SIBERIAN GINSENG root is an exceptional adaptogen, and is valued as one of the highest esteemed medicinal plants. An adaptogen can be described as a substance which exhibits a non-specific enhancement in the body’s defence systems against external and internal stress factors. It increases the body’s resistance to stress, fatigue and disease, and establishes biological homeostasis, with minimal side effects.
Actions and health benefits of Siberian ginseng:
- Immune-modulating: Siberian ginseng has the ability to regulate immune function. It can increase immune cell count and activity against pathogenic organisms, but also down-regulate immune cell hyper-responsiveness like histamine-mediated allergic reactions. It also protects digestive health by enhancing intestinal immune defences, supporting healthy function of the gut lining, and protecting against inflammatory damage induced by pathogenic microorganisms and toxins112-114.
- Antioxidant: Some of Siberian ginseng’s significant antioxidant mechanisms include: sparing of Vitamin E and increasing its tissue concentration, suppression of fat oxidation, increased antioxidant enzyme activity, and reduced accumulation of free radicals.115,116 Hereby Siberian ginseng enhances protection against toxin or chemical-induced liver damage, and inflammatory conditions including heart disease, atherosclerosis, arthritis, chronic inflammation, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and aging, which are related to chronic oxidative stress.
- Stress protection: Research show that Siberian ginseng exerts protective actions against various types of stressors, strengthens an organism’s resistance to such agents, and enhances non-specific defence mechanisms against stress-induced disease. These stressors include damaging chemical and biological toxins, medication, radiation, and physical, mental and emotional stress117-121. Adaptogens like Siberian ginseng support homeostasis of the hormonal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and modulate intracellular communications involved in signalling pathways induced by stress.
- Antifatigue & performance enhancing: Siberian ginseng can reduce fatigue and enhance performance in spite of challenging circumstances. It has an ergogenic (improves exercise performance) effect during exhaustive exercise, and reduces exercise-induced cortisol elevation122. Its performance enhancing effects can be attributed to its ability to: reduce muscle damage, inhibit elevation of blood urea nitrogen levels, and increase the utilisation of fats as an energy source. Siberian ginseng’s antifatigue effects may also be related to its antioxidant actions. 123,124
- Neuroprotective: Extracts of Siberian ginseng demonstrate protective actions against amyloid beta-induced nerve cell death and loss of synapses, and support nerve cell restoration. Siberian ginseng also alleviates neuronal inflammation, and subsequently displays significant potential in the treatment of nervous system disorders125-127.
- Anti-depressant: At high concentrations, Siberian ginseng exerts antidepressant effects by increasing 5-HT, noradrenaline and dopamine concentrations127.
- Bone density: Siberian ginseng has a protective effect against bone degeneration induced by corticosteroids132.
- Cardioprotective: Siberian ginseng promotes cardiovascular health by regulating blood pressure, reducing LDL-cholesterol and improving the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio, and providing antioxidant protection128,129.
- Liver protective: Siberian ginseng protects liver cells against cell death caused by toxins like cadmium,130 and can reverse fatty liver disease associated with diabetes131.
- Anticancer: Studies report that Siberian ginseng has the ability to inhibit chemical toxin-induced lung cancer, thyroid tumours, and leukaemia. It also inhibits spontaneous leukaemia and mammary gland tumours, and reduces the spreading of various tumours133,134.
Other health benefits: include increasing reproductive capacity and sperm count, stimulating DNA synthesis and cellular repair enzymes, protecting against radiation toxicity, increasing renal capacity in kidney infection, and being antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal.
TURMERIC 95 extract/Curcumin
TURMERIC is a highly valued medicinal herb. Owing to Curcumin, its active constituent, it has been used for thousands of years for its remarkable medicinal benefits. Unfortunately, turmeric is not absorbed very well, and one has to take a large amount of turmeric powder to be of systemic benefit. Hence the production of 95%
Turmeric extract which provides pure curcumin, with higher medicinal significance in the body.
