Questions to ask about 'enhanced' curcumin


1. Does it reach efficacious concentrations in target tissues such as the brain?  Curcumin must get into the bloodstream in order to do anything.  But getting into blood is not enough.  It must reach a concentration high enough in order to penetrate target tissues, such as the brain.  Longvida® is a pioneer in the field of reaching target curcumin concentrations in the blood and target tissues.

2. Is the supplement standardized for its bioactivity?  It is well established that the important part is not how much curcumin you consume, it is about how much you absorb.  An intricate standardization system, including ongoing pharmacokinetic and efficacy testing, micro-visualization of the SLCP™, and an array of physical and chemical analyses using high-tech instrumentation such as High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Tandem Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance imaging (NMR), Ultraviolet Spectrometry, Inductively-Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP/MS) and others are used to standardize and ensure the activity, potency, and consistency of Longvida®.
 
3. Was the product primarily developed by a prestigious university, or by a company in the dietary supplement industry?  It may be no surprise that university neuroscientists tend to be motivated to find what truly works, while industry researchers are typically motivated by what they can sell at the highest margins with minimal investment in real science.  Longvida® Optimized Curcumin is the result of years of trial and error, guided not by what is the cheapest or easiest to make, but by what works according to the rigors of science.
 
4. Please describe in detail the analytical methodology used to detect curcumin in biological samples such as blood? Analyzing curcumin in blood or biological specimens is difficult to do accurately.  For example, neutralized or glucuronidated curcumin is often confused with the free form of curcumin.  There can be ‘false peaks’ that are assumed to be curcumin when rigorous validation is not performed.  Curcumin is a 'sticky' compound and can have what they call ‘carryover effects’, which falsely inflate values.  Further, interindividual variability of curcumin metabolism is high, therefore many subjects need to be tested, with proper statistics applied, to get a true indication of how people will absorb curcumin. Lastly, since any single lab can be inaccurate due to the above confounding factors, several tests on different days in multiple labs should be conducted, to validate the results.  

Therefore, accurate measurement of curcumin in blood requires significant effort, and cannot be performed half-way. 
 
5. In bioavailability studies, was curcumin counted as curcumin glucuronide?  The body metabolizes curcumin into a different compound (mainly curcumin glucuronide), which has very low brain permeability and biological activity compared to curcumin in its free form (free curcumin). Often, a curcumin value in blood or plasma includes glucuronidated curcumin, so it can appear to be a very high number.  But this number does not represent how much curcumin is truly free and active in the bloodstream.  Longvida bioavailability is determined by measuring free curcumin, not glucuronidated curcumin.  The key to this is using a method validated for the free form of curcumin, using  mass spectrometric techniques such as LC/MS/MS, which is the preferred instrumentation of university scientists who determined the bioavailability of Longvida®.  
 
6. Is it made using a gentle process and all generally recognized as safe (GRAS) food additive ingredients?  Longvida® is not made with chlorinated solvents, which can be toxic yet are often used to cheaply extract curcumin from turmeric root.  Longvida® contains no piperine, a glucuronidation inhibitor and alkaloid that enhances the bioavailability of both nutrients as well as potential toxins.  Longvida® also contains no unstable volatile oils from turmeric root, or crude extracts from soy, since these components have not been evaluated for safety or efficacy, and currently do not have accurate testing methodology available for their quantitative measurement.  Further, Longvida™ is not processed in a way that may create new molecules or chemical bonds which are foreign to the food chain or our bodies.  A strong safety profile is partially what makes Longvida® the premier choice of clinicians and universities worldwide.  

For more information, download the White Paper "Optimized Curcumin: Myth vs Fact"


FAQ

What is curcumin? Curcumin is the phenomenal antioxidant compound that is responsible for the yellow color of Indian curries, and is found in our prepared foods such as pickles and mustard.  Curcumin is the primary compound found in most standardized extracts from turmeric (Curcuma longa) root.
 
What is Longvida® Optimized Curcumin? Longvida® is a breakthrough formula containing the natural antioxidant curcumin, and is optimized for maximum targeting of curcumin into blood and tissues. It was developed over several years by an elite group of university neuroscientists and Verdure Sciences,  leaders in natural product research.  Longvida® took years to develop and perfect, and is is the choice of clinicians and researchers around the globe.  Longvida® is a mixture of ‘generally recognized as safe’ (GRAS) food ingredients and is based on natural ingredients found in our food supply.

How is it different from other ‘bioavailable’ turmeric extracts? Longvida® is unique in a number of ways described on this website.  One way that it is unique is that it offers free (not glucuronidated or inactivated) curcumin, and as a result has been the subject of both placebo-controlled efficacy as well as published safety trials.   Longvida® is made using expensive, top-quality ingredients including natural high-curcumin turmeric extract.  Precise attention to detail, and the accuracy of facts and results are the hallmark of Longvida® and the mission of Verdure Sciences.

How is Longvida® different from regular 'turmeric 95%'? Longvida® addresses the key problem of proper absorption: why 'generic' curcumin shows great things in the test tube and in animals, but only insignificant positive trends in clinical trials.  Patent-pending SLCP™ Technology ensures a safe, natural composition that promotes absorption into the bloodstream and various organs.  And because it is about how much curcumin is absorbed, not what is consumed, high amounts of curcumin are no longer needed, thus reducing the chance for gastrointestinal irritation.
 
Who are you working with to research it? Longvida® is patent pending and exclusively licensed by Verdure Sciences from UCLA. Several universities and medical centers around the globe are now evaluating the effects of Longvida®."
 
