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AFA enhances Collagen Production

AFA is 70% dry weight protein. Think of it as a renewable vegan source of the needed building blocks of collagen. That's right, collagen is not a supplement! Your body produces collagen naturally using amino acids proline, lysine, and glycine plus vitamin C, zinc and copper. All these proteins and micronutrients are present in protein packed AFA. You don’t need to take collagen supplements to produce collagen in fact many nutritionists argue against this. Instead, feed your body the micronutrients required to produce collagen “in-house”. With AFA and a healthy diet increasing your own production of collagen will result in supporting healthy skin and bone/joint health. Also see Joint Inflammation and Bone Health, Skin Health + Beauty for more information.

Hormones and Micronutrients

AFA gives your body what it needs daily. Vitamins and minerals act as cofactors for every single metabolic reaction in the body. Including the production of over 50 hormones that control most of the functions of the body. After 6 months with AFA expect to see differences and improvements across a wide range of health benefits. Energy, sleep, digestion, mood, cravings, skin health, hair, mental focus, weight loss, sugar, addiction cravings and more AFA is truly a symphony of hundreds of micronutrients and chelated minerals ready to transform your life cell by cell. AFA is a micronutrient dense food rich in amino acids, bathed in chlorophyll, beta carotene and phycocyanins and even omega 3’s. When taken daily, the needs of women and the nutrients available in 1-4 grams a day of AFA are perfectly aligned. AFA is driven with a sense of purpose to regenerate your cells

Micronutrients that Women Need Most

To work optimally women's bodies need to have constant and sufficient levels of micronutrients digested and absorbed {bioavailable} through whole food sources. Even healthy eaters can be low on key nutrients and for those of you who are active or highly active need to pay even closer attention to their nutrient levels.

Micronutrients are best consumed from a balanced source where they are highly bioavailable. This is no easy task given the costs of whole organic food, lifestyles and seasonal availability and low levels of digestive enzymes in many women. Supplementing with various combinations of isolated vitamins and minerals is an obvious and popular solution. However, the general scientific consensus is that most multivitamin and mineral supplements are absorbed at a low rate, less than 20% and can even stress your body because they are not recognized as food. Furthermore, supplementation of certain isolated micronutrients can actually counteract each other in negative ways. i.e. magnesium and zinc can impact the absorption rate of calcium. It is common for women who have been supplementing with zinc or magnesium for years to still have low levels of these minerals and calcium.

Vitamin D

Calcium + Sun = strong healthy bones This fat-soluble antioxidant is one that your body can synthesize in the presence of sunlight, and along with calcium, It is critical for bone health. According to research, vitamin D helps regulate insulin levels, leading to improved fat loss and muscle building for active women. Just get outside and feel the sun, even a little bit every day.

Vitamin C

AFA contains about 5 x times more vitamin C than spirulina. It is hard at work across a range of benefits vital for women and must be replenished daily. Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid is a powerful water-soluble antioxidant that works to rid the body of harmful free radicals, thereby supporting faster recovery from exercise. It aids the absorption of iron, which as you know is particularly important during menstruation. Furthermore, since iron is also the central component of hemoglobin, vitamin C becomes vital for those who work out intensely to efficiently deliver oxygen to working cells. It is also crucial for your immune system to combat long-term adverse events such as colds, infections, and even some forms of cancer. It helps support connective tissue and keeps capillaries healthy. It is also crucial in the production of collagen.

Vitamin B9 (Folate)

Folate and folic acid are two forms of vitamin B9. Your body cannot create this and so it needs to be ingested. The most popular forms are spinach and kale. It is probably the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world. It is required for the growth and repair of good gut bacteria and the cells of the intestine. It is also crucial for the reproduction of healthy cells, making and repairing DNA and brain health. Deficiencies are linked to a wide range of problems from birth defects to cognitive decline, and heart health.

Calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, and it is crucial for many physiological processes. One of the most important roles calcium plays for women is supporting bone health.

The calcium in AFA is abundant and more absorbable than other forms of calcium. On average 75% of regular dietary calcium is not absorbed. Furthermore with age the body's ability to absorb and put calcium to work diminishes resulting in a porous bone disorder osteoporosis.

When you are deficient, your body removes calcium from bones to support intense workouts, putting you at greater risk for fractures and other bone-related injuries. Calcium is also an electrolyte, helping regulate heart rate and blood pressure and improving the speed and intensity of muscle contractions, which makes for better workouts.

Iron

Iron plays a crucial life essential role and is primarily associated with healthy red blood cell production and the delivery of oxygen to working cells. Iron also helps generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in muscle cells, which is crucial for driving muscle contractions. The iron in AFA is highly absorbable aided by vitamin C as well as small amounts of copper, cobalt and manganese.

Iron is especially important for children and is considered the mineral most lacking due to mineral depleted soils. Low attentiveness is the most common symptom resulting from iron deficiency. In adults low energy irritability and depression are connected to low iron. For active and highly active women iron is absolutely essential. The harder you train, the more ATP must be replaced in order to continue at intensity. Women have a greater need than men for iron, particularly because of blood loss during that time of the month.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a life-essential mineral connected to about 325 different enzymatic processes including synthesizing muscle protein, repairing worn out collagen and generally making us “ feel healthy”. On average most women are getting about 25% of what they need daily. In AFA magnesium is found at the center of the chlorophyll molecule chelated to this crucial green nutrient.

