Defense Nutrition Blog

Heavy Metals in Whey Protein

Published on June 25th, 2010.

As a leading supplier of high quality grass fed cows whey, we’d like to ensure Defense Nutrition’s customers that our products are heavily tested and scrutinized  so as to first and foremost ensure food safety.  The monitoring and testing of our whey include heavy metal testing which has and continues to be routinely evaluated by accredited third party laboratories in accordance to AOAC methodology.  Analytical results for Defense Nutrition whey in this past year indicate

How does the competition fare?

According to Consumer Reports magazine:

We found that three daily servings of the ready-to-drink liquid EAS Myoplex Original Rich Dark Chocolate Shake provides an average of 16.9 micrograms (µg) of arsenic, exceeding the proposed USP limit of 15 µg per day, and an average of 5.1 µg of cadmium, which is just above the USP limit of 5 µg per day. Concentrations in most products were relatively low, but when taking into account the large serving size suggested, the number of micrograms per day for a few of the products was high compared with most others tested.

What’s the worst offender? Consumer Reports says:

The samples of Muscle Milk Chocolate powder we tested contained all four heavy metals, and levels of three metals in the product were among the highest of all in our tests. Average cadmium levels of 5.6 µg in three daily servings slightly exceeded the USP limit of 5 µg per day, and the average lead level of 13.5 µg also topped the USP limit of 10 µg per day. The average arsenic level of 12.2 µg was approaching the USP limit of 15 µg per day, and the average for mercury was 0.7 µg, well below the USP’s 15 µg-per-day limit. Three daily servings of Muscle Milk Vanilla Crème contained 12.2 µg of lead, exceeding lead limits, and 11.2 µg of arsenic. A fourth product, Muscle Milk Nutritional Shake Chocolate (liquid), provided an average of 14.3 µg of arsenic per day from three servings, approaching the proposed USP limit.

Thirsty? Who wants Warrior Whey now? Get yours before the current batch runs out!

Source:  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/food/protein-drinks/what-our-tests-found/index.htm

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From Glamour: Dinner with Hilary Swank’s Nutritionist

Published on May 13th, 2010.

Check out this blog post, complete with references to Ori’s books:

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/dinner-with-hilary-swanks-nutritionist-197216/

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More on the Warrior Milk name change

Published on April 9th, 2010.

In case you missed it, part of the back story of the Warrior Milk to Warrior Whey name change was detailed in the New York Times last year:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/27/business/media/27adco.html?_r=2&ref=business

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PRESS RELEASE: Warrior Milk™ is now Warrior Whey™

Published on April 9th, 2010.

Defense Nutrition LLC announced today that it is changing the title of its popular Warrior Milk™ protein supplement into Warrior Whey™.

Defense Nutrition changed the name to settle a lawsuit with CytoSport, Inc., seller of Muscle Milk®, filed in May 2009.   It claimed that consumers were likely to confuse Warrior Milk™ with Muscle Milk®.   Ori Hofmekler, founder of Defense Nutrition, believes CytoSport filed the lawsuit in an effort to drive a smaller company with a superior product out of the market.¹ (The only similarity is the word “milk.”   CytoSport has previously sued the sellers of other nutritional beverages containing this word.    Nestlé USA, Inc. and Hansen Beverage Company now claim in separate proceedings² that because Muscle Milk® does not contain milk, CytoSport’s use of the trademark is deceptive.   If they win, registration of Muscle Milk® will be canceled).

“Ultimately, we had to make a business decision,” said Hofmekler.    “Consumers are unlikely to confuse Warrior Milk™ with Muscle Milk®, but proving it might have caused a huge financial stress on the company, we decided we could best serve our customers by investing in research and development and on long-term growth rather than litigation.”   Warrior Whey™ “contains the same high-quality ingredients as Warrior Milk™ and tastes just as good” he said.     Hofmekler is the author of The Warrior Diet2001, The Anti Estrogenic Diet 2007 and Maximum Muscle Minimum Fat 2008.

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Do we need to take glutathione supplements or can we get better results from food alone?

Published on November 11th, 2009.

The Glutathione Issue

Do we need to take glutathione supplements or can we get better results from food alone?

