Herbal Dietary Supplement Sales: Recession Proof

Sales of herbal dietary supplements has increased by nearly five percent in 2009 topping out at an estimated figure of more than $5 billion, according to report in HerbalGram. Even more pronounced is the increase in mainstream markets; these venues such as drug stores and specialty shops and websites increased over 14 percent since 2008.

“This news is really remarkable,” said HerbalGram editor Mark Blumenthal. “In the most economically difficult market in over 70 years, when almost all consumer goods experienced a drop in sales, consumers voted strongly with scarcer dollars for herbal dietary supplements. The 14-percent growth spurt is the largest sales increase in the mainstream market in recent memory.”

SPINS, a company devoted to promoting and furthering the natural products industry, found in there study and research the 5 top-selling single herbal supplements of 2009 in the health and natural foods channel, were aloe vera, flaxseed oil, wheat grass and barley grass, açaí and turmeric.

More and more people are turning to herbal dietary supplements to enhance there health and life. The numbers show that even during economic crisis, people understand that their health is more important than money and that there are safe and natural dietary supplements.

Break down of top 5-selling single herbal supplements:

Aloe Vera contains over 75 different nutrients including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, sugars, anthraquinones or phenolic compounds, lignin, saponins, sterols, amino acids and salicylic acid. No other natural product contains so many elements beneficial to the body.

Flaxseed Oil contains omega-6 and omega-9 essential fatty acids, B vitamins, potassium, lecithin, magnesium, fiber, protein, and zinc and also provides approximately 50% more omega-3 oils than what you could get from taking fish oil, minus that horrible "fishy" after taste. Sounded good to me already! Some nutritionists, researchers, and scientists believe it could be the most important health-promoting supplement next to a multi-vitamin.

Wheat Grass and Barley Grass are close cousins to dark green leafy vegetables, but offer much higher levels of "nutrient density." A single ounce of these concentrated green foods contains much more of the beneficial phyto-nutrients (healthy components) found in an ounce of green vegetables.

Açaí is noted to contain between 10 to 30 times more antioxidants than grapes, pomegranates, or even blueberries. Because of the extensive vitamins, amino acids, minerals, Omega acids, and other nutrient properties, the acai berry is one of the most nutritionally dense berries on the available.

Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, but recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder. It has been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer all the way to Alzheimer's disease.

Do Bodybuilders Need More Vitamins?

There are some misconceptions that bodybuilders only need to take protein and workout supplements. Often the need for supplemental vitamins is over looked because the bodybuilding diet is so ‘clean.’ However, many times bodybuilders are in greater need of supplemental vitamins than their counterparts.

Some questions to ask are:

1. Is the vitamin directly involved in muscle action, protein synthesis or the integrity of muscle cells?
2. Does exercise result in an increased requirement of the nutrient?
3. Do athletes typically have lower intakes of the vitamins?
4. Does dietary supplementation with the vitamin improve performance and/or growth?

Bodybuilders are notorious for overlooking these key components. In order to optimize growth and performance, you have to have the right amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Make sure you analyze your diet to ensure you're taking in enough of the right vitamins. You could have the best diet in the world in terms of calories, fat, etc, but if you're lacking adequate levels of these metabolic spark plugs, you're shooting yourself in the foot.

Probably the most commonly supplemented vitamin in bodybuilders diets are the B vitamins. They are widely revered for their role in the function of the protein metabolism, muscle growth, and energy. They are vital in any bodybuilding supplement regime.

While B vitamins have the largest following in the bodybuilding world, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is the most important vitamin. Most athletes don't realize how important vitamin C status is to success. As the most widely studied vitamin in sports nutrition, Ascorbic acid has proven itself to be valuable to bodybuilders in many ways.

     

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, protecting muscle cells from free radical damage, thus enhancing recovery and growth. It is involved with amino acid metabolism, particularly the formation of Collagen. Collagen is the primary component of connective tissue (holds your bones and muscles where they need to be). This may not seem important, but as you lift heavier weights, the stress you put on your body becomes tremendous. If your connective tissue is not as healthy and strong as it should be (a problem often seen in steroid users), risk of injury dramatically increases.

