Category Archives: Food Supplements

On 27 April 2017, the Court of Justice of the European Union issued a judgement upon request of the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Perpignan (France) for a preliminary ruling under Article 267 TFEU, made by decision of 5 August 2015.

The request concerned the interpretation of Directive (EC) 2002/46 on the approximation of laws of the Member States relating to food supplements and Articles 28 and 30 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) on the free movement of goods.

The question arose in the context of a criminal proceeding brought against Noria Distribution SARL (Noria Distribution) for putting on sale or sold food supplements not authorised in France because they exceeded the maximum daily doses of vitamins and minerals which may be used for the manufacture of such food supplements, as set forth in the inter-ministerial order of 9 May 2006 on nutrients (Order).

Background of the case

Noria Distribution, a French company that markets food supplements in the European Union, is prosecuted in France for having sold food supplements containing vitamins and minerals in quantities exceeding the maximum daily doses provided in the Order. The Company does not substantially contest the violation of French Law, but it claims that the Order on which the criminal proceeding is based is not compatible with the European Law.

According to Article 5 of Decree No 2006/352 transposing Directive (EC) 2002/46 under French Law ("Decree"), vitamins and minerals can be used in the manufacture of food supplements only under the conditions set forth in an implementing inter-ministerial Order. The Order provides a positive list of vitamins and minerals that can be used in the manufacture of food supplements and establishes the maximum daily doses that must not be exceeded in the context of that use. It follows that food supplements with content of nutrients exceeding the limit set forth in the Decree, cannot be legally placed in the French market even though they are legally sold in other European Member States. Although the Decree provides a simplified "mutual recognition" procedure, this shall not apply to food supplements containing vitamins and minerals.

Question referred to the Court

The Tribunal de Grande Instance of Perpignan, unsure on the conformity of national legislation with Directive (EC) 2002/46, decided to stay the proceeding and refer to the Court a request for preliminary ruling. In particular, the referring Court inquires:

Findings of the Court

As to the first question, the Court of Justice of the European Union ("CJEU") observes that until the adoption by the European Commission of an act setting forth the maximum amount of vitamins and minerals to be used in foodstuffs, Member States remain competent to adopt the legislation concerning these amounts. However, in the exercise of that competence, they shall comply with the rules concerning the free movement of goods, as well as with principles laid down in Article 5(1) and (2) of Directive (EU) 2002/46, including the requirement for a risk assessment based on generally accepted scientific data.

According to the CJEU, the French Decree constitutes a measure having an effect equivalent to a quantitative restriction, since it prohibits the marketing of food supplements exceeding the maximum limits of nutrients even if they are lawfully manufactured or marketed in another Member State. According to the CJEU's case law, measures having equivalent effect to a quantitative restriction are justified when two requirements are fulfilled. First, national rules provide a procedure enabling economic operators to obtain the authorisation to market food supplements non-compliant with these limits and the procedure is: easily accessible; can be completed within a reasonable time; and, in case of refusal, the decision can be challenged before the courts. Secondly, the application to obtain the authorisation to market those food supplements may be refused by the competent national authorities only if those supplements pose a genuine risk to public health.

Since the French legislation forbids the marketing of food supplements whose content in nutrients exceeds the upper limits set by the legislation without providing a procedure of mutual recognition, the restriction does not seem justified under the European Law.

With reference to the second question, concerning the method used to set maximum amounts of vitamins, the CJEU affirms that it shall be based on a scientific risk assessment based on generally accepted scientific data and it must be carried out on a case-by-case basis. It follows that a method which consists of setting those amounts without taking into account all of these elements, is not compatible with rules on free movement of goods.

Finally, addressing the third question, the CJEU points out that by requiring that the assessment is based on generally accepted scientific data, Article 5(1) of Directive (EC) 2002/46 intends that the assessment shall be based on reliable scientific data, regardless of whether they are national or international. It follows that if recent and reliable international scientific data are available on the date on which the scientific assessment of risks is carried out, that assessment cannot be made without having regard to those data.

Comment

In the case at issue, the Court of Justice provides a new ruling on boundaries of national legislation which provides measures having an effect equivalent to a quantitative restriction to free circulation of goods. According to the Court, these measures are not generally forbidden provided that they are based substantively on a full risk assessment based on up-to-date science and, procedurally, on a system that allows a Member State to verify whether a genuine risk to public health actually exists.

Addressing the first question, the Court confirms the findings of the Solgar decision (C-233/10), where it stated that maximum amounts of vitamins and minerals shall be based on generally accepted scientific data and on risk assessment, as generally required by Regulation (EC) 178/2002 for all measures concerning food safety.

Dealing with the procedural requirement, the Court clarifies the meaning of "mutual recognition procedure", that it shall not be intended as a procedure according to which Member States automatically recognize and authorize the import of any food supplements, but as a procedure that allows Member States to verify whether a genuine risk to public health exists. In the light of this, Member States are required to provide a procedure for repeating the assessment when importers are able to present new scientific evidence that could lead to a reconsideration of the original restriction.

This decision confirms that the lack of harmonization in sensitive matters such as food supplements still leads to the creation of barriers to free circulation of goods even though Regulation 764/2008/EC ("Mutual Recognition Regulation") has clarified the procedure which national authorities shall follow before they can restrict goods which are lawfully marketed in other Member States. This has been clearly pointed out by the EU Commission itself in the document "Upgrading the Single Market: more opportunities for people and business" where the Commission has highlighted that "National regulations and practices continue to create barriers ()While these problems occur in many industrial sectors, they are particularly present in the fields of construction, foodstuffs, food supplements and fertilisers. This translates into lost business opportunities, less competition and higher prices for consumers".

Even though the referring Court has not yet provided a decision on the case at issue, the ruling of the CJEU has led the Italian Ministry of Health to revise the maximum levels of vitamins (Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin K) allowed in food supplements, bringing legal levels in line with the European Food Safety Authority opinions and international safety data.