Glutathione is a key cellular component, known as the body’s most powerful antioxidant. It is a tri-peptide constructed from three amino acids through a special enzymatic process and appears in all cells and tissues. There is currently a great hype about glutathione supplementation, highly popularized as a “miracle” means to boost health, prevent disease and fight aging. But since the issue of glutathione supplementation involves lots of misinformation (similar to the issue of vitamin supplementation) it’s important to examine the facts.

What’s the role of glutathione?

The main function of glutathione is to protect the cell and mitochondria from oxidative and peroxidative damage. Meaning: glutathione isn’t just an endogenous antioxidant; it is also an essential factor in energy utilization. Indeed, mitochondrial dysfunction, muscle weakness, fatigue and aging are linked to glutathione deficiency. And low glutathione levels are linked to energy deficiency (low ATP). Evidently, the main mechanism that triggers glutathione synthesis in the body is cellular energy. High cellular levels of energy molecules (ATPs) promote glutathione synthesis. This is one major reason why exercise is so beneficial in boosting glutathione and overall health.

Do glutathione supplements work?

Yes, to a certain degree, but unfortunately like a drug, in a similar way to antibiotics. Glutathione supplementation can help people with immuno deficiency but only up to a certain degree and only temporarily.

Ironically, glutathione supplements may actually shatter the body’s own glutathione production. The human body is programmed to self-produce its own antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione and SOD. And synthetic supplements of these compounds actually signal the body to STOP its own production – which leaves the body dependent on synthetic substances (supplements or drug).

Whether synthetic vitamins, supplements and drugs are beneficial is largely arguable. What has been proven beyond doubt is that whole food based diets rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and quality protein isn’t just beneficial to human health but also promotes longevity. Therefore, the best way to boost glutathione and also grant a long lasting effect is the natural way – through whole food.

What food promotes glutathione most?

The food that promotes glutathione most is quality whey protein – i.e. Grass Fed Cows’ Whey / cold processed, hormone free, chemical free, sugar free. Quality whey provides not just all the key amino acids for glutathione production (cysteine, glycine and glutamate); it also contains a unique cysteine residue (glutamylcysteine) which is highly bioactive in its affinity to convert to glutathione. Glutamylcysteine is a bonded cysteine molecule (cysteine + glutamate) which naturally occurs in the Bovine Serum Albumin – a fragile immuno component of the whey. Note that this unique cysteine reside is exclusive to whey and rarely appears in other protein foods – which makes whey protein the best glutathione promoting food source. Furthermore, quality whey provides critical co-factors, immuno globulins, lactoferrin and alpha Lactalbumin (also a great source of cysteine) which all together help create the right metabolic environment for high glutathione activity.

Whey is not the only food that promotes glutathione. Other whole foods including cheese, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, germs, roots, vegetables and fruits can help promote glutathione or work as co-factors. However, with a lesser degree.

Note that the net increase in glutathione levels depend not just on the factors that boost glutathione but also on the factors that prevent glutathione from declining. A natural glutathione boost clearly depends on the REDUCTION of elements that deplete glutathione. Most notable among them are chemicals, toxins and sugar.

I’ve been repeatedly asked whether Warrior Milk helps increase glutathione levels.  Here is my answer:

Warrior Milk is designed to provide all the necessary elements for NATURALLY boosting glutathione and also preventing its decline.

1)     It provides all the key amino acids, particularly cysteine, which occurs in its most bioactive form glutamylcystine as part of the bovine serum albumin component in the Warrior Milk (about 5%). As noted, Glutamylcystein rarely appear in other protein sources.  Cysteine is habitually destroyed through cooking or heat/acid processing and is therefore deficient in protein foods and most products.

2)     It contains alpha lactolbumin (about 16%) and beta lactoglobulin (about 49%) both of which are great sources of cysteine.  It also provides other immuno & antioxidant components that support glutathione levels.

3)     It is low glycemic with no sugar added (elevated blood sugar and hyperinsulinemia have shown to significantly lower glutathione levels)

4)     It is easily digestible, chemical free and thus minimizes metabolic stress. (Metabolic stress lowers glutathione levels)

5)     It also contains beta glucans and the immuno boosting anti-cancerous Arabinogalactan fiber that further promotes healthy metabolic environment and therefore a natural glutathione support.

6)     It contains fast energizing nutrients (MCT) which do not raise blood sugar and therefore promotes the right metabolic energy that favors glutathione synthesis.

