Fortunately, gamma cyclodextrin can help. You may not have heard about it before, but this odd-sounding ingredient can enhance the bioavailability of hard-to-absorb, fat-soluble nutrients so that small doses can be beneficial and provide more consistent results.
Gamma cyclodextrin can:
- Boost absorption by up to 8X
- Make difficult-to-absorb ingredients more effective
- Increase the intensity and shorten response time of nutrients
- Provide health-promoting actions of its own
Nutrients Must Be Absorbed to be Effective
One of the major criticisms of supplements is that many ingredients are too difficult for the body to absorb, and therefore of little use. In order to make botanicals, vitamins, or ingredients of any type more effective and consistent, they may require an extra boost.
Sometimes, nutrients that have already shown promise just need a little help to make them better and easier to take. Curcumin from turmeric is a great example. It is considered one of the plant’s most valuable compounds, but to get much benefit from it, large doses – up to twelve grams in some cases – were previously recommended. That’s why I prefer curcumin blended with turmeric essential oil for much greater absorption and bioavailability – compared to standard extracts, it is 7X better absorbed.
Gamma Cyclodextrin Dramatically Improves Absorption
But what about nutrients that don’t have closely related absorption systems, like turmeric oil is for curcumin? How do you get fat-soluble ingredients, which are by their very nature tougher for the body to absorb, into the bloodstream so they can provide real, noticeable benefits?
One Answer is Gamma Cyclodextrin
Gamma cyclodextrin is an oligosaccharide – a plant-based ingredient – that improves the absorption of certain fat-soluble nutrients by enveloping them in an open-ended microscopic structure, sometimes described as “bucket shaped” or as a “truncated cone.” The exterior of this molecule is water soluble, which allows it to escort ingredients through intestinal walls for better absorption.
The important thing to remember is that gamma cyclodextrin makes nutrients that may be difficult for the body to absorb more beneficial, effective, and, in some cases, faster acting.
Makes Berberine Better
Berberine, for example, is a compound that many people use to regulate blood sugar levels, reduce triglycerides, and stop the conditions associated with metabolic syndrome. However, in order to be effective, large doses of berberine have become the standard, because the absorption rate is normally so low. It’s estimated that only about five percent of any given dosage of berberine actually makes it into the bloodstream, so finding a way to enhance absorption is key to the full advantage of its benefits. Fortunately, research has shown that paired with cyclodextrins, berberine has the potential to do its good work more efficiently.
Gives CoQ10 a Big Boost
Other nutrients that I think become even more useful when paired with gamma cyclodextrin include CoQ10, red ginseng, propolis, and quercetin, just to name a few.
In fact, the case for combining CoQ10 with gamma cyclodextrin is an especially strong one: it’s been shown to boost absorption by as much as 8 times. If you take statin drugs or want to keep your mind and heart working in peak condition, adding CoQ10 with gamma cyclodextrin to your daily regimen is a must. That small enhancement to this critical nutrient could make all the difference in your health.
Enhances Red Ginseng’s Actions
Recent clinical work compared the effects of a hydroponic red ginseng used with and without gamma cyclodextrin in individuals dealing with post-viral fatigue. Both groups experienced increased energy and a reduction in symptoms of post-infection syndrome and chronic fatigue, but 100 mg of red ginseng combined with gamma cyclodextrin was as effective as 200 mg of red ginseng without it.
(Although, it should be noted that both forms reduced symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and post-viral symptoms.)
This same red ginseng, paired with gamma cyclodextrin, was also featured in a clinical study including Olympic weightlifters. In this case, supplementing with both the encapsulated version and the chewable with gamma cyclodextrin resulted more than double the improvement compared to the control numbers, and helped professional athletes push their workouts even further. Interestingly, the chewable version with gamma cyclodextrin worked faster and at a lower dosage level. I think this points to some really intriguing possibilities with this ingredient.
Provides Propolis with Strong Antitumor Properties
Other work with a component of propolis called caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), found that the compound’s anti-tumor activity was greatly enhanced when it was combined with gamma cyclodextrin – most likely because this pairing made the polyphenol-rich ingredient more stable and bioavailable.
Creates More Consistent Quercetin
And quercetin, a natural ingredient that moderates allergic reactions and bolsters viral immunity, has extremely variable bioavailability – ranging from zero to about 50 percent of any dosage actually being used by the body.
Combining it with gamma cyclodextrin, along with vitamin C to help recycle the quercetin in the body, can also help deliver consistent levels to the bloodstream. This makes the quercetin a much more reliable option for anyone who struggles with allergies or infections.
Gamma Cyclodextrin Helps Nutrients Help You
Many nutrients, botanicals, vitamins, and minerals are already incredibly valuable for their healing abilities. But when they’re better absorbed and require smaller dosages, they become more convenient and deliver consistent results at the same time. With that in mind, I urge you to seek out and find supplements that combine high-quality, validated nutrients with gamma cyclodextrin. It may be one of the easiest ways to get the most from your daily regimen.
The Key to Results
The key to results is not how many milligrams of supplements or nutrients you take orally, but how many milligrams your body can absorb from the intestines into the blood. Only the amount you absorb can have a biological effect on your health. The key to health is how much of the life-saving nutrients are being absorbed, if little or nothing is being absorbed, it provides little or no results. Absorption of nutrients is the key.