Complementary Prescriptions™ Now Offers Crayhon Research Products
Crayhon Research family of products are now part of the Complementary Prescription™ line. Crayhon Research was founded in 2005 by noted author and clinical nutritionist Robert Crayhon, MS, CN, who was called “one of the top nutritionists in the country” by Self magazine. Crayhon Research is known for nutritional supplements that are focused on improving brain nutrition, and the company also formulates weight management products, supplements to provide antioxidant support and supplements useful in sports-minded individuals. In this article, I will give an overview of each formula now available to Complementary Prescriptions practitioners.
Carnitine-Biotin
The first product I would like to talk about is Carnitine-Biotin. Robert Crayhon was commonly known as “Mr. Carnitine” because of his 1997 book, The Carnitine Miracle. Carnitine is one of the most important nutrients needed for maintaining and promoting health, backed by over 158 clinical trials performed on humans.1 Much of the clinical benefit of carnitine derives from the fact that it is essential for fat burning and therefore energy production in nearly all cells. Carnitine promotes cellular energy by transporting fatty acids into the mitochondria, the powerhouses of our cells, where they are burned for energy. Just as importantly, carnitine also removes metabolic wastes from the mitochondria to keep them running smoothly.2
Because the heart derives 70 percent of its energy from fat, and carnitine is needed for fat burning, it comes as no surprise that carnitine is crucial for heart health and offers important nutritional support for many heart conditions, including angina.3 Carnitine supplementation has also been found to reduce complications and overall deaths dramatically in patients in the four weeks directly following a heart attack.4
Pairing biotin with carnitine can have synergistic effects. While carnitine supports fat burning, it can also stimulate gluconeogenesis,5 which is the liver’s over-production of sugar. Biotin helps suppress gluconeogenesis,6 thus helping to optimize the metabolic effect of carnitine. Therefore, when using carnitine to support fatty acid oxidation, 1 mg of biotin added to every 500 mg of carnitine in both the capsules and powder forms of the carnitine-biotin product can enhance carnitine’s benefits.
Brain Vibrance Supreme™
The next Crayhon Research product I will discuss, which has had an enthusiastic following among healthcare professionals, is Brain Vibrance Supreme™ Powder. The three nutrients in Brain Vibrance Supreme Powder, PS (phosphatidylserine), GPC (glycerophosphocholine), and AC (acetylcarnitine) help the brain generate energy, process signals and generally manage its vast array of housekeeping and specialized functions.7 The Big 3 brain nutrients are all well absorbed and have numerous action mechanisms that overlap to reinforce each other’s effects on cognition, mood and mental endurance.8 The related Brain Vibrance Supreme™ Gel Shot supplement adds blueberry to this potent mix of the Big 3 brain nutrients.
PS/Omega-3 Synergy™
PS/Omega-3 Synergy™ is designed to bring together three important brain nutrients, phosphatidylserine (PS), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are known to support early brain development and the maintenance of brain function throughout life.9-10 EPA and DHA are not generally made at sufficient levels within the human body and may be deficient in some populations. For EPA and DHA, populations suspected to have heightened risk for deficiency include newborns, children, the elderly, diabetics, the overweight or obese, hypertensives, those with chronic viral infections and alcohol abusers.11 The synergistic formulation of EPA and DHA together with PS in PS/Omega-3 Synergy is literally “nutritional insurance” for clarity of mind, conservation of body functions and total well-being.
GPC Insta-Gel™
One of my favorite products from the Crayhon Research line is the GPC Insta-Gel™ and GPC Daily. Glycerophosphocholine (GPC) is a powerful, natural compound that helps improve memory, focus and concentration and may also help maintain healthy brain function during aging. Over 20 clinical trials have been performed on GPC and over 4,000 patients have been studied. The results show that GPC is one of the most clinically effective brain nutrients available today.12-16
Older adults showed improved reaction time when taking GPC, a sign that their brain is more alert and focused.12 GPC also improves brain wave patterns associated with healthier brain aging.13 A number of clinical trials have shown that using GPC for nutritional support may help the brain recover some of its functions that are lost during aging. GPC may even offer nutritional support to those with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and strokes.14-16 The dosing found effective in many of the studies on GPC indicate a need for 1,200 mgs for adults with 300 mgs being effective in children.
