THE DEVELOPMENT OF OXICHEL
…. a monologue
Dr Warwick D Raymont, Ph.D., D.Sc., Grad.Dip.Sc.Tech.Comm., M.A.C.S., M.N.Y.A.S., D.G., O.I.A.
Disclaimer:
This monologue is a presentation to health professionals intended to detail some of the premises upon which the writer developed the unique synergistically balanced microdose formulation for which the Australian Patent 702894 was awarded. It is not to be interpreted as to be making or inferring therapeutic claim or claims, either direct or implied, for the product OxiChel or for any other product.
It is difficult to time exactly when the development of OxiChel began.
Perhaps it was when the writer, under a WHO grant, carried out post-doctoral studies from 1977 to 1979 furthering the work initiated by Professor Harry Bloom of the University of Tasmania. This work continued the study into the effect of trace amounts of the heavy metal, Cadmium, on the arterial deposition of cholesterol.
Those familiar with this work will recall that the presence of Cadmium “catalyses” (although catalyse is really the wrong term) the precipitation of cholesterol on artery walls, in particular, coronary artery walls. The hypothesis behind this is that each atom of Cadmium is able to “attach” (to) seven molecules of (otherwise soluble) cholesterol forming insoluble “micro-plaques” which aggregate into insoluble plaque on the artery walls.
It was found, especially during the later years of research into this effect, that chelation of the cadmium atoms from the plaque usually allowed the plaque, albeit slowly, to re-dissolve and thereby “clear” the arteries of such blockages. The process known as “Chelation Therapy” to achieve this end soared in popularity as the 1970’s progressed into the 1980’s. However, many proponents of this therapy were disquietened by its invasiveness and the fact that a chemical chelating agent, more often than not EDTA (ethanediaminotetraacetic acid, disodium salt), was used as the chelating agent.
However, as the 1980’s progressed, it was found that certain antioxidants seemed to have a similar effect. Among those recognising the benefits of intravenous therapy with Vitamin C was Brisbane graduate, Dr. Richard Gee, who observed same as a welcome “side-effect” during his treatment of cancer patients.
This led, quite naturally, to the commencement of “Oral Chelation Therapy” which administers the chelating agents (Vitamins, proanthocyanidins etc) orally. This is, of course, possible as these substances are naturally occurring nutritional ingredients and therefore less likely to lead to effects of “overdosing”, so common with the use of synthetic chemicals.
The main problem facing Oral Chelation Therapy was the unfortunate fact that such large quantities of these chelating agents were needed and the frequency of dosage very high. This was because they appeared in the urine within thirty minutes and were mostly excreted by the body within a few hours. For example, Vitamin C is well known for this rapid excretion.
The question begged to be raised, “How come the Vitamin C in oranges is retained by the body for such a long period?” The answer was not far away – it was in nature, just waiting to be found. In oranges – as with just about every other fruit and vegetable that contains Vitamin C, the Vitamin C is present along with bioflavonoids and proanthocyanidins. By adjusting the formulation to balance these ingredients synergistically, as in the broad ratio range found in nature, it became possible for the body to retain the Vitamin C for many times the few hours only as with the pure Vitamin. Indeed, by retaining the Vitamin C for such a period, it can even penetrate the intracellular spaces! The benefits of such retention, therefore, go without saying.
B-Group Vitamins also fall into the category of rapid excretion, often appearing in the urine in as little as twenty to thirty minutes and being completely excreted within as little as three hours. The main reason for this excretion is imbalance of these essential Vitamins in their “supplement” form.
Indeed, an unbalanced dose of the B-Group Vitamins can even lead to a B-Group Vitamin deficiency!
A classic example of B-Group Vitamin excretion is “orange urine”. This discolouration is caused by Vitamin B-2, Riboflavine. This can occur even without B-2 intake, e.g., by taking large amounts of Vitamin B-6. The excess B-6 is rapidly excreted by the body, “dragging” the other B-Group Vitamins with it and the result is, quite simply, a B-Group Vitamin deficiency.
In summary, B-Group Vitamin “macrodoses” are, besides being wasteful, potentially unconducive to the maintenance of good health and well-being.
Interestingly, however, significant B-Group intake by natural means does not share this problem. For example, ingesting even large amounts of buer Lecithin, a natural extract rich in B-Group Vitamins which has been in use for centuries, gives no discolouration of the urine, visible indication of the fact that the Vitamins in this extract have been retained – “bioretention”.
By emulating the broad ratio range of B-Group Vitamins found in nature, it became possible to produce a “synergistically balanced microdose” which, besides conserving nutritional resources, exhibited excellent bio-retention, not appearing in the urine for some hours and remaining in the body for up to seventy-two hours.
A couple of appropriate quotations:
1. “The Vitamin macrodose can be likened to killing an ant with a sledge-hammer – and forgetting all about the Ming Vase the ant is sitting on – and that Ming Vase is your body!” (author)
2. “Why do all our expensive Vitamins do little more than smile back at us out of the toilet?” (Verity James – ABC Radio)
More reading – “Exploding the Vitamin Myth” – viewable on www.stolair.com
Synergistic balance is not restricted to Vitamins alone – it occurs also with minerals. Take Calcium, for example.
It is possible to consume hundreds of grams of Calcium with little, if any, reaching the bones. There are two main factors vital to the bio-availability, bio-uptake and bio-retention of calcium:
1. The calcium should be present in the appropriate form, one of the best of which is the chelated, human bio-available, protein bound amino acid chelate.
