Supplement Highlight: Nutrametrix OPC-3

Written by:  Erin Peisach, RD, LDN

OPC-3, which is short for oligomeric proanthocyanidins, is a highly bio-available, potent antioxidant supplement that is now offered for patients at our patient clinic. This exciting supplement is up to 20-times more powerful than vitamin C and 50-times more powerful than vitamin E in its antioxidant capacity. What exactly is in this supplement that makes it so effective? It contains a combination of bilberry, grape seed, red wine, and pine bark extracts, as well as citrus extract bioflavonoids. Not only will OPC-3 neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, but it may also help maintain joint flexibility, improve cardiovascular health, and reduce inflammation.

A 2008 study published in Angiology found that OPC-3 daily supplementation over a 2-month period lowered all major cardiovascular risk factors compared to a placebo. Blood pressure, total cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose were reduced, endothelial function was improved, skin microcirculation was enhanced, and C-reactive protein dramatically decreased by 52.1%.

This supplement comes in a powder that is mixed with water, creating an isotonic solution that is consumed on an empty stomach. Don’t worry…it tastes like grape juice! The science behind this form of supplementation is that the nutrition is highly bioavailable and immediately absorbed into the body, bypassing the need for high amounts of stomach acid or digestive enzymes. It is reported that some tablet supplements are only 10-40% absorbed compared to 90-95% absorption for isotonic supplements. In a 2009 study published in Phytotherapy Research, they found that the isotonic OPC-3 compared to the tablet OPC-3 significantly accelerated the bioavailability of flavonoids. At 10-minutes post-consumption, the isotonic OPC-3 significantly decreased the subjects’ reactive oxygen species six times greater than the tablet form and it remained significantly greater throughout a four hour period.

This safe, highly effective antioxidant supplement may provide numerous benefits to your health. Ask one of our clinicians about OPC-3 at your next visit and find out if it may be an appropriate supplement for you!  Call us at 410-448-6361 to schedule your next appointment or ask questions.

References:

1. Cesarone MR, Di Renzo A, Errichi S, Schonlau F, Wilmer JL & Blumenfeld J. (2008) Improvement in circulation and in cardiovascular risk factors with a proprietary isotonic bioflavonoid formula OPC-3. Angiology. 59(4), 408-414.

2. Cesarone MR, Gross MG, Di Renzo A, Errichi S, Schonlau F, Wilmer JL & Blumenfeld J. (2009). Accelerated antioxidant bioavailability of OPC-3 bioflavonoids administered as isotonic solution. Phytother Res. 23(6), 775-777.

Food Reactivity - Testing & Treatment

Did you know that our clinic specializes in food sensitivity testing and treatment? Erin Peisach, the clinic’s Registered Dietitian, is a Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT). What is LEAP? Quite simply, it is a diet program designed to help people suffering from food sensitivity symptoms. Symptoms can range from bloating, diarrhea, and excessive gas, to eczema, chronic migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic muscle and joint pain. The tricky part is trying to identify the food sensitivity that may be provoking these symptoms. Food sensitivities are dose-dependent, meaning small amounts of the food may not cause a problem, but larger amounts will. They can also have a delayed response in the body, meaning symptoms may not be experienced immediately after ingestion, but anywhere from 4 to 96 hours later. Because of these two factors, food sensitivities are extremely difficult to diagnose.

In the past, clinicians have helped patients try to identify food sensitivities by using a food elimination diet followed by a food reintroduction challenge. We call this the “guess and check” method because there is no sure-fire way to know that the diet is void of all reactive foods. For instance, one person may be sensitive to dairy, gluten, fish, peanuts, and citrus, some of the most common food triggers, while another person may be sensitive to rice, pears, lamb, and olives, some of the least common food triggers. Essentially, there is no perfect hypoallergenic diet for the entire population because each person’s body is unique.

Alternatively, some clinicians have used blood tesing to help diagnose food sensitivities, including ELISA IgG and ALCAT. While these tests can be helpful in identifying food triggers, they also have flaws. In particular, the IgG test exclusively quantifies the IgG response to specific foods and does not measure all of the other ways the body may react to a trigger food. Because of this limitation, the test results may show you that unsafe foods are actually safe.  As with any diagnostic test, it is important with food sensitivities to use a sensitive and specific testing method to guide therapy.

The LEAP program utilizes a test called Mediator Release Test (MRT).  Rather than relying on IgG, it measures the release of chemical mediators of food sensitivity symptoms by immune cells.  MRT is becoming the gold-standard test in the industry, with studies supporting its accuracy and reliability.

Erin uses the results of the MRT to put together an individualized eating program to improve your symptoms, heal your gut, and improve your health. Contact the clinic today by calling 410-448-6361 to schedule an appointment and find out if this is the right program for you.