$ 42.85
Mono Omega features natural enzymatically enhanced MaxSimil® monoglyceride fish oil that has a three times greater EPA/DHA absorption rate than an equivalent dose of ethyl ester fish oil. This IFOS five-star certified fish oil outperforms other fish oil supplements through MaxSimil patented lipid absorption enhancement technology (PLATform).*
See OMEGA 650 for a smaller softgel
(Mono Omega = 1300 mg - Omega 650 = 650 mg)
On sale $ 27.30 $ 22.65
(Mono Omega has 1300 mg - Omega 650 has 650 mg)
Omega 650 features natural enzymatically enhanced MaxSimil® monoglyceride fish oil that has a three times greater EPA/DHA absorption rate than an equivalent dose of ethyl ester fish oil. This translates to less fish oil in a smaller softgel for easy swallowing. This IFOS five-star certified fish oil outperforms other fish oils through MaxSimil patented lipid absorption enhancement technology (PLATform).*
$ 24.00
Supercritical Sea Buckthorn Delivers Plant-Sourced Omega Fatty Acids
One softgel daily.
Amount per 1 Softgel | % Daily Value | |
---|---|---|
Proprietary Blend | 500 mg | • |
Sea Buckthorn (fruit and seed) supercritical extract; Rosemary supercritical extract; Calendula supercritical extract; (Palmitoleic Acid [Omega-7 fatty acid] 100mg) | • |
Other ingredients: Capsule (gelatin [Halal], vegetable glycerine, water, caramel and carob) and organic sunflower oil.
Naturally gluten free; our premium softgel capsules are BSE free.
Caution: As with any dietary or herbal supplement, you should advise your health care practitioner of the use of this product. If you are nursing, pregnant, or considering pregnancy, you should consult your health care practitioner prior to using this product.
$ 27.40
Benfotiamine is a lipid-soluble derivative of thiamin that demonstrates improved absorption and duration of activity compared to water-soluble thiamin. Benfotiamine activates transketolase activity, thereby facilitating conversion of harmful glucose metabolites and positively affecting AGE formation. It supports peripheral nerve health and may support vascular health, including the microvasculature of the retina and kidney. Benfotiamine is also an excellent way to improve thiamin status.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Does Not Contain Wheat, gluten, corn, yeast, soy, animal or dairy products, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives.
Take two capsules in the morning and two capsules in the evening, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner. Children and pregnant or lactating women should consult their healthcare practitioner prior to use. Do not use if tamper seal is damaged.
The excellent pharmacokinetic profile of lipid-soluble benfotiamine (S-benzoylthiamine O-monophosphate) is the reason why many practitioners select it in preference to other forms of supplemental thiamin, especially for protocols requiring high levels of the B vitamin. Its effectiveness, however, has been demonstrated even in low doses (i.e. 150 mg/d). As compared to thiamin hydrochloride administration, maximum plasma levels are approximately five times higher and bioavailability is, at maximum, approximately 3.6 times as high. These plasma levels are also better than lipophilic thiamin derivatives.
Pathways of Glucose-Metabolite–Induced Damage
High intracellular sugars can lead to an accumulation of intermediate metabolic products. These metabolic products activate certain pathways. These pathways are: (1) polyol pathway flux; (2) increased formation of AGEs (advanced glycation end-products); (3) increased expression of the receptor for AGEs (RAGEs) and its activating ligands; (4) activation of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms; and (5) overactivity of the hexosamine pathway.[4] Together, these mechanisms can impact vascular tissue and target particularly susceptible capillary endothelial cells of the retina, mesangial cells in the renal glomerulus, neuronal cells, and Schwann cells.*
Benfotiamine Supports Diversion to Different Pathway
Benfotiamine has been shown to enhance the activity of transketolase, an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of harmful glucose-intermediate metabolites in the pentose phosphate pathway. In vitro research showed treatment with benfotiamine had an impressive effect on transketolase activity (454% increase from control).[5] Researchers further indicated that increasing transketolase activity supports the diversion of intermediate metabolites away from three of the major pathways (including AGE formation) discussed above.[5] Benfotiamine was shown to have a positive influence on AGE formation and PKC activity. It is thought to prevent NF-kappaB activation in the rat retina as well as inhibit change in the number of retinal acellular capillary segments.*
This research has been supported by a human pilot study wherein subjects given benfotiamine (600 mg/d) plus alphalipoic acid (1200 mg/d) demonstrated healthy changes in AGE formation, monocyte hexosamine-modified proteins, and prostacyclin synthase activity.*
Nerve Tissue Health
Microvasculature feeding peripheral nerves can be affected by the pathways discussed herein. Furthermore, lower AGE formation is associated with healthier nerve tissue. The role of benfotiamine in diverting glucose metabolites to a less harmful metabolic pathway may well be the underlying reason it has been used successfully in Germany for over a decade to support nerve health. Results suggest that benfotiamine is most effective in large doses (320- 600 mg/d), although effectiveness is still achieved in smaller daily dosages (150 mg/d).*
$ 50.45
50 mg or 100mg
Ubiquinol, the bioactive form of CoQ10, supports antioxidant activity by neutralizing free radicals and toxic superoxides. It supports cytoprotection by minimizing membrane lipid peroxidation as well. The patented, lipid-stabilized form of ubiquinol in Ultra CoQ10 is present for enhanced bioavailability. Ubiquinol, representing over 90% of total body CoQ10, is efficiently converted to the energy-generating ubiquinone form as the body needs it.
