MonaVie vs. Xango vs. Oliviva vs. Zrii …

There are a lot of “designer” juices being marketed today that are perported to change one’s quality of life. I have reviewed four of the more popular ones, two have been around for a while and two newcomers.

Similarities:

1. Great Products: MonaVie, Xango, and Zrii are great products. Oliviva is too new to rate.
2. Superfoods: MonaVie (1) – Brazilian Acai Berry. Xango (1) Mangosteen Fruit. Zrii (7) – Amalaki, Schizandra, Haritaki, Jujube, Tulsi, Ginger and Turmeric. Oliviva is made from freshly harvested olive leaves and 6 other botanicals including aloe vera.
3. Antioxidants: MonaVie – From Superfood, other fruits and juices. Xango – From Superfood and juices. Zrii – From Superfoods, juices, plus Tulsi (herb). Oliviva – from olive leaves and other botanicals.
4. Particulate Matter in Product: MonaVie and Zrii have particulate matter (pulp) in their product, due to the use of the “whole fruit” and not just the juice. Xango uses whole fruit of Mangosteen, but does not contain pulp. MonaVie may have a layer of “oily green sludge” floating on the top. This is the Acai berry pulp and is the best part of the product.
5. Taste: MonaVie, Xango and Zrii taste great, compared to other products in the industry.
6. Network Marketing (MLM) Distribution: MonaVie, Xango, Oliviva and Zrii are MLM’s.
7. Flash Pasteuration: MonaVie, Xango and Zrii are all Flash Pasteurized to kill microorganisms. Oliviva product information does not talk about this.
8. ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity): Zrii is about 6,000 units per gram in just the Amalaki, Oliviva is 85,000 units per bottle, MonaVie and Xango are about 1,000 to 1,500 per ounce. This makes it difficult to rate. Zrii and Oliviva are the 2 higher ones.

Differences:

1. Formulation: MonaVie – Comprised of Acai Berry and 18 other fruits and juices, for their Anti Oxidant and Anti-aging properties. The “Active” Formulation also contains Glucosamine Hydrochloride (joint support). Xango – Comprised of Mangosteen Fruit and juices of eight other fruits: apple, pear (juice and purée), grape, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, cranberry and cherry. Zrii – Comprised of 4 Superfood fruits – Amalaki, Schizandra, Haritaki and Jujube, and 3 herbs – Tulsi, Turmeric and Ginger, for their antioxidants, anti-aging and cleansing properties. Also contains white grape, concord grape, pomegranate, cranberry, raspberry and lime juice and pear puree. Does not contain Glucosamine Hydrochloride. Oliviva – comprised of olive leaf, aloe vera, Caucasian Blueberry leaf, Artic Root, Kombu, Pomegranate and Green Tea Leaf.
2. Adaptogens: MonaVie and Xango do not contain adaptogens. Zrii contains 4 adaptogens – Amalaki, Shizandra, Jujube and Tulsi. Adaptogens are plants and fruits, that due to the unique nature of having to “adapt” to the environment in which they grow – usually harsh conditions or extreme variations in temperature from season to season they are very effective in helping the body “adapt” and respond to stress. Oliviva contains olive leaf extract which may have adaptogenic qualities.
3. Safety of Consumption: MonaVie‘s “Active” formulation contains Glucosamine Hydrochloride (joint support) making it not recommended for consumption by children under 12, nursing and pregnant mothers. Regular formula does not contain and is safe for all. Zrii and Xango are safe for everyone. Newborns, Pregnant and Nursing mothers too. Oliviva does not talk about recommendations.
4. Preservatives: MonaVie – Contains 2 Preservatives – Sodium Benzoate, to preserve freshness and inhibit micro organism growth and Potassium Sorbate to inhibit light (UV) damage and prevent mold growth. Sodium Benzoate, in the presence of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid from fruits) becomes Benzene, a known Carcinogen. Xango – Contain 1 Preservative, Sodium Benzoate, to preserve freshness and inhibit micro organism growth. Zrii – Does not contain preservatives, as Amalaki is a natural anti-microbial, and the plastic bottle is light proof.
5. Bottle: MonaVie and Xango are in a glass bottle. Zrii is in an environmentally safe (and people safe) plastic bottle. Oliviva comes in a designer dark bottle.
6. Endorsement: MonaVie , Xango and Oliviva have no formal endorsement. Zrii is endorsed by the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, founded by Dr. Deepak Chopra, M.D. and David Simon, M.D.
7. Distribution: MonaVie is distributed in North America, South America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Xango is distributed in USA, American Samoa, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom & Ireland. Zrii is distributed in United States, Canada and Mexico. Will expand to Mexico in October of 2008 and plans for Japan, Israel, China and Europe by the end of the decade. Oliviva is distributed in 30 countries.
8. Scientific Studies: Few studies exist for Xango. Some studies on the ingredients of MonaVie are now coming out. Over 1,200 studies on the ingredients in Zrii, including a history of 5,000 years experience with the Ayurvedic herbs. No scientific articles are apparently available from the company after they were requested.

