Summary: Isotonic formula of OPC antioxidants, including 3 OPC extracts - pine bark extract, grape seed extract and red wine extract, provides the fast and highly efficient OPC absorption (>90% in 3-10 minutes). The absorption rate of OPC capsules and tablets could be as low as 30-50% due to the OPC-protein binding interaction with food, and possibly low quality of OPC ingredients. The OPC nutrients are largely wasted by taking OPC capsules and tablets.
Isotonics – the most powerful delivery method of nutrients
Isotonic solution is one that has the same solute concentration as the normal cells of the body and the blood. More generally, isotonic solution has the same osmotic pressure as blood. It is the middle point between a hypertonic solution and a hypotonic solution. Food nutrients have to be made isotonic via very complex biological processes in intestines for absorption into the human body. An isotonic beverage can be used directly by human body without the effort of the human body in making the isotonic form. Therefore, an isotonic beverage may be taken to replace the fluid and minerals which the body uses during physical activity, providing the needed fluid and nutrients instantly. The isotonic beverage has the characteristics of the fastest and the most efficient absorptions by human body. There are many sport drinks made isotonic in the market.
Isotonic OPC Drink of Super Taste
When OPC powder is taken by making an isotonic solution (an OPC tea drink of grape juice taste), on an empty stomach, OPC takes 3-10 minutes to reach about 95% absorption, as soon as you take a high quality of isotonic OPC! And this method provides 90 to 95% active ingredients to neutralize tissue-damaging free radicals in your body, and more importantly to exert a variety of other beneficial biological activities. Our isotonic OPC drink tastes great. If you try it, you will like it, guaranteed!
The OPC purity requirement for OPC high absorption
All isotonic OPC product sellers make such a claim of high OPC absorption of ~95%. However, this high OPC absorption is possible only if the OPC nutrients are 100% bio-available (absorbable). Our investigations show that our 3 isotonic OPC ingredients: Vitaflavan ® grape seed extract, Oligopin ® pine bark extract and red wine grape polyphenols are are fully bio-available and free from high molecular weight tannins or polymeric proanthocyanidins (PPCs). Other grape seed OPC extracts on the market may contain 30-85% PPCs that cannot be absorbed by human bodies no matter how those OPC grape seed extracts are formulated. Similarly, other pine bark OPC extracts may contain 30-73% un-absorbable tannins / polymeric proanthocyanidins.
OPC nutrients are largely wasted by taking OPC capsules and tablets
Human beings are smart enough to escape the bitterness and astringency of OPC by swallow whole pills and capsules. But how do you feel when you swallow big hard OPC capsules, tablets or fat softgel capsules? They cause pain to throat! The painful feeling is the same as you take medicines. Isotonic OPC antioxidant is a nice taste drink that you can enjoy without being bothered by painful swallow. Good to your throat, good to your stomach and good to your intestines. Those hard OPC capsules and pills provide much less OPC absorption rate for 3 reasons.
1. OPC capsules and tablets are more likely made of low grade of OPC ingredients that are specially labeled for solid dosages (capsules). Why are there ingredients of grape seed OPC extracts and pine bark OPC extracts specially labeled for solid dosage at all? They cannot be used for beverages simply because those OPC ingredients contain so much tannins or polymeric proanthocyanidins (30-80%) that they are water-insoluble. It is possibly the worst thing that you swallow an OPC product without knowing what it is made of. You might abuse your body in the name of OPC nutrients, if you simply trust OPC sellers without knowing their OPC ingredient makers and/or without seeing the detailed OPC ingredient specifications. It is good for the OPC product makers and sellers if OPC consumers simply trust OPC sellers.
2. A large intake of polymeric proanthocyanidins is bad to your health as they bind strongly with food nutrients such as minerals. A daily intake of 90-250 mg OPC of good quality is adequate. In the rare circumstances, a daily intake of 300 mg is necessary. A large intake of low quality OPCs containing polymeric proanthocyanidins would interfere with the absorption of minerals that human bodies need for normal functions. Polymeric proanthocyanidins is the strong chelator of metal ions or minerals such as copper, ion, zinc, etc, forming insoluble chelated complexes that are excreted without absorption. Some of OPC - metal complexes are water-soluble in some degree and can be well absorbed due to their small sizes.
