Whats In Your Supplements?

We think that all supplements should be additive free, without fillers, bulking agents, flow agents & anti-frictional agents, but why?

One widely used additive is magnesium stearate, it has many uses, it can be used as a filler, a bulking agent, a flow agent & as a anti-frictional agent. There are studies & research that show some commonly used supplement additives affect the disintegration time (1). Other research indicates that specific additives may be immunosuppressive in some people (2).

If there is any doubt or questions on the safety of such additives we think they should not be used, thats exactly what we do, we are proud of it & we hope you are too!

We don't use talcum powder, titanium dioxide, magnesium stearate or any other stearates in our supplements, we aim to make all our supplements additive free. Where a filler is indispensable we will only ever use a nutritional ingredient, organic rice flour, natural & healthy.

References:

1. Effect of magnesium stearate or calcium stearate as additives on dissolution profiles of diltiazem hydrochloride from press-coated tablets with hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate in the outer shell. E Fukui, N Miyamura, M Kobayashi. Product & Technology Development Laboratory, Tanabe Seiyaku Co., Ltd., 16-89 Kashima-3-chome, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 532-0085, Japan.
2. Molecular basis for the immunosuppressive action of stearic acid on T cells. Immunology. 1990 July; 70(3): 379?386.

Additive free MultiVitamin & Multivitamin Supplements!

Today there are many all-in-one multivitamin and multi mineral supplements, many of them have low ingredient amounts and all of them have additives. Many more people are searching for additive free multivitamin and additive free multi mineral and it is something we have wanted to do for some time. Manufacturing combination supplements without additives is not an easy process, and takes far more time but we know it’s a vitally important, so you get pure additive free supplements. We have adopted Dr Clarks concept of Self Health and this drives us to provide high quality additive free supplements at affordable prices.

Health Leads is one of the UK’s leading additive free supplement companies, we never use magnesium stearate or harmful excipients. “Purity & quality” are paramount, we pride ourselves on our special supplement formulations manufactured without additives.


We are proud to announce two new all-in-one high strength additive free supplements:

                                   


 

Supplements for Joint Health

Knee Joint

For joint health & care, whether you are keen runner, gym enthusiast, or generally want to keep yourself fit and healthy, having good regular exercise and a healthy well balanced diet is most important, but even conscious eaters like runners & body builders can accidentally miss out on key nutrients. If your meal plan does not have the perfect balance, and who's does, then you have most likely considered supplementing your diet with a few capsule supplements to make sure you get everything you need. Here you can work out to see if you diet needs a boost.

Hyaluronic acid - this protein is found in all living organisms and can hold 1000 times its own weight in water, having amazing skin plumping properties. More importantly for the more fitness minded people hyaluronic acid is found in the synovial fluid, vital for joint lubrication, and has been called the "goo" molecule. It is estimated that there could be up to 50% decrease in hyaluronic acid for people over 40 years of age.

Boswellia - has been long used in Ayurvedic medicine. Boswellia serrata extract has been used in clinical trials for osteoarthritis. Shallaki has anti-Inflammatory and anti-arthritic property that can reduce the pain and inflammation of the joints of the body.

Glucosamine & Chondroitin - Around the world this is one of the favourite nutrients used to help maintain flexible joints and healthy muscles. Glucosamine is a amino acid that helps build cartilage within the body. Chondroitin is a glycosaminoglycan in cartilage and gives cartilage its strength and resilience.

MSM (methylsulphonylmethane) - is one of the key building blocks for glycosaminoglycans. MSM is a naturally occuring sulphur compound, vital for cartilage regeneration.

Cod Liver Oil - this is superior to standard fish oils, cod liver oil is extracted only from the livers of cod fish as it contains high levels of omega 3 fatty acids, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) & Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) which is thought to help the body maintain healthy heart, circulation & joints.

Why is magnesium stearate in your supplements, and is it safe?

Magnesium Stearate

As I walk down the isle of my local supermarket I take a look around and people doing their weekly food shop seem far more switched on as to what additives are best avoided and savvy shoppers (like my wife) take great delight reading food labels to make sure there are no added nastiness.

But what about supplements? We are good at checking food labels but do you check your supplement labels and do you know what to look out for or what to avoid?

All tablets and the majority of capsule medicines and supplements contain excipients. These are the non active ingredients with no nutritional value. They include fillers, diluents, binders, disintegrants, antifrictional agents.

The most commonly used excipinet is magnesium stearate, used in over 90% of supplements worldwide. More and more people are finding out for themselves about magnesium stearate. There are now a growing number of supplement companies around the world pushing forward, making supplements without magnesium stearate and Health Leads UK Ltd is leading the way in the UK.

So why don't we use excipients like magnesium stearate in our supplements? We believe that magnesium stearate could have detrimental effects, toxicity and reduced bioavailability. To find out more please have a look at our article, is magnesium stearate safe to use as a supplement excipient?