Finally, Warrior Milk can be easily combined with berries, seed or nuts to yield a tasty and healthy meal that provides the body with ALL essential elements (whole food based) needed to support the body metabolic machinery as well as glutathione levels.

Recommended natural glutathione boosting supplements:

-       Warrior Milk (amino acids precursors, immuno components, energizing MCT’s and cofactors)

-       Thyrolyn (metabolic energy support)

-       Amla Berries Vitamin C (food based antioxidant complex)

-       Plant Based Multivitamins (food based essentials)

-       Glycozin (blood sugar support)

-       Detox Kit (total body cleansing, immuno support)

In Summary

Factors that naturally boost glutathione levels:

-       Whole foods proteins (chemical free); whey, cheese, fish, meat, legumes, nuts, seeds.

-       Food based antioxidants and immuno co-factors; vegetables, fruits, and herbs.

-       A low sugar / low glycemic diet.

-       High metabolic energy; exercise, low glycemic fuel, thyroid supportive nutrients.

References

Bounous G., Gold P. 1991.  The biological activity of undenatured dietary whey proteins: role of glutathione.  Clin Invest Med. Aug;14(4):296-309.

Bounous G.  Whey protein concentrate (WPC) and glutathione modulation in cancer treatment.  Anticancer Res. 2000 Nov-Dec;20(6C):4785-92.

Glutathione White Paper. Richard Van Konynenburg, PhD. http://phoenix-cfs.org/GluAACFS04.htm.

Glutathione. http://www.ithyroid.com/glutathione.htm.

Huh K., Kwon T.H., Kim J.S., Park J.M.  Role of the hepatic xanthine oxidase in thyroid dysfunction: effect of thyroid hormones in oxidative stress in rat liver.  Arch Pharm Res; 21(3):236-40 Jun 1998.

Seymen, O., Seven A., Candan G., Yigit G., Hatemi S., Hatemi H.  The effect of iron supplementation on GSH levels, GSH-Px, and SOD activities of erythrocytes in L-thyroxine administration. Acta Med Okayama. 51(3):129-33 1997 Jun.

Powell L.A., Warpeha K.M., Xu W., Walker B., Trimble E.R.  High glucose decreases intracellular glutathione concentrations and upregulates inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression in intestinal epithelial cells. Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. December 1, 2004 33:797-803.

Donnini D., Zambito A.M., Perrella G; Ambesi-Impiombato F.S., Curcio F. Glucose may induce cell death through a free radical-mediated mechanism. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 219(2):412-7 1996 Feb 15.

Loven D., Schedl H., Wilson H., Daabees T.T., Stegink L.D., Diekus M., Oberley L. Effect of insulin and oral glutathione on glutathione levels and superoxide dismutase activities in organs of rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes.  http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/35/5/503.short.

El-Hawary Z., El-Hawary M.F.S., Morcus S.R. 1977.  Blood glucose, glutathione, and total keto-acids levels in alloxan-diabetic rats.  Zeitschrift für Ernährungswissenschaft 16(4): 227-230.

Herbert F.K., Cotonio Bourne M., Groen J.  1930.  The effect of glutathione on the determination of blood-sugar. Department of Chemical Pathology, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London.

Fidelus R.K., Tsan M.F.  Glutathione and lymphocyte activation: a function of aging and auto-immune disease.  Immunology.  1987 61:503-508.

Higashi T., Tateshi N., Naruse A., Sakamoto Y.  (1977)  A novel physiological role of liver glutathione as a reservoir of L-cystein.  J Biochem. 82, 117.

Meister A. (1983)  Selective modification of glutathione metabolism.  Science. 220, 472.

Meredith M.J., Reed D.J.  (1983)  Depletion in vitro of mitochondrial glutathione in rat hepatocytes and enhancement of lipid peroxidation by adriamycin and 1,3Bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosaurea (BCNU).  Biochem Pharmacol. 32, 1383.

Stohs S.J., Lawson T., Al-Turk W.A.  (1984)  Changes in glutathione and glutathione metabolizing enzymes erythrocytes and lymphocytes of mice as a function of age.  Gen Pharmacol. 15, 267.

Tsan M.F., Danis E.H., Del Vecchio P.J., Rosano C.B.  (1985)  Enhancement of intracellular glutathione protects endothelial cells against oxidative damage.  Biochem Biophys. Res. Commun. 127, 270.