A petition by drug firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) requesting that weight loss claims be treated as disease claims maintains that there is no credible science to back up weight loss ingredients used in dietary supplements.

GSK filed the petition along with the American Dietetic Association, The Obesity Society and Shaping America’s Health (an association for weight management). The petition maintains that obesity and overweight are significant risk factors for certain diseases, and so products promoting weight loss should be treated as drugs. However, the petitioners also claim that “there is no credible evidence whatsoever to support any type of qualified health claim for a weight loss supplement”.

What do they mean by “qualified health claim?” Qualified health claims are those based on emerging evidence for the relationship between a food or supplement and a reduced risk of disease. Because the evidence is not well enough established to meet the significant scientific agreement standard, this type of claim must include qualifying language to indicate that the evidence supporting the claim is limited. Otherwise, these could be construed by the public and the FDA as health claims. This makes these foods or supplements “drugs.”

GSK and the other petitioners maintain that during the past decade there have been a number of reviews of scientific literature surrounding weight loss supplements. “Each of these studies concluded that there is little, if any, evidence to support the efficacy of supplements marketed for weight loss,” writes the petition. They scientific articles they cite^1,2,3,4 are cited below.

What’s the rub? Most dietary supplements for weight loss are not marketed with qualified health claims under NLEA, but with structure/function claims under the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DHSEA). There is a general consensus that  although not all supplement ingredients have the same level of supporting evidence, there are some that are undeniably well-researched. Examples of these include the green tea polyphenols, CLA, Hoodia gordonii, DHEA, hydroxy-methylbutyrate (a metabolit of leucine), and chromium picolinate. The evidence is limited for other ingredients such as L-carnitine, chitosan, and calcium (with dairy).

According to Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council, “Different reviews have concluded that there is little high quality clinical evidence supporting many of the ingredients sold in dietary supplements intended as aides for weight loss. But it’s one of those classic questions: how much information do you need? There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that a number of safe dietary ingredients when combined with dietary modification and exercise might provide some adjunct support in the weight loss process. The real problem here is whether it’s in the public’s interest to ‘diseasify’ the entire weight loss category, thereby virtually removing many safe options for consumers to consider when trying to manage their weight.”

What’s important here to remember is that  weight loss is a relatively young segment for the supplement industry, and as in every emerging market the supporting science takes time to arrive – but this does not mean that it has not been pursued. But there are still lot’s of these companies that are pushing their products trying to get a share of the $1 trillion dollar a year “Wellness Revolution” as Paul Zane Pilser coined it. So is GSK’s petition purely for the safety of the consumer?? GSK has the only drug that is FDA-approved and now over the counter for weight loss. Is it a great drug? Listen to the multi-million dollar commercials and listen to the side effects. I don’t want to change my underwear that often if I eat a bit of fat!!

References

¹Dwyer JT, Allison DB, Coates PM. Dietary supplements in weight reduction. J Am Diet Assoc 2005 ;105(5 Suppl1):S80-6. (Exh. 34)
²Saper RB, Eisenberg DM, Phillips RS. Common dietary supplements for weight loss . Am Fam Physician 2004;70:1731-8. (Exh. 35)
³Pittler MH, Ernst E. Dietary supplements for body-weight reduction: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:529-36. (Exh. 36).
⁴Lenz TL, Hamilton WR. Supplemental products used for weight loss . J Am Pharm Assoc 2004;44:59-67. (Exh. 37).