Vitamin C helps the absorption of Iron. Iron is necessary for Oxygen to bind to hemoglobin in blood. Without enough oxygen transportation in blood, muscles are robbed of oxygen and performance is greatly reduced. In addition, Ascorbic Acid assists in the development and release of natural anabolic hormones (like HGH and testosterone).

Finally, vitamin C is perhaps the most water soluble vitamin there is. In other words, it breaks up quickly in water. Since muscle cells are made up mostly of water, the more muscular an athlete becomes, the more vitamin C breaks down and as a result it is less abundant. Because of this, vitamin C is generally needed at higher supplemental rations in bodybuilders.

As your program and diet dials in, you won’t want to waste hard earned efforts because your body doesn’t have the right amount of vitamins. Once you have evaluated how much you are training and the approximate amount you are getting from foods and existing supplements, you can better determine your additional needs.
 

Train hard, but focus just as much on your nutritional needs!

Vitamins for Weight Loss

Proper Weight Loss Requires Specific Vitamins

Weight loss and vitamins are tightly connected. In order for your body to be free to shed unwanted fat, it has to be in an optimal state; otherwise you will be more susceptible to losing muscle, not fat.  

Vitamins are important for you body to develop normally. There are 13 vitamins you need in order for proper function: A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and foliate).

The Best Vitamins for Weight Loss

The most important vitamins for weight loss are B vitamins and Vitamin C, they are the chief vitamins responsible for proper thyroid and metabolic function. The thyroid is responsible for regulating hormone production. If your hormones are out of whack, you body tends to store fat as a defense mechanism. If your metabolic function is off, your body will not process calories properly, and this usually doesn’t end well.

• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Assists in promoting normal thyroid function and overall metabolism. Good food sources: Milk, liver, almonds, hard cheese, eggs, wheat germ, leafy green vegetables.

• Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Essential for normal thyroid hormone production. Vitamin B3 is also part of the glucose tolerance factor (GTF) which is released every time blood sugar rises. Good food sources include: Wheat bran, liver, tuna, turkey, chicken, meat, eggs, mackerel, salmon, oats, barley, cheese, dried fruit, and brown rice.

• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): A deficiency in Vitamin B5 limits the bodies capacity to utilize fat efficiently. In addition, it is super important in energy production and assists in adrenal function. Good food sources of Vitamin B5 include: liver and kidney, meat, poultry, nuts, wheat bran, wheat germ, eggs, molasses, oats, barley, beans, wholegrain bread, green vegetables.

• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Helps regulate the production of the thyroid hormone and aids in overall metabolism. Good food sources of Vitamin B6: wheat bran, wheat germ, oats, sardines, mackerel, poultry, beef, avocado, bananas, brown rice, cabbage, dried fruit, molasses, eggs.

• Choline: Included in the Vitamin B complex. However choline is not a real vitamin; it is made in the liver. Choline is vital for efficient fat metabolism. Without choline, fats become trapped in the liver and are unable to be processed. Good sources of choline include: lecithin, egg yolks, wheat germ, cauliflower, cucumber, peanuts.

• Inositol: Also a member of the vitamin B complex and manufactured inside the body. Inositol combines with choline to assist in fat metabolism. Good sources of inositol include: lecithin, beef heart, beef liver, wheat germ, soy, eggs, citrus fruits, whole grains, and nuts.

• Vitamin C: Among Vitamin C’s surplus of health benefits is its function in the proper conversion of glucose to energy with in the cells. Good food sources of vitamin C include: blackcurrants, broccoli, green peppers, kiwi fruits, brussel sprouts, lemons, citrus, strawberries, and cabbage.

While it would be ideal to get all your vitamin needs from food sources, it is not always practical. With the amount of processing foods go through they end up having to be ‘fortified’ with vitamins (important vitamins that were naturally in the food are removed when processing and synthetically added back into the product). Also, because of the destruction to the soil, most vegetables and farmed foods do not have the vitamin content they should. This deficiency is passed on to the animals who graze on them, and as a result, our meats are lower in vitamin’s too.

However, when you take vitamin supplements to help with weight loss and overall health, make sure to take them with food! SupplementsToGo.com has the best names in the vitamin business at prices that won’t break the bank. Save money, get what you want and reach your goals!