New - Ozone Fruit and Vegetable Washer

Ozone Fruit and Vegetable Washer

 

We all try our best to have a balanced diet but there are always things that make this difficult, maybe your working late, travelling or generally busy or its just not  possible to have your 5 a day. Even if you can have a daily diet that includes a good amount of fresh fruit and vegetables, are they organic, free from pesticide residues and bacteria, something that is often over looked!


We have a great alternative to costly organic produce. This superb ozone fruit & vegetable washer will provide you and your family with safe, clean fruit and vegetables, free from harmful pesticide residues and harmful bacteria. This washer utilises ozone, a chemical free sanitising system.

• Eliminates harmful bacteria
• Neutralises toxic pesticides
• Food stays Fresh, up to 3 times longer
• Free sanitiser, use ozone infused water on worktops, cutting boards and much more.

 

You never hear of Eskimos with joint problems or arthritis

Some time ago a good friend of mine said “you never hear of Eskimos with joint problems or arthritis, it’s down to the healthy fish oils high in omega 3 they eat, that’s why I take cod liver oil capsules every day”. I didn’t really think about what he said in any great depth, it was just one of those sentences where you just smile back a nod your head in agreement without really thinking it through, I then mentioned that Inuit’s have many, possibly over a hundred words for snow, but I later found out this is a common misconception, it’s the Sami an indigenous people in Sweden that have 300 words for snow.

Much time has now passed and I wanted to explore this comment and find out if this is really true, are Eskimos free of joint problems and arthritis. Without to much fuss I came across the “Inuit’s paradox”, which basically asks: how can a people that rarely eat fruit or vegetables, eat high amount of meat and fat be healthier than most of us?

It is true to say the modern Eskimos diet is rapidly changing, more and more Eskimos are moving away from a traditional Eskimo diet. Eskimos have probably seen more changes in their diet in a lifetime than their ancestors did over thousands of years. As the population grows more and more people live closer to towns which in turn makes modern shops accessible and makes way to cash paying jobs without the need to live off the land. This makes it more likely to have western diets that include crisps, fizzy drinks, fast food. Harriet Kuhnlein, director of Indigenous Peoples Nutrition and Environment said “The young and urbanized,” and “are increasingly into fast food.” Now obesity, diabetes and other western diseases are causes for concern.

But the traditional Eskimo diet was high in meat, seal meat, organ meat, wild and fresh and sometimes raw. Their meat is completely different from the meat we have in our shops. The meat they ate were not feed grains and had a high content of Omega 3s and low amounts of Omega 6, the opposite of modern meats. Their overall diet was more a 1:1 ratio of omega 3s to 6s, compared to today’s ratio of about 1:25(+) of omega 3s to 6s.

So what can we learn from all of this. It is safe to say we’re not going to move the arctic and start eating seal meat and raw organ meat, but there are vital lessons we can learn. Try to have a balanced diet, keep a careful eye on our sugar intake, eat fresh fruit and vegetables, have plenty of healthy fats. One very important point, our diets are high in omega 6, so take cod liver oil which is high in omega 3.

One last point, the traditional Eskimo way of life must have also played a part, their daily active lifestyle, low exposure to environmental toxins, low stress levels contributed to their health, a lesson we can all learn from.

Empty hard capsules - All you need to know

Many people are unsure about the size of supplement capsules. Each size has a designated number, but which one is the smallest and which one is the largest? Why do people want to purchase empty capsules? What do they use them for? We have the answers to these questions and more.

Capsule size Chart

As you may have already found out, capsule sizes can be quite confusing. The pharma industry call these capsules “empty hard capsules”. The standard range of sizes are 5 to 000 (triple zero). This in itself gets people on the wrong track as 5 is the smallest and 000 is the largest.
 

Please look at our capsule size chart, showing all the available sizes 000, 000, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.

Even though there is this wide range of sizes, the most commonly used empty capsule sizes are 0 (zero), 00 (double zero) & size 4.

Capsule Colours

Empty hard capsules are available in a wide variety of colours, from black all the through to white, a total of 89 standard colour shades. Large pharmaceutical companies predominantly choose bright bold colours, also they may choose to print on the capsule the company logo or product name. A more popular choice for alternative and natural food supplements are transparent/clear capsules, these transparent capsules have the added benefit of showing the colour of the ingredients contained, they also avoid the use of colourants.

Gelatin or vegetarian empty hard capsule shells

There are two basic types of two piece empty hard capsules, empty gelatin capsules and  empty vegetarian capsules. Gelatin (often called gel caps) are made of gelatin which is obtained by partial hydrolysis of collagen acquired from the skin, white connective tissue and bones of animals, this is the same process that makes jelly and gelatin based desserts. Empty vegetarian (cellulose)  capsules, (sometimes called vcaps) are made from a substance called hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). HPMC has great gel forming properties, highly viscous, water-soluble polymer derived from plants. Vegetarian empty hard capsules cost far more to produce but more and more people are choosing cellulose over gelatin capsules.