$ 21.50
750 mg - 60 tablets OR 500 mg - 120 tablets
Clinical Applications
Niacin is one of the most studied and documented nutrients for support of lipid levels already within the normal range, especially high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. Sustained-release niacin, as found in Flush Free Niacin 750-Ultra Niacin, has a lesser flushing effect compared with instant-release niacin. Use of a proprietary, wax-coated technology permits release that is complete in seven to eight hours, the time that is considered ideal for a time-release form of niacin.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Wheat, gluten, yeast, soy, dairy products, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, or artificial preservatives.
Take one tablet one to two times daily with food, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
The cardiovascular benefits of niacin (vitamin B3) were introduced in the June 1956 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. More than 20 years later, the Framingham Heart Study touted the benefits of niacin on lipid metabolism. A decade later, as the study continued, researchers labeled niacin “front-line” cardiovascular support.[2] This status was further reinforced in 1988 when the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) panel designated niacin a “first-line therapy” for support of specific parameters related to cardiovascular health.*
Mechanisms of Action
Several mechanisms of action have been proposed for niacin. Various experimental models suggest niacin can modulate lipoprotein biosynthesis in the liver, inhibit the release of free fatty acids from adipocytes, inhibit synthesis of apo B, induce lipoprotein lipase, and help maintain the structure and function of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) by reducing the amount of apo A-1 broken down from HDL during hepatic processing. In addition, when niacin is used with resins, it can stimulate bile flow and may therefore affect lipid biosynthesis.*
Human Trials
Since the late 1970s, studies and clinical trials, lasting from four weeks to five years with daily doses of extended-release (also known as sustained/prolonged/slow-release) niacin up to 3000 mg/day, have consistently demonstrated niacin’s efficacy and safety. In 2004, the ARBITER 6-HALTS trial clearly demonstrated that niacin offers targeted support of cardiovascular health. Final results of this trial, published in 2010, further demonstrated that niacin supports healthy carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). While the supportive effect niacin has on blood lipids is well documented, there has been a recent focus by NCEP and other researchers on how niacin’s effect on HDL may influence cardiovascular events. More well-designed studies that address innate limitations and are carried to completion are needed.*
Why Isn’t Niacin More Widely Used?
