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What is Biocell Collagen II™?
BioCell Collagen II™ is a 100% natural dietary ingredient.
Nutritionists are calling it a new generation of "super
ingredients". Unlike most dietary ingredients, which
provide one-dimensional support, BioCell Collagen II™
is actually a concentrated matrix of naturally occurring elements.
Together these elements provide multi-dimensional nutritional
support that may help the body more effectively maintain connective
tissue health in crucial areas such as joints, skin and cardiovascular
system.
What are the critical nutritional
elements found in BioCell Collagen II™?
Independent laboratory analysis shows that BioCell Collagen
II™ naturally contains Type II Collagen Proteins (60-65%),
Chondroitin Sulfate (20%), Hyaluronic Acid (10%), Glucosamine
and other Proteoglycans. Each of these is found throughout
the body and are required elements for healthy connective
tissue (joints, skin, cardiovascular etc.).
1500 milligrams of BioCell Collagen II™ will supply
the body with 900 milligrams of collagen type II protein (amino
acids), 300 milligrams of Chondroitin, 150 milligrams of Hyaluronic
Acid, along with other nutritional elements such as glucosamine.
Is BioCell Collagen II™
similar to glucosamine?
Yes, in the sense that both are involved in helping the body
maintain healthy joints, but as noted above BioCell Collagen
II™ is actually a concentration of many elements including
glucosamine. If we consume only single elements involved in
the complex process of keeping our joints and other connective
tissue healthy we could only expect partial effectiveness.
BioCell Collagen II with its full-spectrum of essential elements
provides broader nutritional support, which may prove more
beneficial to overall joint, and connective tissue health.
Who should include BioCell
Collagen II™ as part of a health maintenance program?
Everyone can benefit from taking BioCell Collagen II™.
Diet, age, stress, digestive system and physical activity
(sports which impact the joints) all affect our ability to
provide the body with the nutritional raw materials it requires
to properly support joint and connective tissue health. BioCell
Collagen II should be an essential nutritional component for
those wanting to remain healthy and active throughout their
life.
Is BioCell Collagen II™
safe?
Yes, as stated earlier BioCell Collagen II™ is a natural
dietary ingredient. It and the elements that make-up its complex
structure have a long history of use and safety as dietary
ingredients. An independent toxicity study also showed BioCell
Collagen II™to be safe even at extremely high dosages.
Ester-C
By now everyone's heard that cosmetics containing
vitamin C reduce sun damage and erase wrinkles. But what most
people don't know is that ordinary vitamin C disappears upon
contact with air, water, heat and light. Since cosmetics inevitably
encounter all of these elements, any vitamin C that was initially
present probably vanished before the jar was even opened!
The Inter-Cal Corporation developed Ester-C® Topical
to provide the personal care industry with a way of fortifying
any skin, lip, hair or sun care product with a stable form
of vitamin C that penetrates.
New Ester-C® Topical has a shelf life of at least two
years and retains superior stability in oil/water emulsions
typical of cosmetic formulations. It is also non-acidic and
free of chemical derivatives, like ascorbyl palmitate or ascorbyl
phosphates, and effectively penetrates deep down into the
skin's layers to help produce collagen and other support structures.
Warning: Cosmetics containing ordinary vitamin C may not
be effective for skin maintenance and repair.
New Ester-C® Topical
Stable so it lasts
Penetrates to deep layers of skin
Promotes collagen production
Can be added to any personal care product
Ordinary vitamin C is prone to oxidation and decomposition
because it's unstable in water. Since most cosmetics are complex
emulsions containing oil and water, ordinary vitamin C can't
possibly remain stable.
With new Ester-C® Topical, cosmetics makers can add high
concentrations of a stable form of vitamin C to their products
to achieve:
New levels of stability and penetration
The full potential of this essential nutrient's benefits
All the vitamin C the product starts out with
All the essential minerals (calcium, zinc, and others) that
work synergistically with vitamin C
Inter-Cal's breakthrough discovery sends concentrations of
stable Ester-C® directly into the skin, making it healthier
- naturally!
To prove that Ester-C® Topical achieves greater stability
than ordinary vitamin C, scientists at Inter-Cal pioneered
laboratory and analytical methods that gauge the stability
of vitamin C liquids, topicals and cosmetics. Extensive accelerated
tests revealed the remarkably long shelf life of the Ester-C®
Topical... and the remarkably short shelf life of ordinary
vitamin C. To understand the stability concept, consider the
vitamin C in your orange juice. You buy it "fresh"
at the market. But as this chart shows, its vitamin C content
deteriorates very rapidly. By contrast, the vitamin C in Ester-C®
Topical lasts over two years with a potency of 90%.
