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Probiotic Nutrients: Supplementing
the Way Nature Intended
By Taryn Forrelli, ND
 Within
whole foods, vitamins and minerals are delivered as part of a complex
mixture of synergistic phytochemicals, enzymes, cofactors and
macronutrients. It is only within the last few decades that the form
of nutrients found in most conventional nutritional supplements (i.e.,
single molecules) have been introduced to the body for cellular
metabolism. From an evolutionary perspective, these compounds are
relatively foreign to the body, and their overall effect is still
largely unknown. Conversely, nutrients from living organisms and whole
foods have been nourishing humans throughout our evolutionary history.
The Problem with Isolates
The problem with the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP)
vitamins and minerals found in most nutritional supplements is that
they bear little resemblance to the nutrients obtained from whole
foods. Instead, the production of USPs follows a pharmaceutical
industry inspired approach to nutrition, which is reductionist in
nature. They are chemically synthesized and delivered as single
molecules (known as isolates) devoid of synergistic nutrients and
cofactors. Isolating nutrients and delivering them in this unnatural
way changes the body’s response to them.
Scientists have found it difficult to pinpoint the
reason why consumption of specific antioxidant nutrients such as
vitamin E from food offers cardiovascular protection, but USP vitamin
E and other antioxidant supplements do not always show the same
protective role. One explanation is that all nutrients exist in food
in multiple forms. Consuming just one form of these nutrients can
upset the body’s natural balance. For example, there are at least
eight known forms of vitamin E present in the body as tocopherols and
tocotrienols. Each of these forms confers unique benefits to human
health, but most people’s vitamin E supplements contain just one form:
alpha-tocopherol. This form has not been shown to possess the same
COX2 or anti-inflammatory properties that gamma tocopherol, the
predominant form of vitamin E found in food, displays. A disconcerting
observation made by researchers at the University of California was
that supplementation with just alpha-tocopherol actually depleted
levels of gamma-tocopherol, while supplementation with gamma-tocopherol
increased both alpha and gamma forms.
Dosage
Another common difference between USP nutrients
and those obtained from natural sources is the dosage. When the
body receives nutrients from food, they are generally delivered in
smaller doses throughout day. Sustained nutrient release is ideal not
only for absorption, but for utilization. There is a limit to how much
the body can use of a specific nutrient at any given time. Many
consumers who have been led to believe that “more is better” take
vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid in 500-1000 mg mega-doses on a
daily basis. However, the Journal of the American Medical Association
reported in April 1999 that 200 mg a day is the maximum amount of
vitamin C human cells can absorb, making anything above that level a
waste. The vitamin C that is unusable not only places extra burden on
the kidneys, but also may become biphasic, meaning that it will have
the opposite of the intended effect. For example, vitamin C is
commonly taken for its antioxidant and immune boosting effects, but
taking supplemental doses greater than 500 mg a day can actually
promote free radical damage and suppress the immune system, a finding
that might make your next mega-dose of vitamin C a little bit harder
to swallow.
Probiotics….Giving Life to Supplements
Fortunately, there is a natural supplement solution
for health-conscious individuals who want to optimize their
nutritional status and prefer the known safety and superior efficacy
of vitamins and minerals from living sources: Probiotic Nutrients.
These innovative nutritional supplements utilize the ancient science
of fermentation to transform inorganic USP nutrients into the complex
organic nutrients found in whole food.
The term probiotic literally means “for life”
but generally refers to the beneficial microorganisms that inhabit the
digestive tracts of humans and other animals. Probiotic organisms play
an important role in diges¬tion, promote the synthesis and absorption
of vitamins and minerals, stimulate the immune system, inhibit the
growth of infectious organ¬isms, and help maintain healthy levels of
cholesterol. Probiotics also play a role outside of the human
digestive tract. They give life to the earth’s soil where they serve
to transform inorganic minerals into a form that is usable for plants.
