Nutraceuticals in animal health and diseases

Abstract Currently, the use of nutraceuticals in the prevention and treatment of animal diseases is as common as it is in humans. The main reasons for this shift to a greater use of nutraceuticals from synthetic modern medicines are: (1) cost-effectiveness, (2) safety, and (3) ease of access. However, due to a lack of quality control and strict regulatory guidelines, the nutraceutical industry currently faces many challenges. Among those, variations in efficacy among batches and adulteration of nutraceuticals with metals, mycotoxins, toxic plant alkaloids, and drugs of abuse, are noteworthy. This chapter describes some common nutraceuticals used for improvement of animal health and for the prevention and treatment of diseases.