The global market for nutraceuticals is developing rapidly and is expected to reach over 500 billion USD by 2025.

The increasing demand for nutraceuticals and upcoming new trends in their use has influenced the nutraceutical industry to develop many new products.

Therefore, knowing the needs and preferences of the end-user will help the manufacturers in gauging the market requirements and developing new products accordingly.

Objective: Understanding patient’s perceptions of the use of nutraceuticals

A total of 109 doctors participated in the survey – General Practitioners (55%), Dentists (7%), Diabetologist (6%) and Others (32%)

• Most of the doctors (60%) stated that their patients prefer diet adjustments to correct nutritional deficiencies, followed by nutraceuticals (40%)
• Around 49% of doctors state that their patients are moderately aware while 40% of them stated that their patients are not aware of the benefits of nutraceuticals
• According to 41% of doctors, patients prefer to use nutraceuticals in the form of pills, followed by powders (33%), liquids (21%) and injectables (5%)
• The majority of doctors (66%) rarely encountered patients complaining of side effects due to nutraceuticals
• When asked which is the most common barrier preventing their patients from using nutraceuticals, 48% of doctors stated that it is the high cost of nutraceuticals, followed by a lack of awareness (40%) and fear of side-effects (7%)

Our study reveals that the majority of patients prefer diet adjustments over nutraceuticals to correct a nutritional deficiency as many of them are not much aware of the benefits of nutraceuticals. The majority of doctors rarely encounter patients with side effects of nutraceuticals and feel it is the high cost of the products that prevent patients from using nutraceuticals.

With the ever-evolving market of nutraceuticals, it is necessary to choose the right kind of nutraceuticals. Physicians should help their patients in choosing the nutraceutical best suited for them. Creating awareness among patients will not only help them in availing the benefits of nutraceuticals but also avoid its untoward effects. The government in association with healthcare agencies can take steps to provide appropriate information regarding cost-effective nutraceutical alternatives encouraging many to use them.

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