Contrary to the hype, most vitamin C cosmetics and topicals
on the market today fall far short of their promises, many
delivering less than 0.02% Vitamin C content. One liquid product
that has capitalized on the vitamin C cosmetic craze starts
out with about 10% vitamin C, but quickly oxidizes right in
the dropper bottle and turns dark yellow. This means the vitamin
C is being degraded, as this chart shows. Another product
starts off with about 4.5%, then degrades even faster. Even
under the best circumstances, these serums degrade rapidly.
The formulation and metabolite composition of Ester-C®
Topical are very different from any other vitamin C product.
The composition of this liquid concentrate is unique and a
new patent has been applied for. The Ester-C® mineral
ascorbate/metabolite complex that goes into this liquid concentrate
is already protected by U.S. and international patents.
With the invention of Ester-C® Topical, Inter-Cal has
achieved what cosmetic and dermatological scientists have
labored over - and dreamed of- for years.
Infiltrating the largest organ of the human body and reaching
its deep dermal layers is key to stimulating the renewal of
cells. Many attempts have been made, but the results have
been disappointing due to poor formulation and poor vitamin
stability. Scientists at Inter-Cal set out to prove that Ester-C®
Topical could reach down to deep layers of the skin where
collagen and other important support structures are produced.
In an independent test, Ester-C® Topical (14% vitamin
C) and a cream containing 1% Ester-C® Topical were applied
in a randomized pattern to eight sites on the skin of the
inside forearms of five subjects. The test showed that vitamin
C from both were able to penetrate the skin barrier to access
the cells and tissues involved in the maintenance and repair
of skin.
The true measure of Ester-C® Topical's effectiveness
came in a controlled test using 39 volunteers. Participants
in the study discontinued use of other creams and lotions,
and applied 2% Ester-C® Topical cream twice a day. The
women - predominantly middle-aged - evaluated the cream for
four to five weeks, using it on the face, hands, legs, heels
and elbows. Most were "medium" complected and had
"dry" skin. Rough and/or chapped skin was reported
to be the most common skin problem. Split skin and acne were
also frequently noted at the start of the survey.
The results
70% reported improvement in skin roughness
45% reported improvement in scaliness and cracks in the skin
33% reported reduction in wrinkles
25-35% reported reduction in itching and redness
75-80% were satisfied with the moisturizing and soothing properties
of the cream
Consumer Comments
"It healed my rough skin and heels."
"It soothed my hands right away."
"It had a lasting hydrating effect on my skin."
"It was very soothing."
"It improved my alligator skin a lot."
"It made my skin look healthier."
"I consider it a miracle ointment. No other moisturizer
or cortisone creams worked like this one."
"My skin is much softer. I had people feel both arms
without telling them why. Everyone said the skin on my left
arm (where I applied the product) felt softer and moister."
"It protected my skin even in the pool and hot tub at
the gym. The rest of my skin dried up with the chlorine, but
my legs and heels are soft and supple."
"My hands are in dishwater eight hours a day, and the
cream seemed to last longer than hand lotion."
Free-radical damage from aging, smoking, drinking, UV radiation
and chemical pollutants deplete the body's natural antioxidant
defenses, damage elastin and other support structures, and
are thought to produce DNA mutations that can lead to skin
cancer. When skin is short on vitamin C, it becomes vulnerable
to free-radical damage and can't produce enough natural collagen
- the body's intercellular cement.
Now, with the discovery of Ester-C® Topical, many exciting
products are on the way-creams and lotions for face, hands,
and body; lip protectors; cleansers; suntan/sunscreens; and
shampoos and conditioners - all with a highly stable form
of vitamin C that both penetrates and lasts.
Why is vitamin C good for the
skin?
All the cells of your body require vitamin C to make connective
tissue and carry out other essential life processes. In addition,
the skin - as the first line of defense against many environmental
assaults - uses up a lot of this vitamin as it protects the
skin's layers from damage by sun, smoke, and aging. Older
skin, in particular, may not get enough vitamin C from the
body's internal blood supply, so it makes sense to apply it
topically to those areas where it can fortify needed antioxidant
protection.
How does it act as an antioxidant?
Inside the cells, vitamin C becomes an important means of
maintaining the "reducing state" required to protect
against oxidation. In the body, it rejuvenates several other
essential molecules - including vitamin E, the important fat-soluble
antioxidant. Vitamin C serves as an antioxidant by scavenging
free radicals. These are highly reactive chemical species
that are generated in cells and tissues by sunlight, tobacco
smoke, and also many seemingly normal metabolic processes
that involve oxygen from the atmosphere.
What's different about Ester-C®?
Ester-C® is a patented, non-acidic form of vitamin C in
a complex containing an essential mineral. The complex also
contains metabolites of vitamin C that have been shown in
scientific studies to influence the cellular uptake of the
vitamin. So Ester-C® is the smartest choice for a topically
applied vitamin C. It won't irritate the skin; ordinary acidic
vitamin C (ascorbic acid) may. It penetrates through the tough
epidermal barrier of the skin; other forms of vitamin C -
including many fat-soluble forms - have not been shown to
do so.
