- Improves physical, mental and cognitive ability.
- Increases the body's resistance to various sources of stress.
- Boosts energy and natural defences.
Radix Panax Ginseng grows primarily in East Asia. Traditionally, the root is used for boosting energy and natural defences, for increasing physical and mental performance, as a general tonic for fatigue and as an aid to overcoming stress.
Ginseng has been used for centuries in traditional Eastern medicine to replenish and restore the body's natural reserves as well as to support sexual health. Its Latin name ‘Panax' actually means ‘panacea'. Korean ginseng , like schisandra, is known in the West as an “adaptogen” rather than a ”stimulant”: in a general, non-specific way, these herbs increase the body's resistance to various sources of stress (physical, chemical or biological) and to stressful situations.
Taking ginseng thus helps the body adapt to active, modern life, by generally boosting resistance and increasing physical, mental and cognitive ability. With a regulating effect on certain organs (in particular, the hypothalamic-pituitary axis and adrenal glands) and on multiple physiological functions - while not over-stimulating or restricting normal functions - ginseng acts as a general tonic without producing any ‘rebound' effect. It is particularly beneficial for the central nervous, immune and cardiovascular systems, for neuro-endocrinological function and for the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats.
Radix Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer is the only ginseng registered in the pharmacopaeia. Its mechanisms of action are by no means fully understood but its therapeutic effects have been attributed to its active principles, ginsenosides. These act via different pathways and it is thought each may have its own tissue-specific effects. Ginseng's ginsenoside content varies according to the plant species, age, part of the plant used, time of harvest and method of preservation and extraction.
To date, around 40 known active ginsenosides have been identified. This new standardisation, highly concentrated in ginsenosides (30%), offers a more wide-ranging and comprehensive action:
With its high ginsenoside concentration, this Panax ginseng extract therefore acts on a number of parameters of overall health and well-being. Supplementation is recommended several times a year for periods of three weeks to a month, at a dose of two to four capsules a day.
Buy Ginseng 30% capsules to boost your natural defences.
Daily dose: 4 capsules Number of doses per pack: 15 |
Amount per dose |
Extract of Radix Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer standardised to 30% ginsenosides | 2 000 mg |
Other ingredients: Acacia gum. |
Organic Royal Jelly is an 100% organic substance that contains essential nutrients with benefits for the immune system and to restore energy levels.
Royal jelly is one of the richest substances found in Nature. As the seasons change, its exceptional content in rare nutrients makes it invaluable for effortlessly overcoming bouts of fatigue and finding new energy.
It is produced from a very sweet, whitish substance secreted by worker bees between their fourth and fifteenth day of life. It is the sole source of nutrition for larvae destined to become queen bees, and for adult queens once they leave the colony.
Royal jelly is considered an exceptional substance because of its rich content in essential nutrients. The jelly is a kind of thick, whitish paste with a faint smell but a hot, acidic taste which makes it particularly difficult to swallow in its fresh, non-lyophilised (non-freeze-dried) form (1).
In particular, it helps to:
The chemical compounds found in royal jelly are quite extraordinary, comprising a wide variety of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. According to the scientific literature, however, it is the fatty acid 10HDA – the content of which varies between 3% and 5% - which is the most active compound.
10%-20% of royal jelly is made up of carbohydrates, the main ones being fructose and glucose, which account for around 90% of total carbohydrates. It is not uncommon to also find galactose, maltose, trehalose, turanose and palatinose (2).
Proteins are a major constituent of royal jelly. Free amino acids (especially proline, lysine, glutamine and glutamic acid) are present in significant quantities (3-4), as are remarkable proteins called Major Royal Jelly Proteins (MRJP).
Produced by the bees’ glands, these rare proteins belong to the family of apalbumins (5) and play a role in the function of the bees’ cognitive system. Royal jelly is also the only known source of an anti-microbial protein called royalisin (6).
Last but not least are the jelleins which are composed of 8-9 amino acids.
Royal jelly does not contain large quantities of lipids but those it does contain are of exceptional quality. The most prominent fatty acid is 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10H2DA), a quite remarkable compound. There is also gluconic acid (24 %), 10HDA (22 %) and various dicarboxylic acids (5 %) (7).
Unlike the majority of animal and plant-source fatty acids, those in royal jelly are short-chain (8-10 carbon atoms), recognised for their beneficial effects on the gut mucosa.
Royal jelly contains a number of vitamins, particularly all the B group vitamins. It also contains several minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and copper.
Royal jelly is the sole source of nutrition for queen bees and larvae in the first days of life, and is thus particularly rare. Fortunately, a technique has been developed in recent years to make it more accessible.
Producing royal jelly is a painstaking task which requires great patience on the part of the apiarist. A number of fundamental conditions are required:
The royal jelly offered by SuperSmart is freeze-dried and encapsulated using a modern technique which leaves its precious components unchanged. This process results in it losing almost two-thirds of its weight in water: 100mg of freeze-dried jelly is equivalent to around 300mg of fresh jelly.
Royal jelly’s mechanisms of action come from its composition and exceptional diversity. More powerful than honey (8), its antioxidant effects are believed to be comparable to those of vitamins C and E, as a result of its high peptide and free amino acid content (9).
Royal jelly is considered a tonic in traditional Chinese medicine, while in Eastern Europe, it is regarded as an excellent adaptogen (a substance which increases the body’s resistance to stress).
Like honey and propolis, it has been used by humans since antiquity. Multiple traces have been found of associations between humans of the Neolithic age and wild bees (10), long before apiculture was created concurrently by various civilisations, such as the Maya or ancient Rome, around 2400 BC.
Some believe its potential benefits for human health are based on the effects it induces in larvae: it is royal jelly which is responsible for the development of the queen’s reproductive organs and which accelerates her emergence from her cell (15 days for the queen compared with 21 for a worker bee). The exceptional fertility and lifespan enjoyed by the queen bee is thus due to royal jelly.
Updated: 30/05/2018
Notes
This product should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. It’s important to follow the directions for use, the recommended daily dose and the ‘use-by’ date. It is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or for children under 15. Keep out of reach of young children. Store in a cool, dry place.
Buy Organic Royal Jelly to boost your immune system.
Daily dose: 3 capsules Number of doses per pack: 30 |
Amount |
3:1 organic, freeze-dried royal jelly standardised to 4% 10-HDA | 300 mg |
Other ingredients: acacia gum |
Not sure how long a course of zinc supplements should last? Here’s a summary, by health issue, of the durations and doses required for effective supplementation.
Cold weather, viruses, reduced daylight, being cooped up … winter is a season conducive to ailments and fatigue. The good news is you can boost your resistance by discovering which supplements to take over the winter months.
Low immunity, feeling rundown, return of allergies... Spring season brings more than just flowers. Inventory of the best dietary supplements to boost yourself up in spring.