Why are you concerned about Supplements passing through the Stomach?
Question: from Pappa
I can't understand the concern about supplements passing through the stomach and being exposed to stomach acid.
All food we eat normally passes the stomach and gets exposed to the stomach acid. Anything that can't stand our stomach's acid, but has to me covered in a way to pass the stomach unhindered, can't be a "natural" product. We should eat as close to "nature" as possible.
Answer: from Warren,
This is a good question.
I certainly appreciate what you are saying as it makes sense. But it is not as simple as it may seem. I’ll try to explain.
As we get older we need a helping hand with some nutrients. This is because as we age our bodies become less efficient compared to how they were when we were younger. This means both in the ability to extract the nutrients from food and the ability to manufacture certain nutrients.
As an example, let’s consider glutathione which is essential for the health of our cells. This substance is primarily manufactured within the body, but as we get older we begin to lose the ability to make adequate amounts. Any deficiency contributes to accelerated aging.
So, the logical answer is to supplement with this important nutrient. The problem is though that this nutrient is damaged by stomach acid and can only be absorbed through the intestinal walls. In order to overcome this obstacle oral glutathione supplementation must abide to two important parameters. The first is to use a small molecular sized glutathione which is known as ‘reduced’ glutathione and the second is to protect it from stomach acid which can only be achieved by incorporating it in an enteric coated tablet.
Glutathione is only one of the nutrients that need to be protected in this way.
Consider enzymes for a moment. These are critical for effective bio-availability. They attach to some nutrients which are too large to be absorbed effectively through the intestinal walls. They then help break down the size of these nutrients to enable them to pass through the intestinal walls.
When we are young these enzymes are generally present in sufficient quantities to enable this to happen…but, as we age there is not enough of them and as a result many of the nutrients from food are not absorbed effectively which in turn contributes to the aging process.
However, enzymes are notoriously unstable and very sensitive to stomach acid. You will notice that in all our enteric coated tablets that we use a variety of enzymes. This is the reason why we use enzymes and it is a major factor which makes our enteric coated tablets so effective.
But, if the tablets were not enteric coated then it would be pointless in including these enzymes.
So, we are still doing what is ‘natural’ but just giving nature a bit of a ‘helping hand’.
Reader Comments (3)
There is a considerable misunderstanding of the purpose of the stomach. Very little actual adsorption of nutrient is done there as it has more a preparatory purpose. It does absorb some ions, water, and some lipid soluble compounds such as alcohol, aspirin, and caffeine, but very little else (some dextrose).
The pH varies from 1 to 4 - often depending on the time of day and several other factors - evening usually being the highest level. Fats are generally emulsified in the presence of the stomach acid.
Having too little or no gastric acid is quite common as we age and can have strong, negative health impacts. Having high levels of gastric acid is not as common (in people over 45), and though many people believe that this causes stomach ulcers, much recent research indicates that the gastric mucosa, which secretes gastric acid, is acid-resistant.
Food contains enzymes - cooking lowers the level of enzymes - which can then increase the demand on the body's enzyme production. We also rush the chewing of our food, sometimes swallowing quite solid lumps rather than thoroughly chewed food - which makes the stomach have to work harder (churning) to prepare the "lumps" for the next step in the process.
In most people the process takes between 45 and 90 minutes - though after 45 minutes there is usually an on-going release into the chyme where the next step is begun.
March 8, 2008 | Muzz
I search for ratings of vitamin companies and I never see xtend life listed in the different ratings I come across. an you eplain why?
March 26, 2008 | Papalouie
Hi Papalouie,
This is because we are not a mass producer and marketer of supplements. We are one of the very few manufacturers that supply direct to the consumer.
We cannot mass market our supplements for two reasons.
One is that they are really too sophisticated. If we tried to sell them in retail outlets it would be difficult to get the message across that they are nothing like other products on the shelf.
For example, none of the 'common' products have the advanced delivery system that we use on say Total Balance. (enteric coating). This means that they cannot effectively use many of the truly advanced ingredients such as some of the specialised enymes which are crucial for bio-availability, reservatrol, and many more.
Second reason is that they would be a lot more expensive than they currently are if we went through the normal distribution chain.
Most of our products cost 2 - 5 times as much to manufacture as the more common 'popular' products. The only way we can make them affordable is to sell them direct to our customers.
This has many benefits in that they are fresher and we can service our customers directly and are accessible to answer all queries. We can also keep up with latest technology as we do not have to worry about inventory spread all around the world.
The consequence of this policy is that they are rarely included in comparisions. In addition there are few products on the market that can give a reasonable comparision.
Hope this clarifies the situation.
March 26, 2008 | Warren Matthews
Reader Comments (0)