I’ve been talking about the DMT1 transporters importing iron & other divalent metals – including their presence in our nose <GASP> – since the turn of the century <GASP GASP>. This helps to explain, of course, the profound neurotoxicity, for example, of inhaled Manganese and Mercury – via the potent pathway called: ‘nose to brain delivery’. But that’s just the tip of the nose…’s capacity for picking up nutrients, as it turns out.
Every epithelial border has a different set of rules for which substances are ‘permitted passage’
Our skin, no surprises, is the most selective of all, allowing very little in
And the hostile environment of our mouth, anatomically more akin to skin than the GIT, runs a close second in shutting the door
But the nose is always open for business, baby! (just ask any addict)
And this, of course, is attracting much attention in delivery design innovation in both pharmaceutical & complementary medicines. So while nasal sprays, containing some herbs maybe some nutrients, for the treatment of hayfever or the common cold, have been around a long time, the next gen of intranasal applications are not tying themselves to topical effects alone – in fact they can boost blood levels of any nutrient you choose, faster than other preparations, outside of injections. And then the next gen – next gen (!!) are not even content with getting actives into our capillaries, to reach their targets, but bypass the whole shebang including the BBB to deposit them directly into our brain.
Sound too sci-fi?
It’s not
The potential here, for putting complementary medicines up our nose, is equal parts thrilling and terrifying. And it’s imminent. And while we await more of these to evolve into commercially available products in the real world, you might want to rethink absolutely anything you put up your nose (yes including CM nasal sprays). Just sayin. So why not take my hand and together we’ll go into the furthermost depths of the nasal cavity for a comprehensive update on everything you need to know.
Intranasal Delivery – Nutrition’s New Pathway?
Nutritional medicine is taking an unexpected turn—up the nose. In this episode, we unpack the rising interest in nutrient-based nasal sprays promising local, systemic and even central effects. But bypassing the gut is never straightforward. After a quick nasal A&P refresher, we cut to the evidence on what intranasal delivery can genuinely offer … and what might just be a whiff of wishful thinking.
You can purchase Intranasal Delivery – Nutrition’s New Pathway? here. If you are an Update in Under 30 Subscriber, you will this episode waiting for you in your online account. You can become an Update in Under 30 Subscriber to access this episode and the entire library of Update in Under 30 audios and resources here.