Delivering co-enzyme Q10 in its reduced form (Ubiquinol) and in a soft gel capsule may increase the bioavailability of the nutrient, according to a new study.

Researchers from Canada’s KGK Synergize compared CoQ10 formulations (usually called Ubiquinone) from hard and soft gel capsules, and found the reduced form from the latter resulted in a 3.3-fold higher blood level of CoQ10 than the former.

The findings of the study, supported financially by Soft Gel Technologies, are published in the first issue of the newly launched Journal of Functional Foods.

“The reduced [ubiquinol form of Co-Enzyne Q-10] preparation was found to be far superior to the commercial formulation for bioavailability and warrants consideration not only as a dietary supplement, but also for clinical application,” wrote lead author Malkanthi Evans in the January issue of Journal of Functional Foods.

There is an ever-growing body of scientific data that shows substantial health benefits of CoQ10 supplementation for people suffering from angina, heart attack and hypertension. Clinical trials have also reported benefits for cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.

However, the formulation of the CoQ10 is known to play a key role in its bioavailability. Since the coenzyme is lipophilic (fat-loving) its absorption is enhanced in the presence of lipids. Therefore, when taken as a supplement apart from meals, the absorption of some formulations is lower.

Trials with CoQ10 supplements in powder and oil-suspension forms are reported to result in small or negligible responses in plasma CoQ10 concentrations.

Blood concentrations of CoQ10 (ubiquinol in soft gel form) showed that the higher levels were received after intake of the reduced co-enzyme at five, six, eight, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours.

Indeed, a 430 per cent increase in levels was recorded in the subjects receiving the reduced form, compared to subjects receiving the standard commercial form, said the researchers.

“In the current study, both formulations studied were presented as capsules; however, [the reduced form] was formulated using reduced CoQ10 with stabilizing ingredients in a soft gel capsule compared to the typical commercial formulations,” wrote the researchers. “It can be inferred that the product maintained integrity leading to an increased rate of absorption, resulting in greater bioavailability.”

Importance of CoQ10

CoQ10 has properties similar to vitamins, but since it is naturally synthesized in the body it is not classed as such. With chemical structure 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-decaprenyl-1,4-benzoquinone, it is also known as ubiquinone because of its ‘ubiquitous’ distribution throughout the human body.

The coenzyme is concentrated in the mitochondria – the ‘power plants’ of the cell – and plays a vital role in the production of chemical energy by participating in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s co-called ‘energy currency’.

A role beyond the mitochondria is also acknowledged, with CoQ10 acting as a potent antioxidant. The coenzyme plays an important role in preserving levels of vitamin E and vitamin C.

Source: Journal of Functional Foods
January 2009, Volume 1, Issue 1, Pages 65-73
“A randomized, double-blind trial on the bioavailability of two CoQ10 formulations”
Authors: M. Evans, J. Baisley, S. Barss, N. Guthrie

Pretty soon, 10,000 of us will reach the age of “retirement” each day of the year. I don’t know about you, but I’m not even considering “retiring” until I have accomplished all that I set out to do! So what can we do to feel better, have more energy and perhaps live longer? We really don’t have to look any further than old-fashioned exercise.

From preventing chronic health conditions to boosting confidence and self-esteem, the merits of exercise are difficult to ignore. These health benefits, regardless of age or gender include:

