VitActive87 – The Optimum vitamin multi-formula

Gastrointestinal health with DigeZyme™

DigeZyme™ is a unique blend of digestive enzymes (Protease, Amylase, Lactase, Lipase, Cellulase), combined in a specific formulation to aid digestion.

DigeZyme™ formulation, contains a combination of digestive enzymes, all aimed at aiding the digestion of nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, fat and fibre, whilst also being resistant to gastric juices.

These enzymes, break down the macronutrients, so your body absorbs more from the food you receive daily. 

Who could imagine, same food, more nutrients into your blood, better life and health.

Protease

Protease aids the digestion of protein. Protein is a staple part of an active person’s diet, both when ‘bulking’ and ‘cutting’, therefore it is beneficial to catalyse the digestion of protein by adding Protease. Supplementing with Protease will help relieve some of the symptoms of a high protein diet, such as stomach discomfort or bloating.

Amylase

Following protein, carbohydrate is another important nutrient in an active person’s diet. Large quantities of carbohydrate can be consumed, and this can leave you feeling bloated or uncomfortable. Amylase will negate the discomfort associated with consuming large quantities of carbohydrate by catalysing its breakdown for easier digestion.

Lipase

Lipase aids in the digestion of fat; helping to breakdown large fat molecules into smaller molecules in order to ease digestion. Fats can take a long time to digest, which can hinder the digestion of other nutrients. Efficient breakdown of fats, via Lipase supplementation, can be particularly beneficial in relation to improved digestion.

Lactase

This enzyme is the one that lactose intolerant people do not produce. Lactase will help your intestines break down the lactose from the dairy products (milk, chease, whey protein, milk protein etc) so you do not have these unwanted side effects after consuming foods which contain lactose.

Cellulase

A healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables is also rich in cellulose, a plant fibre which can be hard to digest. DigeZyme® contains Cellulase in order to help improve the breakdown of the plant fibre in order to promote healthier digestion.

The Surprising Health Benefits of vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and Minerals

Micronutrients play an important role in energy production, hemoglobin synthesis, maintenance of bone health, adequate immune function, and protection of body against oxidative damage. They assist with synthesis and repair of muscle tissue during recovery from exercise and injury. Exercise stresses many of the metabolic pathways where micronutrients are required, and exercise training may result in muscle biochemical adaptations that increase micronutrient needs. Routine exercise may also increase the turnover and loss of these micronutrients from the body. As a result, greater intakes of micronutrients may be required to cover increased needs for building, repair, and maintenance of lean body mass in athletes

Vitamin D is required for adequate calcium absorption, regulation of serum calcium and phosphorus levels, and promotion of bone health. Vitamin D also regulates the development and homeostasis of the nervous system and skeletal muscle.

Athletes who live at northern latitudes or who train primarily indoors throughout the year, such as gymnasts and figure skaters, are at risk for poor vitamin D status, especially if they do not consume foods fortified with vitamin D.

Adequate intake of B vitamins is important to ensure optimum energy production and the building and repair of muscle tissue.

The B-complex vitamins have two major functions directly related to exercise.

Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, and biotin, are involved in energy production during exercise, whereas folate and vitamin B12 are required for the production of red blood cells, for protein synthesis, and in tissue repair and maintenance including the CNS.

Of the B vitamins, riboflavin, pyridoxine, folate, and vitamin B are frequently low in female athletes’ diets, especially those who are vegetarian or have disordered eating patterns.

The antioxidant nutrients, vitamins C and E, β-carotene, and selenium, play important roles in protecting cell membranes from oxidative damage. Because exercise can increase oxygen consumption by 10- to 15-fold, it has been hypothesized that long-term exercise produces a constant “oxidative stress” on the muscles and other cells membranes.

Although short-term exercise may increase levels of lipid peroxide by-products, antioxidant system and reduced lipid peroxidation.

Thus, a well-trained athlete may have a more developed endogenous antioxidant system than a sedentary person. Whether exercise increases the need for antioxidant nutrients remains controversial. There is little evidence that antioxidant supplements enhance physical performance.

Athletes at greatest risk for poor antioxidant intakes are those following a low-fat diet, restricting energy intakes, or limiting dietary intakes of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

Vitamin C supplements do not seem to have an ergogenic effect if the diet provides adequate amounts of this nutrient. Because strenuous and prolonged exercise has been shown to increase the need for vitamin C, physical performance can be compromised with marginal vitamin C status or deficiency. Athletes who participate in habitual prolonged, strenuous exercise should consume 100-1000 mg of vitamin C daily.

Minerals: Calcium, Iron, Zinc, and Magnesium

The primary minerals low in the diets of athletes, especially female athletes, are calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Low intakes of these minerals are often due to energy restriction or avoidance of animal products.

Calcium is especially important for growth, maintenance and repair of bone tissue, maintenance of blood calcium levels, regulation of muscle contraction, nerve conduction, and normal blood clotting. Inadequate dietary calcium and vitamin D increase the risk of low bone mineral density and stress fractures. Female athletes are at greatest risk for low bone mineral density if energy intakes are low, dairy products and other calcium-rich foods are inadequate or eliminated from the diet, and menstrual dysfunction is present.

