Basics
Vitamins are the fundamental elements of life. They are of essential importance for health, as our body simply couldn't function without them. Along with minerals, vitamins are involved in most of the chemical reactions that take place in the body. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are often at the root of many symptoms and health conditions.
It is crucial that the female body has access to certain micronutrients at specific times of day in order to perform basic daily biological tasks. In cases of vitamin or mineral deficiencies, the body will compensate temporarily by using nutrients stored in the muscles, bones, skin and liver. However, in the long term, symptoms of severe deficiency will eventually develop. A lack of vitamins and minerals primarily interferes with the conversion of food into energy. Additionally, each vitamin or mineral deficiency present will affect the level of support or protection from disease guaranteed by that particular vital substance.
Vitamins and minerals are known as bio-catalysts because they have the ability to induce, speed up or slow down biological changes within each cell. The same is generally true for enzymes, co-enzymes, amino acids, vegetable fatty acids, secondary plant substances and other vital food constituents, while the many phytonutrients (nutrients obtained from plants) can weakly mimic various hormones.
Chronobiology: Understanding the biological processes that occur in relation to the body's daily rhythms is a recent and new challenge in science encompassed by the field of chronobiology. According to the principles of chronobiology, the body requires specific substances at specific times of the day, while other nutrients are optimally absorbed at other times of the day. In addition to certain nutrients being more effective at different time of the day, it has been proven that taking specific combinations of nutrients promotes the absorption of the various vitamins and minerals, while other combinations may actually hinder optimal absorption.
The result: The results of the findings of chronobiology are embodied in the science of chronotherapy, which seeks to improve metabolic processes and promote optimal absorption of vital nutrients based on chronobiology's 'time of day' principles. All of the vitamins, trace elements, minerals and plant extracts in Vitachron® female have been combined in a way that they are most available to the body at the optimum time of day.
Furthermore, the combination of active substances in Vitachron® female has been specially adjusted to create a unique formula specific to female metabolism, resulting in the perfect supplement for daily use for women.
GREEN MEDICINE
Despite the absence of “scientific” knowledge, even early human civilizations used medicinal herbs to eliminate and counteract the effects of inflammation and oxidative stress. Today, we are fully aware of the negative effects of these two common issues – in fact, phytochemicals that are known to help support healthy cellular inflammatory processes are an important pillar of Ayurvedic (eastern Indian) medicine.
Plants produce approximately 70,000 to 100,000 phytochemicals in the form of acids, fats, phenols, amines, sulphur compounds and polysaccharides. The lycopene found in tomatoes, isoflavones in soy and flavonoids found in many fruits are just a few examples of these powerful phytonutrients.
These phytochemicals aid plants in a variety of ways. A large portion help with metabolic tasks such as storing the energy obtained from sunlight in the form of carbohydrate molecules. Others are responsible for the amazing capabilities of plants’ immune systems, such as being able to survive heat shock and nighttime frost. A single plant may contain a variety of different phytochemicals: An orange, for example, contains carotenoids, limonoids and phenols.
Humans can benefit from incorporating into their daily diet foods or supplements that provide nutrients from three groups of particularly highly active phytochemicals:
Enzymes: Only enzymes can break our food down into the tiniest components that can be transported through the intestinal walls. Plant-based foods cleverly contains precisely the types of enzymes needed in order for the plant to be utilized as food. For example, olives and bananas contain lipase enzymes, which are needed to digest the fat contained within these fruits. Wheat and peaches contain the enzyme amylase to help with carbohydrate digestion. Conversely, inhibiting the activity of amylase enzymes can slow the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine, which can help with weight regulation.
Vitamins and pre-vitamins: These are mainly plant-derived compounds that are vital for organ function in humans. Without them, we are at a higher risk of suffering from life-threatening deficiencies. This is also true for the minerals and trace elements that are absorbed through the roots of plants.
Phytoalexins: Without phytoalexins, good health and a long life would be impossible. The word “phytoalexin” comes from the Greek words “phytos” (plant) and “alekein” (to ward off), and all plants produce these substances to protect themselves against pathogenic microorganisms. After all, according to some estimates, there are up to 29 million species of bacteria, insects and fungi. Phytoalexins are formed within 24 hours after an injury, attack or tissue injury. They possess primarily antimicrobial and antioxidant actions and inhibit growth, proliferation and propagation.