Wellner V.P., Anderson M.E., Puri R.N., Jensen G.L., Meister A.  (1982)  Radioprotection by glutathione ester: transport of glutathione ester in human lymphoid cells and fibroblasts.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81, 4732.

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Wall Street Journal Aritcle on Dangerous Supplements

Published on September 9th, 2009.

From yesterday’s Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204731804574390840811949538.html

Check back for my response to this article.

Ori

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Martial Arts Illustrated Magazine Interview

Published on September 3rd, 2009.

Below is an interview that Martial Arts Illustrated Magazine conducted with Ori, written by Idai Makaya (www.idaimakaya.com).

Continuing with the theme of intermittent fasting for martial arts weight management and performance, this month will feature one of the well established intermittent fasting regimes, called the Warrior Diet. This form of IF was developed by a former Israeli Special Forces operative, Ori Hofmekler, and is particularly suited to hard-training athletes.

The Warrior Diet, in a nutshell, involves using a 20 hour undereating period to turn on the fasting metabolism (fat burning) and compensating with a 4 hour overeating period (to boost metabolic rate and provide all the necessary nutrients for good health and performance). Obviously, eating this way will lead to a new set of metabolic systems becoming prominent because the body will be fuelled differently to that of a person who eats large meals more regulalrly.

It also leads to a different form of gene expression which favours athletic development, better health and increased longevity (these are the benefits of regular periods of calorie restriction and are well documented in clinical research). The fact that this regular calorie restiction is interrupted by heavy eating every day is irrelevant in relation to the gene expression I’ve just mentioned, which is why you can crush cravings by being able to eat freely every day, so long as calorie restriction is strictly observed.

Learn about the Warrior Diet from Ori himself by reading the Q & A below:

Q. Please say a little about your personal background, how you grew up, how old you are (if willing!), your family situation (children, wife, etc) and any involvement in combat training, martial arts or sports of any kind. What do you currently spend most of your day doing (optional)?

A. Born in Israel, I grew up in a society that largely endorsed Spartanism and being in a fight-ready mode to be capable of defending against and defeating a much larger enemy. Married, 4 children (2 adults, 2 kids), currently living in California. Past member of the Israeli Special Forces, was involved in combat activities. Developed a special fight conditioning training – Controlled Fatigue Training (CFT).

Q. How much do you weigh usually, what’s your body fat/BMI and how tall are you? (optional question, really).

A. 5’10” tall, weight 162 lbs, 5% body fat.

Q. What led you to develop the warrior diet, who influenced you along this path and what made you so sure it was the right way to go?

A. I initiated The Warrior Diet concept and started practicing it during my military service, as I experienced notable improvement in my energy, strength and durability by simply skipping large meals during the active hours of the day, which typically involved physical training, toiling and combat drills. Later on I discovered that a similar regimen was followed by ancient warrior societies including the Spartans, Greeks, Macedonians and Romans. I have since been investigating the one main meal per day feeding cycle and how it can benefit our survival today.

Q. How long have you followed this way of eating?

A. I’ve been following this way of living for over 25 years.

Q. How long have you followed your ways of training?

A. The CFT Training program (Controlled Fatigue Training) has gradually evolved over years of “evolution” to its current state. I’ve always been a great believer in short, intense training intervals as a most effective means for improving human physical conditioning. CFT’s unique approach is based on short intense intervals which methodically increase all performance capabilities and the body’s capacity to resist fatigue under intense physical stress. CFT incorporates supersets of combined strength, speed and velocity as well as push & pull drills and torque impact training, all of which are largely missing (or inadequately applied) in today’s training programs. This exercise regimen was created to fill a void in today’s fitness and train people in a way that fits their true biological needs. All species including humans have a primal biological need to be capable of surviving physical hardship and danger. Both animals and humans have an inherent program that enables them to fight or flee when needed. Called the fight or flight program, this is an essential part of the species survival apparatus which likely evolved to keep the species alive during extreme primordial conditions. Normally, every species exercises this biological program since infancy. Just take a look at how kittens and puppy dogs are literally practicing their fight or flight program by nipping, wrestling, chasing, scratching and jumping on each other – preparing themselves to hunt, fight or flee as independent adults. We’re the only species who fails to recognize and exercise our inherent survival program. Put it simple, the vast majority of us can’t fight or flee if the situation calls and most likely panic when confronted with real life danger. Our society isn’t trained to handle stress and most people today are not even aware that this is a problem. But this is a serious issue that can’t be overlooked. The point is, like other species we’re programmed to actively survive or passively die. Therefore, we must act in a way that fits our biological makeup, a way that by all means benefits our ability to survive. The main trait of Martial Arts is the methodical practice of fight activities – this is how humans are supposed to exercise. CFT’s premise is to go all the way out and tap into the very same program – training people via drills that mimic fight or flight activities – awaking a dormant survival program within the body that increases energy utilization, upgrades muscle fibers’ quality, increasing both strength and durability – as well as the physical and mental capacities to resist stress and fatigue.