3. All polyphenolic bioflavanols including OPC bind, shrink, and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds - amino acids and alkaloids. OPCs have strong binding affinity for proteins, and polymeric proanthocyanidins bind with protein even stronger. If you taste an OPC powder with your tongue, you can feel the bitter and astringent tastes so that you cannot tolerate. The astringency causes the dry and puckery feeling in your mouth. If you take capsules or tablets, you only skip this terrible feeling in you mouth. But OPCs and polymeric proanthocyanidins in a capsule exert the same effects on you stomach and your intestines once the capsule shell melts down there. You don’t get the same terrible feeling because your stomach and intestines don’t have the tasting nerves.
It is recommended that capsules are taken with food, partially in order to reduce any possible damages of the capsule shell (hard and sharp) to your empty stomach and/or intestines. However, OPC and polymeric proanthocyanidins can bind tightly with food proteins and amino acids, forming precipitations. Consequently, the OPCs and proanthocyanidin polymers, and their bound proteins (amino acids) are very hard to be digested and absorbed. The nutrient OPC components are considerably wasted when you take OPC capsules. That is exactly why the absorption rate from OPC capsules is too low to be accepted, while high quality OPC ingredients from grape seeds and pine bark are so expensive.
If you take OPC tablets with empty stomach without food, OPC and proanthocyanidin polymers have more chances to bind extra-cellular functional proteins and enzymes in your stomach and intestines. These extra-cellular functional proteins and enzymes are needed to perform normal functions for your body, but lose their ability due to the strong binding with proanthocyanidins. Therefore, we don’t recommend OPC capsules and tablets.
It Is Your Body! It Is Your Choice!
Why are OPC and other polyphenols astringent?
Plants use a variety of polyphenols including flavanols (OPC) and flavonoids mainly for defense against oxidation by oxygen and other oxidizing materials in the nature. Therefore, they have the antioxidant property. OPC (a class of polyphenols) are known to cause astringency. OPC and related polyphenols have been the most widely researched for mechanisms of astringency. As early as 1954, Bate‐Smith suggested that polyphenols, such as OPCs, bind with salivary proteins causing precipitation. Several types of proteins found in human saliva are involved in the astringency taste, forming the polyphenol-salivary protein complex. Hagerman and Butler demonstrated in 1980 that the polyphenol-salivary protein interactions may be due to hydrophobic interactions. Hydrogen bonding was also proposed to be responsible for the polyphenol-salivary protein interactions by Haslam in 1974. Salivary proteins have the special role of lubrication in the mouth. OPCs and other polyphenols bind strongly with salivary proteins, forming polyphenol-salivary protein complexes, inhibiting the lubrication activity of salivary proteins, and resulting in the astringent sensation (Siebert and Euzen, J. Sens. Stud. 23 (2): 222-233, 2008). The strong evidence has been established showing polyphenol interactions with salivary proteins.
Chemical principle of the isotonic OPC taste change
Many isotonic OPC consumers noticed that there are a variety of raw materials (e.g., potassium bicarbonate and calcium sulfate) in the isotonic OPC powder. They serve several purposes for isotonic OPC, including the isotonic capability. Additionally, they have significant impact on the taste and color of the isotonic OPC products. They can help reduce the strongly bitter and astringent tastes of OPCs in a certain degree. As the OPC quantities from the OPC ingredients increase, their impact can reach a certain limit.
Isotonic OPCs are specially formulated and the bitter and astringent tastes of OPCs are reduced to the minimum. The astringent taste cannot be reduced simply by adding sugars or other sweeteners. The astringency of OPCs won’t go away no matter how sweet a drink is. The efficient way to reduce the astringent taste is to add other non-sweet components, such as calcium, potassium, citric acid, etc. which significantly affect color and taste of OPCs.
Polyphenols including OPCs have multi hydroxyl groups (O-H), and are acidic due to their strong ability to donate protons (H+). The OPC hydroxyl proton (H+) is positively charged, because electron density is concentrated on the oxygen (O). And the oxygen shows partial negative charge. The chemical mechanism for the strong binding between polyphenols (OPC) and proteins is formation of so-called hydrogen binding, between OPC hydroxyl protons (H+) and basic nitrogen atoms (N) in protein, while hydrophobic effects may also contribute to the formation of OPC-protein complexes.
In basic conditions, the OPC hydroxyl group (O-H) readily reacts with a mineral base to form a phenolate salt. That is, the O-H group in OPC is cleaved and the H+ is replaced by a metal ion. The oxygen (negative) has strong affinity for metal ions (positive). In most cases, OPC forms phenolate salt with metal ions to precipitate out from the solution. But in acidic conditions, OPC hydroxyl groups can form chelated complexes with metal ions, which are sometimes precipitate out from a solution. However, in some cases, an OPC-metal ion complex may have good solubility in water in certain concentration. An OPC-metal complex soluble in water has much less ability to bind with proteins, and may or may not show that strong astringent taste.