The two common concerns are cutaneous flushing and increased liver enzymes. Cutaneous flushing is harmless, although it can be a nuisance. Flushing is most often seen with the use of immediate/ instant-release forms of niacin and can occur with doses as low as 30 mg/day, but it is more likely to occur with the much higher doses used to support healthy blood lipids. Flushing may last 10 to 15 minutes and rarely, but possibly, up to two hours. The proprietary wax-coated technology used in Flush Free Niacin 750-Ultra Niacin tablets allows a gradual, sustained release of niacin over a seven-to-eight hour period. This delivery dramatically reduces the flushing associated with immediate-release forms. Adherence to a regimen with the special wax-coated form of niacin, as found in Flush Free Niacin 750-Ultra Niacin, ranged from 88-97% in four human clinical trials. Flushing, itching, tingling, and upper gastrointestinal side effects were minimal, but did increase when dosing was increased to 2000 mg/day. It is important to note that Flush Free Niacin 750-Ultra Niacin should not be confused with “no-flush” niacin, which is inositol hexanicotinate (IHN), a supplement that does not contain any free niacin and may not be as supportive of cardiovascular health as those providing nicotinic acid.*
The second concern with regard to liver enzyme elevation was first elucidated by the results of McKenney’s study, published in 1994 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), wherein subjects received 3000 mg/day of niacin over an extended period of time.[14] In April 2004, McKenney retracted his earlier warnings about the harmful effects of niacin and publicly supported its unique benefits. Although they generally do not enter an unhealthy range, liver enzymes may increase when initiating niacin therapy, especially in amounts greater than 1000 mg/day. Enzyme levels return to normal promptly after cessation of niacin.*
$ 12.55
Clinical Applications
Melatonin is produced naturally in the pineal gland of the brain in response to changes in light exposure; it helps maintain healthy sleep patterns as well as antioxidant and immune activities. Melatonin can be taken as a supplement to support these functions by promoting normal levels of melatonin in the body.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Does Not Contain
Wheat, gluten, corn protein, yeast, soy, animal or dairy products, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives.
Take one to two tablets 15 to 60 minutes before bedtime as directed by your healthcare practitioner. Children and pregnant or lactating women should consult their healthcare practitioner prior to use. Do not use if tamper seal is damaged.
Melatonin, a naturally occurring indolamine, is produced primarily in the pineal gland but also in mammalian bone marrow, platelets, gastrointestinal tract, eyes, skin, and lymphocytes. It plays a vitally important role in regulating the body’s daily and annual biological rhythms and thus the sleep/wake cycle. Research suggests that melatonin supports antioxidant activity, cardiovascular health, and immune function as well.*
Normal melatonin secretion is suppressed by light and stimulated by periods of darkness. Nocturnal secretion of melatonin is at its highest during childhood, and then decreases with age. Studies, including meta-analyses, suggest that supplemental melatonin supports desirable sleep patterns in certain individuals, including the elderly and those who have unusual work hours, such as night shift workers or people traveling across time zones. A review of 10 trials suggests that melatonin supplementation helped support sleep patterns in individuals crossing time zones; subjects included airline passengers, airline staff, and military personnel. Daily doses between 0.5 mg to 5 mg taken at bedtime were used and found to be similarly supportive; however, the effects were greater at the higher dose. According to this review, doses higher than 5 mg do not appear to demonstrate any increased benefit.*
Human research studies suggest that melatonin supports the quality of healthy sleep as it relates to falling asleep, sleep efficiency (percent of time asleep to total time in bed), and awakening. In one study employing five experimental periods, melatonin appeared to positively support normal sleep initiation, maintenance, efficiency, and activity within one week of supplementation versus placebo. Another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 33 individuals over a 16- day period suggested that the onset, quality, depth, and duration of sleep can be supported by melatonin supplementation without the occurrence of daytime drowsiness or adverse effects.*
Melatonin has been closely studied for its role in supporting antioxidant activity, especially since intracellular melatonin is concentrated in the mitochondria, a major site of oxidative metabolism. Melatonin has been found to support extracellular antioxidant activity, support glutathione production, and stimulate production of intracellular antioxidant enzymes—including superoxide dismutases and glutathione peroxidase. Research suggests that melatonin works on a number of levels. It is able to scavenge oxygen-based and nitrogen-based free radicals, and support the natural response to inflammation by promoting cytokine balance. As a lipophilic molecule, melatonin is able to permeate the lipid portion of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and support antioxidant activity in cells. Research suggests that melatonin supports blood pressure already in the normal range and overall cardiovascular health.*
Finally, research suggests that melatonin aids immune system activity by supporting T-helper cell function, immune-specific progenitor cell production, cytokine balance, and production of mediators, such as gamma-interferon and immune-supportive interleukins.* Shop The Care Group offers melatonin in a convenient form that provides 3 mg per lozenge, sweetened with xylitol, mannitol, and natural peppermint flavor, to support healthy sleep patterns, antioxidant activity, cardiovascular health, and immune function.*
$ 30.90
Ultra Methyl Folate is a comprehensive formula designed to support optimal methylation and help maintain healthy homocysteine levels already within normal range. It features five key nutrients that are involved in homocysteine metabolism: folate as calcium folinate and Quatrefolic®† for increased bioactivity; trimethylglycine; and vitamins B12, B6, and B2. These five nutrients, provided in activated forms, support enhanced methylation and overall cardiovascular health.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Does Not Contain
Wheat, gluten, yeast, soy, dairy products, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, or artificial preservatives.