Despite the fact that we have a large need for magnesium, this mineral is not rich in our diets because not a lot of food sources contain it in abundance. This mineral is also readily lost through sweat, and active women are most likely deficient leading to muscular weakness, fatigue and even insulin resistance. As with calcium, magnesium plays a key role in maintaining bone and heart health, and of particular interest to active busy women and moms is that magnesium may help reduce cortisol, the stress hormone that if constantly over produced causes rapid weight gain, high blood pressure, osteoporosis muscle weakness and depression and mood swings. It also helps regulate neurotransmitters and the production of melatonin, the primary hormone that helps you sleep.

Zinc

Similar to iron and vitamin C, zinc supports your body’s ability to make hemoglobin, facilitates cell growth and replicates genes. It has been shown in clinical trials to raise the levels of the hormones that promote lean muscle gains and increase metabolism while also helping destroy free radicals, supporting faster recovery from intense exercise.

Zinc is the mineral most required to activate enzyme systems, in particular digestive enzymes systems. Digestion is the key to a healthy body and mind. Without adequate daily zinc this process in impaired. Zinc along with copper and manganese are active in one of the body's premier antioxidants, superoxide dismutase SOD, which aids arthritis support and longevity/disease prevention as well as immune function and the healing of wounds. Zinc is also a crucial mineral for growth of babies.

Clinical Studies

Dietary Supplements and Mortality in Older Women
Mursu J, Robien K, Harnack LJ, Park K, Jacobs DR Jr. Dietary supplements and mortality rate in older women: the Iowa Women's Health Study. Arch Intern Med. 2011;171(18):1625-1633. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.445

Multivitamin Use and Risk of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease In The Women's Health Initiative Cohorts
Neuhouser ML, Wassertheil-Smoller S, Thomson C, et al. Multivitamin use and risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease in the Women's Health Initiative cohorts. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(3):294-304. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2008.540

Multivitamin-Mineral Use Is Associated with Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Mortality among Women in the United States
Bailey RL, Fakhouri TH, Park Y, et al. Multivitamin-mineral use is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease mortality among women in the United States. J Nutr. 2015;145(3):572-578. doi:10.3945/jn.114.204743

Chromium Picolinate Supplementation in Women: Effects on Body Weight, Composition, and Iron Status
Lukaski HC, Siders WA, Penland JG. Chromium picolinate supplementation in women: effects on body weight, composition, and iron status. Nutrition. 2007;23(3):187-195. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2006.12.001

Dysmenorrhea
The Effect of Micronutrients on Pain Management of Primary Dysmenorrhea: a Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Saei Ghare Naz M, Kiani Z, Rashidi Fakari F, Ghasemi V, Abed M, Ozgoli G. The Effect of Micronutrients on Pain Management of Primary Dysmenorrhea: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Caring Sci. 2020;9(1):47-56. Published 2020 Mar 1. doi:10.34172/jcs.2020.008


Magnesium
Magnesium in Women’s Health and Gynecology
Tonick, S. and Muneyyirci-Delale, O. (2016) Magnesium in Women’s Health and Gynecology. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 6, 325-333. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2016.65041.

Magnesium intake, bone mineral density, and fractures: results from the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study1–4
Orchard TS, Larson JC, Alghothani N, et al. Magnesium intake, bone mineral density, and fractures: results from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014;99(4):926-933. doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.067488

Relations of magnesium intake to cognitive impairment and dementia among participants in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study: a prospective cohort study
Lo K, Liu Q, Madsen T, et al Relations of magnesium intake to cognitive impairment and dementia among participants in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study: a prospective cohort study BMJ Open 2019;9:e030052. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030052

Choline:
Critical Role During Fetal Development and Dietary Requirements in Adults
Zeisel SH. Choline: critical role during fetal development and dietary requirements in adults. Annu Rev Nutr. 2006;26:229-250. doi:10.1146/annurev.nutr.26.061505.111156

Folate:
Folate, Vitamin B-6, and Vitamin B-12 Intake and Mild Cognitive Impairment and Probable Dementia in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study
Agnew-Blais JC, Wassertheil-Smoller S, Kang JH, et al. Folate, vitamin B-6, and vitamin B-12 intake and mild cognitive impairment and probable dementia in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015;115(2):231-241. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2014.07.006

Vit.B:
Association Between Serum Vitamin B6 Concentration and Risk of Osteoporosis in Middle-Aged Older People a Cross-Sectional Study China:
Wang J, Chen L, Zhang Y, et al. Association between serum vitamin B6 concentration and risk of osteoporosis in the middle-aged and older people in China: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2019;9(7):e028129. Published 2019 Jul 4. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028129

Iron:
Calculation of Haem Iron Intake and Its Role in the Development of Iron Deficiency in Young Women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health
Reeves, McEvoy, M. A., MacDonald-Wicks, L. K., Barker, D., Attia, J., Hodge, A. M., & Patterson, A. J. (2017). Calculation of haem iron intake and its role in the development of iron deficiency in young women from the Australian longitudinal study on women’s health.

Calcium Mag needs for women:
Villegas R, Gao YT, Dai Q, et al. Dietary calcium and magnesium intakes and the risk of type 2 diabetes: the Shanghai Women's Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89(4):1059-1067. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.27182