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Nutrients in Food Supplements: the European Court of Justice Rules on Boundaries of National Legislation Imposing ... - Lexology (registration)

facebook pinterest email copy link Antioxidants may not live up to all the hype.Flickr/Ano Lobb The INSIDER Summary:

Food and supplement companies make it seem like antioxidants are little warriors that start vanquishing diseases in your body as soon as you ingest them. It's easy to assume that consuming more of them must be better than consuming less.

But science shows loading up on antioxidants may not be as beneficial as you'd think some research suggests it can even cause harm. Here's what you need to know.

First, a quick primer on how antioxidants work:

Blueberries are a source of dietary antioxidants.Flickr/mystuart

Antioxidants have the power to stop free radicals, highly reactive chemicals that tear through the body, damaging cells and possibly playing a role in the development of diseases like cancer. Free radicals are an inescapable fact of life: The body makes them as a natural byproduct of digesting food, and it also makes them in response to pollution or radiation exposure.

"Antioxidants" is the catchall name given to the hundreds probably thousands of chemicals that can quench destructive free radicals. The body makes a lot of its own antioxidants, but we can also get them from our diet. Some antioxidants are also vitamins vitamins A, C, and E, to be specific but most others aren't.

When it comes to antioxidants, more is n0t always better.

Vitamin E supplement pills.Flickr/John Liu

A few decades ago, scientists began to understand that free radical damage might play a role in conditions like heart disease, cancer, vision loss, and more, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. So they decided to study what would happen if they gave people large doses of antioxidants in supplement form.

The results have been largely disappointing.

In 1985, for instance, American researchers recruited 18,000 people at high risk for lung cancer and had some of them take vitamin A supplements. But the study was halted almost two years early because participants taking the supplements were lung cancer than participants taking a placebo.

Antioxidant supplements aren't always beneficial.Shutterstock

Newer research hasn't been much more promising. A 2007 review found that taking antioxidants beta carotene, vitamin A, or vitamin E could increase mortality yes, that's the fancy scientific term for death. And while some trials have found a benefit to antioxidant supplementation, most simply haven't.

"The supplement trials have really failed," Christopher Gardner, PhD, professor of Medicine at Stanford Prevention Research Center and member of the True Health Initiative (THI), told INSIDER.

The antioxidant "scores" on food packages don't mean much, either.

You've probably come across tons of foods with claims about antioxidants on the label.

The test that companies use to make such claims is called the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, or ORAC. The problem is that it's a done in a test tube, not in humans. And just because a food has lots of antioxidant power in a test tube, Gardner explained, doesn't mean it's going to translate to a tangible health benefit in your body.

Food companies like to boast about antioxidant content.Flickr/Ty Konzak

"Even though [there's an antioxidant] in a food, you would have to absorb it without breaking it down," Gardner said. "Then it would have to be delivered to some part of your body that needs it. Then it would have to be the case that you didn't have enough to begin with, so this [antioxidant] made up for your deficiency. And then the last thing is, how would you measure that it did something?"

It's really tough to prove that the antioxidants in your morning goji berries, for example, are the reason you do or don't get heart disease 50 years from now.

Antioxidant content isn't the only reason you should buy a food.Flickr/Mike Mozart

Because of all this, the USDA decided to shut down its online ORAC database back in 2012, writing that ORAC values were "routinely misused" by food and supplement companies.

This doesn't mean products that list ORAC scores are necessarily bad for you. On the contrary, foods with high ORAC scores are often very nutritious choices, cardiologist Joel Kahn, MD, another THI member, told INSIDER.

But you shouldn't let antioxidant-based marketing claims sway your food decisions. Don't spend more on a certain type of berry solely because it has a high ORAC score or the word "antioxidants" plastered all over the package. Just buy whatever berries you want to eat.

One thing is clear: Foods that contain lots of antioxidants are good for your health.

Fruits and vegetables are the way to go.Flickr/Jason Paris

Most health authorities agree: Antioxidant supplements aren't worth your money, but antioxidant-rich foods definitely are.

"Antioxidant-rich foods probably sound familiar because we've been telling you to eat those for a really long time," Gardner said.

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains these foods are all rich in antioxidants, but they also have healthful fiber and essential nutrients your body needs. Plus, a robust body of evidence says that they're beneficial for long-term health.

"People should get the majority of their antioxidants from brightly colored fresh fruits and vegetables," Kahn said. "There's no doubt eating fruits and vegetables is a dose-related way to improve your health."

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All of those antioxidant supplements are a huge con - INSIDER

Could knowledge of our individual genetic variants guide us in making better, more personalized lifestyle choices, including the foods we eat and the dietary supplements we take? And could we leverage this information to mitigate our individual risk of obesity and other conditions? Experts in the fields of genetics, microbiology, the -omics (including metabolomics, proteomics, and more) and nutritional science generally say yesbut their opinions differ on what conclusions we can draw now with the information we currently have in this field, and how and when the science will be translatable into meaningful, scientifically sound commercial applications.

Much more than a trendy buzzword, nutrigenetics has as its main goal to understand the gene-based differences in response to dietary components and to develop recommendations that are the most compatible with the health status of individuals based on their genetic makeup, explains Jos M. Ordovs, PhD, director, Nutrition and Genomics, and professor, Nutrition and Genetics, at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University (Boston). Another way of putting it? Nutrigenetics is about how individual responses to food are driven by genetic differences.

Hooman Allayee, PhD, professor, Departments of Preventive Medicine & Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California (Los Angeles), and president-elect, International Society of Nutrigenetics/Nutrigenomics, adds, Nutrigenetics asks, Do the DNA differences between any two people make them respond differently to nutrients? The concept is based on relating genetic differences at the DNA level to the response to nutritional components.

This science is poised to disrupt the nutrition field and its blanket public-health guidelines as we now know them, and the potential applications hold tantalizing appeal for industry and consumers alike. The ultimate personalized nutrition comes, of course, from nutrigenetics, Ordovs says.

