Vitamintrend Dietary Supplements
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Vitamintrend is a new manufacturer of health supplements based in Germany, currently marketing their range in Germany and France, and via Amazon. I was asked to test some of their products which I accepted to do as they are a related company to Fairvital, whose supplements I found so beneficial.
The website does not give much information and seems a work in progress. Available in German and French only, the French site still contains many untranslated pages. What seems to be a particular feature is the generous size of their containers, often providing enough capsules or tablets to last several months, which makes them convenient as well as economical. Their growing range already offers many of the most popular and useful dietary supplements. |
As before, I was offered my choice of three products and left to take my sweet time over testing and reviewing them. Assessing vitamins and supplements requires an appropriate testing time (which I believe is often one or more months) to give them sufficient time to have an effect, and watching out for negative reactions. As per usual, my husband and I took each of the various supplements for periods of at least four weeks before sharing our experience, which is detailed in the individual reviews.
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Coenzyme Q10
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One of those elements that are naturally present in our bodies, but decline with age and disease. Coenzyme Q10 is essential for metabolism and energy transport within cells which, in turn, affect cell maintenance and renewal.
For those who have felt the benefits of taking Q10 supplements, these relate to assisting heart health, having more energy, improved metabolism and mood, and counteracting muscle breakdown due to the use of statin medications, which are, in some cases, prescribed routinely based on age. Other beneficial effects relate to migraines, periodontal disease and, apparently, even cancer. Given its pivotal role in the maintenance of good health, you would think that supplementation of this vitamin-like substance would be studied comprehensively but, frustratingly, the effects of taking Q10 as a supplement have not been studied to any conclusive degree. Obviously it is not in the interests of the large pharmaceutical companies, and consequently proper scientific studies are not available and we are left to decide for ourselves whether to supplement or not. Since most of the naturally available Coenzyme Q10 from dietary sources is found in meat, and given that in my family we don't eat meat, I consider supplementation a good idea. At worst it doesn't do any harm, at best it can substantially improve health and lifespan. |
As usual with this brand, the Vitamintrend bottle contains 180 capsules, a six-month supply at the recommended rate of one per day. The effects are subtle and take sometimes weeks to manifest themselves but I experienced a smooth energy boost, more positive mood, a sense of being better able to cope, and generally an increase in well-being. Some people have stomach upset symptoms, but I did not notice any negative reaction and my digestion is fragile at best. Considering the potential benefits, you might want to give Q10 a try, and this brand certainly offers an excellent value-for-money option.
Collagen Plus Hyaluronic Acid
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Collagen is the most important protein in the human body, and the scaffolding of our skin. Hyaluronic acid helps retain water in tissues and it is the most effective ingredient in anti-ageing creams and serums. In the human body it is said to improve skin elasticity and restore synovial fluid in the joints. Unfortunately, with age both these essential elements are produced at a much reduced rate and their gradual decrease is what causes structural and visible ageing. It makes sense to try and counteract this loss by means of dietary supplementation. I have been taking Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid as separate supplements, so it's fantastic to find these two combined and packaged with Vitamin C (to support the formation of collagen). Also the collagen is hydrolysed to make it more easily absorbed. One important point: it is essential to drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day because Hyaluronic Acid binds to water and so requires high levels of hydration within the body to work best.
I view this giant bottle as an investment in health. The 360 tablets are enough for four months at the recommended dosage of 3 per day (to be taken at mealtimes with a big glass of water). I don't always remember to take 3, but it seems to be working nonetheless. These tablets are quite chunky, and since I have trouble swallowing large capsules and dry tablets, I take most of my supplements with soy milk. |
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The effect on my body after five weeks is very positive. This supplement is just as good as my previous one. My chronic hip pain has remained well under control and that, for me, is critically important because it also allows me to exercise daily which, in turn, is essential for my mood. I also like how it's keeping my skin supple. We are coming out of winter, a very difficult time for my ageing face, and my dermatologist has just confirmed that my skin is in as good shape as one can expect at 63. As long as these supplements work for me, I will continue to take them, and I'm delighted to have found another excellent brand in Vitamintrend.
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Curcumin with Bioperin
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Turmeric offers many health benefits, the main one as an anti-inflammatory with broad action over our bodies. We have been using it as a spice and food additive for years and my husband is a great believer in its beneficial action as an immune system booster. I was, therefore, very pleased to accept a free bottle for evaluation and review.
The main problem with turmeric is to ensure a sufficient daily intake, which is not easy when it's added to food. This supplement provides an optimal daily dose, boosted by the addition of black pepper which works in synergy with the turmeric amplifying its action. Unfortunately, I have developed an intolerance for black pepper and had to stop taking the capsules after a few days because they had started to affect me. Luckily I had a bottle of plain Turmeric left, so I went back to that. My husband, however, has no such issues and has continued to test the capsules. It's difficult to verify the anti-ageing claims because one would have to stop taking it to see what happens (and we are not about to do that just to find out), but I can certainly vouch for the immune system boosting since we seem to have sailed through winter so far without our usual bout of seasonal cold and sniffles. |
However, the anti-inflammatory benefits are easier to notice. My husband was suffering from the onset of osteoarthritis in the joints of his hands and, since starting to take this supplement (four weeks ago), has noticed that the pain has gone away and the swelling in his knuckles seems to be decreasing at a gratifying rate.
Something else I can say, specifically about this supplement, is that it is excellent quality, powerful and appears to be beneficial without any undesirable effects on the digestion and is well tolerated by my husband. As such, I can easily recommend it.
Something else I can say, specifically about this supplement, is that it is excellent quality, powerful and appears to be beneficial without any undesirable effects on the digestion and is well tolerated by my husband. As such, I can easily recommend it.
