Frequently Asked Questions
It takes some time to know what questions you need to be answered, but we are here, and we will answer you. If you aren’t finding what you need below, let us know in the form below.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, which is more like a hormone. It controls calcium absorption and bone mineralisation. It plays many roles as it sends messages to the genes to switch on and off. (it needs Vitamin A as a cofactor to get into the nucleus of the cell, where your genes are). Genes that control immune function, cell growth, glucose metabolism and inflammation. It can be made in the skin only if exposed to direct sunlight on bare skin. Life guards and the Masai make Vitamin D all the time as they are continuously exposed to direct sunshine. But most of us do not make enough. It can be found in fish, fish oils and egg yolks.
Yes, exposing skin for 20 minutes every day during the midday summer sun, you should be able to make a healthy amount of vitamin D. However, if you wear sunblock, have darkly pigmented skin, or are elderly or overweight, you may not make enough. There is not enough sunlight at the correct angle in the northern hemisphere from October to March. That’s six months of the year!
Vitamin D tells the gut to absorb calcium. Vitamin K2 tells it to go to the bones and not get clogged in the arteries. This solves two of the most significant diseases, heart disease and osteoporosis. So why wouldn’t you supplement?
Daily and weekly doses of Vitamin D appear to be more protective for immunity than monthly doses. Supplements contain D3. Injections contain synthetic D2.
Although it cannot be said taking vitamin D stops you from getting Covid 19, in a study of 8297 persons, it was found that habitual use of Vitamin D supplements was strongly correlated with a risk reduction of 34% of Covid 19 infections. According to the American journal of clinical nutrition.
In Ireland, 74% of adults and 88% of primary school children have less than half the daily recommended amount of vitamin D. Low vitamin D levels are very common in Ireland. Best to take the test.
Vitamin K2
No, bacteria make K2 by fermentation. The tiny amount produced in the lower intestine (colon) isn’t where we absorb nutrients, so it’s thought the bacteria use this for their energy! So you either need to eat fermented Natto or take a supplement.
The highest source of K2-Mk7 is found in popular Japanese food, Natto. (It’s rather smelly) . We source ours from fermented chickpeas. There is some K2 (Mk 4) in fermented cheese, but this has a very short life of 2 hours. Grass-fed butter has a little Mk4 as well.
Vitamin D tells the gut to absorb calcium. Vitamin K2 tells it to go to the bones and not get clogged in the arteries. This solves two of the most significant diseases, heart disease and osteoporosis. So why wouldn’t you supplement?
Vitamin K2 activates a protein that removes calcium from the arteries. There is no drug or other natural substance besides K2 that has been shown to do this.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential for vision, the immune system and reproduction. It also helps the heart, lungs and kidneys work properly.
While beta carotene in carrots can be converted into active vitamin A, many people have a genetic SNP that means they cannot convert efficiently! These people should consume preformed Vitamin A found in the liver, fish and eggs. If supplementing, do not exceed the daily dose recommendations!
While vitamin A is essential for babies to develop eyes, bones, and organs like the lungs and nervous system, be careful not to take high doses while pregnant. It is suggested you limit your intake to 750 mcg per day when trying to conceive and during pregnancy. Then, you can increase it again when breastfeeding to 1,300 mcg per day.
If you’re trying to conceive, you should stop taking Accutane because it is a compound of Vitamin A. Always consult your doctor about supplementing with vitamin A if you’re taking drugs for skin conditions.
These are fat-soluble vitamins. A fat-containing meal improves absorption.
Omega 3
The conversion rate of the vegetable form of Omega-3, Alpha-linolenic acid, to EPA is inefficient. Studies show a low conversion rate in healthy young men of only 8% ALA to EPA and 4% to DHA. However, it was 21% to EPA in healthy young women and 9% to DHA. This means there is potentially a deficiency. Also, consumption of ALA does not raise the Omega-3 Index.
The Omega-3 Index test is simply a measure of the amount of EPA and DHA in the blood, specifically the red blood cell membranes. For example, if you have 64 fatty acids in a cell membrane and 3 are EPA and DHA, then you would have an Omega-3 Index of 4.6%. So it’s the percentage of Omega-3s of the total of all other fatty acids. Consuming fish regularly and supplementing with omega 3s will improve your index.
The Omega-6/Omega-3 ratio is a blood test which totals the omega-6 fats and the omega-3 fats in the red blood cell membranes. The amount of 6 and 3 are divided by each other to get the ratio. The recommended ratio reflecting optimum health is 3-5 omega-6 to one omega-3. If omega-6s are higher, it is a marker of inflammation and risk for heart disease.
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (O-3s) that are abundant in fish, shellfish, and some algae. The human body needs EPA & DHA Omega-3s to develop and function optimally in every stage of life.
However, a balance of all, EPA is best known for heart health and DHA for brain health, especially in the developing baby and the elderly. DPA has high anti-inflammatory effects, as do EPA and DHA, only more so. ALA – alpha-linolenic acid, found to decrease the risk of stroke. (ALA has a slow conversion rate)
Only one )mega-6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid (AA), and one Omega-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), make up the AA:EPA ratio. The AA/EPA ratio is your level of arachidonic acid (AA), an Omega-6 fatty acid which is considered to be inflammatory, vs eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an Omega-3 fatty acid which is required for several health benefits. These include lowering and resolving inflammation. These are important fatty acids in metabolism because powerful signalling molecules can be made from them. The best way to improve these ratios is to increase your intake of Omega-3s.