While GPC in powder form does work well for healthy patients, GPC in the pure liquid form appears to be assimilated more quickly by the body than powders or capsules. Crayhon Research was the first to offer GPC as both a liquid, GPC Insta-Gel 1200, and capsule, GPC Daily 300. Our clinical experience at Crayhon Research was that GPC works exceptionally well when taken in the liquid form, especially in older adults. Single-dose tubes deliver GPC in an easily absorbed and pleasant-tasting liquid.
Weight Management Products
Crayhon research also offers a weight management product called Ultra Pure MCT Oil. Substituting MCT Oil for other fats in the diet provides support for weight management, according to a number of human studies. Because MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides) are more likely to be burned for energy than stored when compared to other fats, they are both highly energizing and supportive of weight management.17 In three studies, MCTs improved weight loss, promoted loss of fat tissue, especially in the upper body of men, and led subjects to eat less food when choosing freely selected lunches.18-20
MCTs can be used anywhere a recipe calls for oil (olive, canola, vegetable, etc.) but MCT Oil should not be used for frying. Crayhon Research’s Ultra Pure MCT Oil is virtually taste-free and will not alter the flavor of favorite dishes. It should not be taken within six hours of bedtime, as the energizing effects of MCT Oil may make it difficult to fall asleep. MCT Oil is naturally derived and is suitable for vegetarians.
Another product that may help with weight management is Crayhon Research’s Carnitine-Green Tea Phytosome Capsules. Research suggests that green tea supports healthy weight management,21 antioxidant defense22 and liver function.23 We have combined it with carnitine to enhance its effects. We use the uniquely researched green tea phytosome, a phospholipid-bound form of green tea that is the most highly absorbed form of green tea yet developed.
CircuPower™
CircuPower™ is an exciting newer herbal vein support formula, which has been used for over three decades in Europe and which is supported by forty human clinical trials. It has been found to naturally support circulation, vein health, and capillary integrity in such conditions as varicose veins,24 lymphedema,25 hemorrhoids,26 chronic venous insufficiency27 and diabetes.28 CircuPower also boasts natural anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging effects.29
Açai Ultra
Another Crayhon Research product that has numerous benefits is Açai Ultra (pronounced Ah-Sigh-E). Açai (Eutterpe oleracea) is a unique plant found in the rainforest of the Amazon whose berries have the highest ORAC reading of any known food or compound.30 ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) is a scalar value used for comparing the antioxidant content of different foods or nutritional supplements. Açai is an excellent supplement for modulating inflammation, supporting healthy immune function and providing natural support in all conditions where optimizing antioxidant defense is needed.31
Peltier Electrolytes
One of the most popular items in the Crayhon Research line of products is the Peltier Electrolytes. There are over forty-five essential nutrients, yet the major minerals known as electrolytes form the metabolic foundation for all of them. Without electrolytes, no other nutrients can function or exercise their healing benefit to their full potential.32 Unfortunately, due to stress, the environment and our eating habits, electrolytes are often missing or out of balance.33 Deficiencies and imbalances in electrolytes can lead to fatigue,34 heart rhythm disturbances,35 poor blood pressure control,36 suboptimal heart health,37 bone loss38 and poor circulation.39 People who can benefit from electrolyte supplementation include those who engage in sports,40 have cold hands and feet,41 are engaged in a detoxification program, especially one liberating toxic metals,42 need to support mitochondrial function and experience mitochodrially related disorders such as migraines,43 and those who need to promote a more alkaline metabolism.44
There are three formulas of Peltier: Executive, Sports and Standard. The first, Executive, has a higher proportion of potassium and is ideal for people dealing with a lot of stress or are recovering from an athletic event. Sports is good for use during endurance sporting events such as running or bike riding. As it is higher in bicarbonates than the other formulas, it is helpful in raising CO2 levels. The Standard formula is good for everyone as a general electrolyte.
Part of the uniqueness of Peltier Electrolytes is the proprietary process of manufacturing, the exact ration of potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, chlorides, bicarbonates and sulfates to promote electrolyte balance and support the stresses of everyday living.45 Often when an advanced nutritional program does not seem to be working, optimizing electrolytes will add the metabolic “spark” needed to help it begin working on the metabolic level and achieve the desired results.
Mark Schauss, MBA, DB
Mark Schauss has been involved in the complementary and alternative health industry since 1983. He was the lead researcher for the LabAssist™ Division of Crayhon Research as well as a consultant for their product line. He has done extensive research in developing nutraceutical formulas, creating interpretive reports on laboratory testing and issues involving environmental health.
References
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