ARIIX Vitamins

Vitamin C has so many uses in the body there are almost too many to count. First off, vitamin C is not produced by the body so it is necessary to get daily intake of this vitamin through dietary methods. The essential vitamin is needed for the growth and repair of tissues, healing wounds, repairing bones, and helps to make collagen, a protein that is used to make skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. These results were found from testing and research done on vitamin C:

• New York Times – Vitamin C as an antioxidant blocks some of the damage caused by free radicals. The build up of these radicals over time “is largely responsible for the aging process and can contribute to the development of various health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and a host of inflammatory conditions like arthritis.”
• Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health – Found that higher intake of vitamin C correlated with lower levels of lead in the blood. Exposure to higher levels of lead can contribute to anemia, nervous system dysfunction, hypertension, kidney problems, decreased fertility and increased level of miscarriages.
• New York Times – “Vitamin C is required for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. It is necessary to form collagen, an important protein used to make skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. Vitamin C is essential for the healing of wounds, and for the repair and maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth.”
• University of Maryland Medical Center – Reported evidence that suggests many people many people may be mildly deficient in vitamin C. “Low levels of vitamin C have been associated with a number of conditions, including high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, stroke, some cancers, and atherosclerosis (the build-up plaque in blood vessels that can lead to heart attack and stroke).”

Vitamin D in ARIIX Vitamins

This essential vitamin is best known for helping to build and maintain strong bones. What many people don’t know is that vitamin D is also an important part of regulating the immune system. These results were found from testing done on cholecalciferol:

• Creighton University – Healthy humans use between 3000-5000 IU of vitamin D a day. This is approximately 10 times more than what the Food and Nutrition Board says is adequate intake
• Boston University School of Medicine – Adequate vitamin D is important for proper muscle functioning, and controversial evidence suggests it may help prevent type 1 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and many common cancers
• Boston University School of Medicine – Inadequate vitamin D contributes to and exacerbates osteoporosis in adults, and causes the often painful bone disease osteomalacia. Supplemental doses of vitamin D and sensible sun exposure could prevent deficiency in most of the general population
• University of Bonn, Germany – There is now general agreement that a low vitamin D status is involved in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Moreover, vitamin D insufficiency can lead to a disturbed muscle function. Epidemiological data also indicate a low vitamin D status in tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, hypertension (high blood pressure), and specific types of cancer
• Boston University School of Medicine – Chronic vitamin D deficiency may have serious adverse consequences, including increased risk of hypertension, multiple sclerosis, cancers of the colon, prostate, breast, and ovary, and type 1 diabetes.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that protects the body from heart disease and cancer while helping the body to also absorb and use vitamin K. This vitamin is also known to enhance immune response for better protection against harmful disease. These results were found from testing and research done on vitamin E:

• University of California, Irvine – Analyzed results from a study that found vitamin E and other antioxidants reduced free radical levels and eased high blood pressure that accompanied impaired kidney function. As many as 20 million Americans may have some form of kidney disease which could easily lead to kidney failure.
• Harvard Medical School affiliate, Joslin Diabetes Center – Researchers found from a clinical study that high doses of vitamin E supplements are effective in improving blood flow in the retina of the eye and the kidneys in patients with type 1 diabetes.
• Ohio State University – Found in a study that a natural form of vitamin E targets specific pathways in the body to protect against neural cell death and rescues the brain after stroke injury.
• Oregon State University – “Decreased chronic disease incidence is associated with lifelong generous dietary vitamin E intakes, but more than 90% of Americans do not consume the recommended dietary amounts (15 mg/day).” The university concluded from the study that Vitamin E supplements can have beneficial effects on health beyond those from dietary amounts.