1. Exercising improves your mood – Exercise has been shown to stimulate various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You’ll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. It’s those endorphins that everyone talks about. It may take at least 30 minutes of exercise a day for at least three to five days a week to significantly improve symptoms of depression.
2. Longevity – People who are physically active live longer. Regular exercise reduces the risk of dying prematurely according to a 20 year follow-up study.
3. Exercise helps battle chronic diseases – Regular exercise can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol while decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries. Exercise itself does not burn off cholesterol like it does with fat, but does influence your HDL- and LDL-cholesterol levels.Also regular exercise can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer according to scientific studies. In addition, regular exercising makes your heart, like any other muscle, stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. There are scientific studies that show that moderate physical activity combined with weight loss and balanced diet can confer a 50-60% reduction in risk of developing diabetes.
4. Sleep better at night – daily exercise can make the difference if you suffer from poor sleep at night. The natural dip in body temperature five to six hours after exercise may help to fall asleep. And late afternoon workouts help too.
5. Muscle strength – It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that strength training increases muscle strength and mass and decreases fat tissue.
6. Bone strength - An active lifestyle benefits bone density. Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation, delays bone loss and may protect against osteoporosis – form of bone loss associated with aging.
7. Weight management – This one’s a no-brainer. When you exercise, you burn calories. The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. It doesn’t take an intense workout to accomplish this as activity throughout the day helps too. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or walk to do your errands, if possible.
8. Exercise also strengthens your heart and lungs - Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular exercise helps your entire cardiovascular system work more efficiently. When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you’ll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.
9. Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life – Are you too tired to have sex? Or feeling too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Exercise to the rescue. Regular exercise can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. Exercise improves your circulation, which can lead to more satisfying sex. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don’t exercise, especially as they get older.
10. Exercise can be fun?? – Exercise doesn’t have to be drudgery. Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Ride a bicycle. Walk in your neighborhood or plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find an activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new. If you’re moving, it counts! Remember, you don’t have to find the same kind of workout that the Olympic Athletes use!

And don’t forget, start out slowly if you haven’t been in a routine recently, and take the proper supplements before and after exercise to prevent the Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS that can occur when you start a new routine. Check out the powerful liquid nutritional supplement, Zrii at The Science of Zrii.

Remember when we were in school and were “forced” to take Physical Education? We were told it was “good” for us. Well science has provided us with overwhelming evidence that exercise is actually good for us. Regular exercise can help protect us from heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, noninsulin-dependent diabetes (Adult-onset diabetes), obesity, back pain, osteoporosis, and can improve our mood and help us to better manage stress.

Physicians, Health Care Professionals and Personal Trainers caution us to start slowly if we have been inactive for a while. Start out with less strenuous activities such as walking or swimming at a comfortable pace. You can even do these exercises in the winter months to allow you exercise all year long. Beginning at a slow pace will allow you to become physically fit without straining your body. Once you are in better shape, you can gradually do more strenuous activity.

BSCG Certifies Zrii

Banned Substances Control Group (BSCG) has certified that Zrii is free of anabolic agents and stimulants banned by major athletic organizations. This testing assures that athletes and sports associations can enjoy Zrii with full confidence.

BSCG’s ongoing testing program tests Zrii for over 80 substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), International Olympic Committee (IOC), United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), National Football League (NFL), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and many other professional and amateur sports leagues.

BSCG

Banned Substances Control Group (BSCG) is the only certification program in the United States that uses a WADA/ IOC accredited laboratory for all analyses. The detection limits used by BSCG are the lowest detection limits for any similar program worldwide.

A number of foods we eat (or don’t eat) have caused inflammation in our bodies. Some scientists and doctors feel that inflammation plays an important part of our lives. For instance, getting too many Omega-6 essential fatty acids (EFAs) in our diet helps our bodies to create more inflammation. Eating the heart-healthy fatty acids (from cold water fish like salmon and tuna) changes the ratio of Omega-6 EFAs to Omega-3 EFAs from 20-30:1 back down to 2-4:1. The smaller ratio is anti-inflammatory.

It is important to get our 5 to 9 servings a day of fruits and vegetables, as well as supplement our bodies with Omega-3 essential fatty acids, Co-Enzyme Q-10 (as Ubiquinol), Vitamin D-3 and selenium. Because our food supply is so deficient in natural nutrients (compared to 50 years ago), it is also necessary to supplement other nutrients too.

Products to Promote Cardiovascular Health

Vitamin C (found in Oranges, Lemons and Amalaki (Zrii))

• May reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
  but not proven to reduce the risk of stroke.
• May reduce risk of death from stroke in elderly
  persons.
• May reduce blood pressure.
• Supports the normal metabolism of fats.
• Necessary for the control of blood cholesterol and
  lipids.
• An antioxidant vitamin that prolongs the useful life
  of vitamins A and E and protects the polyunsaturated
  fatty acids and LDL cholesterol from oxidation.
• Necessary for normal red blood cell formation.>
• Necessary for the formation and maintenance of
  collagen, a component of heart tissue.
• Necessary for normal healing.
• May decrease mortality from health-related causes of
  death (e.g., not trauma or accidents).