Take one to two capsules one to two times daily, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner. Children and pregnant or lactating women should consult their healthcare practitioner prior to use. Do not use if tamper seal is damaged.
Ultra Methyl Folate provides 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (active folate), pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (active B6), methylcobalamin (active B12), riboflavin 5’-phosphate (active vitamin B2), and anhydrous betaine (trimethylglycine). These five nutrients promote the process of methylation. Methylation is the addition of a methyl group (a carbon atom with three hydrogen atoms attached) to proteins, enzymes, chemicals, DNA, or amino acids like homocysteine. It is a vital and fundamental process that takes place in many biochemical pathways involving detoxification, cardiovascular health, neurological health, eye health, muscle health, bone health, and redox balance. Effective methylation also has roles in the biosynthesis and breakdown of catecholamines, such as epinephrine. This is an important aspect of healthy adrenal functioning.*
Folic Acid (as calcium folinate and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate)
This B vitamin has important roles in detoxification, nervous system function, breast tissue health, prenatal development, and the conversion of homocysteine back to methionine. In its active form, folic acid serves as a donor of methyl groups. Providing the combination of calcium folinate and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) allows optimal utilization of folic acid by bypassing metabolic steps to bioactivity. In fact, 5-MTHF is the form into which the body must convert all other forms of folic acid before it can be used. In this formula, 5-MTHF is provided as calcium folinate and Quatrefolic®. Quatrefolic is proven to have greater stability, solubility, and bioavailability over the calcium salt forms of 5-MTHF.*
Despite research showing that folic acid and 5-MTHF have equivalent bioavailability and that supplementation with large doses of folic acid can “force” its conversion to the more active form, 5-MTHF may be the preferred form to support healthy folate status. This may be especially true in those with certain variations in folate metabolism or digestion that can affect conversion of folic acid to 5-MTHF.[2-4] Folate is stored in the red blood cells, where levels have been shown to be higher after supplementation with 5-MTHF compared to folic acid and placebo. Patients given 5 mg of 5-MTHF experienced plasma levels 700% greater than patients given folic acid. In another study, authors concluded that 5-MTHF should be the primary choice of supplementation to support healthy homocysteine levels already within the normal range.*
Trimethylglycine (as anhydrous betaine)
Found in several tissues in humans, trimethylglycine acts as an alternative methyl donor in homocysteine metabolism. Trimethylglycine may also be a preventive agent against the activation of NFkappaB.*
Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin)
Cyanocobalamin (the form of B12 present in many supplements) has to be converted in the liver to methylcobalamin, the form provided in Ultra Methyl Folate. B12 is another methyl donor, and studies suggest that it supports healthy homocysteine levels already within the normal range on its own and in combination with folate.*
Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxal 5’-phosphate)
This coenzyme form of vitamin B6 is the primary bioactive form. It is a coenzyme in approximately 100 enzymatic reactions.[9] Data from the Framingham Study showed an inverse association between homocysteine and good B6 status (as well as B12 and folate).* Vitamin B2 (as riboflavin 5’-phosphate) As the principal coenzyme form of B2, riboflavin 5’-phosphate is used in many oxidative reactions. Folate and riboflavin interact to support healthy homocysteine levels already within the normal range, possibly by maximizing the catalytic activity of the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). The effect may be unrelated to MTHFR genotype.*
$ 41.90
UltraOmega is a concentrated fish oil that provides 900 mg of EPA and DHA and is delivered in a small, fish-gelatin–based softgel. The softgels are covered with a GRAS-certified enteric coating so that they are easy to swallow and the EPA/DHA content is optimally absorbed. EPA and DHA from fish oil promote wellness by supporting cardiovascular health, cytokine balance, joint health, and brain and nervous system function.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Take one softgel daily, or use as directed by your healthcare practitioner. Consult your healthcare practitioner prior to use, especially if you are taking a blood thinner. Do not use if tamper seal is damaged.