Vitamin K in ARIIX Vitamins

Vitamin K gets its name from German roots; “Koagulationsvitamin” is known for helping blood to clot properly. It is usually stored in the body’s fat tissue and liver because it is fat-soluble. These results were found from testing and research done on vitamin K:

• Harvard School of Public Health – States that vitamin K has been shown to be involved in building bone and making four of the 13 proteins needed for blood clotting. The university also records that people who do not regularly eat green, leafy vegetables are likely to be deficient in vitamin K and that national data shows only one in four Americans meet the recommended amount of the necessary vitamin from food alone.
• United States Department of Agriculture – “If you’re between the ages of 18 and 44, there’s a good chance you didn’t get enough vitamin K today – or any other day.” The department found that vitamin K activates three proteins involved in bone health and that the current Recommended Daily Allowance may be insufficient for the vitamins’ function in the bones.
• Oregon State University – States that a deficiency in vitamin K has symptoms including easy bruising and bleeding through nosebleeds, bleeding gums, blood in the urine, blood in the stool, or extremely heavy menstrual bleeding.

Also know as vitamin B1, thiamin is one of the 8 B complex vitamins. Thiamin is integral in creating energy for the body to use. When taken with the other B complex vitamins it promotes proper brain function. These results were found from testing and research done on thiamin:

• University of Florida – Explains that thiamin, also called B1, is needed in the body in order to turn carbohydrates into energy and use some of the amino acids that make up proteins.
• Oregon State University – Cited a study of 2,900 Australian men and women who were 49 years of age or older. The study found that those who had the highest dietary intake of thiamin were 40% less likely to have nuclear cataracts than those who had lower levels of thiamin.
• University of Maryland Medical Center – Reports that deficiency in thiamine may cause fatigue, irritability, depression and abdominal discomfort. Insufficient thiamin intake may also result in a disease known as “beriberi,” which results from the body’s difficulty digesting carbohydrates causing loss of mental alertness, difficulty breathing, and heart damage.

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is apart of the 8 B complex vitamins. B2 is needed for the body to convert vitamin B6 and folate into active forms. The B complex vitamins are essential for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver. These results were found from testing and research done on riboflavin:

• University of Massachusetts – “Riboflavin works with other B vitamins to help your body use the energy you get from food. It also helps the body to use protein in food to build new cells and tissues.”
• University of Berlin, Germany – Conducted a study revealing results that showed riboflavin significant protection and treatment against migraines. Patients who took riboflavin saw a noteworthy reduction in headache frequency and pain.
• University of Maryland Medical Center – “In addition to producing energy for the body, riboflavin also works as an antioxidant by scavenging damaging particles in the body know as free radicals.”
• Oregon State University – Research shows that people who are very active physically may have a slightly increased riboflavin requirement. Deficiency in riboflavin can have negative symptoms including a sore throat, redness and swelling in the mouth and throat, cracks or sores on the lips, inflammation of the tongue, forming of blood vessels in the clear covering of the eye, and a decreased count in red blood cells.

Niacin in ARIIX Vitamins

Niacin has been labeled as vitamin B3 in the B complex vitamins. This vitamin is known to help make sex and stress-related hormones throughout the body and in the adrenal glands. Being apart of the B complex vitamins, B3 also helps to metabolize fats and protein. These results were found from testing and research done on niacin:

• University of British Columbia – Published a study in Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry which found that niacin effectively raised HDL (good) cholesterol levers. Low levels of HDL is a contributing factor in cardiovascular risk and death.
• University of Maryland Medical Center – The director of the university’s Center for Preventive Cardiology compared statins and niacin as a possible “Ruth/Gehrig power combination needed to effectively treat cholesterol and combat heart disease.”
• Oregon State University – Reports studies and evidence that show niacin supplementation decreased the risk of ultraviolet light-induced skin cancers. Deficiency of the vitamin in the diet can cause decreased bone marrow levels and an increased risk of chemically induced leukemia.