How does it get vitamin C directly
into the skin without degrading?
Ester-C® Topical contains the same Ester-C® mineral
ascorbates that have enjoyed great popularity over the years
as oral supplements. It was designed, however, to overcome
the notorious instability of vitamin C in products containing
a lot of water, such as cosmetic creams and lotions. From
the manufacturer's standpoint, Ester-C® Topical has an
extremely long shelf life and offers ease of formulation because
it is compatible with so many cosmetic ingredients. When creams
and lotions are formulated with the Ester-C® Topical,
the vitamin C is protected longer from the deleterious action
of water in the finished product, so the vitamin C has a longer
lifetime in the product. This means that consumers get the
vitamin C they expect from the finished product, so it can
go on the skin as vitamin C, not a degraded product.
Why doesn't ordinary vitamin
C last?
Ordinary vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a poor choice to deliver
vitamin C in a cosmetic product because it is acidic and can't
be protected from significant oxidation in the finished product.
In most cosmetics, ordinary vitamin C goes right into the
water component, where it doesn't stand a chance against oxidation
and degradation. Once degraded, it has no more vitamin potency
- on or off the skin.
Where can I buy Ester-C®
Topical?
It is available in fine cosmetics sold in natural food stores.
Look for the Ester-C® logo on the label to be sure you're
buying the one topical vitamin C that lasts - naturally.
Should I also take a vitamin
supplement?
Yes. Taking vitamin C orally helps your skin from the inside
out, while Ester-C® Topical works from the outside in.
Vitamin supplements containing patented Ester-C® mineral
ascorbates are gentle on the stomach and readily absorbed.
L. Phillips Brown, DVM
Business Development Manager
Dr. Brown is a graduate of the University of California at
Davis with degrees in Animal Physiology and Veterinary Medicine.
He is a veterinarian, a respected educator and a highly sought-after
speaker. Since 1989, he has developed and marketed products
for the natural foods industry and has served as a consultant
to vitamin and supplement companies. At Inter-Cal, Dr. Brown
is responsible for developing innovative products and identifying
business opportunities.
Jack Hegenauer, Ph.D.
Research Manager
Dr. Hegenauer received a Ph.D. in biochemistry and biophysics
from the University of Michigan in 1970. Until recently, he
was a research professor in the Biology Department at the
University of California at San Diego. As Inter-Cal's Research
Manager, he is responsible for new product development and
quality control as well as ongoing clinical, cellular, biochemical,
and veterinary research on vitamin C metabolites. Dr. Hegenauer
is the author of more than 120 articles on nutrient metabolism,
nutrient fortification of foods, human trace element deficiencies,
and analysis of foods.
Copies of Inter-Cal's independent tests are available upon
request from Inter-Cal.
Ester–C® Topical
Scientific Literature
Bush, MJ; Verlangieri, AJ. 1987. An acute study on the relative
gastrointestinal absorption of a novel form of calcium ascorbate.
Research Communications in Chemical Pathology and Pharmacology
57: 137–140.
Fay, MJ. 1992. Possible biological effects of ascorbic acid
metabolites on the cellular uptake of ascorbic acid and other
compounds. Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Pharmacology,
University of Mississippi, August, 1992.
Fay, MJ; Bush, MJ; Verlangieri, AJ. 1990. Effect of cytochalasin
B on the uptake of ascorbic acid and glucose by 3T3 fibroblasts.
Mechanism of impaired ascorbate transport in diabetes. Life
Sciences 46: 619–624.
Fay, MJ; Bush, MJ; Verlangieri, AJ. 1994. Effect of aldonic
acids on the uptake of ascorbic acid by 3T3 mouse fibroblasts
and human T–lymphoma cells. General Pharmacology 25:
1465–1469.
Fay, MJ; Verlangieri, AJ. 1991. Stimulatory action of calcium
L–threonate on ascorbic acid uptake by a human T–lymphoma
cell line. Life Sciences 49: 1377–1381.
Hunt, H; Rice, T. 1995. Comparative efficacy of Inter–Cal
"Ester–C® calcium ascorbate. Results of a study
prepared for Inter–Cal Corporation, March 1995 by The
Life Management Group, Inc., 3262 Holiday Court, Suite 204,
La Jolla, CA 92037.
Marshall, G; Watanabe, L. 1994. Evaluation of the tooth erosive
characteristics of Ester–C®Zn. Unpublished study
from the Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of
California San Francisco School of Dentistry.
Markham, Richard G. 1989. Compositions and methods of administering
vitamin C. United States Patent Number 4,822,816 issued 18
April 1989.