Test don’t guess. If you are a vegetarian, we strongly suggest checking your levels due to poor conversion of the plant sources. Our website has a great calculator to advise you how much you need to increase your daily intake depending on your serum levels. We suggest 2000mg, a good daily dose.
EPA – eicosapentaenoic acid most abundant in fish. DHA – docosahexaenoic acid – Second most abundant and is the primary omega-3 found in krill. DPA is the other omega that is coming to the fore scientifically, and ALA – alpha-linolenic acid, the plant source and is high in flaxseed.
A diet of 2-3 portions of fatty fish per week is recommended for the prevention of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases.
Good question, you get what you pay for. EE (ethyl ester) are the cheapest and less absorbable as it is heavily dependant on more enzymatic conversion in the body to be absorbed. Ethyl esters are mostly chemically extracted, and become semi-synthetic, often still retaining some ethanol the liver needs to detoxify. After purification, the top range supplements have put in an extra step in the process to convert it back to triglyceride form more absorbable. This is the natural form and is more stable than oxidation.
To absorb your EPA DHA DPA supplement best, take it with a meal containing good fat. We suggest yoghurt, avocado, grass-fed cheese, olive oil or grass-fed butter. Keep your fish oils out of heat and light, and consume within the best before date. Some people bite the capsule and drink it down with a liquid yoghurt or coconut milk.
Anyone with a chronic inflammatory illness would benefit from the anti-inflammatory effects of all of these. Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers need more DHA. For the elderly with cognitive challenges, higher DHA is beneficial. DPA has been shown to have a greater anti-inflammatory effect and can convert to EPA and DHA. If you have heart issues, EPA has been shown to benefit. Children with ADHD or autism have benefited from high dose omega-3s, EPA and DHA.
We offer 2 Omega-3 tests, a basic and an advanced. Basic will test your Index, i.e. the percentage of EPA and DHA in your red blood cell membranes. You want 8% or more. The advanced test gives you several markers, the Index, ratios of 6:3, AA:EPA, TransFat index, and a complete list of all your fatty acids.
Omega-3s reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and blood clots.
They fight depression and anxiety. They improve the eyesight and brain development of babies during pregnancy. Omega-3s reduce symptoms of ADHD, fight inflammation, and improve mood. They are linked to reduced risk of autoimmune disease and may help lower the risk of cancer such as colon cancer. In addition, they are associated with reducing asthma, and they improve bone and joint pain.
We have chosen the very best Swiss manufacturing process, which assures no oxidation due to the highest standards of manufacture. In addition, we have included some antioxidants in the formulation, such as astaxanthin, vitamin D, and E. A good manufacturing process ensures the oil will be stable for its entire shelf life. These antioxidants will benefit you!
Light, oxygen, and heat oxidise omega-3s. The manufacturing of our fish oils is of exceptionally high quality, excluding all oxygen to ensure the product will not oxidise for at least two years. We recommend keeping your fish oil in a dark, cool place to ensure it does not degrade. It is suggested once open, and fish oils can be kept in the refrigerator.
Trans fats are known as the most dangerous fats you could eat, so much so that the FDA recently banned them from being added to foods. They are formed in processed foods by heating and hydrogenating vegetable oils to give them a long shelf life. In fact, they increase heart attacks, strokes and type two diabetes. They are found in factory baked goods, such as cakes, cookies and pies, margarine, fried and fast foods, processed pies, donuts and non-dairy coffee creamers.
Besides being at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (including sudden death from cardiac failure), atrial fibrillation and inflammation, several symptoms could be the result of low omega-3 and an unhealthy diet. You may experience dry skin, brittle hair, and thin nails that peel and crack. In addition, Omega-3 deficiency can cause rashes on the skin and dandruff, as well as experiencing fatigue and poor sleep.
Other
These are fat-soluble vitamins. A fat-containing meal improves absorption.
Never expect supplements to supply the nutrients your body needs. Whole raw organic food is the best source of nutrition. However, many foods have suboptimal levels due to modern farming practices, depleted soils, and transportation and storage. Older people also need extra supplementation as they can’t always convert or digest enough good foods.
The most effective is Vitamin A, it’s part of a protein called rhodopsin, which helps you see at night. Also, macular degeneration, dry eyes, and glaucoma can benefit from Vitamin A. However, several other vitamins help the eyes, Vit C, Vit E, B complex, and carotenoids such as lute zeaxanthin. In addition, astaxanthin is very beneficial to protect your eyes from the sun.
During everyday living and your body’s metabolism, oxidation occurs constantly and naturally. This means that electrons that should be paired become single (unpaired) and need the donation of an electron from another source. These sources are astaxanthin, vitamins D, E, C and several other nutrients found in fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, artichokes, and cocoa. Yes, that’s good dark chocolate included! These electron donors are antioxidants.
