Adaptogen Information
Adaptogen Information
What is Stress?
Founded in 1992 PrimeQuest has grown into a well renowned brand that delivers 100% natural and effective products to it’s customers time and time again.
The Physical – and most important – side of stress
Most of us think of Stress as a state of mind, but it is not just that – there is a very physical aspect to stress that has been overlooked for far too long. Most of us believe that our feelings of being ‘stressed out’ have to do with our jobs, our hectic schedules, and our relationships with other people. What we are ignoring is the chemical state our bodies are in when we feel stressed out.
The basic causes of inflammation
The cause of this inflammation can be that there are inflammatory chemicals circulating throughout your body, or specific to the lining of your intestinal tract. The most common cause of this is our diet. Unfortunately our average diet consists of 90% processed foods that are loaded with trans-fats and omega 6 oils. These substances cause the body to produce inflammatory chemicals which disrupt the body’s ability to function normally. These inflammatory chemicals can cause pain, trigger the production of cortisol, and even diminish the sensitivity of our cells to function normally. Thus, adult onset diabetes is the fastest growing disease in the Western World.
The human intestinal tract comprises 60% of the body’s immune system. It is where 99% of the neurotransmitters that direct our mental functions are made, and has the total area size of a basketball court. Every other system in the human body has a direct link to the intestinal tract.
The intestinal tract becomes inflamed from taking too many anti-inflammatory drugs (such as aspirin and ibuprofen), antibiotics, caffeine, alcohol, soda, foods containing large amounts of high fructose corn syrup, and processed foods including a lot of grains. All grains, including oats and whole wheat bread, are loaded with inflammatory omega 6 oils.
As the intestinal tract becomes inflamed, the adrenal glands produce cortisol to reduce the inflammation, but the cortisol can never keep up with the dietary and drug abuse. Even worse, elevated levels of cortisol cause further damage to the intestinal tract and a vicious cycle is set in motion. Over time, the elevated levels of cortisol will make you feel stressed out and result in any number of disease processes.
Oxy Stress
One of the most important discoveries in recent years is the role played in our health by Oxidative Stress. A few years ago, doctors laughed at the theory. Today all major universities have departments dedicated to the study of Oxy stress, or what is known as Free Radical Damage. In a nutshell (and very, simply put), oxygen is the great contradiction: it gives us life, and yet, it can kill us, because, like all living matter, we ‘rust’.
Sit back, close your eyes for a moment, and focus on your breathing. Relax your shoulders and breathe in as deeply as you can, and then slowly release the air from your lungs. Do this several times. Breathe as if you are inflating your whole body, clear down to your toes. Pause and then slowly exhale. Feels great, doesn’t it? The air that enters our lungs brings life. As we quicken our breathing through aerobic exercise or running, we feel invigorated and may even experience a feeling of euphoria.
Imagine what is happening inside your body at a cellular level as oxygen enters through your nose and travels to your lungs. Life is an intricately woven miracle, evident in every breath. Fill your lungs with fresh air, rich with oxygen. Molecules of oxygen pass through the thin walls of the alveoli in the lungs into the blood that is passing by. Here it attaches itself to the hemoglobin in the blood, and your beating heart pumps this newly oxygenated blood back out to all parts of your body. The hemoglobin then releases the oxygen so it can enter the cells of your body, where it gives energy and life itself.
Within every cell in the body is a furnace called the mitochondria. Imagine yourself in front of a crackling, warm fire. It burns safely and quietly most of the time. But on occasion, out flies a cinder that lands on your carpet, burning a little hole in it. One cinder by itself does not pose much of a threat, but if this sparking and popping continues month after month, year after year, you will end up with a pretty ragged carpet in front of your fireplace.
Similarly, this microscopic organism, the mitochondria, within the cell reduces oxygen by the transfer of electrons to create energy into the form of ATP, and produces a by-product of water. This process goes on without a hitch at least 98 percent of the time. But the full complement of four electrons needed to reduce oxygen to water does not always happen as planned and a “free radical” is produced.
This cinder from the fireplace represents a free radical, and the carpet represents your body. Whichever part of the body receives the most free radical damage is the first to wear out and potentially develop degenerative disease. If it is your eyes, you could develop macular degeneration or cataracts. If it is your blood vessel, you could have a heart attack or a stroke. If it is your joint space, you could develop arthritis. If it is your brain, you could develop Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. After the passing of time, our bodies can look just like the carpet in front of the fireplace: pretty tatty.
Together we have just imagined the “bright” side of oxygen and the lift it brings (like the warmth of the fire), but we cannot deny the rest of the story. This is the part many of us have heard about: the demise that unruly free radicals causes, otherwise known as oxidative stress.