Q. I like that last response. I agree with the philosophy behind it. Which prominent athletes have you worked with?

A. Those who follow the WD or worked with me are more “militant” than ordinary coaches or athletes. These include John R. Salgado, world champion Shuai-Chiao (Chinese wrestling), world champion Taiji push-hands, Steven Mosely, firearm instructor and trainer of air marshals and SWAT; strongman John Brookfield, Guinness Book record holder. Strongman John Bruney, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not record holder, founder of Swager Strength, Dimitri Therios, Jeet Kune Do certified instructor, Bruce Lee School under Jerry Poteet, Marty Gallagher, Olympian power lifter, ex-coach of US Olympian power lifting team, Pavel Tsatsouline, world renowned kettlebell trainer, author of Power to the People and creator of RKC. Not included in this list are special agents and Navy Seals whose names remain confidential.

Q. What would you say are the main benefits of the Warrior Diet for martial artists?

A. The Warrior Diet provides similar benefits as physical training. It is now known that fasting, intermittent fasting and exercise trigger survival genes, also called longevity genes, which preserve muscle, improve energy utilization and elongate life. Martial artists can certainly benefit from the cross link between The Warrior Diet and CFT’s fight conditioning drills.

It is very common today for a martial artist to work on fighting techniques but neglect the conditioning part. The result: a fighter with inadequate capacity to resist fatigue and endure a fight. Another problem is the fighter appearance. Let’s be honest, how often do we see a martial artist with great fighting skills but unfortunately with a soft, sluggish looking body? Quite often unfortunately. The Warrior Diet can seal the deal and provide the nutritional protocol needed to not just excel as a fighter but also look like a fighter. Yes, the lean and mean look is important; for a fighter who wishes to be as light and might as possible – the lean factor is essential. The Warrior Diet regimen helps a fighter make weight all year round without energy crashes and incredibly while keep improving his strength and durability.

Q. You advise people to under-eat during the day then overeat in the evening – for 4 hours. Do you think those timings should be flexible and tested/adjusted for response – or does one size generally fit all?

A. The Warrior Diet is simple and effective and doesn’t involve rigid counting of hours or calories. Its premise: one main meal per day, preferably at night. The dietary regimen should be adjusted according to specific needs. Athletes’ undereating phase isn’t the same as sedentary people. I showed in my books how to adjust the diet to fit specific needs. There is no diet in the world in which one size fits all. Nonetheless, the principle of the human feeding cycle must remain intact, similar to the principle of the human sleeping cycle. Certain biological rules must be kept unchangeable in order to achieve and sustain a peak state of health. The human feeding cycle belongs to this category.

Q. Do you think it’s better to under eat by eating small snacks during the day or to totally abstain from eating during the undereating phase – in an ideal world?

A. I wrote in The Warrior Diet book that vegetable/fruit fasting yields superior health benefits than water fasting. That said, in cases of blood sugar disorders, people should be careful with their fruit intake to avoid glycemic reactions. In the case of athletes and martial artists, we recommend having small, fast-assimilating, quality (chemical free) protein meals during the day to promote positive nitrogen balance in the muscle and support performance particularly in days of intense physical drills.

Q. Are you planning anything new for the near future that you think MAI readers would be interested to know? If so – what?

A. I finished writing a new book, The Muscle Retention Revolution / Three Proven Steps to Preventing Muscle Breakdown at Any Age. I believe this book will break new grounds in the area of sport nutrition and physical conditioning. It exposes common diet and fitness fallacies, providing the true scientific principles of muscle feeding and training as well as the knowledge of how to implement these principles in practice. The reader will learn how to cut through the misinformation and pseudo sciences provided by the muscle and fitness industry – to fully understand how the muscle operates, what builds it and what actually destroys it. The reader will also learn how to actually prevent muscle aging, which may start already by the third decade of life. In view of the critical metabolic roles of the muscle in the body (beyond physical movement), the book reveals the incredible link between muscle conditioning, disease prevention and longevity.