A part of the B complex vitamins, B6 contributes to healthy muscles, red blood cells, and nerves. It is also necessary for vitamin B12 to be absorbed properly in the body for cells of the immune system. These results were found from testing and research done on vitamin B6:

• Harvard Medical School – “Women with higher intakes of vitamin B6, whether from food or vitamin supplements, may be less likely to develop cancer of the colon or rectum, according to a study from Harvard Medical School”. This year, 56,730 Americans will die of colorectal cancer according to the American Cancer Society.
• University of Maryland Medical Center – “Vitamin B6 helps the body make several neurotransmitters, chemicals that carry signals from one nerve cell to another. It is essential for normal brain development and function, and helps the body make the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine (which influence mood) and melatonin (which helps regulate the body clock).”
• Oxford University – Vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid control the amino acid homocysteine levels in the blood. Higher levels of homocysteine are related to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.
• Harvard School of Public Health – Conducted a study that yielded results suggesting that intake of folate and vitamin B6 may be important in prevention of coronary heart disease among women.

Folic Acid in ARIIX Vitamins

Folic acid is also known as vitamin B9 and is essential to the bodies overall health. This vitamin helps produce DNA and contributes to proper brain function. B9 also plays a crucial role in mental and emotional health. These results were found from testing and research done on folic acid:

• Harvard Medical School – “In the Nurses’ Health Study, women who used multivitamins containing folic acid for at least 15 years were 75% less likely to develop colon cancer than women who didn’t take such multivitamins.” This anti-cancer effect may be due to folic acids potential to protect DNA from damage.
• Oxford University – Vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid control the amino acid homocysteine levels in the blood. Higher levels of homocysteine are related to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.
• Harvard School of Public Health – Concluded from a scientific study that their findings suggest an increased folate intake is associated with a decreased risk of ischemic stroke in men.
• University of Maryland Medical Center – Teaches that mild folic acid deficiency is fairly common. Deficiency in B9 can cause shortness of breath, irritability, loss of appetite, forgetfulness, mental sluggishness, gingivitis, tongue inflammation, and poor growth.

Vitamin B12 in ARIIX Vitamins

B12 is water-soluble but stands out from the rest of the water-soluble vitamins because it can be stored in the liver for the body’s convenience. This special vitamin can prevent cancer, create DNA, and contribute to overall happiness. These results were found from testing and research done on vitamin B12:

• University of Oxford – In one study of elderly, the brains of those patients who were put on a B9, B6, and B12 treatment plan shrank at a significantly slower rate than those in the placebo group. Slowing brain shrinkage could help slow that rate at which Alzheimer’s takes over a persons life.
• Oregon State University – Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause various neurological problems including; tingling of the arms and legs, difficulty walking, memory loss, disorientation, and dementia with or without mood changes.
• University of Maryland Medical Center – B12 is especially important for maintaining healthy nerve cells, regulating the formation of red blood cells, helping iron function in the body, and producing DNA and RNA.
• Oregon State University – Studies have shown that of patients who are hospitalized for depression 30% of them have deficiencies in vitamin B12. Other studies have been done showing high rates of depression in those deficient in vitamin B12.

Biotin in ARIIX Vitamins

Biotin is part of the B complex vitamins and is also known as vitamin H. It is a crucial nutrient during pregnancy. These results were found from testing and research done on biotin:

• University of Mississippi – Biotin is especially useful in treating certain genetic illnesses that are caused by a lack of certain enzymes. These illnesses can cause neurological damage and abnormal skin conditions.
• University of Maryland Medical Center – Reports that biotin is important for embryonic growth, strengthening hair and nails, and when combined with chromium can improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes.
• Oregon State University – Signs of biotin deficiency include hair loss, scaly red rashes around the eyes, nose mouth, and genital area. Neurological symptoms include depression, lethargy, hallucination, and numbness and tingling of the extremities.

Pantothenic Acid in ARIIX Vitamins

Also known as vitamin B5, pantothenic acid contributes to and helps the body use other essential vitamins. These results were found from testing and research done on pantothenic acid:

• University of Michigan – Pantothenic acid is essential for proper neurological functioning, and producing, transporting, and releasing energy from fats. The acid also plays a role in activating the adrenal glands and is necessary for the synthesis of cholesterol.
• Oregon State University – Pantothenic acid has been used to enhance brain function, help heal wounds, and speed skin closure rates.
• University of Maryland – Research shows that pantothenic acids plays a vital role in the manufacturing of red blood cells, sex and stress-related hormones, and maintaining a healthy digestive tract.

