PRO-C™ SUPER ANTIOXIDANT FORMULA

PRO-C™ is one of the most effective antioxidant formulas in the world. It is one of HPDI’s foundational supplements that works most effectively when used with multivitamins, essential fats, and superfoods. However, it is also an excellent standalone formula that can rapidly provide the body with extremely high antioxidant values.

PRO-C™ provides 500 mg of vitamin C per capsule along with grape extract and green tea extract plus significant amounts of supportive nutrients. The formula works so well because this combination of ingredients leverages the antioxidant power of vitamin C, grape extract, and the other antioxidants to act synergistically in order to maximize effectiveness.

For more detailed information about vitamin C, you can read my earlier blog post titled, “Vitamin C – An Amazing Nutrient” (August 2014).

FORMULATION HISTORY AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND PRO-C™

What you may not know is the history of the development PRO-C™ and the scientific knowledge upon which I based my formulation of it.

I formulated my first product in 1989. It was a potent antioxidant formula I called Pyc-C (sounds like “pixie”). Pyc-C consisted of a combination of buffered Vitamin C (including magnesium, calcium, and zinc ascorbates) and pycnogenols from pine bark.

Much of the scientific research data I collected during the development of Pyc-C regarding oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC) I later incorporated into an article (currently published on this blog) titled “Review of Scientific Research on Oligomeric  Proanthocyanidins (OPC)“.

By 1997 I had gathered a great deal of  new scientific information regarding green tea catechins and the antioxidants Dr. Lester Packer called network antioxidants, as well as additional research regarding how various nutrients worked together. At that point, I was ready to formulate the new and improved PRO-C™ super antioxidant formula.

In addition to buffered Vitamin C in the form of calcium and magnesium ascorbates, PRO-C™  ingredients include whole grape extract including  pulp, skin, and seeds with  green tea extract (with high EGCG), n-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), reduced glutathione (GSH), (R) alpha lipoic acid, selenium, and coenzyme Vitamins B2 and B6.

PRO-C™ was released in late 1998. It rapidly became one of our best selling products. Our customers raved about how effective it was for them if they felt like they were coming down with something (cold, infection, flu, virus, etc.). Today we highly recommend its use together with ULTIMATE PROTECTOR+™ and our other FOUNDATIONAL SUPPLEMENTS to ensure optimal health and anti-aging effects.

THE PRO-C™ SUPER ANTIOXIDANT FORMULA

PRO-C™ super antioxidant formula is extremely synergistic, especially in so far as it increases the body’s ability to quench free radicals in its aqueous (i.e., water-based) compartments. Because antioxidants may become free radicals themselves after they have done their job, the body has developed an elaborate system for recovery of oxidized antioxidants.

Dr. Lester Packer was the primary researcher investigating the synergistic character of antioxidants. He made this statement in his interview with Dr. Richard Passwater after publication of Packer’s The Antioxidant Miracle (1999):

“[The theme of] The Antioxidant Miracle is that antioxidants work in a coordinated manner. They interact with one another, and this interaction, which we like to call the antioxidant network, is very important to the overall antioxidant defense that we possess. The key members of the antioxidant network are vitamin E and vitamin C, but there are other participants in this network. These are thiol antioxidants, antioxidants that contain sulfur groups in the body. Glutathione perhaps is the best known of these, but there are other sulfur-containing antioxidants that also are very important.”

Dr. Packer continues:

“This whole antioxidant network works like an orchestra depending on individuals who have, of course, different complements of antioxidants depending upon their nutritional regimens and the individuality of their own body metabolisms. The idea behind having a network of antioxidants is that if one antioxidant happens to be deficient the others can compensate and still keep the antioxidant defense system strong.”

Thus we see, for example, reduced glutathione (GSH) has the ability to reduce oxidized Vitamin C back to its unoxidized state. Vitamin C reduces oxidized Vitamin E back to its unoxidized state, and both reduces glutathione and spares it for other important functions, including detoxification and immune enhancement.

Many polyphenols (e.g., oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs), anthocyanidins and catechins) found in red grape and green tea extracts spare Vitamin C and glutathione in the body, as well as operate as powerful antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and connective tissue strengtheners.