Characterizing the field as extremely complex, Ordovs explains that while he and his colleagues have been studying nutrigenetics for decades, it is, in his opinion, still in its infancy from a practical perspective. Early on, progress was limited by more-primitive technology and poor knowledge of the human genome, Ordovs says. Since then, technology has vastly improved, and our knowledge of the human genome is betterthough rather incomplete.

Still, Ordovs says, we have to integrate nutrition and genetics using very solid scientific approaches if we want the field of nutrigenetics to mature and yield meaningful solutions and applications.

Nutrigenetics & Weight Management: What We Know, What We Have Still to Learn

The question, What do we currently know about nutrigenetics, particularly related to obesity and weight management, and what can we do with that knowledge? yields varying answers depending on whom you ask. A portion of an American Heart Association statement published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics in 2016 and to which both Ordovs and Allayee contributed reads, Nutrigenomics has the potential to identify genetic predictors of disease-relevant responses to diet, and this potential and its applicability in the context of personalized nutrition have popular appeal. However, nutrigenomics has also been the subject of much hyperbole and has been ascribed much promise, particularly in the arenas of personalized nutrition, functional foods, and nutraceuticals. Unfortunately, the science has not yet fully delivered on this unrealized potential. The statement does acknowledge enthusiasm about possible clinical applications but maintains that the evidence base remains limited.

While the tone of that particular statement is one of cautious optimism, Tufts Ordovs does, in comments shared with Nutritional Outlook, point to promising findings related to nutrigenetics and weight management, including research performed at Tufts University that concluded that limiting saturated-fat intake may help promote healthy body-mass index (BMI) especially in people whose genetic makeup increases their risk of obesity.1 (For this study, researchers identified 63 gene variants related to obesity and used them to calculate a genetic-risk score for obesity for more than 2800 white adults. Participants with a higher genetic-risk score who also consumed more of their calories as saturated fat were more likely to have a higher BMI, the researchers found.)

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Nutrigenetics, Weight Management, and Dietary Supplements - Nutritional Outlook

If youve taken a peek through Instagram recently, one thing is clear: Black food is everywhere. Perhaps a goth response to the ubiquity of unicorn lattes and rainbow bagels, dyeing foods a deep, inky black has become one of the years biggest food trends. Activated charcoal, the ingredient that creates this super-black hue, has made its way into coconut ash ice cream, detoxifying lemonades, pizza crusts, and boozy cocktails that are as black as your cold, dark soul.

Activated charcoal, also known as activated carbon or coconut ash, has long been a staple in hospitals, where it is used to prevent poisons and lethal overdoses of drugs from being absorbed by the body. Its a potent detoxifier, which has also helped activated charcoal attract an ardent following among the crunchy juice-cleanse types, who claim that the supplement (usually taken in pill form, though the powder can be mixed into a glass of water) can do everything from preventing hangovers to mitigating the side effects of food poisoning.

The idea of charcoal as a detoxifier isnt going away anytime soon, but consumers are now more interested in charcoal-tinted ice cream and pizza because it makes for excellent Instagram fodder. The black ice cream from shops like Morgensterns in New York City and Los Angeles Little Damage have been posted to social media thousands of times, along with inspiring countless copycats at ice cream shops across the country. This time, the craze isnt necessarily attributed to activated charcoals purported health benefits. Instead, the appeal is directly attributed to the fact that black-hued dishes are relatively rare and unique and also happen to look really, really cool.

Still, as the trend has grown, a number of articles have raised concerns about whether or not activated charcoal is safe to consume. Theres been a little bit of fearmongering regarding the ingredient, like pieces at Self and BoingBoing that warn people to definitely avoid foods dyed black with activated charcoal because theyre not safe.

As always, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, between the natural health evangelists and complete skeptics. If consumed in excessive amounts, activated charcoal can cause some adverse health effects but definitely it isnt as dangerous as some might believe.

While technically made of the same material as the charcoal briquettes in your barbecue, activated charcoal is a decidedly different thing. Food-grade activated charcoal is most frequently produced by heating coconut shells to extremely high temperatures until they are carbonized, or completely burned up. The resulting ash is then processed with steam or hot air at equally high temperatures to produce a microporous structure.

This process dramatically increases the surface area of the charcoal, which partly explains why it is such a powerful detoxifier. You can imagine activated charcoal as a sponge with its many tiny pores, writes Discover Magazines Eunice Liu. In fact, it is these little pores that endow the activated charcoal with its powerful adsorption properties, referring to the process by which atoms or molecules from a gas, liquid, or dissolved solid bind onto a surface.

Before it hit mainstream food culture, activated charcoal was a popular ingredient for detox enthusiasts. Added to juice cleanses and cayenne pepper lemonades, the powdered charcoal has been touted by natural health advocates for its anti-aging benefits, as a way to lose weight and lower cholesterol, draw poisonous spider venom out of wounds, and minimize gastrointestinal distress. Long before that, even, it was used by Ayurvedic and Eastern medicine practitioners to whiten teeth and cleanse toxic mold spores from the body.

Pretty much the only reason to add activated charcoal to ice cream or pizza crust is to produce that rich, Instagram-worthy black color. In terms of flavor, activated charcoal doesnt really bring much to the mix, which is why Morgensterns added coconut and burnt honey vanilla flavors to its black ice cream when it was introduced last year. Little Damage offers a rotating selection of flavors, like almond, dyed with activated charcoal.

The inspiration for Little Damages black ice cream came after owner Jenny Damage noticed activated charcoal in a number of juice shops across Los Angeles, and found that it was a really good way to produce a pure, super-black color. Black is not an easy color to achieve when youre mixing white ice cream with it, Damage says. I first saw it in charcoal lemonades, and I thought that was fun. The ingredient itself didnt have too much of a taste, so it was a really good base for us to rotate our flavors, using that as our iconic color.