Is it safe? The curcumin found in Longvida® is a 100% natural, generally recognized as safe (GRAS) food additive, and has been used in traditional medicine and food for thousands of years. In clinical studies, curcumin showed a positive safety profile at doses of 8-12 grams (8,000-12,000 milligrams) per day. (7,22)  Longvida® is reported to have an excellent safety profile, and showed no acute high-dose toxicity at the highest dose tested, a dose equivalent to 1000 times the recommended dose.
 
Is Longvida okay for people with dietary restrictions? Longvida® contains all ingredients found in our food chain, contains no animal products, and is gluten-free.  Longvida® may contain ingredients made from corn and soy.  Longvida is made using natural turmeric extract made and perfected in India. 
 
What precautions should be taken when using Longvida®?   Since each individual has different medical needs, we recommend that you speak with your healthcare practitioner about Longvida®.  Use during chemotherapy should only be performed under the direct supervision of a qualified medical professional.  Curcumin may enhance the action of anti-platelet drugs, high doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or warfarin.  Do not take if you have a biliary tract obstruction or are taking a steroidal anti-inflammatory such as prednisone. 
 
How long is it stable for? Longvida® is shelf stable and has an expiration date of at least two years in dark, dry, room temperature conditions. Be sure to keep it out of direct light as curcumin may degrade over time from exposure to UV radiation. 


Other Good Questions:

How is it different from other ‘bioavailable’ turmeric extracts?  Longvida® is unique because it is university-developed, researched in humans, and has shown great promise in several studies.  Longvida is made using expensive, top-quality ingredients including natural high-curcumin turmeric extract.  Precise attention to detail, and the accuracy of facts and results, is the hallmark of Longvida®, and the mission of Verdure Sciences.

How is Longvida® made? Cutting-edge Solid-Lipid Curcumin Particle (SLCP™) technology (patent pending) is responsible for the ‘magic’ of Longvida®.  Simply, curcumin is processed in a way that stabilizes and coats it with the ideal absorption-promoting system that facilitates steady, extended transfer of curcumin across biological membranes, especially those entering the bloodstream and target tissues.  Longvida® is also processed under Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), in such a way to ensure identity, purity, activity, and consistency of Longvida’s benefits and Quality Control.
 
What is Longvida® good for? Curcumin has been studied for various health applications, including the promotion of longevity and cognitive health. As of January 2010, more than 3100 publications on curcumin were available through the NIH medical database and in ongoing human trials. Many have reported that Longvida® may help promote joint health and flexibility, and help to modulate inflammatory responses already within the normal range.  Curcumin is also a potent antioxidant and is used in skin products as an anti-microbial and healing agent.  Universities and medical centers are looking at Longvida® for a variety of areas that curcumin has shown beneficial effects.
 
Can I get the same benefits from eating curry or mixing curcumin with various oils or fats? During the years of development of Longvida®, many formulas were tested using those mixing with various oils, fats and other ingredients.  Test formulas using high amounts of purified curcumin with lipids often showed a small bioavailability advantage, but none of the test formulas were able to provide blood levels high enough to reach the target concentration.  The average serving of curry contains about 6 milligrams of curcumin, which may help promote health, however it is likely that such a small amount of curcumin may not make a significant impact on their health.  
 
Longvida® is no substitute for -- but is part of -- a sensible, healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and a balanced diet filled with fruits and vegetables (and spices, of course!)
 
Who are you working with to research it?  Longvida is patent pending and based on innovations developed by the University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA), a prestigious research institution, and several universities and medical centers around the globe are focusing on the effects of Longvida®.
 
 
What's in Longvida?

How much curcumin/curcuminoids does Longvida® contain?  Remember, its not about how much curcumin you consume, its about the curcumin you absorb.  Longvida® actually contains significantly less curcumin than 95% curcuminoids extract, because a large quantity of curcumin is simply unnecessary.  And because you don't have to take as much, there is less chance for stomach and gastrointestinal irritation that may accompany high doses of curcumin.  
 
Does it contain black pepper or piperine? NO. Longvida® does not contain piperine or any other compounds known to significantly interfere with the body’s natural detoxification systems.  
 
Does Longvida contain any essential oils from the turmeric root?  NO.  Longvida® does not contain essential oils from turmeric, since these components have not been evaluated for safety or efficacy, and currently do not have accurate testing methodology available for their quantitative measurement.
 
Are heavy metals a concern?  Longvida® is made with the most stringent Quality Control parameters, and its quality is ensured with traceability and paper trails from the source.  In fact, Longvida® meets or exceeds California Proposition 65 for heavy metal content, which is among the highest standards for heavy metals. 
 
Does Longvida® contain ethylene dichloride?  1,2 dicholorethane, (Ethylene dichloride, or EDC) is a harmful solvent used to inexpensively extract curcumin from turmeric root.   The curcumin in Longvida® is not extracted using EDC unlike many standardized turmeric extracts found on the market, and conforms to USP/ICH standards for residual solvents. 
 
Does Longvida® contain nimesulide or other adulterants?  Longvida® does NOT contain intentional adulterants such as nimesulide.  Each batch of Longvida® is rigorously tested for impurities.  Strict control, traceability and paper trails are enforced throughout the procurement and manufacturing processes.
 

Since 1997, Verdure Sciences has manufactured the highest-quality, clinically researched ingredients for supplement manufacturers, and now after overwhelming interest, we are extending our capabilities factory-direct to the top tier of quality-conscious consumers.  
 
Significant investment has been made to ensure you are getting truly Optimized Curcumin, and our mission is to make sure no corners are cut in our mission to enhance the health of people worldwide.
 
Clinical Trial References:(6,7,9-11,12,15,18-21,25,26,28,30)

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please consult your healthcare practitioner before taking any medication or health supplements.

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