Getting the Most from Nutrients Improves Your Life

One of the major critiques of supplements is that many ingredients are too difficult for the body to absorb, and therefore of little use. And to be fair, there is some truth there; nutrients do have to be absorbed in order to be useful.

With that said, there are natural ways of enhancing absorption that can help difficult-to-absorb nutrients, whether CoQ10, omega-3s, curcumin, or French grape seed extract meet their fullest potential.

When you choose supplements  for your patients that are formulated for enhanced absorption, look for the gold bar of excellence on the label. This lets you know that it is readily absorbed and, by extension, effective.

Gamma Cyclodextrin (CoQ10)

Gamma cyclodextrin is an oligosaccharide—a plant-based ingredient—that improves the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients by enveloping them in an open-ended microscopic structure, sometimes described as “bucket-shaped” or as a “truncated cone.” The exterior of this molecule is water soluble, which allows it to escort ingredients through intestinal walls for better absorption.

The important thing to remember is that gamma cyclodextrin makes nutrients that may be difficult for the body to absorb and use more beneficial, effective, stable, and potentially faster acting.

One nutrient with extensive research that shows a great absorption boost from gamma cyclodextrin is CoQ10.

Researchers compared a CoQ10/gamma cyclodextrin combination versus other nonenhanced CoQ10 forms, including powder, capsule, chewable tablet, and softgel formulations using a scientific test known as Caco-2 study.

Caco-2 cells are cultured human intestinal epithelial cells, that is, they are the same kind of cells we all have that line the intestines and absorb nutrients. This method is an extremely efficient way to gauge just how well any given substance will (or won’t) absorb after it is consumed.

After a controlled simulated gastric and intestinal digestion process, the researchers measured what would remain to be absorbed by the Caco-2 cells. The result was impressive: compared to all other supplement forms, and the plain CoQ10 powder, the CoQ10 combined with gamma cyclodextrin was 8 times better absorbed.

If your patients take statin drugs (which deplete CoQ10), have concerns about keeping their mind and heart working in peak condition, or simply want to live their best, mentally and physically, adding CoQ10 with gamma cyclodextrin to their daily regimen is a must. That one key enhancement to this critical nutrient could make all the difference in their health.

Turmeric Essential Oil (Curcumin)

For overall well-being, curcumin from turmeric (Curcuma longa) may be one of the most versatile botanical compounds in the world. In the right form, it is incredibly effective at relieving pain, easing gastrointestinal symptoms, alleviating symptoms of depression, and defending against cancer.

But if there’s a challenge to getting the most from curcumin, it is that the very large molecules of the nutrient can be difficult for the body to absorb.

In India and other parts of Asia where turmeric, and by extension curcumin, are part of the daily diet for a long time, people may get a cumulative healthy effect during their lifetime. That may explain why turmeric and its curcumin compounds have also shown success when traditional medical practitioners recommend them. However, most of our diets have likely not featured curries, so we need a supplemental solution that offers therapeutic, noticeable benefits.

Outside of a daily regimen of dietary curcumin from an early age, it can be especially tough for any patient who may have consumed a standard American diet over their lifetime to get therapeutic benefits from plain turmeric extracts or even standardized 95 percent curcumin extracts.

In order to overcome curcumin absorption issues with curcumin, some clinical trials have used dosages as high as 12 grams per day. The problem is, at that dosage, curcumin may cause gastric issues, so people aren’t likely to stick with it. And again, 12 grams is a very large, inconvenient, and potentially expensive dose for any supplement.

Fortunately, researchers found a way of overcoming the absorption issue, and the solution was right there in the source plant itself: turmeric essential oil. This crucial difference helps it absorb more efficiently— at up to seven times that of standard curcumin—and remain in the bloodstream at meaningful levels for a longer period than standard extracts. Additionally, both curcumin and turmeric essential oil have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions individually that are even more pronounced when they are combined. These two related components working together are noticeably effective, which is why this supplemental form of curcumin is also the most clinically studied enhanced absorption curcumin available and has been featured in over 90 published studies.