At Prohibition Creamery in Austin, Texas, owner Laura Aidan first whipped up a batch of black ice cream as a Halloween special last year, but its been so popular that its made its way back to her constantly rotating menu a few times since. On a weekly basis, she gets requests from people via Instagram, Facebook, and email for the black ice cream, which was originally intended to just be a one-time-only offering.

When she decided to do a black ice cream, Aidan originally thought she might use squid ink, which is used to dye Italian pastas, or maybe black sesame seeds. Ultimately, though, activated charcoal was the best option. Activated charcoal was totally the best fit. I was familiar with it as a health food supplement, but I had never put it in ice cream before, Aidan says. It adds just a slight bit of crunch, a really fine little crunch to the texture, but for the most part it was amazing how smoothly the charcoal mixed into the ice cream.

Activated charcoal is really good at adsorption, or soaking up all the molecules in its path, but it isnt so good at picking out whats toxic and what isnt. When a person consumes activated charcoal in ice cream, the charcoal sucks up the calcium, potassium, and other vitamins that would be found in the milk. This prevents the stomach lining from absorbing those nutrients, which means that the body eliminates them as waste alongside the charcoal. In extreme cases, this can result in malnutrition.

For people who take prescription medications every day, activated charcoal may pose an even bigger concern. Activated charcoal is given to people who take too much medication because charcoal is so absorbent and can counteract an overdose, gastroenterologist Patricia Raymond, M.D. told Womens Health. But if youre drinking it and you also are on any meds, even birth control pills, the charcoal is likely to absorb the drugs. So you risk having them become ineffective. According to Drugs.com, that warning applies to more than 200 drugs, ranging from the ibuprofen you take to fend off a headache to albuterol, used to stop asthma attacks. As such, most companies that sell the product as a supplement recommend waiting at least two hours between taking activated charcoal and other prescription drugs.

Its especially concerning for people who use hormonal contraceptives, as consuming activated charcoal within just a few hours of taking the pill can reduce its efficiency. In a January interview with Imbibe, Bittermens founder Avery Glasser joked that he was going to make an activated charcoal cocktail called See Ya In Nine Months, referring to its potential to produce an unplanned pregnancy. It was a nod to the ethical dilemma at hand: Should bartenders really be serving these drinks to unwitting patrons, and if they do, should they come with a warning?

The science is somewhat mixed on the health benefits of activated charcoal, but as with most other detox products, most scientists are skeptical. There is little hard evidence that consuming activated charcoal actually does anything to detoxify the body or improve liver function, but that hasnt stopped natural health enthusiasts from consuming it, much like turmeric lattes or juice cleanses. Perhaps not surprisingly, natural lifestyle maven Gwyneth Paltrow is an ardent activated charcoal proponent.

Activated charcoal is amazing, says Elissa Goodman, a Los Angeles-based holistic nutritionist whos developed cleanse plans for celebrities like Kate Hudson. I have used it for myself, my children use it, and we always travel with it. Its powerful, potent stuff that is able to trap toxins and chemicals in the body and help flush them out so that theyre not absorbed. I think our bodies are really toxic.

For Goodman and her now college-aged kids, activated charcoal is mostly used as a hangover cure. She also packs it when traveling to places where shes concerned that the water may make her sick, and believes that it can be effective in helping remove toxic mold spores (which are prevalent in the laundry rooms and bathrooms of many homes and apartments) from the body. We all have digestive issues, and charcoal can alleviate gas and bloating, which is usually produced by some kind of fermentation in our guts, she says. We inhale spores of toxic molds. In places where water is crappy, tap water can be toxic and have chemicals. A lot of people dont have filtration systems in their homes, so its great to use.

Still, despite Goodmans obsession with eliminating toxins, she doesnt see activated charcoal as the kind of thing that should be eaten every day. Everything in moderation. We get onto these crazes and run with them, even if its potentially not that great for us in the long run, she says. I dont think its good to eat or drink it all the time. When youre feeling bad, its great to use. When youre healthy and normal, you dont need it. Goodman also knows that activated charcoal can interfere with adsorption of medications and other supplements, which is why she recommends taking it first thing in the morning.

In small quantities, activated charcoal is perfectly safe to consume, even if the purported health benefits are scientifically dubious. In the black ice cream at Prohibition Creamery, only a few ounces (by weight) of activated charcoal go into an 18-gallon batch of ice cream, which means that each scoop only contains a tiny amount. But because its hard to judge exactly how and when your body will process the charcoal, its still a good idea to wait a few hours after taking prescription medications like birth control before eating that charcoal pizza crust.

The amount that goes into each serving isnt great enough to make a huge difference when youre talking about ice cream, says Damage. Youd have to consume a huge amount. Of course, I dont know every medicine each and every person is taking, so if youre on medication, people should consult with their doctors before trying our ice cream.

Its also important to remember that activated charcoal isnt the only common ingredient used in restaurants that can interfere with medications. Grapefruit juice is known to increase the absorption of some drugs, including statins used to regulate cholesterol, HIV protease inhibitors, and over-the-counter cough syrup those who consume those medications are encouraged to avoid drinking grapefruit juice within two hours of downing their pills.

A natural compound called tyramine, found in aged cheeses, cured meats, and certain wines, can also be deadly for people using monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or MAOIs, to treat depression and personality disorders. (Fun fact: In The Silence of the Lambs, when Anthony Hopkins, starring as diabolical cannibal Hannibal Lecter, tells FBI agent Clarice Starling that he ate a census workers liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti, that particular assortment of foods (all high in tyramine) provides a subtle clue that Lecter is off his medications. Otherwise, as Mental Floss notes, its a combination that would have otherwise killed him.)