The more environmentally stressed a plant growing in the wild or at higher altitudes is, the more protective substances it needs -- and the more potent those substances will be when ingested by humans. The most important molecules are concentrated in nutrient-rich tissues such as roots, tubers, leaves, flowers and seeds. The most famous phytoalexins are the resveratrol found in the skin of grapes and allicin, the sulphur-containing compound found in garlic.
Phytoalexins also help to counteract the effects of temperature shocks or damaging UV rays on a plant. In essence, they act as an anti-aging remedy that has been specially developed to combat the two main enemies of cellular health, which are the result of the typical modern lifestyle: silent inflammation and oxidative stress from free radicals.
Hundreds of phytoalexins have already been discovered, hailing from approximately fifteen major plant families and as many as 8,000 species. Two interesting groups of phytoalexins are triterpenes, the main constituents of essential oils and saponins, named for the Latin word “sapo” (soap) because their protective substances produce a soapy foam when shaken in water. These can be found in the most potent levels in the medicinal plants of traditional folk medicine, in medicinal herbs and teas and also in spices like chili peppers and curcumin. Unfortunately, their levels in vegetable crops such as soybeans, peas, cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, potatoes and garlic are dwindling.
Largely unknown to the public are very special phytohormones called adaptogens, which help plants adapt to altered living conditions. There are tens of thousands of adaptogens in the plant world. When consumed by humans, these phytochemicals have a regulating effect which can help support overall good health. Today, the most potent sources of adaptogens are also in the plants of traditional folk medicine. Interestingly, many adaptogen molecules fit perfectly into the docking site on the outside of the cell which is designed to receive the body’s own hormone molecules. Adaptogens can help support a healthy immune system and healthy hormone balance, promote proper neural communication and help the body to better adapt to external stressors.
Studies show that individual phytosubstances can support the body’s processes in roughly a dozen areas that relate to good health. These areas include protecting the genetic material of the cells from toxic damage, promoting a healthy immune system, encouraging healthy hormone balance, protecting cardiovascular and bone health, supporting healthy vision, promoting healthy cellular inflammatory processes and protecting against oxidative stress.
Today, the effects of micronutrients on bodily functions can be very well elucidated. The most important effects involve metabolism and cellular health, which are also related to the regeneration of connective tissue and bone, nerve impulse conductors and blood cells. Specific functions of micronutrients involve helping with enzyme reactions, protecting against oxidative and inflammatory stress and promoting healthy transmission of electrical currents within the body. For example, the dispersion of potassium and magnesium is essential for the formation of electrical impulses in the sinus nodes, the pacemaker cells of the heart.
A diet lacking in micronutrients can lead to disease and accelerate age-related changes. Certain micronutrient deficiencies can build up, undetected, for years. Others are brought to light by the presence of inflammation, fatigue or loss of appetite or can contribute to a decline in performance or the development of depression. Researchers have identified nearly fifty mild-to moderate health conditions that respond favorably to supplementation with vital micronutrients.
All active ingredients – including metals and salts – can pass through the mucous membrane of the digestive tract only when in the form of a solution, i.e. oil, fats or water. It is possible to eat in order to “stock up” on certain vitamins, such as vitamin A or D, which are then stored in the fat. Others, such as vitamin C and some B vitamins, are water-soluble and are excreted in the urine and via perspiration. As such, these vitamins must be ingested on a regular basis. In this day and age, determining whether one is getting enough vitamins, minerals and other nutrients seems to be a huge problem, because few people can accurately estimate which nutrients they are really ingesting and how well the body is absorbing them. Aside from gender and age, occupational and environmental factors, physical and mental pressures, stress, diet, surgery, illness and drug, nicotine or alcohol use can also increase the body’s vitamin and mineral requirements.
Like all active substances, enzymes, vitamins, trace elements and all other phytochemicals have certain times of day when their biochemical properties are best able to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. The morning is a time of activity, whereas nighttime is a time for regenerative processes to occur. Today, thanks to the science of chronobiology, we are familiar with the effects of therapeutic interventions on our internal body clocks. Chronopharmacology determines which substance can achieve the greatest effect with the fewest side effects at what time of day. The more intelligently we orient ourselves with the state of our internal organs, the more we can reap the benefits of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients we ingest.
