What You Should Know About Vitamin Supplementation

Frankly speaking, deconditioned, inactive people interested only in growing hair, skin and nails probably meet their nutritional needs through food alone. Or, at best, might consider an inexpensive daily multi-vitamin.

However, research has proven that physically active people have much higher metabolic requirements. The amount and quality of your caloric intake, in conjunction with vitamin supplementation, is of utmost importance.

An Analogy

Here’s an analogy. Imagine you are invited to a mountain lakeside cabin to spend the weekend. You immediately say "yes" and jot the date on your calendar.

But then a few days later you’re asked to tow a boat up the mountain for everyone’s use. You say "yes." But now, you start to think about the condition of your car.

  Do you have enough air in your tires?
  When did you last change your anti-freeze?
  What about the oil and transmission fluid?
  How much more gas will your car burn and should you use a higher octane?

These are valid thoughts -- because you're about to add physical stress to your vehicle.

The same holds true when you begin an exercise program. You increase physical stress on your body. And, when you increase physical stress on your body, fueling it (through proper nutrition) becomes a major consideration.

What Vitamins Really Do

Vitamins accomplish two things.

• They help in the digestion and utilization of foods, thus, creating "higher octane fuel" for your body.

• Second, they ensure that all nutritional gaps are filled allowing your body to efficiently and effectively burn fat, gain lean muscle tissue and fully adapt to increased physical stress.

John E. Logsdon (1924-1998) was the master formulator of this unique line of nutritional supplements.  Even after his passing, Logsdon’s research, science and experimentation is recognized, today, as some of the most relevant, innovative and highly regarded works in the fields of biochemistry and sports nutrition. 

During the 1960’s, while mainstream medical experts, nutritionists and other life science professionals were developing “nutritional standards” for the general public,  Logsdon was researching the nutritional needs for athletes and active lifestyle enthusiasts.  He quickly discovered their metabolic requirements were quite different. 

Spearheading a 15-year project, he learned how, why and which various blends of nutrients were crucial to the pursuit of athletic performance, muscle gain, muscle recovery, efficient fat-loss and stamina.  And, how various vitamins, minerals and other nutrients worked synergistically with foods in combination with increased physical stress and raised metabolism. 

In short, Logsdon not only proved the deficiencies of the typical RDA’s (recommended daily allowances) but demonstrated the absolute necessity for “optimal nutrition” protocols when dealing with athletes and active lifestyle enthusiasts.

Finally, in the early 1970’s, based on this research, Logsdon began to formulate a complete, synergistic line of nutritional products specifically designed for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.  His formulations were, and are to this day, extraordinary. 

All Natural Ingredients

First and foremost, these optimal nutrition formulas are all natural.  This is important.  There is substantial scientific evidence that vitamins derived from natural sources are more readily absorbed and assimilated by the human body — whereas vitamins derived from inorganic chemicals are usually combined with undesirable substances such as sugar, inorganic binders, preservatives and coal tars.  

Second, each formula consists of  “source-specific” raw ingredients from around the world.  For example, Korean ginseng root is quite different than Siberian or Chinese ginseng.  Again, the level of detail in the development of these formulations is significant.

Finally, each product requires its own set of manufacturing protocols including precision measurements, exacting temperature-controlled manufacturing processes and constant testing and analysis. 

These proprietary formulas represent much of Logsdon’s life work.  As such, each product has been registered, patented and trademarked. 

Of note:

• All daily multi-vitamin/mineral formulas contain Pancreatine 5X – one of the highest quality and most expensive digestive enzyme complexes available

• All multi-vitamin/mineral formulas contain a full complement of amino acids

• You’ll also find an abundance of herbs and herbal complexes incorporated into the formulas to help enhance absorption and utilization of food in conjunction with the products

• All products are manufactured in temperature-controlled environments to ensure efficacy and bioavailability of natural ingredients

• All tablets use natural ingredients instead of varnishes or other harsh chemicals that serve as binding agents to hold it together or to make the product smell more acceptable.