Still, despite the fact that activated charcoal is harmless in small quantities, its probably not a good idea to eat (or drink) it every single day. Over time, activated charcoal will adsorb crucial nutrients away from the body, which could eventually lead to malnutrition. Kim Kardashian might keep her fridge stocked with activated charcoal lemonades, but regular consumption comes with some less-than-glamorous side effects, like constipation, dehydration, and some very metal black-tinted poop.

Ultimately, its unlikely that consuming ice cream or pizza dyed black with activated charcoal every once in a while is going to result in any serious health complications. It might still be a good idea to treat this trendy ingredient much like the ice cream it is stirred into as an occasional splurge instead of a diet staple.

Amy McCarthy is the editor of Eater Dallas and Eater Houston. Editor: Erin DeJesus

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Everything You Need to Know About Eating Activated Charcoal - Eater

Whats the story?

WWE Champion Jinder Mahal recently did an interview with GQ Magazine. They discussed a range of topics including the rumours of PED use, what supplements he takes, and his preference for fast food.

Jinder was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1986, and has a business degree in communications and culture from the University of Calgary. His uncle Gama Singh is also a professional wrestler, and the person who trained him wasthe legendary Stu Hart.

When it comes to fast food, Jinder says that you can actually eat very clean at Chipotle. He says that hell get chicken with lettuce and rice, but stays away from guacamole and sour cream. As for places like McDonalds and pizza delivery, he cannot remember the last time he had either.

Jinder also brought up his suspected PED use and his response in the following Instagram post:

He would tell GQ that most people dont realise the hard work that goes into getting your body into this shape. No one sees him going to the gym to do cardio first thing in the morning and most people dont realise that hydration plays a large role as well.

In regards to the supplements that he takes, Jinder stated that he takes only a few. He always has protein with him and uses amino acids and magnesium to prevent muscle breakdown and cramping. There is also a multi-vitamin/digestive enzyme packet he takes every morning.

Jinder will have his first title defence at the Money In The Bank pay per view on June 18th. He will try to keep the belt when he faces The Viper Randy Orton.

We cannot be the judge, jury, and executioner when it comes to a WWE Superstar taking PEDs, that is up to those who enforce the Wellness Policy. Its easy to look back at Jinder from two or three years ago and compare him to today and say yep hes on roids, but without any proof, its just a baseless claim.

Jinder has obviously put in a lot of work since his return to the WWE, and it is not just in his physique. There is a reason why he holds the WWE Championship now, and people should respect the hard work he has put in to get to where he is today.

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WWE News: Jinder Mahal talks about fast food, supplements and accusations of PED use - Sportskeeda

Vitamins are essential to life. They contribute to good health by regulating the metabolism and assisting the biochemical processes that release energy from digested food. They are considered micronutrients because the body needs them in relatively small amounts compared with nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and water.

Enzymes are essential chemicals that are the foundation of human bodily functions. They are catalysts (activators) in the chemical reactions that are continually taking place within the body. As coenzymes, vitamins work with enzymes, thereby allowing all the activities that occur within the body to be carried out as they should. Whole, fresh raw foods are a good source of enzymes.

Of the major vitamins, some are soluble in water and others in oil. Water-soluble vitamins must be taken into the body daily, as they cannot be stored and are excreted within four hours to one day. These include vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins. Oil-soluble vitamins can be stored for longer periods of time in the bodys fatty tissue and the liver. These include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Both types of vitamin are needed by the body for proper functioning.

RDA Vs. RDI Vs. ODI

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) were instituted more than forty years ago by the National Academy of Sciences U.S. Food and Nutrition Board as a standard for the daily amounts of vitamins needed by a healthy person. These RDAs were the basis for the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances (U.S. RDAs) adopted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The provisions of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act and the Dietary Supplement Act of 1992 required a change in food product labeling to use a new reference term, Daily Value (DV), which began to appear on FDA-regulated product labels in 1994. DVs are made up of two sets of references: Daily Reference Values (DRVs) and Reference Daily Intakes (RDIs).

DRVs are a set of dietary references that apply to fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, carbohydrate, protein, fiber, sodium, and potassium. RDIs are a set of dietary references based on the Recommended Dietary Allowances for essential vitamins and minerals and, in selected groups, protein. The term RDI replaces U.S. RDA.

Unfortunately, the amounts of these nutrients defined by the Recommended Dietary Allowances give us only the bare minimum required to ward off vitamin deficiency diseases such as beriberi, rickets, scurvy, and night blindness. What they do not account for are the amounts needed to maintain maximum health, rather than borderline health.

Scientific studies have shown that taking dosages of vitamins above the RDIs helps our bodies work better. The RDIs therefore are not very useful for determining what our intake of different vitamins should be. We prefer to speak in terms of optimum daily intakes (ODIs) the amounts of nutrients needed for vibrant good health. This entails consuming larger amounts of vitamins than the RDIs. The nutrient doses recommended on page 9 are ODIs. By providing our bodies with an optimum daily amount of necessary vitamins, we can enhance our health. The dosages outlined in this book will enable you to design a vitamin program that is custom-tailored for the individual.

Balance and Synergy

Having the proper balance of vitamins and minerals is very important. Scientific research has proved that excesses of isolated vitamins or minerals can produce the same symptoms as deficiencies of vitamins or minerals.

For example, high doses of isolated B vitamins have been shown to cause the depletion of other B vitamins. Similarly, if zinc is taken in excess, symptoms of zinc deficiency can result. Studies have shown that an intake of up to 100 milligrams of zinc daily enhances immune function, but an amount in excess of 100 milligrams daily may actually harm immune function.

Synergy is a phenomenon whereby two or more vitamins combine to create a stronger vitamin function than the sum of their individual effects would suggest. For example, in order for bioflavonoid to work properly (they prevent bruising and bleeding gums), they must be taken along with vitamin C. Recent studies show that bioflavonoid also may be a big factor in preventing cancer and many other diseases.

In addition, certain substances can block the absorption and effects of vitamins. For example, the absorption of vitamin C is greatly reduced by antibiotic drugs, so a person taking antibiotics requires a higher than normal intake of this vitamin.