Actions and health benefits of Turmeric extract (Curcumin)
- Antiallergenic: Turmeric is well known as an immunomodulatory herb. Curcumin alleviates symptoms associated with allergic immune responses by regulating Th-1(inflammatory) and Th-2 cytokine (autoimmunity/allergy) responses, inhibiting IgE levels, and inhibiting mast cell degranulation which releases histamine82. These properties give curcumin great potential for clinical management of allergic reactions like asthma, food allergies and allergy related skin conditions83.
- Antimicrobial: Curcumin provides broad-spectrum antimicrobial protection against bacteria like Staphylococcus epidermis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiela pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Salmonella and many others; viruses like influenza viruses, herpes, coxsackie, hepatitis viruses, papilloma viruses, encephalitis viruses and many more; fungi like Cryptococcus neoformans, Candida albicans, and other skin fungi like T rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, E. floccosum and M. gypseum, and parasites Schistosomas, Toxocara canis, Eimeria species, Plasmodium, Trypanosoma, Giardia lamblia, Leishmania and Cryptosporidium84,85.
- Powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant: Curcumin reduces inflammation by multiple mechanisms like inhibiting pro-inflammatory signalling, inhibiting immune cell migration to the active site of inflammation, and reducing excessive existing inflammation by decreasing the activity of inflammatory enzymes58-64.
- Neuroprotective: Curcumin can protect nerve cells against inflammation and degeneration caused by multiple pathological agents including toxins, stress related high cortisol levels49-52, and age-related degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Protect against heart disease: Curcumin provides protection against cardiac hypertrophy, inflammation, atherosclerosis, blood clot formation and high cholesterol53-55. - Antidiabetic: Curcumin illustrates promising protection against insulin resistance, diabetes and its associated inflammatory pathways56,57.
- Antiarthritic: Curcumin is well researched for its powerful anti-inflammatory actions which, in addition to its protective properties on cartilage65, adds exceptional medical value to this plant extract for the treatment of arthritic diseases. Research shows that a highly-concentrated curcumin extract stimulates the production of glycosaminoglycans and chondrocytes, which are involved in the formation and structural integrity of cartilage66. Curcumin supplementation can reduce joint pain, enhance articular function, and improve quality of movement67-69.
- Anticancer: Research illustrates that high doses of concentrated Curcumin extract can inhibit the growth of various cancers and enhance the anticancer effects of chemotherapy drugs and radiation. Curcumin, may alleviate the risk of cancer by supporting the natural defence mechanisms of a mammal by increasing antioxidant protection, inhibiting inflammatory degeneration, enhancing liver detoxification by down-regulating Phase I and enhancing Phase II detoxification of cancer-causing agents like cigarette smoke, benzopyrene, and DMBA, and inhibiting cancer cell development and spreading70-78.
- Supports healthy digestive function: Curcumin provides significant anti-inflammatory protection in the digestive tract, alleviating inflammatory damage, abdominal pain and gastric discomfort associated with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and H. pylori- induced ulcers79-81.
PROPOLIS CONCENTRATE
PROPOLIS is a natural substance produced by bees from plants. It is mixed with beeswax and salivary enzymes and used as protection against pathogenic microorganisms, as thermal isolation, to repair damage, and in protecting the larvae from microbial infection. These defence properties of Propolis, makes it an exceptionally valued natural product for the treatment of various medical conditions.
Actions and health benefits of Propolis:
- Antioxidant: Propolis protects against free radical induced oxidative damage which causes various diseases like heart disease, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and liver disease.94-95
- Anti-inflammatory: Some of the anti-inflammatory effects of Propolis include suppression of leukotrine and prostaglandin inflammatory mediators, and the lipoxygenase pathway in arachidonic metabolism. Subsequently it may alleviate inflammatory symptoms like swelling, discomfort, and pain.96-98
- Anti-bacterial: Propolis demonstrates significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria like Staphylococcus, Enterococcos, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Mycobacterium, and E. coli.89-91
- Antifungal: Propolis inhibits the growth of multiple fungi like Candida species, Trichosporon and Rhodotorula species88 which infect areas like the skin, ears, eyes, digestive tract and lungs.