Food Sources & Amounts

• Citrus fruits and juices, broccoli, cabbage, potatoes,
  cauliflower, peppers, green leafy vegetables, cantaloupe,
  strawberries, tomatoes, rose hips, acerola, camu-camu,
  carambola fruit.
• The current RDA is 60 mg for adult nonsmoking men
  and women.

Vitamin E

• An antioxidant vitamin.
• Supplementation may reduce the risk of coronary heart
  disease.
• Supplementation may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.
• Supplementation reduces blood pressure when
  combined with other antioxidant vitamins.
• Inhibits cholesterol synthesis.
• Inhibits atherosclerosis in animals and humans.
• May reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Necessary for normal red blood cell function.
• Necessary for normal muscle function.
• Supports the synthesis of the antioxidants vitamin C,
  and coenzyme Q-10.
• Protects against symptoms caused by a selenium
  deficiency.
• Protects against premature aging.
• May reduce the risk of mortality from health-related
  causes.

Food Sources & Amounts

• Vegetable oils, legumes, some whole grains, nuts, dark
  green leafy vegetables, avocado.
• Palm oil, rice bran, and barley are rich sources of
  tocotrienols.
• The current RDA is 14.90 IU for adult males and 11.92
  IU for adult females.

Folic Acid (Folate, Folacin)

• May help normalize blood levels of homocysteine.
• May help prevent cardiovascular disease.
• May protect against coronary artery disease.
• May improve function of blood vessels in patients with
  high blood homocysteine and/or cholesterol who are at
  increased risk of atherosclerosis.
• Used to treat certain types of anemia.
• Necessary for normal carbohydrate and fat metabolism.

Food Sources & Amount

• Liver, kidney, green leafy vegetables, nuts, citrus fruits,
  legumes, soybeans, whole grains, beets, peas, tomatoes,
  fish, eggs, celery.
• The current RDA is 200 mcg for adult males and 180
  mcg for adult females (400 mcg if pregnant or 280 mcg
  if breastfeeding).

Vitamin B₆

• Lowers blood homocysteine.
• Lowers blood pressure in hypertensive individuals.
• Dietary supplementation may help prevent or treat
  cardiovascular disease.
• Important for normal carbohydrate and fat
  metabolism.
• Necessary for normal protein synthesis.
• May be useful for individuals under stress.

Food Sources & Amount

• Many foods, including fish, meats, kidney, liver, whole
  grain breads and cereals, carrots, cabbage, peas, potatoes,
  milk, eggs, bananas, green beans, fortified cereals.
• The current RDA is 2.0 mg for adult males and 1.6 mg
  for adult females.

Vitamin B₁₂

• May reduce blood levels of homocysteine.
• Important for healthy blood cell formation.
• May support adaptation to stress.

Food Sources & Amount

• Fish, meat, liver, dairy products.
• The current RDA is 2 mcg for adult males and
  females.

Magnesium

• May help prevent and treat cardiovascular disease.
• May lower the risk of developing atherosclerosis.
• May help control high blood pressure.
• May help treat congestive heart failure.
• Necessary for normal nerve and muscle function.
• May increase muscle strength.
• Necessary for normal protein synthesis.

Food Sources & Amount

• Soy flour, nuts, whole grains, molasses, green leafy vegetables,
  meats, seafoods, dried fruit, coffee, chocolate.
• The current RDA is 350 mg for adult males and 280 mg
  for adult females.

L-Arginine

• Important in maintaining cardiovascular health.
• May help lower blood pressure.
• Improves dilation of blood vessels and increases blood
  flow.
• Improves heart blood vessel function in patients with
  angina.
• Provides symptomatic benefit in peripheral artery disease.
• Inhibits development of atherosclerosis (in animals).
• May facilitate removal of existing blood vessel cholesterol
  deposits (in animals).
• May help prevent platelet aggregation in people with
  high blood cholesterol.
• Important for normal muscle metabolism and disposal
  of protein metabolic waste.
• Important for transmission of nerve impulses.
• Dietary supply is essential following injury or other
  trauma to improve healing.

Food Sources & Amount

• Meats, wheat germ, cottage cheese, ricotta, nuts, eggs,
  milk, granola.
• Up to 30 g/day have been well-tolerated, with nausea
  and diarrhea reported infrequently.

