Alpha lipoic acid (ALA), also known as lipoic acid (LA) or thioctic acid, is a vitamin-like antioxidant. Some refer to ALA as the “universal antioxidant” because it has the unique attribute of being both fat and water-soluble.

A unique aspect of ALA is its ability to regenerate other antioxidants back to active states. This includes vitamin C, vitamin E, and coenzyme Q10. Alpha-lipoic acid also influences the production of glutathione, which supports a healthy persons’ Phase II liver detoxification.*

Currently no Reference Daily Intake (RDI) value has been set for alpha lipoic acid. Maintenance doses of 10-25 mg per day have been suggested, while doses up to several hundred milligrams per day have been used.

Alpha lipoic acid can be found in small amount in most foods. This is because it is produced naturally by most organisms, including humans. The richest foods are organ meats (kidney, heart, liver), potatoes, spinach, and broccoli.

Even the ALA-rich foods, aren’t exactly packed full of this powerful antioxidant. One of the first groups of researchers to isolate alpha-lipoic acid required nearly 10 tons of liver residue to produce a mere 30mg of crystalline LA. So, ALA is a strong candidate for dietary supplementation.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Vanadium is an essential trace mineral for a select group of life forms, including rats, chickens, a number of sea creatures, some macrofungi, and certain microorganisms (primarily diazotrophs). However, its importance in human nutrition remains to be conclusively determined. Studies in animal models show that vanadium mimics insulin in diminishing hyperglycemia and improving insulin secretion, and it appears to inhibit the activity of select enzymes. Although its precise function in humans is unknown, vanadium is thought to play a role in supporting iodine metabolism and thyroid function.

The total absorption of ingested vanadium is generally below five percent (5%). The best food sources include mushrooms, shellfish, black pepper, parsley, dill seed, and certain prepared foods.
There is currently no evidence of adverse effects associated with vanadium intake from food. Consequently, there is also no established upper limit (UL).

Trace minerals are inorganic elements necessary for proper operation of the human body, yet they generally make up less than 0.005% of adult body weight. Trace minerals are essential for normal growth and metabolism, assimilation and utilization of vitamins and other nutrients, and for making the enzymes, hormones, and other chemical messengers required by the human body.

For some trace minerals, a specific biochemical function has not been clearly defined. For others, the biochemical function is very well-known.Iodine, for example, is needed to make thyroid hormones, which control multiple aspects of human metabolism, including body weight. Iron is another mineral with a clear biological role: it is needed for hemoglobin synthesis, which allows the human body to transport oxygen via the bloodstream.

Additionally, some trace minerals (including selenium) are used to make powerful natural antioxidants capable of protecting human cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Silicon is the 2nd most abundant element in the earth’s crust (after oxygen) and an essential element for both animals and plants. There is nothing unsafe about oral intake of silicon dioxide, as it is essentially natural “sand.” In an industrial setting it could be a problem if someone were inhaling it in large amounts (it could irritate the lungs). Orally, it isn’t unsafe as it is typically used. Due to a lack of data indicating adverse effects of silicon, no UL has been established.

Silicon dioxide and calcium silicate are both sources silicon and also act as a tablet disintegrant.

Several biological roles for silicon have been defined. The most important functions appear to be in the growth and development of bone, cartilage, and connective tissue, where silicon plays both a metabolic and structural role. In bone, silicon is localized in the active growth areas where it is thought to promote growth and hasten mineralization.

Collagen is the protein matrix found in connective tissue and cartilage, and it is the single most abundant protein in the human body. Silicon promotes the synthesis of proline and hydroxyproline, principal amino acids in the structure of collagen. Silicon is a component of proteoglycan complexes that interlace with collagen and contribute to structural integrity. Some researchers have theorized that silicon-oxygen bridges (-O-Si-O-) – the foundational molecule of quartz – may also play a structural role in certain mucopolysaccharides found in connective tissues.

Dietary silicon appears to be well-absorbed. Beverages (including beer and coffee), grain, grain products and vegetables are the best food sources of silicon.