In addition, various strains of probiotics have been used to create
the fermented foods that have been sustaining human health for
thousands of years, such as yogurt (fermented milk), miso (fermented
soy), and sauerkraut (fermented cabbage).
Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated
that fermentation with probiotic organisms like Saccharomyces
cerevisiae (also known as brewer’s yeast) and Lactobacilli increase
the quality, availability, and assimilability of nutrients. A
report from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization
stated, “The traditional fermentation of food serves several
functions, including enrichment of food substrates biologi¬cally with
protein, essential amino acids, essential acids, and vitamins…” For
example, as grape juice is fermented into wine, the concentration of
resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound
present in the skins of grapes, can increase from 8 to 16,000 times!
It turns out that probiotic organisms
can also “give life” to USP nu¬trients, thereby increasing their
bioavailability, safety and activity.
New Chapter, a certified organic nutritional supplement
company, utilizes a unique dual-stage fermentation pro¬cess to produce
their line of whole-food Probiotic Nutrients Made with Organic
Ingredients.
The Fermentation Process
First, they create a nutrient-dense
soup of certified organic whole food concentrates, water, and organic
non-GMO soy. Next, organic Saccharomyces cerevisiae is added to begin
fermenting the soup. As fermentation proceeds, the yeast becomes
enriched with the nutrients present in the soup broth and releases a
host of ferment metabolites. These life-giving compounds are called
“synbiotics” and include short chain fatty acids and immune-enhancing
compounds called bacteriocins which inhibit the overgrowth of
unfriendly bacteria and yeast such as Candida albicans. Next, plant
enzymes are added to break the cell walls of the yeast and release the
glyco-protein bound nutrients along with health-promoting compounds
like beta-glucans.
In the second stage of fermentation,
three strains of Lactobacilli bacteria complete the incorpo¬ration of
the vitamins and minerals into the whole-food matrix. The
Lac¬tobacilli also work to expand the range of synbiotics produced.
When the process is complete, the USP nutrients that were initially
present in the soup are completely biotransformed into living
whole-food complexes and are delivered with millions of synergistic
cofactors.
It is not surprising that when
researchers compare Probiotic Nutrients to their isolated
counterparts, they find that Probiotic Nutrients are more readily
absorbed and biologically active. Recent research conducted at the
University of Scranton by one of the world’s leading antioxidant
research¬ers, Dr. Joseph Vinson, found that CoQ10, a nutrient that is
necessary for cellular energy production and protection from free
radical damage, was three times more bioavailable and worked twenty
times better as a Pro¬biotic Nutrient antioxidant compared to USP
CoQ10. Earlier research from Dr. Vinson showed that probiotic selenium
has 64 times more antioxidant activity than USP selenomethionine. With
such a high level of activity, it is not necessary to take mega doses.
After all, milligrams are simply a measure of weight, not activity.
Since they are essentially food, Probiotic Nutrients are also easily
digested even on an empty stomach, a welcome change for individuals
with sensitive digestive systems.
Dietary experts agree that the best
forms of vitamins and minerals to nourish the human body are found in
whole foods. Now with the help life-infusing probiotic organisms,
these same complex nutrients can be had in a nutritional supplement.
New Chapter offers a complete line of Probiotic Nutrients expertly
formulated by one of the country’s most re¬nowned herbal researcher
and author, Paul Schulick. Each formula pro¬vides 100% whole food
Probiotic Nutrients, accompanied by nourishing whole herb and
super-food extracts.
Resources:
For more product information on New Chapter’s whole-food, probiotic
nutrient, organic vitamins, please click on the following web pages:
The statements contained in this
article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
The information contained here is not intended to diagnose, treat,
cure, or prevent any disease. Suggestions and ideas presented in this
article are for information only and should not be interpreted as
medical advice, meant for diagnosing illness, or for prescriptive
purposes. Readers are encouraged to consult their health care provider
before beginning any cleanse, diet, detoxification program, or any
supplement regimen. The information in this document is not to be used
to replace the services or instructions of a physician or qualified
health care practitioner.
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