Garlic

• Dietary supplementation prevents and reduces atherosclerosis
  in animals with high blood cholesterol and in humans.
• Inhibits platelet aggregation (a prelude to blood clot
  formation).
• May prevent oxidative damage to blood vessel lining
  cells.
• May support aortic blood flow in aging individuals.
• May prevent some forms of heart disease and stroke.

Food Sources & Amount

• Root of Allium sativum
• Individuals taking anti-coagulant medications (e.g., warfarin
  or coumadin) should consult their physician before
  consuming large quantities, since it can inhibit blood
  clotting.

Grape Extract

• Grape seeds are a preferential source of oligomeric
  proanthocyanidin (pycnogenol) complexes (OPCs)
  which are naturally occurring antioxidants.
• Grape seed extract (GSE) is a potent antioxidant.
• Dietary supplementation with GSE increased antioxidant
  activity in blood.
• OPCs have anti-inflammatory and immune system
  modulation effects.
• OPCs protect collagen and elastin, proteins found in
  blood vessels and muscle.
• OPCs increase venous tone and reduce the pain and
  swelling associated with varicose veins and other
  vascular diseases.
• Grape seed OPCs lower blood cholesterol and inhibit the
  development of atherosclerosis in animals with high
  blood cholesterol levels.
• OPCs protect heart muscle from oxidative injury
  following heart attack (in animals).

Food Sources & Amount

• Fruit of the common grape (Vitis vinifera)
• OPCs have been given orally in doses as high as 300
  mg/day for up to 6 months in patient studies, with no
  adverse effects noted.

Hawthorn Berry Extract

• May improve coronary artery blood flow.
• Extracts are antioxidants and may protect heart
  muscle from damage caused by heart attack.
• Improves performance of the heart in patients with mild
  congestive heart failure.
• Flavonoid compounds extracted from the hawthorn
  plant increase the performance of animal heart tissue (in
  vitro).
• Extracts cause dilation of arterial blood vessels, which
  may contribute to their cardioprotective effect.
• Lowers blood cholesterol and other lipids and increases
  excretion of bile acids and decreases synthesis of cholesterol
  in the liver.

Food Sources & Amount

• Ripe berries of the hawthorn plant (Crataegus sp)
• A dose of 160 to 900 mg of a standardized Hawthorn
  berry extract containing 2.2% flavonoids or 18.75%
  oligomeric procyanidines, given 2-3X per day has been
  recommended.
• No toxic effects have been reported. However, people
  taking prescription heart medications or CNS depressants
  should consult with their doctor before using
  hawthorn-containing products.

Taurine

• Improves the symptoms of congestive heart failure.
• Protects heart muscle from damage due to calcium
  imbalances.
• Prevents against irregular heartbeat resulting from potassium
  imbalances.
• Increases the strength of heart muscle contractions.
• Lowers blood pressure in animals, and
  patients with high blood pressure.
• Supplementation may reduce blood cholesterol levels.
• Supplementation may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis
  (animal studies).
• May help control blood clot formation.
• May protect the heart from oxidative injury following
  heart attack or angina.
• Individuals with high blood pressure, seizure disorders,
  or heart disease are at risk for deficiencies.

Food Sources & Amount

• Red meats, fish, beets, human milk.
• No significant adverse health effects reported in patients
  given daily oral doses of 3-6 g given for 3-6 weeks.

Trimethylglycine

• Lowers blood levels of homocysteine.
• May help prevent heart attack, stroke, and thromboembolism.
• May protect liver from diets high in fat and cholesterol
  (animal studies).

Food Sources & Amount

• Plant foods, particularly beets.
• Considered safe when 6-9 g was given daily for up to 16
  years.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

• May improve heart function in diabetics.
• May protect heart muscle from oxidative stress following
  angina or heart attacks.
• Provides effective antioxidant support.
• A treatment for individuals in whom the liver is affected
  by oxidative stress.
• May protect brain cells following stroke.
• May help individuals adapt to and have fewer adverse
  health effects from stress.

Food Sources & Amount

• Yeast, liver.
• No significant adverse effects when given orally at a
  daily dose of 800 mg for 4 months.