The omega-3 concentrate used in UltraOmega is exclusively sourced from US-caught fish, namely certified sustainable wild Alaskan walleye pollock and Pacific whiting obtained from the cold, clear waters off Alaska. Freshly caught fish are processed within hours to make quick-frozen fish fillets. The result is exceptionally fresh raw fish oil. To achieve the level of quality found in UltraOmega, a series of critical steps are undertaken: (1) raw fish oil triglycerides are broken down into ethyl esters; (2) EPA and DHA are separated from other fats and concentrated through flash distillation; (3) cold extraction further concentrates the oil, resulting in up to 85% omega-3; (4) molecular distillation removes fishy odor and taste, resulting in extremely fresh oil; (5) PCBs, chlorinated organopollutants, and toxic heavy metals are removed through filtration; and (6) high purity products are packaged in 190 kg drums or 900 kg totes under inert gas.
GRAS-Certified Enteric Coating
UltraOmega employs a fish-gelatin—not a bovine-gelatin—softgel that is enteric-coated and GRAS-certified to further guarantee quality. The enteric coating helps ensure that the fish oils reach the small intestine before being metabolized, resulting in better delivery of actives to the intestines for absorption. This delivery may also reduce the occurrence of a fishy aftertaste.*
Ethyl Ester Form
Despite aggressive marketing claims to the contrary, a recent publication by Oelrich et al found that no significant difference in the effect on serum triglycerides was detected in patients taking triglyceride (TG) or ethyl ester forms of omega-3 supplements. In the study, three fish oil supplementation forms were examined. The active therapy was 4 g/ day of combined EPA and DHA provided as: a 90% TG formulation, a 60% TG formulation, or ethyl esters (i.e., 0% TG). In addition to the main finding, researchers also noted that the omega-3 fish oils provided in the ethyl ester form tended to have less impact on increasing LDL-cholesterol levels compared to the omega-3 fish oils delivered in the triglyceride form.*
Health Benefits of EPA/DHA
Research and studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids antagonize arachidonic acidinduced eicosanoid formation; help generate resolvins and protectins to aid the body’s “cleanup” response to the arachidonic acid cascade; promote neurological health and mental functioning; and promote cardiovascular health, a balanced immune response, and healthy glucose and insulin metabolism. Research suggests that it takes 2 g/day of DHA supplementation over a period of a month to saturate the plasma and three to six months of supplementation to saturate the tissues. Concentrations of DHA increased in breast milk within less than a week of supplementation.*
$ 37.10
Ultra B Complex contains the entire spectrum of B vitamins to support adrenal and neurological functions. It features activated forms of vitamins B2, B6, and B12; benfotiamine, a fat soluble, more physiologically active form of thiamine; and folate as Quatrefolic®†, which is proven to have greater stability, solubility, and bioavailability over calcium salt forms of 5-MTHF.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Does Not Contain
Wheat, gluten, corn protein, yeast, soy, animal or dairy products, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives.
Take one capsule once or twice daily, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner. Children and pregnant or lactating women should consult their healthcare practitioner prior to use. Do not use if tamper seal is damaged.
The water-soluble B vitamins have to be absorbed in the small intestine and then go to the liver where they are biotransformed into their active coenzyme forms. Ultra B Complex contains vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6 (pyridoxine), and B12 (methylcobalamin) in their physiologically-active form making them easier to absorb and “ready-for-use.” For example, in patients receiving pyridoxine HCl, only 33 percent responded with an increase in plasma pyridoxal-5’-phosphate (P5P); however, the level increased in all of the patients receiving P5P.*
Folate is provided as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), which bypasses metabolic steps to folate bioactivity. Despite research showing that folic acid and 5-MTHF have equivalent bioavailability and that supplementation with large doses of folic acid can “force” its conversion to the more active form, 5-MTHF may be the preferred form to replenish folate. This may be especially applicable to those with digestive challenges or genetic variations in folate metabolism. In this formula, 5-MTHF is provided as Quatrefolic—the glucosamine salt of 5-MTHF. In vitro and in vivo studies have proven that Quatrefolic has greater stability, solubility, and bioavailability over calcium salt forms of 5-MTHF. Folate is stored in small amounts in red blood cells (RBC), and RBC folate has been shown to be higher after supplementation with 5-MTHF compared to folic acid and placebo. Likewise, patients given 5 mg of 5-MTHF experienced plasma levels of 5-MTHF 700% greater than patients given folic acid.*
