Degradation Of Active Ingredients In Vitamins And Probiotics Caused By Exposure
Vitamins, probiotics, and other similar actives are essential components that help improve our overall health. You can easily find supplements for all such ingredients on the market; however, they can degrade their nutritional value when exposed to different elements.
In some cases, constant interaction with heat, sunlight, and water can sometimes increase or decrease the products’ nutrients. When excessive quantity is consumed, it becomes a health hazard.
It is essential to understand the effect of each element on the degradation of ingredients to prevent any unforeseen circumstances. We review the effects of natural elements on vitamins, supplements, and probiotics that can impact the efficacy of the health benefits.
Effect Of Heat
The trend of using only natural ingredients in products is on the rise. Most manufacturers today have eliminated chemicals from their products, but some chemicals were used to kill off bacteria. As an alternative, heat application to food and beverage products has become common.
But when the heat exceeds 120 °F, it starts to alter the nutritional value of the products. Generally, the temperature used in food products ranges from 160 °F to 240 °F.
Vitamin C is even more sensitive to temperature changes and degrades even at 86 F. Similarly, vitamin-enriched drinks are generally heated up to 203 °F, which dramatically damages the vitamins present in the beverage. In the case of probiotic cultures, they cannot survive over 120 °F.
Effect Of Water
Water contains oxygen in an abundant quantity which promotes oxidation. As a result, water-soluble vitamins and probiotics disintegrate. If these ingredients are exposed to air, the effect will remain the same, but placing them in a water medium accelerates the degradation of ingredients.
Vitamin C, which is water-soluble, was degraded within four weeks in one study. The study was conducted on fruit juices. The same effect occurs in different vitamins, including B1, B2, B3, B6, and B12.
Effect Of Sunlight
UV light can disintegrate vitamins quickly. The most commonly affected vitamins include folic acid, vitamin A, B12, B2, and B6. Moreover, sports and energy drinks that come in clear PET bottles are also affected by sunlight.
Manufacturers use these bottles because they are cheap and effective at cutting costs. However, they disintegrate the drink’s nutritional value, thus reducing the product’s effectiveness.
Wrap Up
Most people are unaware of the harmful effects of different elements on active ingredients in foods and beverages. Moreover, some people believe that even if the quantities of the actives increase a little, it won’t affect their health. But it can often lead to severe side effects.
For instance, if folic acid is consumed excessively, it can cause nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, and abdominal cramps. On the other hand, if the nutritional value is lowered, it won’t provide you with the benefits you’re looking for from the product.