Supplementation with calcium and vitamin D should be determined after nutrition assessment. Current recommendations for athletes with disordered eating, amenorrhea, and risk for early osteoporosis are 1500 mg of elemental calcium and 400-800 IU of vitamin D per day.

Iron is required for the formation of oxygen-carrying proteins, hemoglobin and myoglobin, and for enzymes involved in energy production.

Oxygen-carrying capacity is essential for endurance exercise as well as normal function of the nervous, behavioral, and immune systems.

Iron depletion (low iron stores) is one of the most prevalent nutrient deficiencies observed among athletes, especially females.

Iron deficiency, with or without anemia, can impair muscle function and limit work capacity.

Athletes who are vegetarian or regular blood donors should aim for an iron intake greater than their respective RDA.

The high incidence of iron depletion among athletes is usually attributed to inadequate energy intake. Other factors that can impact iron status include vegetarian diets that have poor iron availability, periods of rapid growth, training at high altitudes, increased iron losses in sweat, feces, urine, menstrual blood, intravascular hemolysis, foot-strike hemolysis, regular blood donation, or injury.

Athletes, especially women, long-distance runners, adolescents, and vegetarians should be screened periodically to assess and monitor iron status.

Because reversing iron deficiency anemia can require 3-6 months, it is advantageous to begin nutrition intervention before iron deficiency anemia develops.

Although depleted iron stores (low serum ferritin) are more prevalent in female athletes, the incidence of iron deficiency anemia in athletes is similar to that of the nonathlete female population

Zinc plays a role in growth, building and repair of muscle tissue, energy production, and immune status. Diets low in animal protein, high in fiber and vegetarian diets, in particular, are associated with decreased zinc intake.

Zinc status has been shown to directly affect thyroid hormone levels, BMR, and protein use, which in turn can negatively affect health and physical performance..

Athletes, particularly females, are at risk for zinc deficiency.

The impact of low zinc intakes on zinc status is difficult to measure because clear assessment criteria have not been established and plasma zinc concentrations may not reflect changes in whole-body zinc status.

Magnesium plays a variety of roles in cellular metabolism (glycolysis, fat, and protein metabolism) and regulates membrane stability and neuromuscular, cardiovascular, immune, and hormonal functions.

Magnesium deficiency impairs endurance performance by increasing oxygen requirements to complete submaximal exercise. Athletes in weight-class and body-conscious sports, such as wrestling, ballet, gymnastics, and tennis, have been reported to consume inadequate dietary magnesium. Athletes should be educated about good food sources of magnesium. In athletes with low magnesium status, supplementation might be beneficial.

Sodium, Chloride, and Potassium

Sodium is a critical electrolyte, particularly for athletes with high sweat losses.

Many endurance athletes will require much more than the UL for sodium and chloride.

Sports drinks containing sodium and potassium , as well as carbohydrates, are recommended for athletes especially in endurance events.

Potassium is important for fluid and electrolyte balance, nerve transmission, and active transport mechanisms. During intense exercise, plasma potassium concentrations tend to decline to a lesser degree than sodium. A diet rich in a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, dairy foods, lean meats, and whole grains is usually considered adequate for maintaining normal potassium status among athletes.

Astaxanthin – the athlete’s secret weapon

Science proves it – natural astaxanthin is a safe performance boosting supplement that will give you a competitive edge against the rest of the pack.

If you are an athlete in any competitive sense or if you exercise just a few times a week, you may be supplementing your training regimen with things like protein powders, amino acids, and omega oils. These supplements are great for upping your athletic game, but if you’re not including astaxanthin amongst your daily supplement arsenal, you are missing out on what many of the world’s top athletes call their, “Secret Weapon.”

What is astaxanthin?

While relatively new in the supplement category, astaxanthin has been gaining recognition over the past ten years due to its potent antioxidant strength. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid, like beta carotene or lutein, and is the red pigment found in nature. It’s found in animals such as salmon, shrimp, and lobsters but its most abundantly found in a fresh water algae called Haematococcus pluvialis. While certain foods like salmon naturally contain astaxanthin from algae they eat in the wild, you’d need to eat several pounds of salmon to get an adequate astaxanthin dosage on a daily basis. Therefore, the most efficient and cost effective way to incorporate astaxanthin into your daily life is by taking an algae extract supplement. Dosages range from 4 milligrams to 12 milligrams per day.

Natural astaxanthin is unique among other antioxidants because of the shape of its molecule – it’s both water and fat soluble which protects the entire cell from damage. The benefits natural astaxanthin can provide to the human body are comprehensive, including fighting free radicals, supporting skin health, eye and brain health, cardiovascular health, improved athletic performance, and helping the body recover from intense exercise. The improved athletic performance as well as faster recovery from exercise, is what excites athletes as they strive to perform at their very best.

