Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), also known as thioctic acid, is a sulphurous fatty acid that was previously thought to be a vitamin due to its antioxidative properties. This compound can be absorbed in small quantities from food and synthesised by the body itself. Foods naturally containing ALA include predominantly animal products such as beef and liver, but also some plants such as spinach, broccoli and tomatoes. Because alpha-lipoic acid possesses fat- and water-soluble properties due to its ring-shaped molecular structure, ALA is able to take effect in both water-based and fatty environments.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is involved in numerous redox reactions as an antioxidant and cofactor, thus influencing numerous processes in the human body, such as energy metabolism and the immune system as well as providing antioxidative protection to cells. It is also involved in the formation of collagen, the structural protein found in skin, cartilage, bones and blood vessels, as well as in the synthesis of hormones.
High concentrations of vitamin C are found naturally in fresh fruits, vegetables and berries such as camu camu, sea buckthorn berry, acerola cherry, rosehip, black currant, kale, parsley, kiwis and citrus fruits, among others.
Liposomal Vitamin C
Liposomal formulas have significantly higher bioavailability than conventional supplements such as tablets or capsules. Both intestinal and cell absorption can be improved considerably through a liposomal application. In liposomal supplements, the active ingredient is "packaged" in liposomes, which are small pockets of lipids that encase the active ingredient. This allows the ingredients not only to be better protected against digestive acid, but also to be absorbed into the blood through the intestinal walls and into cells through cell walls.
Liposomes always have the same high bioavailability regardless of which substance they encase. For this reason, packaging substances with low bioavailability into liposomes is an effective means of increasing the body's ability to absorb those substances. In some cases, the bioavailability of a substance can be increased up to 10 times when ingested as part of a liposomal formula.
Liposomes, like human cell membranes, consist of a lipid bilayer, enabling them to channel their contents directly into the cells without the need to use the usual channels and transport molecules. The one drawback of liposomal formulas is their relatively short shelf life in comparison to powders and capsules. Without a stabiliser, liposomes tend to clump together and lose their unique characteristics. We therefore use a natural sea buckthorn extract to stabilise our liposomes.
The role of vitamin C in the body remains an active area of research. Almost every year, new mechanisms of action are discovered for this fascinating vitamin. The following statements regarding vitamin C are provided by the EU:
Vitamin C contributes to:
- The reduction of tiredness and fatigue
- Normal cognitive function
- The regeneration of the reduced form of vitamin E
- Normal energy metabolism
- Normal immune system functioning
- Normal nervous system functioning
- The protection of cells against oxidative stress
- Normal collagen formation for normal blood vessel function
- Normal collagen formation for normal bone function
- Normal collagen formation for normal cartilage function
- Normal collagen formation for normal dental function
- Normal collagen formation for normal gum function
- Normal collagen formation for normal skin function
- Increasing iron absorption
- Maintaining normal functioning of the immune system both during and after intense physical activity.