Synthetic Versus Natural

Ideally, all of us would get all of the nutrients we need for optimal health from fresh, healthful foods. In reality, however, this is often difficult, if not impossible. In our chemically polluted and stress-filled world, our nutritional requirements have been increasing, but the number of calories we require has been decreasing, as our general level of physical activity has declined. This means we are faced with needing somehow to get more nutrients from less food. At the same time, many of our foods are depleted of certain nutrients. Modern farming practices have resulted in soils that are lacking in selenium and other nutrients.

Harvesting and shipping practices are dictated not by nutritional considerations but by marketing demands. Add to this extensive processing, improper storage, and other factors, and it is little wonder that many of the foods that reach our tables cannot meet our nutritional needs. Getting even the RDIs of vitamins from todays diet has become quite hard to do. This means that for optimum health, it is necessary to take nutrients in supplement form.

Vitamin supplements can be divided into two groups synthetic and natural. Synthetic vitamins are produced in laboratories from isolated chemicals that mirror their counterparts found in nature. Natural vitamins are derived from food sources. Although there are no major chemical differences between a vitamin found in food and one created in a laboratory, synthetic supplements contain the isolated vitamins only, while natural supplements may contain other nutrients not yet discovered. This is because these vitamins are in their natural state. If you are deficient in a particular nutrient, the chemical source will work, but you will not get the benefits of the vitamin as found in whole foods. Supplements that are not labeled natural also may include coal tars, artificial coloring, preservatives, sugars, and starch, as well as other additives. You should beware of such harmful elements.

However, you should also note that a bottle of natural vitamins might contain vitamins that have not been extracted from a natural food source. It is necessary to read labels carefully to make sure the products you buy contain nutrients from food sources, with none of the artificial additives mentioned above.

Studies have shown that protein-bonded vitamins, as found in natural whole food supplements, are absorbed, utilized, and retained in the tissues better than supplements that are not protein-bonded. Chemical-derived vitamins are not protein-bonded. Vitamins and minerals in food are bonded to proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and bioflavonoid.

Dr. Abram Hoffer, one of the founding fathers of orthomolecular medicine (a school of medicine that emphasizes the role of nutrition in health), explains:

Components [of food] do not exist free in nature; nature does not lay down pure protein, pure fat, or pure carbohydrates. Their molecules are interlaced in very complex three-dimensional structures, which even now have not been fully described. Intermingled are the essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, again not free, but combined in complex molecules.

Using a natural form of vitamins and minerals in nutritional supplements is the objective of the protein-bonding process. Taking supplements with meals helps to assure a supply of other nutrients needed for better assimilation as well.

Georgiy Kharchenko with American Weight Loss Group LLC selling: Weight Loss Pills, ECA STACK, Phentramin D, lipodrene

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Vitamins and Dietary Supplements - Good Herald

Over the course of the last decade, the U.S. developed an obsession with omega-3 fatty acids. As study after study coalesced around the idea that this nutrient, found commonly in seafood, could alleviate a host of woes from cardiovascular issues to mental decline, Americans began popping omega-3 supplements, mostly in the form of fish oil pills, by the bushel. It became a multibillion dollar industry.

But the scramble to get the (still debatable) benefits of omega-3s has lead to devastating overfishing of fish species like menhaden, which are crucial to the aquatic ecosystem, and has landed others, like whale sharks, on the endangered species list. With Americans enthusiasm for omega-3s showing no signs of cooling, finding an alternative to fish-derived nutrients became imperative. AndQualitas Health, a Texas-based nutrition company, has landed on a solution: algae.

Weve got to be way more creative with how we think about food and nutrition, and where that comes from. [Photo: Qualitas Health]Fish oil supplements are produced by treating and processing mass-caught fish in order to extract the oil that fills the softgels you can buy at the drugstore. But as author Paul Greenberg noted in theNew York Times in 2009, the fish that become fish oil are the bottom-of-the-food-chain dwellers menhaden. Nearly every fish a fish eater likes to eat eats menhaden, Greenberg wrote. Bluefin tuna, striped bass, redfish, and bluefish are just a few of the diners at the menhaden buffet. All of these fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids but are unable themselves to synthesize them. The omega-3s they have come from menhaden. As more of thesefish disappear into softgels,the nutritional supply of more consumer-friendly fish has become threatened.

Around 19 million (8% of the total population) adult Americans, lured by the health benefits, take omega-3 supplements in the form of fish oil. Its far and away the most commonly consumed supplement in the country, and its ascent has been rapid: 8 million more people reported taking omega-3s in 2012 than did in 2007.As the demand for supplements continues to grow, Qualitas CEOMiguel Calatayud tells Fast Company, his company is setting out to offer a plant-based alternative to the fish and krill supplements currently driving that growth and dominating the market.

Eight million more people reported taking omega-3s in 2012 than did in 2007. [Photo: Qualitas Health]Qualitas has been cultivating algae in a 45-acre facility in Imperial, Texas, since 2012. It recently announced anexpansion to a100-acre facility in Columbus, New Mexico, in partnership with the commercial crop production company Green Stream Farms, which will more than triple Qualitass output.

In the companys early days, Qualitas VP of operations Rebecca White tells Fast Company, it was mainly about selling the omega-3s from algae as a bulk ingredient, and doing business-to-business sales. But in March of 2016, Calatayud came on board as CEO and brought with him years of experience in the nutrition startup realm, and a vision to turn commercially grown algae into a viable and sustainable player in the health and wellness scene.