- Anti-parasitic: Research demonstrates its anti-parasitic effect against Giardia lamblia, Toxoplasmas, Leishmania, and Trypanosoma species92,93.
- Protects dental health: Propolis reduces the formation of dental plague by blocking the attachment and accumulation of bacteria to the teeth, and can therefore be used in the treatment of dental caries87. It also inhibits fungi and viruses, and can be effectively used in treatment of wounds and ulcers in the mouth, gum disease, dental hypersensitivity, caries, and bad breath (101–105).
- Liver protective: With its significant concentration of antioxidants, Propolis counteracts the toxic effects of various chemicals on the liver, like paracetamol and carbon tetrachloride (ingredient in solvents, cleaning products, aerosols and refrigerants)99,100.
Immune-modulating: Propolis enhances immune function by increasing the activity of bactericidal immune cells, and increasing antibody production106,107. - Anti-allergenic: Propolis demonstrates anti-allergic activity by inhibiting histamine release, decreasing inflammatory mediators, inhibiting airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness, and therefore reducing the occurrence of allergic asthma and rhinitis.110-111
- Anticancer: Its anticancer activity is owed to its ability to inhibit DNA synthesis in tumour cells, induce cancer cell death, and activate macrophages to produce immune modulators and regulate immune cell activity. Propolis also demonstrates benefit when used in combination of chemotherapy agents, by improving the efficiency of the chemotherapy drugs and reducing its side effects on immune cells, liver and kidneys108.
Other researched health benefits: anti-ulcer, wound healing, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, enhanced regeneration of cartilage, bone and dental pulp, and growth stimulation of underdeveloped animals.109
ASTRAGALUS EXTRACT
ASTRAGALUS is an herbal root which has been used for hundreds of years to treat chronic illnesses, weakened immunity, cancer, and general weakness.
Actions and health benefits of Astragalus:
- Immune-modulating: Astragalus improves various aspects of immunity, like increasing immune cell activity, enhancing thymus weight and immune cell production138.
- Antimicrobial activity: Against bacteria like Shigella dysenteriae, Streptococcus heamolyticus, Diplococcus pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus139. Viruses like avian influenza virus 141. Skin- and systemic fungal infections like Candida 140
- Cardioprotective: Astragalus functions as a heart tonic. It has a significant antioxidant effect on heart cells, alleviate the risk of blood clotting, strengthens left ventricular function, and may improve the symptoms of ischemic heart disease142-146.
- Adjunct cancer treatment: Astragalus alleviates immune suppression induced by chemotherapy drugs whilst strengthening the immune function. It also improves the efficacy of immunotherapy drugs in cancer treatment. In combination with Ligusticum, research illustrates that Astragalus helps to enhance the activity of chemotherapy drugs, reduce recurrence of cancer, improve survival time, and reduce the toxic side effects of cancer medication 147-149.
- Fertility: Sperm motility is stimulated by Astragalus, supporting male fertility150.
Kidney tonic: Astragalus functions as a kidney tonic. It has a diuretic action, and improves kidney function, and protein utilization in inflammatory kidney disorders151-152.
SPIRULINA
SPIRULINA is a nutrient-rich, blue-green algae, and is considered a super food. It contains superior concentrations of protein and essential amino acids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, multiple phyto-actives, and chlorophyll.
Actions and health benefits of Spirulina supplementation:
- Protein-rich super food: supporting multiple body systems and general health1.
- Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic: 2,3,4, alleviating allergic symptoms like hay fever, rhinitis and hives10-13.
- Antiparasitic activity against parasites like Demodex canis which causes inflammatory skin infection in dogs 9.
- Antiviral activity against human enveloped viruses like Herpes simplex type I, cytomegalovirus, measles and mumps and influenza A5.
- Reduces LDL-cholesterol, providing protection against cholesterol related cardiovascular disease6.
- Supports systemic detoxification systems by promoting detoxification of toxic chemicals like pesticides, chemical drugs and heavy metals like lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic, and protecting against liver damage caused by these toxins7,14-19. Spirulina therefore alleviates the risk of deleterious toxin-induced degeneration and chronic disease affecting the nervous system, immune function, hormone balance, genetic health, heart, kidneys, liver, bone and joints34-48.
