Premier Phyto-Iron is a scientifically formulated nutritional supplement designed to deliver body-friendly iron as highly bioavailable, plant-based iron (non-heme form) that has been concentrated from non-GMO, organic certified curry leaf extract. It offers an excellent 18 mg iron per serving.
Exciting research demonstrates the body is able to effectively absorb, metabolize and store the biologically active iron phytocompounds of curry extract which promote healthy blood iron levels that are essential to the body’s tissue oxygen requirements and erythrocyte demands.*
Premier Phyto-Iron contains a gluten-free, soy-free, nature-based source of iron that is digestion-friendly and easy to tolerate in comparison to the standard, synthetic iron supplements (such as ferrous sulfate) which have been shown to potentially cause gastric distress, including nausea and constipation.*
Why Plant Iron ?
In Premier Phyto-Iron, the nature-based plant iron compounds are scientifically extracted from the leaves of the curry tree (Murraya koenigii) and are present at a precise weight of iron. The phytochemical structure of plant iron is well documented. It is known to be partly present in the cytochrome B structure embedded in cell membranes, which contains iron protoporphyrin, and contains the storage form as ferritin. Revealing research demonstrates that consumption of plant iron from curry leaf extract is able to offer a higher bioavailability of blood circulating iron compared to the common iron gluconate form on the market (Greilberger, J. 2011. Curryblatt-Eisen günstiger als Eisensalze durch geringere pro-oxidative Effekte. Biogena Naturprodukte GmbH).
Research also demonstrates that when consumption of iron from plant sources occurs, the iron is able to remain in its complete protein structure (nano-caged) as it is absorbed into the intestinal cell where it is then processed by the enterocytes.
Premier Phyto-Iron’s curry extract is meticulously standardized and carefully processed to maintain the iron in its most body-friendly form as a complete ferritin molecule which allows the body to easily recognize, metabolize and properly absorb this micro-nutrient as a whole.*
The broad-spectrum profile of plant iron and its accompanying plant antioxidants significantly reduce the tendency of premature oxidation of iron ions by minimizing free radical exposure and damage to the intestinal wall that is often seen with chemically synthesized iron salts such as iron gluconate or ferric sulphate.*
Plant-Source Iron = Higher Bioavailability and Absorption
In one study, the research team at ETH Zurich in Switzerland used serum hepcidin levels and stable iron isotopes to monitor iron absorption in the blood. Since hepcidin is a protein secreted by the liver that acts as a regulatory hormone, it controls the amount of iron in the body. The team discovered that hepcidin reaches a threshold of how much iron it is able to absorb at the small intestine before it switches off.
Using nature-sourced plant iron allows a proper, more orderly, metabolism to take place, which means that the downstream physiological mechanisms for iron absorption are more controlled and effective. By allowing nature-based molecules to physiologically “take their course” through the body’s absorption pathways, plant iron may also be a way of assisting “non-responders“; these are individuals who are taking conventional iron preparations but are still unable to recover sufficient levels of blood-circulating iron.
Besides the higher bioavailability of plant iron to cellular absorption, plant iron derived from curry leaf extract demonstrates a much higher tolerability for safe, long-term iron supplementation – minimizing the oxidative stress and the unwanted side effects of synthetic iron salts such as iron gluconate.
Iron Salts = Potential Intestinal Stress
Common dietary supplementation of iron can be in the form of iron salts as well as iron-rich vegetables. Typical iron supplements, as found in pharmaceutical formulations, are often in the form of an inorganic or organic salt or an iron complex. As an iron salt, supplements are commonly in the form of iron sulphate but may also occur as an iron complex with gluconate, dextran, or fumarate.
By definition, iron salts contain the trace element, iron, in divalent and trivalent forms. The biological properties of iron salts are based on their ability to change valence and their ability to form compounds with both anionic and neutral molecules. These inorganic iron compounds in divalent and trivalent forms are absorbed very poorly, as they tend to form complexes with organic and inorganic compounds in the body that are difficult to dissolve, especially in the weakly alkaline environment of the upper small intestine. Iron preparations that contain these harsh iron salts sadly exhibit compromised gastrointestinal tolerability including flatulence, pain, constipation, and nausea. (Mutschler E: Arzneimittelwirkungen WVG Stuttgart, 2001).