Isotonic OPC formulation is partially based on such a principle. The isotonic OPC powder contains limited quantities of some nutritional minerals such as food grade calcium and potassium salts. The metal ions form chelated, soluble and absorbable complex with OPC under acidic conditions in the presence of citric acid. Once a right amount of water is added, an isotonic OPC solution is formed for easy and readily absorption.
With isotonic OPC formula, you enjoy the taste
Many natural foods of bitter taste are good to human’s health. Bitter is often better than sweet for healthy life. OPCs are naturally bitter and astringent with high nutritional values. You cannot tolerate the OPC taste by taking the pure OPC powder with you mouth or by drinking a simple solution of OPC in water. OPCs have to be specially formulated as an OPC beverage, so that you have a good taste of this natural wonder of OPCs and gain the OPC health benefits.
With an isotonic formula, the bitter and astringent tastes of OPC are largely reduced so that every OPC consumer can enjoy OPC beverage with a wonderful taste. But any isotonic OPC consumer can still tell the pleasant background taste of OPC astringency. Isotonic OPC powder contains tiny amounts of sugars and citric acid as natural flavors to give a mix of sweet and sour. Further, a variety of natural flavors have impact on the bitter and astringent taste.
Lack of the background taste of slightly but pleasant astringent taste of OPCs in an isotonic OPC product might reflect a low quantity of OPCs, no matter how good taste a product may have. You don’t necessarily seek better health by seeking a product with only good taste but little active OPC ingredients. In the other words, a nicely formulated isotonic OPC antioxidant of good taste and color does not necessarily mean a high quality of isotonic OPC product. High molecular weight tannins or proanthocyanidin polymers cannot be told by the color and taste, being unabsorbed. Only those scientific data from analytical chemistry lab can tell the real quality.
The multi-level marketing isotonic OPC antioxidant contains totally 75 mg of 3 OPC extracts. This low quantity of OPC causes less bitterness and astringency, which can be easily controlled. When the quantity of 3 OPC extracts goes up, the background taste of bitterness and astringency emerges.
Effect of acidity on OPC astringency
It was reported that addition of an acid increases the astringency of OPC and other polyphenols (Chem. Sens. 1998, 23 (3): 371-378; and J. Sens. Stud. 23 (2): 222-233, 2008). Our PhD scientists at the Isotonic OPC Antioxidants, Inc. discovered an interesting controversy during the scientific literature review. This theoretical relationship between astringency of proanthocyanidins - OPC and acidity of the drink formula from the academic world is contested by the fact that at least 3 isotonic OPC antioxidants on the market are made very sour, while the central task for formulation of a good isotonic OPC antioxidant is to combat the astringency and bitterness. The lowered pH value seems practically more favorable for astringency reduction of OPC related polyphenols. Further, it was also reported that organic acids such as citric acid, ascorbic acids, etc. have been used in combination with Mg(++) salt for astringency reduction of tannic acids and related polyphenols (European patent: EP0413056).
Why so sour is an isotonic OPC?
The isotonic OPC antioxidants have to be specially formulated to minimize the natural bitterness & astringency of OPC & related polyphenols. At least 3 isotonic OPC products on the market are intensely sour in water. Such a strongly sour taste of these isotonic OPC products indicates that their formulators try to increase the acidity as the strategy to combat the bitterness & astringency.
Some isotonic OPC antioxidant consumers, especially aged people and people with tooth problems, complain about the intense sourness of the OPC isotonic products. The multilevel marketing company's isotonic OPC has the most sour taste. A Canadian isotonic OPC product contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) of 600 mg each serving with a super sour taste. Whether is it necessary to make an isotonic OPC antioxidant so intensely sour? Whether can we reduce the sourness of isotonic OPC antioxidant?
Is intense sourness better than mild astringency?
OPC and related polyphenols have 3 outstanding properties: healthy, bitter and astringent. The 2 OPC sensory properties of bitterness and astringency are in contrast with OPC health property, and are well-known for eliciting negative consumer reactions when present at high intensity.