Why buy Empty Capsules

A growing number of people buy empty capsules to make their own supplements, using herbs, vitamins & mineral powders. They can easily be made by hand or with a small capsule machine. Both methods are cost effective, easy and can be made at home. Many top supplement manufactures use unnecessary additives like magnesium stearate, this stops the ingredients sticking to machine parts, increase flow and makes it easier to clean the machines but more importantly it is believed that such additives decrease the absorption of nutrients. So many people choose to make their own supplements so they know exactly whats in them, and they can make their own as it might not be available in the local health shop.

What is L-Ornithine

What is L-ornithine?

L-ornithine is 1 of 20 non essential amino acids. Non essential because  it is produced by the body from L-arginine, both amino acids are very similar. Amino acids as a whole are well known as the building blocks for the manufacture of proteins, which include muscle tissue. Also L-ornithine plays a vital role in the removal of toxins from the body, l-ornithne is used to make urea which removes ammonia and nitrogen.

Foods containing L-ornithine

As mentioned above, L-ornithine is made by the body but some people choose to eat foods that are known to have a high l-ornithine content, these are: Chicken, pork and red meats (always look for lean cuts to avoid high fat content). Eggs, dairy products & fish. With all this foods its best to eat in the most simple form as possible, without added sauces.

L-ornithine supplements

It is widely accepted that L-ornithine is used in the body to aid wound healing, immune support and the liver. For these reasons l-ornithine has become a top supplement with athletes and bodybuilders for strength and body mass and it is believed that it has an affect on the human growth hormone (HGH).

Ref:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2770269
http://www.nutros.net/nsr-0200v.html

Health Leads have a Fantastic 10% Discount for the month of March. Please take a look through our website to see all our great high quality supplements. This special onetime offer includes 10% off all Health Leads own label Herbal, Vitamin, Mineral, Amino Acids & Oil supplements. Please note, this sale is only for the month of March.

Magnesium Oil - How to choose the best

Since 2007 when Mark Sircus published his book "Transdermal Magnesium Therapy", Magnesium oil has been in high demand and for good reasons. In Mark Sircus book on Transdermal Magnesium Therapy, he highlights that "magnesium is the single most important mineral for maintaining proper electrical balance and facilitating smooth metabolism in the cells". Magnesium deficiency is wide spread and in this book Mark Sircus explains that the majority of the population are magnesium deficient. And its highly likely that you know someone suffering from a related disease or illness. On page 36 he explains: "transdermal magnesium, which involves absorbsion directly through the skin, is inexpensive, safe, a do it yourself at home technique". Also "By using what is called Magnesium oil, either topically or in a soak, massive amounts of magnesium can be absorbed naturally, by our bodies". He also adds, "Transdermal application of magnesium (oil) is actually superior to oral supplements in many ways".

Without doubt, supplementation of magnesium oil applied topically whether directly to the skin or in a bath soak, is the best way to absorb magnesium, but what is the best best form or type of magnesium oil.

First of all, magnesium oil is not an oil, its a highly saturated solution magnesium chloride in water. It is called magnesium oil due to its slippery feel on the skin and unlike oils it is fully absorbed  and does not leave any residue on the skin.

There are two types of magnesium oil that can be purchased, ocean sourced magnesium chloride and ancient mineral magnesium chloride deposits. There are many concerns over the ocean sourced magnesium oils, mainly due the array of pollutants that are found in today's oceans. The best type of magnesium oil that can be purchased is magnesium oil from deep under ground, sourced 1500 to 2000 meters below, from the ancient Zecstein Seabed located below northern Europe. Naturally protected from modern chemicals/pollutants the zechstein magnesium oil is ultra pure and does not need high refining methods commonly used with ocean sourced magnesium oils. Purity is key.

So, when you buy your magnesium oil, always look for the Zechstein Logo.

Apricot Kernels - Tasty and Nutritious

Apricot kernels are tasty & nutritious. Apricot kernels are inside apricot stones, which we often just throw away. Why eat bitter apricot kernels? because they have a great bitter taste! similar to almonds and this bitter taste is due to the presents of B17, also called  amygdalin.  

So why is it that we eat food? Because it tastes good? In today’s world the second reason is becoming more important to some, we only have to look at "junk food" to see that more importance is put on taste than nutritional value. Of course, we eat food because it tastes good, but that is not the most important reason, we eat food for nourishment as fuel to keep us alive. 

We are familiar with using petrol as fuel for our cars, our body also needs fuel in the form of food, if we were to put diesel in a petrol engine it will have detrimental effect, we can draw a similar parallel with our food, if we eat poor foods it will have bad effects.

This is clearly evident, poor diets can have huge impacts on health, diseases as scurvy and kwashiorkor, health threatening conditions: obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are all to common due to poor diets.

So trying not to get to far off the point, we should eat food for its nutrition value, many nutritious foods taste great and we have such a wide variety to choose from. As an example athlete’s and body builders have high protein diets to help build healthy organs and muscles. So it makes sense that we eat foods for the nutrients within, helping our bodies to build and repair.

Eat healthy, Stay healthy.