The ultimate vitamin C

Vitamin C is perhaps the most well-known of all vitamins. It is important for a multitude of metabolic processes, including tissue growth and regeneration, and the health of teeth and gums. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant and strengthens the immune system. As important as vitamin C is, there are ways to improve and enhance the function of this nutrient in the body.

How to Make Vitamin C Even Better: Red Bioflavonoids

Calcium ascorbate is a buffered form of vitamin C, known to be less acidic and more easily tolerated by individuals sensitive to vitamin C supplements made from ascorbic acid. Adding red bioflavonoids to the equation helps create a powerful and unique vitamin C supplement.

There is a common myth about the antioxidant properties of vitamin C. It is true that the vitamin offers antioxidant protection, but this protection is modest compared to other molecules in nature. The essential element of taking a vitamin C supplement is to ensure the accuracy of the vitamin, i.e., whether it can act as a vitamin in the body. When vitamin C is needed to act as an antioxidant, it is "consumed" by such processes and is not available to fulfill its intended biological functions: cartilage/bone/teeth development, vascular integrity, wound healing, endogenous carnitine synthesis, metabolism of the amino acid L-tyrosine, synthesis of various neurotransmitters, and cholesterol breakdown, to name a few.

Now, enter red bioflavonoids. These most powerful antioxidant nutrients known are derived from fruits; especially berries, and more specifically, dark berries (red and purple). Concentrates of red bioflavonoids can provide unparalleled antioxidant protection and have been clinically used in humans to treat a variety of malignant conditions, as well as advanced vascular conditions.

Calcium ascorbate provides a bioavailable form of vitamin C with an absorbable form of calcium. Red bioflavonoids offer powerful antioxidant protection, freeing calcium ascorbate from its role as an antioxidant, thereby allowing the vitamin to fulfill its functions as a facilitator of essential metabolic processes. Combining red bioflavonoids with calcium ascorbate will ensure you get the most out of your vitamin C supplement.

Resveratrol: This “red wine antioxidant” is attracting attention for its health and longevity benefits

What could be better than a gourmet candlelight dinner with a good glass of red wine? In fact, the rich taste of red wine and its relaxing effects can be pleasant, but science now confirms that the best thing about red wine is its health potential thanks to the resveratrol it contains – "the red wine antioxidant." Resveratrol is an immune agent naturally found in grapes and produced to defend the plant against bacteria and fungi. Red wine contains resveratrol from the skin of the grapes used to make it. Resveratrol first gained attention as an answer to the "French paradox," the mystery of how the French population maintained such a low incidence of cardiovascular disease despite a diet rich in saturated fats. Recent in vitro and animal studies continue to reveal other health benefits of resveratrol:

• Resveratrol has shown increased lifespan potential.¹
• Resveratrol has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain by 30%, helping to reduce the risk of stroke.³
• Resveratrol could slow the effects of aging on the brain, increasing cognitive function.⁴
• Do you absolutely have to drink red wine to benefit from resveratrol? No. There are nutritional supplements available that contain concentrated amounts of resveratrol, often higher than the amount found in red wine. Consuming resveratrol without alcohol is healthier, as alcohol, despite some associated cardiovascular benefits, poses certain health risks. So, whether you sip your favorite red or take a nutritional supplement, resveratrol is a nutrient with huge health potential.

Health First® Berry-C Supreme®: Much More Than Just Vitamin C

1. Supreme C: The product is made from calcium ascorbate from buffered vitamin C, which is easily absorbable and gentle on the stomach (non-acidic), and is a good source of calcium.
2. Supreme Antioxidant Support: Two capsules of Berry-C Supreme contain 12 mg of resveratrol, equivalent to one liter of typical red wine.
3. Supreme Absorption: The product contains 5 mg of black pepper extract, Bioperine® to promote vitamin C absorption. Studies show a 40% increase in vitamin C absorption when consumed with the cellular thermonutrient, Bioperine®.

by Philip Rouchotas, ND

References:
1. Nature, doi:10.1038/nature05308
2. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology2008;614:179-86”Anti-cancer effect of resveratrol is associated with induction of apoptosis via a mitochondrial pathway alignment” Authors: Paul Okunieff, Weimin Sun, Wei Wang, Jung Kim, Shanmin Yang
3. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (Vol. 54, pp. 3126-3131)
4. Cell. “Resveratrol improves mitochondrial function and protects against metabolic disease by activating SIRT1 and PGC-1a” Authors: Marie Lagouge,
Carmen Argmann, Zachary Gerhart-Hines, Hamid Meziane, Carles Lerin, Frederic Daussin, Nadia Messadeq, Jill Milne, Philip Lambert, Peter Elliott, Bernard Geny, Markku Laakso, Pere Puigserver, and Johan Auwerx.