Molybdenum was first shown to be an essential mineral in 1953. Molybdenum functions primarily as an oxidizing agent, which gives it an important role in the electron transport component of oxidation-reduction reactions.

Molybdenum is a cofactor for enzymes referred to as molybdoenzymes. These enzymes catalyze the hydroxylation of various molecules. Molybdenum hydroxylases are important in the metabolism of drugs and foreign compounds. Studies in animal models have shown a beneficial effect in inhibiting certain forms of cancer.

Molybdenum in food (and in soluble complex form) is readily absorbed. Retention and absorption are influenced by interactions with various dietary forms of sulfur. The richest food sources are milk and milk products, dried legumes, organ meats, cereals, and baked goods.

The estimated safe and adequate daily dietary intake for adults is 45-50 mcg/day. The (UL) has been established at 2000 mcg/day for adults.

Copper is an essential nutrient for all known plants and animals. Some animals use copper as part of their oxygen transport system, with hemocyanin (a copper-based protein) taking the place of hemoglobin (the iron-based protein humans and most vertebrates use). In these creatures, oxygenated blood is blue instead of red.

In humans, copper plays a key role in a number of essential metabolic reactions. Copper indirectly functions as an antioxidant through its essential role in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) class of enzymes. Other biological roles for copper include oxidizing ferrous iron to ferric iron (a reaction needed for hemoglobin synthesis), and the formation of lysyl oxidase, a copper-requiring enzyme with roles in collagen synthesis and wound healing.

Copper is also needed in reactions related to respiration and the release of energy. Recent research indicates a potential role for dietary copper in addressing heart disease, perhaps by undermining the composition and progression of atherosclerotic lesions.

Absorption of copper is relatively high in humans, with general bioavailbility between 55% and 75% except at very high intakes (where it can fall to less than 10%). The best food sources include oysters and shellfish, nuts, grains, and legumes, while the copper content of vegetables, fruits, and meats varies considerably.

Copper is relatively nontoxic to most mammals, including humans. An FAO/WHO Expert Committee specified intakes of 0.5mg per kg body weight as safe, or ~25mg per day for a typical adult.

Boron is a non-metallic mineral present in the human body in trace amounts. Dietary boron influences the activity of many metabolic enzymes, certain hormones, and the metabolism of several micronutrients, including calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. However, the biological function of boron in humans has not yet been clearly established.

Boron may play a role in osteoporosis prevention by reducing calcium excretion and increasing deposition of calcium in the bone.

Studies with animals and humans indicate that some ninety percent of boron is absorbed in the normal intake range. Most dietary boron is hydrolyzed within the gut to yield B(OH)3 which, as a neutral compound, is easily absorbed.

The best dietary sources of boron are fruit-based beverages and products, tubers, legumes, nuts, dried fruits, fresh fruits, and fresh vegetables.

No data are available on adverse health effects from ingestion of large amounts of boron from food and water. The tolerable upper intake level (UL) has been set at 20 mg per day for adults.

Tocotrienols are structurally and functionally similar to vitamin E and other tocopherols. Like tocopherols, several forms of tocotrienols are known (alpha-, beta-, delta-, and gamma-tocotrienols). Tocotrienols have much less vitamin activity than tocopherols, but are generally better antioxidants in vitro. For example, alpha-tocotrienol is 6.5-60x more effective than alpha-tocopherol as an antioxidant.
Similar to vitamin E, tocotrienols also protect against lipid peroxidation (the damaging of fats by oxidation).
The primary sources of tocotrienols in the average diet are vegetable oils, including palm and rice bran oil.

Carotenoids comprise a diverse class of antioxidant molecules that help protect the body from oxidative damage. Approximately 700 natural carotenoids have been isolated and characterized. Most are derived from plants, where they serve multiple functions: photosynthetic pigments, photoprotectants, and free radical scavengers. Some 50-60 carotenoids are present in a typical diet with the major sources being fruits and vegetables.

Beta-carotene is one of the best known carotenoids, likely because: (1) it is one of the most abundant in a typical adult diet, and (2) it provides two nutritional functions – in addition to its role as an antioxidant, the human body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A.

