Beneficial Effects of Supplementation on Endothelial Function: What Mechanisms?

Recently, much attention has been given to supplementation, and supplements are now used worldwide. In western countries, focusing on auxiliary effects on nutritional and physiological functions, vitamins, minerals, and herbs are treated as "dietary supplements" and "food supplements." Some supplements were authorized as health function foods by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan before their authorization in other countries. However, due to the wide distribution of foods, including supplementation, standardization of supplementation and international unification of display are required. The function of supplementation should be scientifically revealed at the molecular level. In addition, it is clinically important to determine whether supplementation prevents the onset of diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, and whether it has anti-aging effects for the establishment of evidence-based supplementation.