Phospholipids (Omega-3s)

If you mention “omega-3s” to most people, their first thought is “fish oil.” That’s because many people may not realize oil in fish is simply one carrier for the omega-3s, but certainly not the only one.

Fortunately, there is an alternative to oils for omega-3s, one that is easy to add to any daily regimen. This supplemental form of omega-3s is bound to beneficial phospholipids rather than oil, which provides peptides and is sourced only from salmon.

Phospholipids are like fats, but they are highly specialized. Their primary job is to create and build the membranes of cells, making them strong and resilient. As such, they are readily absorbed. One of the phospholipids present in this supplemental form of omega-3s, phosphatidylcholine, is up to 90 percent (or more) absorbed in the intestine and is quickly taken up in the bloodstream.

The heat method used to create fish oils, by contrast, also changes the position of the fatty acids as well. Rather than being where nature intended them, on the sn-2 position on the carrier chain, the damaging heat-and-solvent method displaces the fatty acids to the sn-1 and sn-3 positions. These structural changes mean that the EPA and DHA are no longer bioidentical to those in the human body.

How well the omega-3 fatty absorb for use in the body is a consideration with fish oils, too. That’s because fatty acids like EPA and DHA need to be carried from place to place. They are very “lazy” nutrients by nature.

Being carried by triglycerides is a bit like being carried by a bicycle with a broken wheel—slow and inefficient. Phospholipids, on the other hand, carry EPA and DHA like a race car – quite easily and very fast. There is a great deal of research ongoing to investigate other applications for natural phospholipids in the absorption process, but the healthy components of phospholipids, in addition to their carrying capacity, are also taken up by HDL (good) cholesterol, strengthening your cardiovascular system.

And, because the EPA and DHA in fish oils are carried by triglycerides–which again, is not very efficient compared to phospholipids, people need very large doses of fish oil to get good results – usually several grams.

French researchers at the University of Nancy developed a technique to produce omega fatty acids involving no intensive heat or harsh solvents that damage or alter the structure of the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and other beneficial compounds in the fish. This method preserves the naturally occurring wealth of phospholipids that don’t just carry the omega-3s and help them absorb better, they also provide mind and body benefits of their own. Plus, forgoing high heat and chemicals preserves the beneficial peptides inherent in salmon—something that other supplemental omega-3s can’t offer.

The reason that the absorption of omega-3s is better with phospholipids than triglyceridebound oils is because phospholipids are a more natural fit for the body. It also makes for a more stable supplement, a convenient dosage, and none of the dreaded ‘fish burps’ that drive so many people away from omega-3s.

Small-sized OPCs (French grape seed extract)

Grape seed extracts have the potential to be one of the most effective supplemental nutrients available. As a source of antioxidant compounds, grape seeds are better free radical scavengers and inhibitors of oxidative tissue damage than vitamin C, vitamin E, or beta carotene. Additionally, beneficial grape seed oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) fight inflammation, preserve healthy arteries and blood vessels, and are astoundingly strong cancer fighters.

But although grape seed extracts can be capable of those actions, not all grape seed extracts are capable. Fortunately, there is a French grape seed extract that provides readily absorbed OPCs, which helps guarantee that this botanical powerhouse meets its full potential.

In this case, the absorption enhancement of French grape seed extract OPCs isn’t due to what is added or combined, but rather what isn’t there—large, difficult-to-absorb tannins. That means that only the OPCs that are a small molecular size are part of this extract, and they absorb remarkably well.

A French grape seed extract standardized to provide only OPCs that are small enough to guarantee absorption, with high levels of polyphenols is the one to look for.

Nutrients Must Be Absorbed to Be Effective

The only supplements that work are the ones that are absorbed. Too often, many people may think they need to have ‘mega doses’ to see results. But that’s not the case.

When you choose nutrients that are readily absorbed, there’s no need for excessive doses. That’s because your patients are getting the full working dose rather than simply throwing many capsules, tablets, or softgels of a given nutrient into their regimen and hoping at least some of it will have an effect.

Instead, find bioavailable supplements that truly deliver what they promise. Then, you can have confidence and you’ll see the positive impact they make on your patients mind and body.