Consumers' taste preferences for sweet (or sweet and sour) solutions have been well established. A recent paper (Am J Clin Nutr 2005;81-suppl:330S–5S) was published in addressing acceptance of bitterness or astringency. Here is an interesting part of the paper:
"Bitter beverages (eg, beer, coffee, and tea) are not well accepted by children. Bitter beverages have been shown to be rejected because of their taste; beer and strong black coffee were rejected by 94% and 90% of American students (19–31 y), respectively (57). Astringency, like bitterness, is often perceived as a negative attribute, such as in soy products (58), dairy products (59), nuts (60), and juices (61). The astringency and bitterness of many vegetables and fruits containing phytonutrients are often cited as the reason for consumers rejecting the plant products, despite their known health benefits (62). It is worth noting that consumers do not always describe bitter and astringent perceptions with the expected descriptors. Recently, Lesschaeve (I Lesschaeve, unpublished observations, 2003) studied the relationship between the consumer language used to express likes and dislikes and sensory descriptors of red wines. When consumers tended to like the wines, they did not use bitter as a descriptor; bitter was used to express dislike and tended to be associated with acid and astringent sensory characteristics, not bitterness. In the same study, consumers who liked astringent wines described them as having 'a lot of character' or 'a long aftertaste' :)! "
Different people accept different tastes, such as those of beers and wines. People take tea and/or coffee with or without sugar. Several studies indicate that the taste of mild astringency is health- beneficial. It is unnecessary to completely suppress the flavor of mild astringency.
The tastes of different brands of isotonic OPC antioxidants vary significantly. This taste variation of isotonic OPC antioxidants is relatively less important in terms of the health benefits, while experiencing mild astringency has health benefits. But the quality of raw OPC ingredients is the key. Some consumers can well tolerate slight bitterness and astringency. The highly intense sourness of isotonic OPC antioxidants may not be necessary.
What do FrenchGlory ® isotonic OPC antioxidants taste like?
The goal for our 3 PhD scientists was to formulate isotonic OPC antioxidants with a unique taste, which can be accepted more widely. We adopted 3 strategies to meet this OPC formulation goal: 1) To select 3 raw OPC ingredients of highest quality; 2) To test a variety of different formulation materials, by varying the quantities of OPC auxiliary components and varying acidity; 3) Test the taste of the formula by a variety of people.
FrenchGlory ® isotonic OPC antioxidants taste like a real grape juice, mildly sour and mildly sweet.
The taste of FrenchGlory ® isotonic OPC antioxidants was blindly tested in 3 groups of people: Group 1 (kids): 31 people (19 girls, 12 boys) of ages 12-17; Group 2: 38 people (19 males, 19 females) of ages 21-56; Group 3 (seniors): 10 people (3 males, 7 females) of age 60-69.
The criterion for the test was to compare the taste of FrenchGlory ™ isotonic OPC antioxidants blindly with those of other 3 isotonic OPC antioxidants on the market as following:
OPC Product 1: A Canadian isotonic OPC product (with 600 mg vitamin C each serving).
OPC Product 2: An isotonic OPC product based on New York-Long Island (OPC extra).
OPC Product 3: An isotonic OPC product from the multilevel marketing company.
Here are the test results for the favorite OPC taste picks from the 3 groups:
Group 1: 28 kids out of 31 picked FrenchGlory ® isotonic OPC for the favorite taste; 3 kids picked OPC Product 3. No kids liked the taste of OPC products 1 & 2.
Group 2: 23 people picked FrenchGlory ® isotonic OPC for the favorite taste; 10 people picked OPC Product 3; 2 people picked OPC Product 2; and 3 people picked OPC Product 1.
Group 3: 7 people picked FrenchGlory ® isotonic OPC for the favorite taste; 1 person picked OPC Product 1; 1 person picked OPC Product 2; and 1 person picked OPC Product 3.
The overall result: 58 out of 79 people picked FrenchGlory isotonic OPC antioxidant as their favorite taste. They gave 3 reasons for their OPC picks: mildly sour, mildly sweet, and very light astringent background. The reasons for rejection of other 3 OPC products on the market include “too sour” for OPC Product 2 and OPC Product 3, and “weird taste” for OPC Product 1 and 2.
Isotonic OPC formula has the enjoyable color
Plant polyphenols or OPCs change in color when they are mixed with certain chemicals, especially metal ions, acid or base. Several analytical chemistry methods of polyphenols were developed based on the color changes of OPC and polyphenols, especially in the early stage of the OPC discovery nearly 6 decades ago. The color of OPCs changes largely depending on what other components are added in different isotonic OPC products.
Red wine extract has a characteristic component of anthocyanins, in addition to OPC and other polyphenols. Bilberry extract is rich in anthocyanins (>25%). Anthocyanins contain a core structure that is positively charged and changes in color based on pH values related to acidity/basicity. Under slightly acidic conditions, anthocyanins exhibit as a natural red grape color. OPC and other polyphenols in grape seed extract and pine bark extract do not show this strong color sensitivity to pH values.