Another unique ingredient in this formula is benfotiamine (S-benzoylthiamine O-monophosphate), a safe, fat-soluble analog of thiamine. One study showed that it not only raised blood and tissue levels of thiamine at least five times higher than the water-soluble salt, but it also remained bioavailable after oral administration up to 3.6 times longer than thiamine salt. Benfotiamine is the most potent of a class of thiamine-derived compounds present in small quantities in members of the Allium genus. The superiority of its biological activity compared to thiamine rests in its structure—a thiazole ring opens to allow easy diffusion through a membrane and then closes to become structurally active.*
Benfotiamine increases transketolase activity, thereby diverting from three natural, yet destructive metabolic pathways: 1) it decreases the glucose metabolites that lead to the buildup of certain types of detrimental advanced glycation end products (AGEs); 2) it normalizes protein kinase C activity; 3) it protects the retina by preventing the activation of NF-kappaB therein. Research suggests it may also protect the kidneys and endothelial cells. Benfotiamine is useful for replenishing thiamine, this may be especially true in individuals that use the vitamin at a higher rate or in those with lifestyle habits that deplete it.*
$ 12.35
Vitamin D3 Liquid is cholecalciferol derived from lanolin and provided in a liquid base of sunflower oil and purified water. In this liquid formula, vitamin D and sunflower oil are combined using a special microemulsification process designed to create a natural micellized matrix which, when coated by the stomach bile, will encourage absorption.*
Click here to read article by Dr. Guillory “ The Keys to Appropriate Supplementation”
Click here to read article by Dr. Guillory “ Vitamin D: Helping Prevent Cancer—and Much More ”
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
DOES NOT CONTAIN
Wheat, gluten, corn, yeast, soy, dairy products, fish, shellfish, nuts, tree nuts,
egg, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives.
While vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is made in the skin when 7-dehydrocholesterol reacts with sunlight, many things affect the degree to which this biosynthesis occurs, including time of day, seasons, location, smog/pollution, clothing, shade of skin (darker skin requires more sun), and sunscreen use. Low-cholesterol diets and certain cholesterol therapies can also affect vitamin D formation. By some estimates, one billion people worldwide have vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Reversing deficiency and maintaining optimal serum vitamin D levels beneficially impacts biochemistry and numerous body systems; this is largely because calcitriol—the metabolic product of vitamin D—is a secosteroid hormone that targets over 200 genes in a wide variety of tissues. As the research demonstrates, vitamin D is clearly imperative for the development, growth, and maintenance of a healthy body from gestation to senescence.*
Bone Health
The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium, and the importance of vitamin D in skeletal health and bone density is well established. Although bone density is most often associated with calcium intakes, insufficient vitamin D negatively affects calcium absorption. Without adequate absorption, the body must take calcium from its stores in the skeleton, which weakens existing bone and prevents the formation of strong, new bone. Clinical research shows that taking vitamin D orally with calcium supplements can support healthy bone turnover, and adequate calcium and vitamin D throughout life—as part of a well-balanced diet—may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.*
The Expanding Roles of Vitamin D
The role of vitamin D in good health continues to expand as the knowledge of this vitamin’s effects on different body systems grows. Research now suggests that optimal serum levels of vitamin D support normal cell differentiation, cardiovascular health, normal immune function good balance, healthy mood, normal fetal development, neuronal growth and neurodevelopment, healthy glucose metabolism, musculoskeletal comfort, periodontal health, and normal intestinal immune responses. Areas of research that have gained momentum over the past several years concern the relationship of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency to changes in cellular proliferation, changes in fetal brain development, and mental health. Evidence is also mounting that vitamin D supplementation may provide key immune support.*
D2, D3, and Metabolites
As previously stated, D3 is the form of vitamin D produced in the skin. D2 (ergocalciferol) is derived from fungal sources by activating ergosterol with ultraviolet light. It is not naturally present in the human body. After vitamin D is formed in the skin or taken orally, it is metabolized into two different substances within the body: calcidiol (25-hydroxyvitamin D) and calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D). Calcidiol is the body’s main storage form of vitamin D, while calcitriol (made from calcidoil) is “activated” vitamin D. Although D2 and D3 are similar biochemically, a recent study reported D3 to be approximately 87% more potent in raising and maintaining serum calcidiol concentrations and in producing two- to threefold greater storage of vitamin D than did equimolar D2.*