- Antioxidant and anticancer protection8: Spirulina is rich in anti-cancer nutraceuticals like beta-carotene and polysaccharides. Research demonstrates that these constituents enhance protection against cancer by inhibiting cancer development, tumour size and spreading, and even reversing cancer. Some of its mechanisms include: antioxidant defence against free radical damage, inhibiting cancer cell signalling and cancer cell DNA synthesis, and inducing cancer cell death. Many studies validate the significant benefit of Spirulina extracts in many cancers of the lungs, mouth, cervix, skin, blood, and liver174-180.
- Neuroprotective: Spirulina protects against toxin induced degeneration of nerve cells and promotes growth and development of nerve tissue 20-24. It therefore also demonstrates potential in protecting against age related cognitive decline, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Antidiabetic: Spirulina improves insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control, alleviating the risk of diabetes25-26. - Enhances muscle performance and endurance capacity: Spirulina promotes muscle hypertrophy, enhances power output, and improves endurance capacity 27-30.
- Liver protective: It protects against liver toxicity and supports liver regeneration31-33.
- Enhance fertility and reproduction capacity: Spirulina enhances fertility and reproductive capacity of healthy animals, diabetic animals, and animals with reduced fertility caused by chemical toxicity. It increases testicular weight, sperm production and sperm quality 135-137.
KELP
KELP is a nutrient-dense seaweed, rich in minerals, proteins, antioxidants, and bio-actives that are not present in terrestrial foods. It is especially valued for its high concentration of polysaccharides, which are extensively researched for its multiple health promoting properties. Ascophyllum nodosum demonstrates immune-modulating, prebiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, anti-bacterial (against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas, Aerobacter, Brucella, Salmonella, Klebsiella, Streptococcus and Pseudomonas), cholesterol-lowering and antitumor properties 153-165. Kelp supplementation is associated with significant antiviral protection, reduced gum disease and plague formation on teeth171, enhanced cardiovascular health, improved body composition, decreased risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, improved digestive health, neuroprotection, decreased risk of cancer, maintenance of bone mineral density, improved joint mobility, and decreased joint pain associated with arthritis166-170. Kelp is widely used as animal feed supplement owing to its immune-modulating-, antioxidant-, and stress resistance effects.
WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE
The ancestral diet of dogs is characterised by an average consumption of 52% protein, 47% fat and 1% carbohydrates of ME (metabolizable energy). Cats’ natural diet comprises 52% protein, 46% fat and 2% carbohydrates. According to AAFCO, the recommended allowance of crude protein, as a percentage of the daily nutrient intake, is 18% for adult dogs and 26% for cats. Commercial pet foods contain between 18-34% protein; more protein than the minimum recommended amount. However, since protein is the most expensive macronutrient, many of these foods unfortunately contain poor quality, incomplete protein sources, which often are not digested well. Insufficient protein or poor-quality protein diets may predispose the animal to poor condition, muscle wasting, osteoporosis, impaired recovery after injury or training, and decreased mental ability. Protein rich diets have multiple health benefits, promote a healthy body condition, and help to maintain well-being. REJUVENMAX is fortified with protein-rich super foods like Spirulina and Whey Protein to help maintain and encourage good health.
WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, like the protein provided by Spirulina, is considered a complete protein source, containing all amino acids required for healthy physiological function. Protein is an essential component of all living cells, and a substrate for a multitude of physiological processes. Whey protein contains amino acids which form vital structural components in muscle cells, ligaments and tendons. Sufficient protein enables your pet to improve muscle composition and physical strength, especially when combined with regular exercise. Whey Protein have significant anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune modulating properties. It enhances protection against toxins, viruses, and bacteria, reduces the risk of various cancers, promotes cardiovascular-, liver-, digestive- and hormonal health, maintains healthy skin and bone, supports healthy body weight, and promotes a sense of well-being. 172,173