It is the easiest thing to adjust the color of an isotonic OPC drink. The 3 other isotonic OPC products mentioned above (OPC Product 1, 2 and 3) all have the bloody red color, which some consumers don't like. Our formulators have the preference for a very light red color, as shown by our FrenchGlory ™ isotonic OPC antioxidants.
Test solubility of isotonic OPC antioxidants
We tested the solubility of FrenchGlory ® isotonic OPC antioxidants, as compared to that of the 3 other products on the market:
OPC Product 1: A Canadian isotonic OPC product (OPC ten with 600 mg vitamin C each serving).
OPC Product 2: An isotonic OPC product based on New York-Long Island (OPC extra).
OPC Product 3: An isotonic OPC product from the multi-level marketing company.
The standard isotonic OPC solutions in 4 different cups were made from these 4 OPC antioxidant products, stirred well, and allowed to stand for 3-4 hours. Decant the clear solution from the solid residue on the bottoms of the 4 cups. FrenchGlory ® isotonic OPC antioxidant has the least amount of insoluble residue, close to that of the OPC Product 3, while OPC Products 1 and 2 have 3 folds more insoluble materials.
Affordability of isotonic OPC antioxidants
Among the 3 forms of OPC formulation, isotonic OPC products should be equally expensive as OPC capsules and OPC tablets. On the market, however, the prices for OPC capsules and OPC tablets vary dramatically. One of the reasons is the price differences of the raw OPC ingredients. The best pine bark extract OPC, made and certified in France, costs up to $3000 a kilogram, while a pine bark extract or a grape seed extract from China costs only $70-$100 a kilogram. Our FrenchGlory ® isotonic OPC antioxidants uses 3 OPC ingredients of the best French maritime pine bark extract, the best French grape seed extract, and the best French red wine grape extract. Furthermore, isotonic OPC products contain 3-4 auxiliary ingredients of high nutritional values, which also cost significantly.
OPC consumers are welcome to give an overall evaluation of our 3 FrenchGlory ® OPC products. Our 3 isotonic OPC antioxidants have the most competitive prices, and we can beat any competitors’ prices at the same quality level for all the 3 OPC ingredients. One of our OPC products is for $38.8 for OPC/300g or OPC/3-months supply. Isotonic OPCs are cheaper when you consider the higher absorption rate than OPC capsules and OPC tablets. Our OPC isotonics is affordable for ordinary consumers.
Characteristics of isotonic OPC
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A certain concentration of OPC solution in water as a drink.
A certain concentration of OPC solution in water as a drink. •Superior absorption.
Superior absorption.•Good taste if correctly formulated.
Good taste if correctly formulated.•Good looking color attracting stomach.
Good looking color attracting stomach.•Easy swallow.
Easy swallow.•Need good formulating skills (more challenging to make).
Need good formulating skills (more challenging to make).•Each serving contains less than 1% of the daily sugar intake for a normal person.
Each serving contains less than 1% of the daily sugar intake for a normal person. •Isotonic powder is less stable than pills, capsules.
Isotonic powder is less stable than pills, capsules.•Very hygroscopic (keep dry)
Very hygroscopic (keep dry)•Possible caking when too cold, too hot weather or exposure to moisture.
Possible caking when too cold, too hot weather or exposure to moisture.Don’t take OPC capsules or tablets, but isotonic OPC
How to take this isotonic OPC antioxidant product?
For adults of 18 and older, take the powdered isotonic OPC, 3.33 g (3/4 of a teaspoon), and put the powder into a glass or a cup. Do not use the measuring cup for the powder, and use it for measuring water volume only. Add 60 mL (2 ounces) of room temperature water and stir well. Drink it on empty stomach in morning, or at least 2 hours after a meal in the day. Take once daily or more as directed by your physician. Keep the bottle closed tightly from moisture. You may have a meal 5-10 minutes later after the isotonic OPC is taken.
We recommend a total of 90-250 mg of OPC extracts a day. For general health maintenance, 90-150 mg of total OPC extract is adequate, while you may take 2 doses (180 mg or 300 mg) a day for a short period of time (2-3 weeks). A total of 150-220 mg of OPC extract is needed for people of particular medical conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, muscle cramp, chronic venous insufficiency, platelet function. Consult your health care professional if you have any specific questions.
These statements have not been evaluated by the US Food & Drug Administration.
FrenchGlory ® isotonic OPC antioxidants are nutritional supplements, not intended to diagnose, treat, care or prevent any diseases.
Copyright © 2010-2011 Isotonic OPC Antioxidants, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Why Isotonic OPC?