For this reason, it’s crucial that multivitamin/multi-mineral supplements are intelligently formulated. Chronobiological food supplements successfully take into account the time of day each dosage is administered to ensure that the desired interactions among the nutrients take place and that adverse effects are avoided.
Effects
A healthy diet must include an optimal daily supply of all essential vitamins, minerals and other trace elements required by the body. Although in theory, a diverse, varied diet can provide all the nutrients you need, it’s still appropriate to supplement with vitamins and minerals due to other lifestyle circumstances life like stress and environmental pollutants.
Even with a healthy diet, the optimal utilization of the nutrients and minerals derived from food depends not only on the nutrient profile of the food eaten, but also on making sure you get the nutrients your body needs at the appropriate time of day. Simply supplementing your diet in a haphazard way is usually not very effective, and has very little positive effect on your body’s metabolism.
There is scientific evidence that certain nutrients should be available in certain quantities at various times of the day in order to support the body in optimally in utilizing the food you eat. It has also been shown that balanced quantities of these nutrients are required for several reasons.
Men and women differ in their daily requirement of nutrients. Therefore, adjusting the amount of each ingredient based on these specific requirements is necessary in order to optimally treat both men and women. Independent of this fact, the respective combination of vitamins and nutrients and the time of day at which they’re taken determine the level of absorption of the individual nutrients and their physiological effect.
For example, it’s been widely established that fat-soluble vitamins are better absorbed in the morning than at other times of the day. Calcium is also highly active in the morning and has positive synergistic effects, particularly when taken with vitamin D. On the other hand, calcium hinders the absorption of certain other minerals such as zinc, potassium and sodium for up to eight hours.
In view of these facts, Vitachron® female has been divided into morning and evening doses, making it the first easily-applicable chronotherapy that can be administered as part of one’s daily food supplementation.
As a consequence of today’s altered farming and breeding practices, it’s less likely than ever before in history that the fruit, vegetables and meat we eat are providing our bodies with an adequate supply of the nutrients we need. With nearly three dozen ingredients, Vitachron® female is a chronobiologically formulated supplement designed to provide the specific nutrients required by a woman’s body at precisely the right time of day.
With Vitachron® female, the vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), biotin (vitamin H), C, D, E and K are supplied at the most beneficial time of day – whether it be morning or evening – with all ingredients in each dose carefully combined for optimal efficacy. Vitachron® female provides:
The Classic Vitamins
- Provitamin A (carotenoids) and vitamin A, to support healthy growth and blood flow while protecting the cells
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine), to help maintain energy levels while supporting healthy cognition and appetite
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), for strong hair, skin and nails and to support healthy cellular inflammatory processes
- Vitamin B3 (niacin), to support nervous system health and help maintain cholesterol levels already within normal ranges
- Vitamin B5 (panthenol), to support healthy cellular inflammatory processes and promote healthy aging
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), to support healthy production of blood and bile acid, healthy digestion and to soothe premenstrual complaints
- Vitamin B9 (folic acid), to support healthy red blood cell production and protect against anemia while also supporting fertility
- Vitamin B12 (cobalamin), which promotes cellular energy production and energy storage in the muscles and DNA
- Biotin, for healthy glucose and lipid metabolism, and to protect against hair loss and skin complaints
- Pantothenic acid, to support a healthy nervous system, healthy skin and normal cellular growth and to protect against oxidative processes
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), the “anti-aging vitamin,” to support immune system health, normal hormone balance and protect against free radicals
- Vitamin E (tocopherol), a free radical scavenger that promotes healthy cell membranes and helps support a healthy cardiovascular system
- Vitamin K (phylloquinone), to support healthy blood flow and blood clotting processes
Plant Substances
Choline is a fat-like substance present in the membranes of the cells. A component of lecithin, choline is often compared to the B vitamins, because it enhances the activity of folic and certain amino acids. Neurotransmitters – chemical messengers in the brain – are formed from choline. Choline may help promote healthy cognitive function, due to its role in assisting in the metabolism of fat, one of the main constituents of the brain. Choline also promotes detoxification and the excretion of chemicals from the body. In cases of choline deficiency, fat utilization is disturbed and the lipids from one’s diet that remain in the bloodstream collect in the liver, where they can build up to dangerous levels.