Other members of the antioxidant carotenoid family include alpha-carotene, cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein, and lycopene. Unlike beta-carotene, most of these nutrients are not converted to vitamin A in significant amounts.

Beta carotene’s role as an antioxidant is based on its extensive system of conjugated double bonds which, upon reacting with an oxygen atom, absorb and diffuse that oxygen’s potentially destructive energy. The oxygen atom returns to a lower energy state, and beta carotene dissipates the absorbed energy harmlessly (as heat). Similar mechanisms are involved in quenching the oxidative potential of hydroxyl radicals and other free radical compounds.

As provitamin A, beta carotene contributes to an entirely different set of functions by supplying a portion of the body’s requirement for retinol (vitamin A). In fact, a single molecule of beta-carotene can be cleaved in the body to produce two molecules of vitamin A. Other carotenoids (including alpha-carotene, gamma-carotene, and cryptoxanthin) provide provitamin A activity, but yield only one molecule of vitamin A when metabolized.

Retinol (vitamin A) is an essential nutrient associated with three important functions, the best-defined of which involves human vision. Retinol is a functional constituent of rhodopsin, a protein located in the retina of the eye that absorbs light and triggers a series of biochemical reactions that ultimately initiate nerve impulses, resulting in sight.

Secondly, vitamin A is involved in the activation of gene expression and the control of cell differentiation. It is through this function that vitamin A affects immune function, taste, hearing, appetite, skin renewal, bone development, and growth.
Vitamin A’s third role involves control of embryonic development. Here it is thought that retinoic acid modulates the expression of certain genes that govern patterns of sequential development of various tissues and organs in the body.

Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health issue, particularly in developing countries. It has been estimated that 500,000 preschool-age children worldwide become blind each year as a result of vitamin A deficiency. Millions of others suffer from night blindness, a common clinical sign of inadequate vitamin A intake. Further estimates suggest that more than 100 million children worldwide suffer from vitamin A inadequacy without showing clinical signs of acute deficiency. Beta-carotene is known to be an effective dietary cure for vitamin A deficiency and an effective remedy for symptoms of this disorder.

Epidemiological studies support long-term beneficial effects of beta-carotene intake on a number of degenerative diseases. For example, the relationship between beta-carotene intake and cancer has received considerable attention in recent years. Epidemiological evidence suggests that long-term intake of dietary beta-carotene may reduce the risk of several types of cancer. Similar findings pertain to heart disease and immune health.

Dietary sources rich in beta carotene and other provitamin A carotenoids include carrots, broccoli, yellow squash, corn, tomatoes, papayas, oranges, and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and Chinese cabbage. Beta-carotene is heat stable, so it is not degraded during prolonged boiling or microwaving.

Although ingestion of too much preformed vitamin A (retinol) can be toxic, excessive intake of beta-carotene is not known to induce vitamin A toxicity. Negative feedback mechanisms in the body prevent the over-conversion of beta-carotene to retinol. However, high levels of beta-carotene in the diet can induce hypercarotenosis, a benign condition characterized by a jaundice-like yellowing of the skin. Symptoms are reversed when dietary intake is reduced.

Unfortunately, dietary intake is often ignored when it comes to calcium recommendations. It is important to remember that when a particular amount of calcium is recommended (typically 1,000 mg, 1,200 mg, or 1,500 mg), that recommendation is for total calcium intake – not just calcium from supplements.

Average dietary calcium intake in females is 744 mg/day. The average intake among males is 975 mg/day. Even without adding Active Calcium, the CellSentials will supplement a typical American diet to provide over 1,000 mg/day of calcium for females (the RDA for normally healthy adult females is 1,000 mg/day), and over 1,250 mg/day for males. For those at higher risk or those with below-average dietary calcium intakes, Active Calcium provides another 200 mg per tablet.

Correctly considering normal dietary calcium amounts means that the recommended dosage of Active Calcium and the CellSentials provides most everyone with at least 1,500 mg of calcium per day. Since most people do not need an additional 1,200+ mg of supplemental calcium added to their diet, the amounts of calcium and magnesium in the CellSentials and Active Calcium are adequate for nearly every human being.