R-Lipoic Acid operates as an antioxidant both in its oxidized and reduced states, reduces the oxidized forms of both Vitamin E and Vitamin C, and and has been shown to enhance glutathione levels. Because several of these substances are able to protect Vitamin E contained in cell membranes, this combination also has a significant beneficial effect on the fat soluble antioxidant status of the body!

The nutrients in PRO-C™ have been carefully selected and balanced to provide optimal effects, especially as related to free radical protection, detoxification, immune system enhancement, connective tissue strengthening, and reduction of inflammation. PRO-C™ therefore provides outstanding nutritional support in a wide variety of conditions of poor health, as well as acts to support and maintain a state of health and well-being.

PRO-C™ INGREDIENTS

PRO-C™ contains Buffered Vitamin C (in the form of powdered calcium, magnesium, and zinc ascorbates), high-potency Grape Extract (from grape pulp, skins, and seeds), Green Tea Extract, reduced Glutathione, N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC), R-Lipoic Acid, coenzyme forms of Vitamin B2 and Vitamin B6, and Selenium.

Vitamin C is known to perform many critical functions within the body involving detoxification, tissue building, immune enhancement, pain control, and controlling or killing pathogenic organisms. It is also known to be helpful for wound and bone healing, healthy skin and eyes, fighting infections, stress control, toxic exposure, and repairing damaged tissue of all types. Taking adequate amounts of Vitamin C on a daily basis may help to prevent a wide range of health issues.

Grape Extract and Green Tea Extract both contain highly bioavailable bioflavonoid complexes that in research studies have been shown to have powerful antioxidant capability and powerful Nrf2 activity. The Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins (OPCs) in grape extract are able to strengthen collagen fibers in aging or damaged connective tissue and can act as a preventative against connective tissue degradation.

Some research indicates that anthocyanidins, which are found in extracts of grape seed, skin, and stems (but not in grape seed extract), can reduce oxidized glutathione while at the same time become reduced themselves. In addition, extracts of grape skin and stems (but not those of grape seed extract) contain a material called trans-resveratrol that has been shown to have chemopreventive effects.

Green tea extract is obtained from the unfermented leaves of Camellia sinensis for which numerous biological activities have been reported including: antimutagenic, antibacterial, hypocholesterolemic, antioxidant, and protective against tumorigenesis.

Glutathione and NAC (a major precursor of glutathione) both provide important protection against toxins and free radicals, and can strengthen the immune system. Glutathione is considered to be one of the most important protective substances in the human body with almost 60% of liver detoxification accounted for by this key substance. In addition, glutathione is one of the most potent anti-viral substances known.

Some research has indicated that glutathione may not be able to enter easily into certain types of cells, but NAC is able to enter these cells and be converted into glutathione once inside the cell. Thus, the combination of glutathione and NAC appear to be more potent than either alone.

R-Lipoic Acid is normally made at low levels in the human body, where it functions primarily as an important metabolic nutrient in the conversion of pyruvic acid into acetyl coenzyme A. As such, it plays a crucial role in the metabolism of both fats and carbohydrates into energy. In addition, r-lipoic acid functions as an extremely powerful antioxidant and Nrf2 activator capable of trapping many different types of free radicals in the body.

Because it is both water and fat soluble, lipoic acid is able to operate in a broader range of body tissues than most other antioxidants. Its small size allows lipoic acid to enter areas of the body not easily accessible to many other substances; this allows lipoic acid, for example, to enter the cell nucleus and prevent free-radical damage to DNA.

Because it is such a powerful antioxidant and can easily function as such in both a reduced and oxidized state, lipoic acid is able to protect other important antioxidants such as glutathione, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C. R-Lipoic acid is also able to chelate heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, free iron, and free copper out of the body.

Selenium has been shown by clinical research to be a key mineral in the body’s defenses against free radicals and has been shown to be a major factor in reducing the symptoms of HIV infections and in the prevention of tumors. Selenium is used in conjunction with glutathione to form the powerful enzyme glutathione peroxidase that is responsible for detoxification of peroxides formed during the process of aerobic metabolism in humans and other animals.