We're often asked our opinion regarding nutrition and supplement strategies.  We usually answer with this question: 

"Are you interested in convenience or optimal nutrition?"

If you're interested in optimal nutrition, then, a Multi-Dose supplement strategy is still the best way to go.  And, you should take supplements that begin to disintegrate immediately.  

On the other hand, if one is interested in convenience, then time-release, sustained release or enrobing may work for some people.  

Follow the logic

There is a logic behind a multi-dose strategy -- especially among athletes, fitness enthusiasts and those seeking physical results in the most time-efficient manner possible.

• You probably recommend your clients and athletes eat 4-7 meals/snacks per day to maintain blood-sugar levels as well as consistent levels of other various nutrients. 

• You already know that vitamins (especially multi-vitamin formulas) are, in actuality, co-enzymes meant to work with foods.

• Supplementing those meals/snacks at the time of ingestion is the only way to ensure all potential nutritional gaps are filled.

Time Release Looks Good in a Laboratory, but....

We're the first to admit that time-release, sustained release and enrobing all offer "consumer convenience."  And, from a marketing standpoint, they certainly have a modern, high-tech appeal. However, there are several issues that simply don't work out in the "real world."  

• The issue of "transit" (a tablet or capsule traveling through the digestive tract) is not controllable.  The tablet or capsule may travel through one person's digestive system at a different rate of speed than another's.

• The "triggering mechanism" for time release is pH.  This differs from person to person and again, is uncontrollable.

John Logsdon's Thoughts on Time-Release

John Logsdon (1924-1998) is one of the "unsung heroes" in sports nutrition.  His forward-thinking concepts regarding "personalized nutrition" are still years ahead of current nutritional strategies and protocol.  Among other accomplishments, he was solely responsible for bringing "Oxidative Typing" into the sports and fitness environment.

February 24, 1994

“Time Release”
Good or Bad
By John Logsdon

In today’s world of constant change and new ideas, computers, fiber optics, angioplasty and modern drugs, new is not always best.

Time Release tablets and capsules came into the nutrition market about 1960.  These followed products like Contac and other cold remedies.

My first experience with Time Release as a manufacturer came in 1970.  The knowledge of producing Time Release was top secret.  Only two or three people in the world knew how to produce Time Release products.  Luckily I hired one of the three.  I started a company called Vitamer Laboratories and we produced one of the first of the complete Time Released nutritional vitamin/mineral lines.

As a general rule, Time Release for the average person is an acceptable excuse for not being able to remember to take a prescribed dosage at a particular time.

The operation of Time Release is dependent on the pH (acid alkaline balance) of different locations of the alimentary canal.  Whether you use spancels, matrix, wax or whatever, you still must use the pH as the triggering mechanism.  Therefore, time release would occlude the use for the Oxidative person’s usage.

We all know that the stomach is acid and other parts of the gut are alkaline and acid alternately.  By utilizing this knowledge, pharmaceutical manufacturers have been able to control the release of certain nutrients as they pass through the alimentary canal.  When you are dealing with drugs such as an anti-histamine, the object is to control one or two substances which can be picked up at any stage of digestion and enter the blood stream.  This use is quite simple.

This in not always true concerning vitamins, minerals and proteins. 

At the onset of Sportelesis (Nutritionalysis) my first thought was that Time Release would be beneficial.  I thought this because we were dealing with very busy people.  And in order to insure an adequate dosage -- time release would surely be the product of choice.   I was wrong.

It was clear after the first several thousand clients that Time Release just didn’t seem to work as well as I’d hoped.  So, we made smaller tablets and divided the dosage in to 4 and 8 tablets.  This required a split dosage of one or two tablets three or four times a day.  

Today, after assessing hundreds of thousands of clients, I am positive that split dosage is the way to go.  Not time release.  This is especially true for athletes.