2. The calcium should be accompanied by the synergistically correct ratios of Vitamin B-12 and folate (folic acid). The ratio that has been determined to be best is Calcium:B12:folate = 10,000:1:75
There were many other considerations in the development of the formulation, each of which might take many pages to treat thoroughly. To touch on some of them, albeit briefly:
1. beta-Carotene: this, the most useful of the caretonoids, is metabolised by the body to Vitamin A according to a needs basis. Vitamin A is, of course, potentially hepatotoxic and teratogenic if taken in large or excessive doses. On the other hand, its precursor (beta-Carotene) is, environmentally very sensitive – e.g., carrot juice needs to be consumed immediately after extraction to retain its full benefits. The beta-Carotene source selected was one which was extracted from natural sources and micro-encapsulated immediately upon extraction to protect it from environmental degradation (from exposure to light and air). This 10% extract is some 25 times the cost of synthetic, “chemical” beta-Carotene, but provides the best benefit for the consumer. But there again, studies have shown that 20 mg of beta-Carotene daily can be less protective against cancer than none whatsoever; the optimal daily dose is 2 to 17 mg, peaking at 8 mg.
2. Proanthocyanidins (OPC's, Pycnogeno; or polyplenols): These are simply the most powerful antioxidants known to science. Distributed widely in nature, they are generally locked in to their natural sources and, generally, very low – even infinitesimal - in bio-availability. For example, the proanthocyanidins in red grape seed (Vitis Vinifera) are well documented for their benefit in cardiovascular health and the prevention and treatment of cancer. This was determined particularly from the obvious health benefits enjoyed by, for example, Frenchmen, who are avid partakers of red wine. However, consumption of even kilograms of red grape seed provided no such benefit. The reason for this was simple – the fermentation process in the production of red wine meant that, in the first stage, the alcohol developed actually extracted the proanthocyanidins from the seed and made them, accordingly, bioavailable. Horphag, in France, developed a powerful proanthocyanidin extract extracted from the bark of the Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster) that has been demonstrated to have broad therapeutic properties and for which clinical studies have demonstrated significant anti-oncogenic properties. Before the Horphag development, the only extracts available were, more often than not, contaminated with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides from decades of spraying and, quite alarmingly, o-tolidine, a dangerous carcinogen that used to be used as a reagent in swimming-pool test kits. This o-tolidine probably formed from pine wood scraped off with the bark. Both grape seed and pine bark extracts were grouped under the trade name “Pycnogenol” in the 1990’s and cleverly marketed for their demonstrated anti-oncogenic and anti-aging properties. Antioxidants, including proanthocyanidins abound also in the Lime flower (Tilia cordata), Bilberry Vaccinnium myrtilllus) and Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) extracts.
3. Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea or angustifolia) is widely reported in major herbal texts as being beneficial to the immune system. However, only the root extracts should be used as the flowering parts contain allergens to which many show sensivity.
4. Garlic (Allium sativum), especially when grown in appropriate soils, is a natural source of Selenium. Analyses have shown 70mg of the selected garlic to contain 3.6 mcg of (natural) Selenium. Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) not only helps mask the “Selenium odour” of the garlic, but also is well reported for its benefits to stress.
5. Chromium, especially in the highly bioavailable nicotinate and picolinate forms, is widely reported to be beneficial to the control of insulin production by the pancreas.
6. The selection of ingredients is paramount to the efficacy of a product. For example:
a. a recent survey by Southern Cross University into celery seed extract available on the local market found the active ingredient to vary from as little as 0.09% to as much as 65.4%. Curiously, there was not such a parallel variation in cost!
b. Aloe Vera extracts similarly have been found to contain anything for no detectable mucopolysaccharides (the active ingredient) to over 17%. Many imports rated exceptionally low value, despite their high costs.
c. Bioavailability is another consideration, especially with proanthocyanidins. There are products on the market claiming, for example, grape seed extracts “equivalent to 6.0 grams of grape seed” which contain little detectable bioavailable proanthocyanidins and others, costing hundreds of times as much (over $2,000 per kilogram), which are almost pure proanthocyanidins. Similarly, pine bark extracts vary enormously in price and efficacy, the best (e.g., Horphag), costing over $6,000 per kilogram.
d. Beta-carotene is available as a synthetic chemical for as little as $43 per kilogram, but is seriously deficient in quality, bioavailability and efficacy. As described in #1 above, the best beta-carotene available is a pure natural vegetable extract which is microencapsulated upon extraction to provide total protection against environmental degradation but this extract costs over $1,000 per kilogram of 10% extract!
Small wonder that “cheap” products with little efficacy, bioavailability or benefit are flooding the Australian market, especially from overseas manufacturers who lure potential promoters with lucrative marketing plans and potential customers with “fantastic”, mystical and, commonly, unprovable claims. The way that many of their marketers are taught to predate upon the vulnerable is, to say the very least, unethical.
The development of OxiChel is one that will probably never be completed, but one that is continuous as new research emerges, new ingredients discovered or developed and human needs develop and become more clearly defined. Furthermore, some ingredients are still awaiting TGA (the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration) consent to be available with unfettered inclusion in such dietary supplements. For example, Selenium (organic Selenium as in selenomethionone) is allowed to a maximum amount of only 26 mcg in the recommended daily dose. Curiously, the Australian Government’s own NH&MRC has set 80 mcg of Selenium as the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) for a 12-year-old. Paradoxically, the TGA Regulations even then require the packet to bear the warning “Not suitable for children under the age of 15”!
Footnote: Since the above was compiled several years ago, Molybdenum has been able to be added to the formulation. Only the trioxide at this stage, but the picolinate may eventually be allowed by CMEC (the Complementray Medicines Evaluation Committee of the TGA).
|
|
|