Opti-Turmeric, Opti-Omega-3, Opti-Magnesium and Opti-C: all Healthspan products that sit at the top of their respective ranges. But what does Opti mean, and why should you consider one of these premium supplements?
🕒 3 min read
A question of absorption
How much a supplement will help your health depends largely on how well its active ingredients are absorbed, and whether those ingredients are in the right format to be used effectively by the body. Together, these factors determine a nutrient's bioavailability: how well the body's cells can take advantage of the supplement's properties.
Simply put, a supplement in Healthspan's Opti range is designed to be as bioavailable as possible: better absorbed and in a form ready to be used by the body.
This in turn makes Opti supplements faster to work. For example, Opti-Turmeric works 7x faster than standard powdered turmeric.
How Healthspan's Opti products work
Opti-Turmeric
Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, isn't water-soluble, which makes it particularly hard for the body to absorb. Some things can help, such as combining it with black pepper, but Opti-Turmeric goes a stage further with its NovaSOL® liquid curcumin.
This wraps each turmeric molecule in a water-soluble shell, which can be absorbed more easily by the body: a process called micellisation. This makes Opti-Turmeric 185x better-absorbed than standard turmeric.
The micellisation process
Opti-Omega 3
Omega 3 is proven to be beneficial to brain, eye and heart health. Opti-Omega 3 is formulated with triglyceride omega 3 fish oil – the 'body-ready' form, which is easier for the body to absorb and use than other types.
The supplement also has a gastro-resistant shell, so the omega 3 inside is released in the intestine instead of the stomach, where it can be better absorbed.
Opti-Magnesium
According to Medical Advisor to Healthspan Dr Hilary Jones, Magnesium supplements come in many different formulations, depending on the salt to which the mineral is attached.
These formulations have differing properties, such as having a higher amount of pure magnesium per gram, or being easier to absorb in the body.
Opti-Magnesium is a combination of magnesium citrate and malate: two highly absorbable magnesium sources. There's also vitamin D, which has a wide range of benefits, including helping immunity and the absorption of calcium from your diet.
Opti-C
Like vitamin D, vitamin C has a long list of health benefits, including joints and energy as well as the well-known immunity. Vitamin C is water-soluble so cannot be stored by the body, which is why you need to maintain a regular intake.
As well as 500mg of vitamin C (625% of the NRV recommended intake), Opti-C supplements contain citrus bioflavonoids and plant-sourced fatty acids to increase uptake in the body. The result is 233% better absorption than standard vitamin C supplements.
What about other Healthspan products?
Whether or not they're in the Opti range, Healthspan's experts have taken steps to help you absorb nutrients from your supplements.
Other products with added absorption ingredients include IronCare, which has vitamin C to aid absorption as well as copper to help transport iron around the body, Turmeric 10000 with BioPerine, with its added black pepper extract, and the CBD drops range with its added olive oil (as well as peppermint for a vastly improved taste.)
There's also Ubiquinol and Ubiquinol Max, which contain an easily absorbed form of coenzyme Q10. CoQ10 is vital for energy production in your cells, and this supplement is perfect for those over 50, who are more likely to suffer from coQ10 deficiency.
For some quick tips on helping your body use supplements effectively, see Get the most out of your supplements.