The whole point is to use as much of the biomass as possible. [Photo: Qualitas Health]People have the idea that omega-3s come from fish, but really, theyre getting the nutrients from algae, White says. Qualitas, through cutting directly to the source, is capitalizing on a train of thought thatcultivating this briny plant could help preserve both ocean ecosystems and human health. As Catharine Arnston, founder of the supplement company EnergyBits, told Fast Company just a few months ago: In 10years, [algae] is going to be in everything. Algaes nutritional profile is hard to argue with: The compact, sea-smelling plant is packed with protein (around 40%), vitamin A, vitamin B12, and iron, and, as Qualitas has already capitalized on, omega-3. Were really trying to promote a different perspective on algaenot as a science project, but as an agricultural venture, Calatayud says. This is a super-crop.

In March, Qualitas introduced its inaugural line of omega-3 supplements, called alGeepa, to the Texas retail chain H-E-B, and plans to scale the availability of its products to the rest of the U.S. following its production expansion. And thats not the only part of the supplement industry its targeting: The company is also working on an algae-derived protein product, and a fiber supplement developed from the cell wall. The whole point is to use as much of the biomass as possible, White says. While the seafood industry currently has the monopoly on theomega-3 supplement industry, Qualitas, through scaling up its operations, is aiming to prove that nutritional elements like protein and omega-3, which are associated mainly with seafood and livestock, can come from a source thats entirely sustainable and vegan.

Especially in the arid climates of Texas and New Mexico, where few crops grow and livestock is the dominant industry, Qualitass operations represent a radical reimagining of what the land can do. [Photo: Qualitas Health]Concurrent to the rise of fish oil supplements has been a shift in interesttoward eating more seafood, which is positioned as a healthier and more nutrient-packed source of protein than beef or chicken. But whether delivered in supplement or fillet form, the health benefits of seafood eventually run up against the fact that the industry is not sustainable enough to support the demand for its benefits.

While the industry comes to terms with the nutritional value of the plant, companies like Qualitas are determined to prove its viability as a large-scale cropand the expansion to the New Mexico facility is at the forefront of that shift. Weve got to be way more creative with how we think about food and nutrition, and where that comes from, White says. A variety of companies are looking to peas and soy as alternatives to the protein derived from the climate-change-driving livestock industry, but algae, White says, is a more sustainable and efficient option.

Especially in the arid climates of Texas and New Mexico, where few crops grow and livestock is the dominant industry, Qualitass operations represent a radical reimagining of what the land can do. A handful of companies like TerraVia and ADM are using a fermentation process to grow algae in steel tanks, and while those processes are helping to grow the industry and pique interest in algae-based products, whats unique about Qualitas, says Matt Carr, executive director of the Algae Biomass Organization, is its progress in growing algae photosyntheticallyusing just the sun and carbon dioxide, like just another land-based crop, but doing so in a climate and region otherwise hostile to agriculture.

Because algae thrives in ocean-like climates, the Qualitas facilities, while water-intensive, utilize mostly brackish water. [Photo: Qualitas Health]To grow algaea distinctly aquatic plantin the middle of the southwestern deserts, Qualitas dug trenches (which they call raceways, because of their resemblance to a track) into the land. While other land-based algae production facilities, like Qualitas New Mexico facility line their ponds with plastic, Qualitas Texas farm takes advantage of the regions clay-like soil, and packs it tightly to form the base of the ponds. One acre of algae production on Qualitass facilities, White says, results in around 6,000 pounds of the essential amino acids found in protein; one acre of pea cultivation, in contrast, produces around 20 pounds.

And because algae thrives in ocean-like climates, the Qualitas facilities, while water-intensive, utilize mostly brackishwater. White estimates that each acre of production requires around five gallons of fresh water, but thats mostly reserved for staff drinking water and lab use; all of the water in the ponds is, essentially, sea water. Qualitass 150 production acres equates to the nearly 45,000 acres of land required to cultivate the same value of peas.

Qualitass expansion will put the viability of its model to a much more rigorous test. If they can demonstrate that their system works and doesnt crash, and can sustainably produce commercial algae volumes, well likely see a pretty rapid uptake of algae as a broader substitute, Carr says.

Eillie Anzilotti is an assistant editor for Fast Company's Ideas section, covering sustainability, social good, and alternative economies. Previously, she wrote for CityLab.

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The Supplement Industry Is Devastating The EnvironmentCan Algae Fix It? - Fast Company

Some are claiming that theyve found the fountain of youth, and its in a bottle at your local vitamin shop. Collagen is the newest supplement fad to hit the market, and many are adopting this new craze in the hopes of having tighter skin and less aching in their joints. But does it really do what it promises?

What is collagen?

Quite simply, collagen is the structural protein found in animal connective tissue. As the most abundant protein in the human body, its found in skin, muscles, bones and tendons. Collagen is also found in animal meat, so eating is it not newbut bottling and selling it as a supplement is. Many claim that taking collagen supplements will reduce wrinkles, make skin look younger and increase the elasticity in the joints. Yet, collagen is quickly broken down during digestion, so how can any of this be true?

Researchers realized this digestion problem early on and created a unique solution called hydrolyzed collagen. In simple terms, in hydrolyzed collagen, the molecular bonds between the individual collagen strands have been broken down into 19 amino acids. Research has found that this form of collagen is about 85% absorbable by the bloodstream. In other words, you may absorb more collagen when taking hydrolyzed collagen supplements than eating a piece of meat.

What does the research say?

Since collagen supplements are new to the market, the research is still preliminary. But a handful of studies show promising results on the effects of collagen supplementation on skin and joints.

In a recent randomized controlled trial, women aged 35-55 either received 2.5 grams or 5.0 grams of hydrolyzed collagen or placebo once a day for 8 weeks. At the end of the study, the skin elasticity in the groups taking the collagen supplement significantly improved, while the placebo group did not.Another similar study observed 114 women aged 45-65 years as they received a collagen supplement or placebo once a day for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, the group that took the collagen supplement saw a statistically significant reduction of eye wrinkle volume. There are a few other studies that showed similar results, suggesting that collagen supplementation may help skin look younger or prevent against the signs of aging.