What really motivated me to write this book is the fact that in spite of the ever-growing number of people who exercise today, our society is not really muscle oriented and the vast majority of us have no clue how to feed and train the muscle. The book puts the record straight regarding all the key factors of muscle nourishment and training including the right exercise protocols, protein choices, protein combinations, glycemic impact, meal size, meal timing and muscle fueling. The information (not available in fitness magazines) is vital to anyone serious about his physical conditioning and state of health.

IM: Sounds great Ori, the issue of muscle feeding and protein intake seems to be really topical at the moment – especially in relation to fasting and bodybuilding, etc. Good luck on this new project and thanks for giving us more insight into the Warrior Diet concept of intermittent fasting.

Written by Idai Makaya
www.idaimakaya.com

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Shilajit / A major breakthrough in botanical medicine

Published on August 27th, 2009.

Shilajit is a Sanskrit name of a unique medicinal herb traditionally used in Asian, Middle Eastern and Ayurvedic medicine. Also known as “mineral pitch” or “asphaltum”, Shilajit has been regarded as the ultimate healing aid by traditional Asian medicine – and now becomes a major breakthrough in contemporary botanical medicine. What makes Shilajit so unique is its unmatched nutritional properties and the story behind its legacy.

The properties:

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, heavy metal chelating agent, muscle & tissue rejuvenator

Antioxidant activity is essential to the survival of all biological systems. Antioxidants are compounds that protect cells and tissues against the toxicity and damage caused by waste material and industrial toxins called free radicals. Free radicals can attach and leach subatomic particles from cellular molecules such as fat, protein or DNA, disrupting and destroying their natural chemistry. This process, called peroxidation, accelerates the aging process, promoting degradation of tissues, disorders, disease and death.

Antioxidants prevent cellular and tissue degradation by interacting with free radicals, stabilizing or neutralizing them by donating or sharing electrons. A lack of antioxidants weakens the body and the immune system, increasing the risk for cellular damage, infection and disease. Shilajit’s rejuvenation impact has been related largely to its unique combination of antioxidants and metabolic supportive compounds, all of which are known for their healing properties and rarely found in such a powerful naturally occurring matrix.

Body tonic, blood sugar optimizer, neuro-protector, aphrodisiac, athletic aid

Besides rejuvenation, Shilajit has been used to naturally induce specific health benefits including blood sugar balancing, brain and memory enhancement, physical recovery, detox, bone and tendon fracture healing, sexual enhancement and a host of others. Shilajit supplementation has been attributed to the stunning success of Soviet athletes during the 1960s and 1970s – it has been used by Soviet Olympian athletes as a natural strengthening agent, anti-fatigue and recovery enhancer that gave them a distinct advantage over their athletic competitors.

Active ingredients

Fulvic acid (C₁₃₅ H₁₈₂ O₉₅ N₅ S₂) / Energizer, heavy metal chelator

Fulvic acid is gaining now the recognition as one of the most formidable compounds to support human health. Found in plants and humus soil, fulvic acid has shown to energize botanical cell life, recharging electrolytes and other plant components upon contact. There is evidence that fulvic acid, as found in Shilajit, increases nutrient assimilation by enhancing nutrient bioavailability. It also works as a chelating agent to support detoxification of heavy metals and industrial pollution compounds. Fulvic acid reacts with both positively and negatively charged free radicals to render them harmless.

Fulvic acid helps improve protein metabolism, supporting the integrity of DNA and RNA synthesis. As a potent natural electrolyte, fulvic acid potentially supports ion channel activity and thus helps enhance neural, muscular and immune function. It has proven to work as a miracle soil fertilizer, and in its naturally occurring form, it has been successfully used to treat infections, burns, bone fractures, skin conditions and other associated conditions.

Early studies with livestock animals by Dr. Charles Hansen, D.V.M. in the state of California during the 1960s have shown that dairy cows after 2 months of fulvic acid supplement become totally immune to bacterial or viral infections.

