We believe
that almost everyone can benefit from taking supplemental minerals. Modern farming practices have stripped the
soil of nutrients, producing foods that are far less nutritious than those
available in the 1950s. Studies show
that the mineral content of commercially grown food has declined dramatically —
sometimes by 50% or more. Intensive
farming methods “mine” the soil of essential minerals and replace them with
only a few artificial fertilizers focused on yield and appearance, rather than
nutritional value. Even if you eat the
highest-quality foods available today, you are likely not getting the same
mineral levels your parents and grandparents did.
When we
started in the health food store business back in 1973, most mineral
supplements were poorly absorbed forms such as dolomite, which is a rock that
is very difficult to assimilate. Since then, science has developed far superior
delivery methods. The best ones seem to
combine a mineral molecule with a protein molecule. Albion Labs has been in the forefront of this
kind of mineral supplementation for many years. Recently they made a breakthrough in binding
molecules of minerals to the amino acid glycine. Unlike other molecules used for binding which
gets excreted unchanged in the urine, the amino acid glycine has nutritional
value. This means that 100% of the
mineral/amino acid compound has nutrient value.
Minerals play
critical roles in energy production, blood formation, bone and hormone
development, immune function, and reproduction. Proper balance — the correct ratio of one
mineral to another — is key to mineral utilization.
Bioavailability
is perhaps the most important consideration when selecting a formula containing
minerals. The body transports minerals
across the intestinal wall by bonding (or chelating) them to amino acids. To increase bioavailability of supplementary
minerals, special processing is needed to create a stable bond between the
minerals and the amino acids. Albion
Laboratories uses patented processes to assure bond stability. The result, which has been demonstrated, is
that the bioavailability of Albion’s chelates is superior. Some other products
on the market, which are purported to be chelates, are merely mixtures of
proteins and minerals that lose stability during digestion and consequently
have lower bioavailability.
Many of the
minerals in Super Minerals are bound to special molecules called
dipeptides. This combination appears to
improve absorption by enhancing the minerals’ transport across the intestinal
wall. Three very important features of
the chelated minerals in Super Minerals assist in absorption: (1) the
absence of an electrical charge, which renders them less likely to interact
with other dietary substances such as phytates, other vitamins and minerals, or
medications; (2) small molecular weights that facilitate transport across the
intestinal mucosa; and (3) the chelates remain intact and stable throughout the
ranges of pH in the digestive tract.
Another reason
why Super Minerals stands apart from other mineral formulas on the
market is because it contains malic acid. DimaCal is a special form of malic
acid that participates in the energy production cycle. A double-blind,
placebo-controlled, cross-over pilot study using 400 mgs of malic acid three
times a day (approximately the same amount as in Super Minerals) along
with magnesium supported feelings of wellness in subjects’ joints, muscles,
tendons, and other soft tissues. Because of malic acid’s role in energy
production, NADH (which yields three ATPs) is formed and may therefore support
muscle energy production. Malic acid is also thought to increase energy levels
in healthy humans.
Vanadium is
known as an ultra-trace element. Animal research suggests vanadium has
important interactions with magnesium. It also appears to have positive effects
on insulin and glucose metabolism.
We feel that
most everyone could benefit from taking Super Minerals.