N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine

• May help prevent damage caused by blood oxidants following
  ischemic (restricted blood flow) injury (in animals).
• May inhibit muscle fatigue.

Food Sources & Amount

• Duck, wheat germ, yogurt, pork, turkey, chicken.
• Well tolerated by patients at oral doses of 4-6 g/day for
  30 months.
• Should be used with caution by individuals with asthma.

Coenzyme Q-10 (Ubiquinol form is most effective)

• Patients with coenzyme Q-10 deficiency and heart disease may show symptomatic improvement following supplementation.
• May help treat congestive heart failure when used in conjunction with conventional medications.
• May protect against symptoms following heart attack.
• May protect against symptoms following heart surgery.
• May protect the heart, kidney, lung and spleen against
  oxidative damage.
• May be useful for cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease).
• Lowers blood pressure in hypertensive individuals.
• Lowers blood lipoprotein(a) and glucose and increases
  HDL cholesterol.
• Patients with congestive heart failure are at risk for deficiencies.
• Individuals taking statin drugs to treat high blood cholesterol
  are at risk for deficiencies.

Food Sources & Amount

• Heart, sardines, peanuts, spinach.
• Beneficial dosage is typically about 120 mg/day.

Cardiovascular Benefit Summary*

*Adapted from: Ramberg, J and Gardiner, T. Dietary Supplements that Support
Cardiovascular Health: A Review of
Potential Benefits. GlycoScience Vol. 3: (1): 1-15.

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. A man has about a 53% chance and a woman 62% of having a fatal heart attack as the first symptom of heart disease. If you are worried about heart disease or have a history of heart disease in your family, one of the most important things you can do is to start eating a heart-healthy diet. Changing your diet can help stop or even reverse heart disease.

At first, it may seem like there is a lot to learn, but you don’t have to make these changes all at once. Start with small steps. Over time, making a number of small changes can add up to a big difference in your heart health.

To have a heart-healthy diet:

* Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other high-fiber foods.
* Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.
* Limit salt (sodium).
* Stay at a healthy weight by balancing the calories you eat with your physical activity.
* Eat more foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish.

What Foods and Nutrients are Part of A Heart-Healthy Diet?

Healthy foods are ones that are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients, such as:

• Fruits and vegetables.
• Beans (including chickpeas and lentils) and whole grains (such as whole wheat, brown rice, oats, rye, bulgur, barley, quinoa, and corn).
• Oily fish like salmon, trout, albacore tuna, herring, mackerel, and sardines, which contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. You can also get omega-3 fats from omega-3 eggs, walnuts, flax seeds, and canola oil.

Foods to limit are ones that are high in:

• Unhealthy fats, such as saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol.
  • Saturated fats are mostly found in animal products, such as meats and dairy products.
  • Trans fats include shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, and hydrogenated vegetable oils. Trans fats are made when a liquid fat is turned into a solid fat (for example, when corn oil is made into stick margarine). They are found in many processed foods, such as cookies, crackers, and snack foods. Restaurants often use hydrogenated oils for frying foods, so try to limit fried foods when eating out.
  • Cholesterol is found in animal products, such as eggs, dairy products, and meats.
• Salt (sodium). You need some sodium in your diet, but most people get far more than they need. Too much sodium tends to raise blood pressure. Processed foods and fast foods often contain a lot of sodium. Try to limit these foods and eat more fresh foods.

Eating foods that contain unhealthy fats can raise the LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in your blood. Having a high level of LDL cholesterol increases your chance of having clogged arteries , which can lead to coronary artery disease and heart attack

Trans fat is especially bad. It both raises the level of “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides.

When you make the decision to start a workout program, you can be faced with several challenges. In our busy schedules with work and caring for our families, making the time to exercise, creating a balanced routine and setting your goals are additional challenges we all face. Now add to this the muscle soreness you get when adapting to your new regimen and it may be difficult to stay on task. I bet you won’t be jumping out of bed the next morning to go to the gym to continue your fitness regimen when it’s difficult to lift your arm to brush your teeth or comb your hair. Or try to bend down to put on socks or pantyhose–the pain can be intense.