Astaxanthin – the athlete’s supplement

Energy production in the body starts in our cells, which rely on the mitochondria, the generators or powerhouses found within our cells that produce energy. Mitochondria break down carbohydrates and fatty acids to generate energy. Your body needs millions of mitochondria running at full capacity because the better they perform, the better you will feel. There are several ways that you can help your mitochondria perform better, such as calorie restriction, getting a good night’s sleep, and minimizing inflammation and free radicals. Taking astaxanthin will also help. Research has shown astaxanthin provides anti-inflammatory and antioxidant support after strenous exercise to the mitochondria7, resulting in better mitochondria performance which can result in better physical performance.

Exercise results in physical fatigue of the body and requires down time to recover. But what if there was a way to increase the time it took to feel fatigued and speed up recovery time after exercise? A study was conducted to test just this –healthy volunteers using progressively heavier loads in a stepwise exercise were tested with astaxanthin supplementation versus a placebo. Results showed that supplementation with astaxanthin improved metabolism (always a plus!) and respiratory-circulatory ability, plus anti-fatigue and antioxidant levels in the body were increased. Another study with soccer players proved that astaxanthin reduced muscle damage and protected the function of cells during heavy exercise. With these two studies alone, you can see why astaxanthin is very valuable to an athlete, but the research continues with more amazing findings.

Astaxanthin has been shown to improve athletic performance by increasing physical strength – and who wouldn’t want that? In this study, participants were given astaxanthin for six months and then had their strength tested on a Smith machine. Amazingly, the results showed that taking astaxanthin improved performance threefold! Another study involving competitive cyclists found that taking astaxanthin resulted in an average of 15% increase in power output and contributed to making the cyclists faster and stronger.

Astaxanthin can also support our muscles. A common issue with intense exercise is that it leads to lactic acid build up in the muscles, resulting in cramping. Astaxanthin can help decrease lactic acid build up in the muscles and allows athletes to push harder and faster for longer.

End result? Add astaxanthin to your daily regimen

You don’t need to be an extreme athlete to benefit from taking astaxanthin, but the science is solid in supporting astaxanthin and improved athlete performance. For all of the reasons discussed, athletes that want better performance should definitely be taking natural astaxanthin on a daily basis.

The Benefits of Oleuropein 

WHAT IS OLEUROPEIN?

If you’ve ever eaten olives, you know they have a distinct, slightly bitter taste. Well, oleuropein is the compound that gives olives their wonderful flavor.

But this incredible substance does a lot more than give olives their zip. Oleuropein has been shown to support your body in many ways. Processed oleuropein is available through not only food, but supplements as well.

Oleuropein belongs to a family of plant compounds known as polyphenols, which are chemicals found in plants. Polyphenols are not only found in vegetables, but also in fruits, grains, and certain beverages, such as red wine and coffee.

Polyphenols are antioxidants – substances that help protect the health of your cells. Antioxidants fight free radicals. These are dangerous molecules that attack the cells that make up your muscles and tissues.

Here are just some of the benefits associated with oleuropein:

1. SUPPORTED BLOOD PRESSURE

There is evidence that the oleuropein in olive leaf extract could help keep blood pressure healthy. In one study, researchers found that participants who received supplements containing the extract not only enjoyed lower blood pressure, but also reduced LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. This is the type of cholesterol that can accumulate in your arteries and lead to severe cardiovascular problems.

2. MAINTAINING THE HEALTH OF YOUR ARTERIES

Another one of the significant benefits of this extract from the olive leaf appears to be arterial health. The cells along the walls of your arteries, known as endothelial cells, help to ensure that blood flows smoothly5 Research shows that oleuropein may help keep these cells healthy.

Polyphenols, such as oleuropein, have potential when it comes to maintaining artery walls — and keeping them clean from plaque. They do this in two ways. One is by inhibiting the development of molecules that cause platelets and white blood cells to adhere to arterial walls. The second is by reducing the clumping of platelets, in hopes of preventing clots. More research is required to determine if oleuropein is one of these artery-maintaining polyphenols, but scientists see great potential for it.

3. KEEPING BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS HEALTHY

Studies show that supplements containing olive leaf extract may help keep blood sugar levels in check. For people who have high blood sugar, there’s evidence that proper blood sugar- management may help to reduce the chances of further complications.

4. ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES

It also appears that oleuropein may help fight harmful microbes. For example, testing shows that two substances found in oleuropein, aglycone and oleanolic acid, inhibit the growth of lactic acid bacteria. If too much lactic acid develops in your body, you may experience severe muscle discomfort or weakness, as well as a decrease in appetite.

5. JOINT SUPPORT

Oleuropein may also help protect your joints. That’s because it is thought to inhibit the development of proteins known as cytokines. And in some cases, cytokines have been linked to joint discomfort. In addition, research shows it helps improve the health of affected tissues. Research also shows that a specific enzyme in oleuropein may help to keep the uric acid crystals from forming.

Suggested Use: 

Serving: Mix one scoop (3,8g) in 100ml of water.

Consume 1 serving (3,8g/100ml) 5 minutes before your breakfast and 1 serving (3,8g/100ml) 40 minutes before your physical activity.