Molybdenum in ARIIX Vitamins

Molybdenum is a trace mineral found in most life forms and is essential to the body’s health. These results were found from testing and research done on molybdenum:

• American Cancer Society – “[Molybdenum] is involved in many important biological processes, possibly including development of the nervous system, waste processing in the kidneys, and energy production in the cells.”
• Oregon State University – “Molybdenum is an essential trace element for virtually all life forms.” Molybdenum performs a number of different function in the body, including helping to catalyzing important chemical transformations in the body.
• American Cancer Society – Molybdenum is essential in human nutrition and studies have shown that too little molybdenum in a person’s diet can cause health problems.
• Oregon State University – Deficiency in Molybdenum can possibly include rapid heart rate and respiratory rates, headache, and night blindness.

Inositol is an essential nutrient for humans and can help improve neurological disorders and central nervous system defects. These results were found from testing and research done on inositol:

• “Inositol is present in all animal tissues, with the highest levels in the heart and brain.” Inositol is a component of the membrane or outer covering of all cells. Inositol is vital in the processing of fats in the liver as well as helping the muscles and nerves to function properly.
• University of Alabama – Inositol plays an important role in many of the cell’s function, including “cell growth, signal transduction and differentiation to transcriptional regulation and apoptosis.”
• University of Michigan – “Inositol is part of the vitamin B-complex. It is required for the proper formation of cell membranes.” The vitamin has also been used to help people with anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive-complusive disorder, and depression.
• University of Pittsburg Medical Center – Studies have shown that the lack of inositol may play role in depression as those with depression often have lower levels of inositol in their spinal fluid and “participates in the action of serotonin, a neurotransmitter known to be a factor in depression.” Preliminary studies are showing that inositol treatment for depression has been helpful and has a positive effect.

Bromelain in ARIIX Vitamins

Bromelain is found in pineapple and has been used for years as an alternative medicine for many health problems. These results were found from testing and research done on bromelain:

• University of Maryland Medical Center – Bromelain has been shown to be useful in treating sports injuries such as tendonitis, sprains, strains, and other minor muscle injuries, by reducing swelling, bruising, and pain, which in turn reduces healing time.
• American Cancer Society – Bromelain is found in pineapple and is a natural enzyme that can be used as an alternative remedy for many health problems, including cancer. Currently research is being done to show the possible use of bromelain in fighting cancer.
• University of Maryland Medical Center – Bromelain is a mixture of protein-digesting enzymes that play an important role in digestion. Bromelain has been used to treat indigestion and to treat inflammation and swelling associated with infection, injury, and following surgery, especially sinus surgery. Bromelain can be useful in treating a wide range of conditions.
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – “Bromelain is definitely useful as a digestive enzyme. Unlike most digestive enzymes, bromelain is active both in the acid environment of the stomach and the alkaline environment of the small intestine.”

Grapeseed Extract in ARIIX Vitamins

Grapes have been used for medicinal and nutritional purposes for thousands of years and for good reason. Grapes are full of OPC’s (oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes) which are chemicals that are considered extremely potent antioxidants that are believed to help prevent and treat numerous diseases and delay aging processes. These results were found from testing and research done on grape seed extract:

• University of Maryland Medical Center – “A study of healthy volunteers found that taking grape seed extract did substantially increase levels of antioxidants in their blood.” The university also reported that “standardized extracts of grape seed may be used to treat a range of health problems related to free radical damage, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.”
• American Association for Cancer Research – Previous research proves that chemicals found in grape seeds significantly inhibited growth of colorectal tumors.
• Ohio State University – Performed a study that suggests grape seed extract may help skin wounds heal faster and with less scarring.
• University of California, Davis – Health System – Reported research finding that participants who received grape seed extract experienced reduced blood pressure.
• American Association for Cancer Research – “An extract from grape seeds forces laboratory leukemia cells to commit cell suicide, according to researchers from the University of Kentucky. They found that within 24 hours, 76 percent of leukemia cells had died after being exposed to the extract.”