Because collagen is a major component of muscles, bones and tendons, it has been also studied for its role in preventing the breakdown of joints. One study looked into the effectiveness of collagen supplementation on treating the symptoms associated with osteoarthritis. After thirteen weeks taking a collagen supplement, the researchers found that supplementing with collagen decreased the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Another study observed the effects of collagen supplementation on the joints of athletes a population that puts high stress on their joints. Subjects were either given 10 grams of hydrolyzed collagen or placebo for 24-weeks. The researchers found that the athletes given the collagen supplement had less joint pain than those that did not receive the supplement.

The bottom line

Research suggests that supplementing with collagen is a safe and effective way to improve the health of skin and joints. But, as with any supplement, its best to be cautious. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements, making it impossible to know if the supplement matches whats on the label. Choose brands that use third party testing, like NeoCell, rather than generic brands. And dont be fooled by extreme claims on the label. While the research on collagen is promising, it wont undo the effects of smoking, excessive sun exposure or a bad diet. As with any supplement, it should be accompanied by a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Natalie Rizzo, M.S., R.D., is a media dietitian, food and nutrition writer, spokesperson and blogger atNutrition la Natalie.

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

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Should You Take a Collagen Supplement? - Healthy Eats (blog)

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According to recent research, 46 per cent of Britons are using supplements to boost their health.

At the same time, nearly two-thirds of the population are failing to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, according to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey.

To make matters worse, a study by Imperial College London released in February recommended that people should now try and hit ten.

All of this suggests that many people in the UK arent hitting their RDAs of nutrients.

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The amount of nutrients our body needs is sometimes, or a lot of the time, difficult to obtain from food."

Natalie Viklund

But if we are to improve, does it really matter where we get these nutrients from?

Natalie Viklund, nutrition and kinesiology expert and co-founder of Aevi wellness, said: The amount of nutrients our body needs is sometimes, or a lot of the time, difficult to obtain from food, especially in the processed food that makes up the majority of the standard British diet today.

I almost always recommend supplements to be taken for a limited time. Limited being a key word here, as when prescribed and taken properly, they should heal, uplift and do their intended work in just a few months."

Wiklund recommends that once youve used supplements to top up, real food is what you should prioritise next.

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A-Z of vitamins and minerals

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She added: Whats important to remember about supplements is that they should never replace or 'supplement' a healthy balanced diet.

Instead they should simply 'boost' or 'compliment' what is already a substantial intake of nutrients through the foods we are eating."

While its best get nutrients from a variety of different food sources, if you are trying to hit your RDAs from actual food, this is what your plate might look like.

Magnesium: four servings of spinach

Essential for healthy muscles, bones and helping you sleep.

The RDA for men in the UK is 300mg and for women its 270mg.

Thats roughly 606g per day of of green leafy vegetables, meaning just over two 260g bags of spinach leaves or four servings.

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Potassium: six bananas

Its great for lowering your blood pressure.

However, the UKs RDA is 3,500mg, which equates to 744g of bananas or just over six of average size.

Zinc: one and a half servings of steak

It helps keeps your immune system healthy, and even helps fight cancer.

In the UK the RDA is 5.5-9.5mg for men and 4-7mg for women.

For the upper scale for men, thats 161g of steak, or one and a half portions.

Calcium: six handfuls

Its important for healthy teeth and bones.

The UKs recommended RDA is 700mg for adults, which is the same as 198g of almonds or six generous handfuls.

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Food or supplements? THIS is how much you need to eat to get your RDA of nutrients - Express.co.uk

Calcium is an essential mineral found in foods and dietary supplements. Its best-known benefit is building and maintaining strong bones, and slowing bone loss. But it plays a critical role in heart health, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction.

Which calcium supplements are the best, most effective, and budget-friendly?

A new review published by ConsumerLab.com a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition aims to answer those questions by ranking the best available supplements on the market.

The organizations Calcium Supplements Review rates 27 products evaluated by the group.

Among the findings:

Based on the organizations research findings, the reviews authors identified a Top Pick for each of nine categories. To be a Top Pick, a supplement had to pass ConsumerLabs tests of quality, provide calcium at a reasonable price, contain a reasonable dose, and offer a convenient formulation.

Two of the Top Picks are:

Overall Top Pick. GNC Calcium Citrate, which provides 500 mg of calcium per two-caplet serving at a cost of 9 cents. This supplement is also the Top Pick in the Calcium Only category.

Calcium and Vitamin D. Bayer Citracal Petites, which provide 400 mg of calcium and 500 IU of vitamin D per two-capsule serving for 11 cents.

Because you may already be getting that amount from food alone, supplementation may be unnecessary. Rich dietary sources of calcium include dairy products, beans, and green-leafy vegetables. For example, just one cup of milk or yogurt provides a whopping 300-400 mg of calcium.

If youre not getting the recommended amount of calcium from your diet, supplements can help. Multiple studies show that 1,000-2,000 mg per day of calcium (usually as calcium citrate) in combination with 400-800 IU per of vitamin D can slow bone loss in postmenopausal women. Research shows that supplementation may be especially useful in in postmenopausal women who have been prescribed hormonal therapy after undergoing a hysterectomy.

The official tolerable upper limits for calcium are 2,500 mg per day for children ages 1-8, 3,000 mg for those ages 8-18, which falls to 2,000 mg for those over 50. But much lower amounts, usually from supplements, have been associated with risks for adults.

Its rare to get toxic amounts of calcium from food alone. In fact, a high dietary intake of calcium is associated with many good effects. But excess calcium from supplements is associated with a wide range of ill effects.

Be careful! the authors write. Calcium from supplements may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease if you get too much from supplements [over 1,000 mg per day] or if you already get enough calcium from your diet.

A high calcium intake from supplements also may increase the risk of:

Calcium supplements also may impair the absorption of thyroid hormone and antibiotics in the fluoroquinolone class.

If you take calcium supplements, the researchers offer these tips.

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Calcium Supplements: Are You Getting What You Pay For? - Newsmax