What is an Anti-Nutrient ?

The terms anti-nutrient, antinutrient and anti nutrient tend to be used inter-changeably in books and articles about substances that adversely affect the uptake and use of nutrients by the human body.

Definition of the term Anti-Nutrient:
Anti-nutrients are substances that adversely affect the overall nutritional value of all foodstuffs consumed (including both food and drinks) by interfering with body processes such as*:
absorption of nutrients such as vitamin and minerals the body's metabolic rate toxic effects.
* Not all antinutrients affect the body in all of these ways. * For example, a single antinutrient might only adversely affect the absorption of one specific vitamin or mineral.

There are many anti-nutrients. Their individual effects on the body vary because different antinutrients affect the absorption, metabolism, utilization and/or excretion of different nutrients (including micro-nutrients). Depending on which nutrients are affected, the severity of the effect, and intake of the nutrient(s) involved, various nutritional deficiencies and their effects may result.

Examples of sources of anti-nutrients : Coffee - contains caffeine Tea (but not all fruit/herbal teas) - contains caffeine and tannin Carbonated Soft Drinks - often contain acids and caffeine Alcoholic Drinks - contain alcohols Antibiotics - some kill even "friendly bacteria" in the gut Tranquilizers - reduce metabolic rate and depress appetite Contraceptive Pills - affect uptake and activity of some nutrients Cigarettes - see chemicals in cigarettes Medication - a huge category that includes many different types of drug. See ref. below for more about drugs as antinutrients. See also common anti-nutrients and their effects		Examples of effects of anti-nutrients (in general) : Nutrients, especially vitamins and minerals, that can be affected by anti-nutrients in general include: Vitamins, including: vitamin A vitamin B1 vitamin B2 vitamin B3 vitamin B5 vitamin B6 vitamin B7 vitamin B8 vitamin B9 vitamin B12 vitamin C vitamin D vitamin E vitamin H (B7) vitamin K Minerals, including: calcium (Ca) chlorine (Cl) copper (Cu) iron (Fe) magnesium (Mg) manganese (Mn) nitrogen (N) phosphorus (P) potassium (K) selenium (Se) sodium (Na) zinc (Zn) Notes: vitamin B7 is also known as biotin, coenzyme R and vitamin H vitamin B9 is also known as folic acid and folate Amino Acids: leucine (essential amino acid), carnitine (biosynthesized from lysine and methionine), the sulphur amino acids cysteine and methionine Other: beneficial gut bacteria (that contribute to the digestive processes ) carotene coenzyme Q10

 

Which systems of the body are affected by anti-nutrient intake ?

All of the systems of the body are inter-related. It is helpful not only to identify which systems of the body can be affected by antinutrient intake, but also to be able to state how and why (in each case).

In general, the systems of the body affected by anti-nutrients are:

For example, significant consumption of alcohol increases the body's requirement for vitamin A and consumption of large amounts of alcohol can also reduce the amount of vitamin A that the body is able to store - among other antinutrient effects. Therefore unless people who consume at least significant amounts of alcohol also sufficiently increase their intake of vitamin A (among other considerations), the antinutrient effects of their intake of alcohol will not only affect their digestive system but will also affect all the systems of the body that rely on adequate supply of vitamin A, such as the visual system (re. eyesight), integumentary system (skin), immune system and reproductive system (re. fertility).

The question "which systems of the body are affected by intake of anti-nutrients?" can be applied, not just to individual antinutrients, but also to each of the nutrients that each antinutrient is known to affect.

A process for answering such questions is as follows:

Example Question: Which systems of the body are affected by the antinutrient effects of cigarette smoking ?     There are many chemicals in cigarettes but this question conveniently groups them all together. The antinutrient effects of cigarettes are included in some first-level courses e.g. diet and nutrition. Briefly, cigarette smoking increases the body's requirement for the following, whose main functions are: Vitamin C - healthy skin, fights infections, eyesight/vision, antioxidant, fertility (re. sperm health) Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - healthy skin, vision, antioxidant. helps immune system, antioxidant, helps convert vitamin B6 into usable form Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) - energy levels (via its role helping to convert food into energy),immune system / fighting infections, helps balance female hormones, helps balance emotions via production of chemicals that affect sleep cycle, used to help re. long-term tiredness and depression Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) - cell division and production of red blood cells, healthy skin and hair, healthy nervous system, emotional wellbeing e.g. to alleviate anxiety and depression. The antinutrient effects of cigarette smoking affect the digestive system (via which these among other nutrients would normally be efficiently released from food and absorbed into the body). Also, if the person's diet isn't adjusted to allow for the antinutrient effects of cigarette smoking i.e. by extra intake of the above mentioned nutrients either in food or via supplements, the following body systems could be adversely affected by deficiency of these vitamins: integumentary system (skin) visual system (re. eyesight) immune system reproductive system (re. fertility) vascular system (e.g. re. production of red blood cells that requires vitamin B12) nervous system digestive system (can be mentioned again re. some of the actions of the above nutrients). Actually ... the above list includes most of the systems of the body ! Given that vitamin B12 is needed for cell division (which occurs in all the body systems), one could even justify an answer stating that the antinutrient effects of cigarette smoking affect all of the systems of the body - for that reason. The above makes clear how and why the body systems mentioned could be affected.

If the question had concerned a specific drug it might be possible to look it up in a table such as the table in the paper cited below. "Drugs as antinutrients" by M.Moss lists many drugs, some of which are associated with "possible deficiency or interference" of only one nutrient, in most cases a vitamin or mineral.

See also vitamins, minerals, amino acids, common anti-nutrients and dietary needs for different life stages.