Humic acid / Free radical scavenger

Humic acid, another important compound in Shilajit, along with fulvic acid is a powerful free radical scavenger. Humic acid has the amazing capacity to bind to positively charged free radical particles under one condition and also release them when conditions change. This capacity to exchange positively charged cations, makes humic acid a great natural aid to cellular micronutrient assimilation and utilization. It is believed that humic acid is a product of plant decay that had lasted many thousands of years yielding highly bioactive elementary compounds that have shown potent biological properties.

Hippuric acid (C_O H₅ CONHCH₂ COOH) / Anti-microbial

Shilajit contains free form hippuric acid and benzoic acid. These active compounds are found in cranberries, which are known for their anti-infection – urinary tract healing properties. Both ingredients are believed to inhibit microbial growth. Indeed Shilajit has been used traditionally to heal urinary and kidney conditions.

Benzopyrones (benzo flavons) / Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, virility enhancer

Benzopyrones, as found in Shilajit, relate to flavonoid compounds known for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and vitamins potentiating properties. Benzopyrones are also ingredients in the proanthocyanidins pychogenol and grapeseed, as well as liver detoxifying herbs known for their anti-edema and metabolic cleansing properties. Benzopurones have been recommended for treatment of viral infections.

Another property of benzopyrones may relate to their related benzoflavones’ potency enhancing properties. Studies on benzoflavons from passion flower have shown evidence to their “estrogen balancing” – aromatase inhibiting properties and sexual stimulating effects.

Shilajit harvesting

Shilajit is found and collected in the Himalayan regions in North India and Nepal. Other Shilajit-like material known mainly as “momia” are collected in other mountainous regions such as the Caucuses in Russia or the Palandoken Mountains in Turkey. Nonetheless, momia or other similar materials are not the same as authentic Shilajit, nor have they ever shown to have the same beneficial medicinal effects.

There are three types of authentic Shilajit: white, red and black, out of which the black Shilajit has been recognized as the main medicinal type of Shilajit, with the highest medicinal potency and best for general rejuvenation. The best quality Shilajit comes from the granite cliff faces of the Nepalese Himalayan regions. Due to its growing popularity, Shilajit products have been often substituted with cheap imitations that offer little or no benefits.

Shilajit processing must be done carefully and properly, not just to grant a viable concentration of the active ingredients but also to remove all harmful microbes and fungi away from the raw substrate. The raw Shilajit, a gum-like substance, was traditionally collected by local inhabitants. This raw mineral pitch has to go through a special processing and filtering to extract out all its extraneous matter such as fiber and fungus.

The legend behind Shilajit

Shilajit is believed to be the only derivative on Earth of the ancient and extinct Soma plant. The traditional story says that many thousands of years ago existed a divine botanical plant with human life rejuvenating properties called SOMA. According to this legend, this plant could reverse aging and turn an old person’s body into a youthful exuberance. It was reputed to endow immortality by helping to sustain perfect health. It became extinct about five thousand years ago due to atmospheric changes.

Since today’s Shilajit contains all parts of its ancient origin, it has been regarded as a panacea for human rejuvenation. Besides its essential acids and benzophyrones, Shilajit has a full spectrum of all minerals and trace minerals (over seventy elements).

Toxicity and dosages

The general dose is approximately 1 gram per day. This dose can be adjusted to levels of physical activity, health condition and body weight. Nonetheless, due to its high potency, it is recommended to limit its servings to avoid a toxic side effect such as with too much vitamin A or vitamin E.

Shilajit should be taken ideally on an empty stomach. Its absorption increases with dairy consumption. It is also recommended to cycle Shilajit – every three months, take 1-2 weeks off and then resume supplementation.

Shilajit works in sync with ashwagandha root (a powerful adaptogenic and immuno booster) as well as amla C (most potent vitamin C and nutritional cofactors known for its antioxidant, immuno/anti-tumor properties). These two herbs, ashwagandha and amla c, enhance and synergize the effects of the Shilajit extract.

Muscle & Body RECOVERY FORMULA with Shilajit

References:

S. K. Bhattacharya, Effects of Shilajit on Biogenic Free Radicals, Dept. of Pharm., Phyto. Res., Vol. 9, pp56-9, IMS, BHU, Varanasi, India, 1995.

S. R. Joshi, Effect of herbomineral preparation…as an adjuvant in type II diabetes, Indian Prac., 52(4): 233-9,

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