Experts tell us that after undergoing any type of strenuous physical activity, especially something new to your body, it is not uncommon for us to experience muscle soreness. It is most likely to occur after the beginning stages of a workout program. “Muscles go through quite a bit of physical stress when we exercise,” says Rick Sharp, professor of exercise physiology at Iowa State University in Ames.

“Mild soreness just a natural outcome of any kind of physical activity,” he says. “And they’re most prevalent in beginning stages of a program.” Doctors, Exercise Physiologists and Trainers call this kind of muscle pain, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).

What Causes Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness?

DOMS occurs hours after the exercise is over. This is much different than the acute pain of a pulled or strained muscle. A muscle tear, is felt as an abrupt, sudden, acute pain that occurs during activity, that is often accompanied by swelling or bruises. DOMS is thought to be a result of microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers. The amount of tearing (and soreness) depends on how hard and how long you exercise and what type of exercise you do. Activities that require muscles to forcefully contract while they are lengthening, (eccentric contractions), seem to cause the most soreness. You use eccentric contractions when you descend stairs, run downhill, lower a weight, or perform the downward motion of squats and push-ups. In addition to muscle tearing, swelling can occur in and around a muscle, which can also cause soreness hours later.

What is the Treatment for DOMS?

There is no one simple way to treat delayed onset muscle soreness. In fact, there has been an ongoing debate about both the cause and treatment of DOMS. In the past, gentle stretching was one of the recommended ways to reduce exercise related muscle soreness, but a study by Australian researchers published in 2007 found that stretching is not effective in avoiding muscle soreness.

So does anything work to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness? Nothing is proven effective, but some people have found the following advice helpful, but it’s best for an individual to try a few things to see what works for them. Ultimately, best advice for treating DOMS is to prevent it in the first place.

Here are some tips for dealing with soreness after exercise:

• Wait. Soreness will go away in 3 to 7 days with no special treatment.
• Try an Ice Bath or Contrast Water Bath. Although no clear evidence proves they are effective, many pro athletes use them and claim they work to reduce soreness.
• Use active recovery techniques. This strategy does have some support in the research. Perform some easy low-impact aerobic exercise to increase blood flow. This may help diminish muscle soreness.
• Use the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) method of treating injuries.
• Although research doesn’t find gentle stretching reduces soreness, some people find it simply feels good.
• Gently massage the affected muscles. Some research has found that massage was effective in alleviating DOMS by approximately 30% and reducing swelling, but it had no effects on muscle function.
• Try using a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (aspirin or ibuprofen) to reduce the soreness temporarily, though they won’t actually speed healing.
• There is some evidence that performing Yoga may reduce DOMS.
• Avoid any vigorous activity that increases pain.
• Allow the soreness to subside thoroughly before performing any vigorous exercise.
• Don’t forget to warm up completely before your next exercise session. There is some research that supports that a warm-up performed immediately prior to unaccustomed eccentric exercise produces small reductions in delayed-onset muscle soreness (but cool-down performed after exercise does not).
• ** If your pain persists longer than about 7 days or increases despite these measures, consult your physician.
• Learn something from the experience! Use prevention first.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – Prevention
While DOMS is common and annoying, it is not a necessary part of exercise. There are many things you can do to prevent, avoid and shorten the duration of DOMS:

• Warm up thoroughly before activity and cool down completely afterward.
• Cool Down with gentle stretching after exercise.
• Follow the Ten Percent Rule. When beginning a new activity start gradually and build up your time and intensity no more than ten percent per week.
• Hire a Personal Trainer if you aren’t sure how to start a workout program that is safe and effective.
• Start a new weight lifting routine with light weights and high reps (10-12) and gradually increase the amount you lift over several weeks.
• Avoid making sudden major changes in the type of exercise you do.
• Avoid making sudden major changes in the amount of time that you exercise.

Certain muscle pain or soreness can be a sign of a serious injury. If your muscle soreness does not get better within a week consult your physician.

What Else Can You Do to Prevent DOMS?

The proper supplements in your diet are also important in preventing DOMS. By providing the antioxidants, vitamins/minerals, essential fatty acids, phytonutrients and the biological sugars to your body before exercise, you can reduce or prevent DOMS from occurring. One of the best supplements I have researched is Zrii. You can read all about it on the Science of Zrii Blog (http://glycodocs.org/wordpress-amalaki).