Muscle sugar
Inositol was isolated from muscle tissue in 1850 by the German chemist Johann Joseph Scherer. The name comes from the Greek inos, muscle or fibre. For a long time it was counted among the B vitamins, but the body also produces it itself. This formula contains 450 mg per daily dose.
Made in the United States
Seeking Health has Optimal Prenatal made in the United States according to GMP. All minerals are Albion® chelates, folate is included as Quatrefolic® and calcium folinate and vitamin B12 as MeCobalActive®. The choline is VitalCholine®, the coenzyme Q10 MicroActive®, the ginger Ginfort® and the S-acetyl glutathione Emothion®. The capsule is plant-based.
Good to know about this formula
The daily dose is eight capsules, spread over breakfast, lunch and the afternoon. It contains no iron. S-acetyl glutathione and extra inositol have been added to the current formula; raspberry leaf, milk thistle, taurine and L-carnosine are no longer included.
Optimal Prenatal by Seeking Health
Seeking Health Optimal Prenatal is a comprehensive prenatal formula with a unique blend of minerals, vitamins and amino acids. The formula has been specifically designed to meet the increased nutritional needs of women who are pregnant or preparing for pregnancy. Also taken into account are the digestive sensitivities that may occur during pregnancy. For example, this product does not contain iron, because not all women can process it equally well and not all women can use it. L-5-MTHF has been added as the patented enzyme Quatrefolic®, a methylated and the most bioavailable form of folic acid, which has a beneficial effect on the cell division process.
Packed with potent ingredients
This complex Optimal Prenatal formula is packed with potent ingredients. The supplement not only contains the methylated form of folate, L-5-MTHF, it also contains folinic acid, the non-methylated variety that can be converted by the body. This blend of folates works well with amino acids and with minerals such as copper, magnesium and iodine. Iodine is added to support the formation of nerve cells and magnesium benefits the muscles and state of mind. The formula also contains vitamin A in two forms, beta-carotene and retinyl palmitate, as well as B vitamins, including active forms of riboflavin and B6, which help fight fatigue, contribute to mental resilience and support the immune system. Also unique to this formula is the addition of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and the herb ginger, which supports digestion as well as proper stomach function during periods of morning sickness (health claim pending European authorisation).
Evolution of epigenetics
In recent years, researchers have increasingly agreed that our DNA, or our genetic make-up, is strongly influenced by environmental factors. For a long time it was thought that we could learn everything about DNA if only we could map its more than 25,000 genomes. It is now clear that the way our genes are expressed is not fixed, but is controlled by ‘epigenomes’: these are, as it were, switches that can turn DNA ‘on’ or ‘off’, comparable to the software that runs a computer. Epigenomes can be influenced by diet and other environmental factors, such as lifestyle and living environment. Epigenetics studies the changes in gene expression that take place at the level of the epigenomes. In other words, it concerns changes in gene expression without any changes in the DNA sequence. It is a science that has evolved considerably in recent years and focuses in particular on the process of methylation: the most important epigenetic process that takes place in our body.
Benefits
Carefully composed prenatal multivitamin offering high-quality vegetarian proteins, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Contains the active, methylated L-5-MTHF in the form of the patented enzyme Quatrefolic®, which aids the cell division process and contributes to tissue growth. B vitamins help fight fatigue, contribute to mental resilience and support the immune system. Copper, magnesium and iodine support the formation of nerve cells. Magnesium benefits the muscles and state of mind. Ginger supports digestion and supports proper stomach function during periods of morning sickness (health claim pending European authorisation). Free from milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, nuts, wheat, soy, gluten, GMOs and artificial colours and flavours, and suitable for vegetarians.
The methylation process
The methylation process is one of the most important and most intriguing biochemical processes in our body. A lot of research is currently being done on it, with several studies indicating that there is probably a link between the ability to methylate and health. The process of methylation takes place trillions of times every minute in all cells of our body and affects, among other things, energy production, DNA regeneration, hormone production and repair work. Technically, methylation is a controlled transfer of a methyl group to primarily proteins, amino acids, enzymes and DNA. Substances able to donate a methyl group are called methyl donors, including B vitamins, vitamin C, biotin, zinc, folic acid and betaine. Methyl groups facilitate the on-and-off switches of our DNA and thus play an important role in the gene expression of our DNA. This makes them one of the most researched molecules in epigenetics. Optimal Prenatal MF is a methyl-free option.
Epigenetics & Seeking Health
The term epigenetics was coined in 1942 by biologist Conrad Waddington in an attempt to interpret the phenomenon in which genes, under the influence of environmental factors, can be switched on and off. In epigenetic modifications, the function of a gene changes without its code changing, as when a piece of music is played by different musicians; the same notes are on the sheet, but they sound different. For example, two people who are genetically identical can still be very different epigenetically. This is the basis of the health programme of Seeking Health’s Ben Lynch. By detecting the markers around the DNA that can turn genes on or off and influencing them with the help of nutrition, supplements and lifestyle adjustments, Lynch argues that we can, as it were, ‘clean up our dirty genes’ and influence our gene expression.
About Seeking Health
After suffering from unexplained health problems himself for years, Ben Lynch discovered that the cause of these complaints lay in having ‘dirty’ genes. After ten years of research, study and treating thousands of clients around the world, he wrote the book Dirty Genes, in which he developed and refined his method of actively using insights from epigenetics to optimise our health. Lynch is currently one of the most consulted experts in the field of epigenetics. He has always been fascinated by the influence and power of our genes and is convinced that, through the right diet and lifestyle, we can work together with our genes to create a high level of health.
