further investigation in man. Biochemia 1988 pg.75-86
- Whelan W.J. Website Horrors - Essential What? IUBMB Life, 57, (10): 709, October 2005.