Vitamin B2 and Vitamin B6 are key vitamins that support the regeneration of glutathione and the ability of glutathione to combine with toxic substances in the process of eliminating them from the body. They are especially effective in their coenzyme form so they may be directly utilized by the body starting in the intestinal tract.

Magnesium, Zinc, and Calcium synergistically work with (and enhance the effects of) the other ingredients in PRO-C™.

PRO-C™ SUPER ANTIOXIDANT FORMULA OFFERS UNIQUE BENEFITS

HIGHLY EFFECTIVE VITAMIN C FORMULA PLUS ANTIOXIDANTS. A Complete Vitamin C Formula and a Powerful Antioxidant Formula Combined in a Single Supplement!

POWERFUL, SYNERGISTIC FREE-RADICAL QUENCHING FORMULA. PRO-C™ Components Work Together To Quench Free Radicals in Your Body. Vitamin C Enables Grape Seed Extract to Function More Effectively, and Conversely Grape Seed Extract Potentiates Vitamin C. Green Tea Extract Boosts ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) Value.

PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF POWERFUL NRF2 ACTIVATORS (from Grape Extract, Green Tea Extract, NAC, and Alpha Lipoic Acid) that stimulate the production of the body’s own protective antioxidants including superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and heme oxygenase.

SUPERIOR, BUFFERED (NON-ACIDIC) FORM OF VITAMIN C. Mineral Ascorbates Never Acidify Your Body, Keeping You pH Balanced. Staying Alkaline Is An Important Element in Maintaining a Healthy Body.

RAPID ASSIMILATION. Unique Capsule Form Ensures Rapid Uptake and Assimilation in the Body. You May Also Empty Capsule Contents into Water, Food, or Directly Into Your Mouth, If Desired. Mildly Tart Taste!

COMPOSITION OF PRO-C™ SUPER ANTIOXIDANT FORMULA

One capsule provides the following percentages of the Daily Value:

* No established Daily Value

DIRECTIONS: As a dietary supplement take 1–3 capsules daily in divided doses (i.e., spread out over the day), or as recommended by a health care professional. It initially may be useful to take up to 6 capsules per day in divided doses for one week. The contents of the capsule may be emptied into juice or food, as needed.

INGREDIENTS: PRO-C™ SUPER ANTIOXIDANT FORMULA contains only the highest-quality USP grade magnesium ascorbate, USP grade calcium ascorbate, BioVin® grape extract (greater than 95% OPC and greater than 3.5% anthocyanidins from grape pulp, skins, and seeds), green tea extract (95% min. polyphenols and 55% min. EGCG), glutathione (reduced), n-acetyl-l-cysteine, USP grade zinc ascorbate, r-(+)-lipoic acid, riboflavin-5′-phosphate, pyridoxal-5′-phosphate, l-selenomethionine, the smallest amounts of microcrystalline cellulose and silica in a preservative-free gelatin capsule.

PRO-C™ does not contain wheat, rye, oats, corn antigen, barley, gluten, soy, egg, dairy, yeast, sugar, sulfates, phosphates (other than coenzyme forms), fats, chlorides, GMOs, wax, preservatives, colorings, or artificial flavorings.

Click here to order PRO-C™.

SOURCES & RESOURCES

BOOKS

The Antioxidant Miracle. Lester Packer, PhD, and Carol Coleman. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1999.

How to Live Longer and Feel Better. Dr. Linus Pauling. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University Press, 2006.

ARTICLES

“Review of Scientific Research on Oligomeric  Proanthocyanidins (OPC)” by Dr. Hank Liers

“Vitamin C – An Amazing Nutrient” by Dr. Hank Liers

“Antioxidant Cocktail Update: Part 1: The Take Home Message is to Use Antioxidant Supplements”
(An interview of Dr. Lester Packer by Richard A. Passwater, PhD, Whole Foods Magazine 1999)

ABSTRACTS

PRO-C™ / Vitamin C Abstracts

Catechin Abstracts

WEBSITES

Orthomolecular.org
(Therapeutic Nutrition Based Upon Biochemical Individuality)

 PRODUCTS

PRO-C™

Ultimate Protector™

HPDI Vitamin C Formulas