Soffermandoci sui criteri d’uso dei nutraceutici, possiamo notare come il concetto di add-on treatment o trattamento di supporto al farmaco stesso ne esca notevolmente rafforzato.

Research supporting the beneficial properties of functional foods to combat cancers, coronary heart disease (CHD), diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation, microbial, viral and parasitic infections, psychotic diseases, spasmodic disorders, ulcers, etc. is based on chemical mechanisms using in vitro and cell-culture systems, various disease states in animals, and epidemiology of humans.