Verlangieri, AJ; Fay, MJ; Bannon, AW. 1991. Comparison of
the anti–scorbutic activity of L–ascorbic acid
and Ester–C® in the non–ascorbate synthesizing
Osteogenic Disorder Shionogi (ODS) rat. Life Sciences 48:
2275–2281.
While Ester-C® brand mineral ascorbates have enjoyed
great popularity as oral vitamin C supplements, the product
is sometimes confused with vitamin C esters, such as ascorbyl
palmitate and ascorbyl phosphates. Some marketers have even
tried to cause deliberate confusion by calling their products
"esterified" vitamin C, in order to capitalize on
the success of Ester-C® ascorbates.
The family of Ester-C products does not contain chemical
esters (a specifictype of chemical bonding). The tradename
Ester-C® is not descriptive of the chemical composition
of the principal products. Ester-C® is a mineral salt
of ascorbic acid (i.e., calcium ascorbate) plus vitamin C
metabolites, such as threonate. The Ester-C® mineral ascorbate/metabolite
complex, which is the core ingredient in many oral supplements,
is protected by US Patent #4,822,816.
New Ester-C® Topical for cosmetics is a solution of Ester-C®
mineral ascorbates in a polyglycol solvent. It contains no
fatty acid esters and was designed to be compatible with a
wide variety of oil/water emulsions used for cosmetics and
topicals. Unlike many other vitamin C products for cosmetic
use, Ester-C® Topical has been shown to have superior
stability and to deliver vitamin C well below the top layer
of skin.
Silk protein
is processed from 100% natural Japanese silk.
It can be absorbed directly by the human skin. It can combine
with the skin cell to revitalize the skin. It is the most
advanced unique nutritive material for skin and hair products
in the current international market.
Silk protein is a natural moisturizer and adjusts the moisture
in the skin to maximum benefit. It can make the skin cutin
and keep rich moisture to make the skin more elastic. It also
can effectively control growth of melanin in the skin. So
it has fantastically good results for skin beautification.
Carefully controlled hydrolysis of pure silk protein makes
an ideal choice for cosmetic applications in a wide range
of fine cosmetics and toiletries. Silk protein is rich in
silk amino acids such as alanine, glycine and serine which
are the building blocks of protein in the skin and regarded
as a part of the Natural Moisturizing Factor. The moisture-binding
property of these amino acids offers many interesting formulation
possibilities.
Silk protein is readily soluble in water. It is compatible
with most cosmetic ingredients including anionic, cationic
and nonionic surfactants and can be used in formulating many
elegant hair, skin care and cosmetic products.
Marine Proteins
Seaweeds are really not a weed but large marine
algae that grow in the coastal waters of many countries. They
include thousands of species from microscopic plants called
phytoplankton to huge floating/anchored plants commonly seen
washed up on shore. Many kinds of seaweed are eaten by people
because they are full of vitamins and iodine. Asian cultures
use seaweed like green beans and carrots are used in the United
States. One of seaweed's most prominent health benefits is
its ability to remove radioactive strontium and other heavy
metals from our bodies. Whole brown seaweeds (not granulated)
such as kelp contain alginic acid which binds with the toxins
in the intestines rendering them indigestible and carries
them out of the system.
Sea vegetables are virtually fat-free, low calorie and one
of the richest sources of minerals in the vegetable kingdom
as they have ready access to the abundance of minerals found
in the ocean. Nourishment is acquired across the sea vegeable's
entire surface through the gentle wave action of underwater
currents. Sea water & human blood contain many of the
same minerals in very similar concentrations.
Sea vegetables contain high amounts of calcium and phosphorous
and are extremely high in magnesium, iron, iodine and sodium.
For example, 1/4 cup of cooked hijiki contains over half the
calcium found in a cup of milk and more iron than in an egg,
important concerns for vegans, those who refrain from eating
any animal-based products. They also contain vitamins A, B1,
C and E, as well as protein and carbohydrates.
The beauty of using the seaweed is that it can only do good,
and never harm. It does not deplete the energy of the body
as some reducing programs do; indeed, it strengthens the vital
energy by working in cooperating with the endocrine glands.
It has been found that there is a definite connection between
the amount of energy available and our iodine intake. In Kelp,
as we mentioned before, we have a perfectly natural source
of all the iodine we require.
Obesity is rare among the Polynesians and other races who
incorporate seaweeds as a regular part of their daily diet.
This plant influences the mucous membranes and lymphatics.
It is a slow, persistent agent, but it will accomplish the
desired weight loss results. It is stimulating to the absorbents
and especially influences the fatty globules. Its best action
is observed in individuals having a cold, torpid, clammy skin
and loose flabby rolls of fat. It is an agent that gives better
results in sick, overweight people than in cases of healthy,
fat people (Luc:50). Instead of being simply a weight loss
agent, it is more a normalizer, as thin people can put on
weight while taking Kelp.
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