There are approximately 4,000 different flavonoids, most of which are flower pigments. Scientific studies have proven the impressive biological actions of many of these – particularly in relation to their hormone-mimicking properties.
Citrus bioflavonoids are highly antioxidant substances that help ward off allergies and are crucial in protecting vitamin C against free radicals.
Carotenoids make up a large group of vegetable-coloring agents. Carotenoids are, in general, powerful free radical fighters, acting aggressively to protect against the threat posed by oxidative stress. Carotenoids also work to protect genetic components in cells, helping to maintain overall cellular health. The synergistic effect of several antioxidant substances found in carotenoids gives them the ability to help protect against free radicals from cigarette smoke, UV radiation, electromagnetic pollution and environmental toxins. Numerous scientific studies show that carotenoids may also offer protection against many conditions, with research relating to everything from atherosclerosis, cataracts and rheumatism to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Beta-carotene is the yellow-orange to dark green pigment found in fruits such as peaches, apricots and mangoes and in vegetables like carrots, spinach and lettuce. Beta-carotene specifically protects cholesterol against oxidation, thus helping to promote cardiovascular health. It also exhibits a protective effect on the thymus, a gland that is essential for a well-functioning immune system. Among all carotenoids, beta-carotene possesses the highest vitamin A activity.
Lutein, one of the leading carotenoids, helps to protect against free radicals. Because of its presence and actions within the ocular tissue, a higher intake of lutein is associated with a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). It has also been shown to protect the tissues of the airways and lungs in a similar manner.
Among all plant extracts, lycopene is regarded as perhaps the most important antioxidant. Found in high concentrations in both tomatoes and rose hips, lycopene’s active substances help protect the respiratory tract, while also promoting cardiovascular and cellular health.
Dong quai, also known as “women’s ginseng,” contains high levels of vitamins and minerals, and can help maintain healthy function of the female reproductive system.
Inositol supports the effectiveness of neurotransmitters such as the “happiness hormone” serotonin, which also has mood-stabilizing properties.
For thousands of years, the chaste tree berry extract Vitex agnus-castus has been utilized in traditional folk medicine for thousands of years to help maintain healthy female fertility, promote menstrual regularity and soothe menopause symptoms.
Glycyrrhiza glabra, the active substance found in licorice root, possesses antiviral properties, and can help promote healthy cellular inflammatory processes and blood pressure already within normal ranges.
Ascophyllum nodosum, an extract derived from brown algae, contains significant levels of iodine, iron and B vitamins along with a range of detoxifying micronutrients. Aside from its detoxifying properties, this potent extract may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels already within normal ranges. In traditional folk medicine, brown algae was boiled in water or milk and its gel-like dietary fiber (carrageenan) used to soothe stomach ulcers and intestinal concerns.
As a co-enzyme, PABA (vitamin B10) supports the functions of folic acid, important for brain health, and pantothenic acid, a stress-regulator.
Damiana is more than just an herbal aphrodisiac from South America. Besides promoting a strong libido and supporting the health of the sexual organs, it also helps the body maintain a healthy supply of energy and stamina. Certain substances in damiana may also support a healthy mood, while helping to soothe stress, contributing to an overall feeling of well-being.
Minerals
Not only do important minerals and trace elements such as magnesium, copper, zinc, iodine, iron, selenium, manganese, boron, potassium, chromium and molybdenum exhibit their own essential bio-active effects, they also support the efficacy of amino acids and enzymes.
Many properties of these minerals and trace elements are unknown to the general public. For example, chromium, a mineral of which no more than six milligrams normally exists in the body, is of the utmost importance for a variety of biological processes. Chromium encourages the healthy uptake of insulin by the body’s cells, supporting healthy blood sugar levels already within normal ranges and helping to protect against insulin resistance. In certain cases, obesity has been related to insulin resistance. One clinical study found that ingesting a minimum dosage of chromium over ten weeks was associated to a reduction in weight. Chromium deficiency has been linked to atherosclerosis, hypertension, hypoglycemia, stroke, unhealthy weight and high cholesterol.
The mineral blend coral calcium contains dozens of trace elements. Oceanic calcium is a product of the digestion of marine animals, which means it is organic, and more easily absorbed. The main effect of coral calcium is helping to maintain healthy pH levels to help protect against an overly-acidic system.
The black pepper extract Bioperine® helps to reinforce the effects of the other ingredients in the formula.