This oxidative stress is the underlying cause of almost all of these chronic degenerative diseases. Though this occurs on the inside, it is much easier to observe the oxidative stress that is occurring on the outside surface of the body, the skin. Have you ever seen a several-generation family portrait? If you looked closely at their skin, you would see the significant difference between that of the youngest family member and the oldest. The effect you see is due to oxidative stress of the skin. This same decay is happening inside our bodies too. 15 years ago, PrimeQuest developed a full spectrum anti-oxidant, we called Prime 3, and which we believe to be the most effective available.
Why Stress Makes You Sick
It is an unavoidable fact of life that Stress is the reason we age, and it is the reason for 80% of illness. Stress causes the production of adrenalin in the body, which is a good thing and enables us to cope. But excess stress causes the production of cortisol, and this has a deadly effect on our health. To read about the Physical Causes of Stress, Click here
Cortisol and illness:
Cortisol is a hormone produced by our adrenal glands in response to mental and physical stress, and it is also the hormone our bodies use to fight inflammation. Because cortisol is so important in managing our stress response and ultimate chance of survival in a fight-or-flight situation, it has an enormous effect on all of the systems in our body. However, if there is inflammation present, due to poor diet and/or drugs (aspirin, ibuprofen, and antibiotics), the adrenal glands will respond by producing cortisol. This is exactly why it can cause so many system disorders, such as:
• Arthritis
• Back Pain, Neck Pain, and Headaches
• Candida Yeast Infections
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Fatigue, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Adrenal Exhaustion
• Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Autoimmune Disease
• Food Cravings
• Heart Disease
• Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar)
• Immune System Disorders
• Insomnia
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcers, and Colitis
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Low Sex Drive
• Pre-Menstrual Syndrome, Menopause, Estrogen and Progesterone Imbalances
• Thyroid Disorders
• Weight Gain
Arthritis:
There are two ways in which arthritis can occur from elevated levels of cortisol and/or inflammation in the body.
High levels of cortisol suppress the body’s repair functions because it would rather spend the energy on fight-or-flight functions than in response to inflammation, since cortisol is also the anti-inflammatory hormone. In addition, inflammation in either the intestinal tract or from inflammatory chemicals circulating throughout the body due to poor diet or anti-inflammatory drugs triggers the release of an enzyme (aggrecanase) which actually eats the cartilage in joints and results in arthritis.
Back Pain, Neck Pain, and Headaches:
Elevated levels of cortisol can cause these symptoms in a variety of ways.
First, the nerves and muscles for fight-or-flight originate in the neck and lower back, and cortisol causes increased activity of these nerves and a subsequent tensing of associated muscles. The majority of headaches are the result of nerve, muscle, and spinal imbalance. Second, cortisol also impedes the body’s ability to repair connective tissue because it doesn’t want to spend the energy on it when the body is in fight-or-flight mode; so it can be very difficult to recover from an injury, or even to repair the effects of having your neck or back muscles constantly tensed from the elevated cortisol levels in the first place. Lastly — and this is really a doozy — cortisol can actually break down the ligaments in your body which hold your joints together, thus leading to all kinds of joint misalignment problems and injuries.
Candida Yeast Infections:
Yeast infections can arise either from (a) taking a prolonged course of antibiotics that kill the good bacteria in the intestinal tract along with the other bacteria you are infected with, or (b) from intestinal tract inflammation which also kills the good intestinal bacteria. The yeast cells are hardier that some of the other bacteria and a debilitated intestinal tract provide them an environment to thrive in.
Unfortunately, the yeast also thrives on sugar and will cause you to crave sugar, which can result in a craving for sugar and carbohydrates, weight gain, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), fatigue, and diabetes.
Depression:
Unbalanced levels of cortisol, either too high or too low, alter the activity and chemistry of the brain and can result in depression. Of equal importance, 99% of the chemicals (neurotransmitters such as serotonin) that determine your mood are made in the intestinal tract from the food you eat, and only 1% of them are made in your brain. So if your intestinal tract is inflamed and unable to function normally, you may not be able to make enough of these chemicals to keep your mood stable.
Diabetes:
Fight-or-flight requires a lot of energy, which means you want a lot of glucose or sugar to be available to your muscles. Cortisol provides this in three ways: first, by causing a breakdown of stored sugar in the liver to be released into the bloodstream; secondly, by lowering insulin production so the circulating sugar can’t be reabsorbed back into the liver; and lastly, by making the receptor sites on cells less sensitive to insulin. The obvious problem here is that if your cortisol level is elevated, you either won’t be able to make or to use your insulin, and you run the risk of becoming diabetic.
Fatigue, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Adrenal Exhaustion:
Cortisol imbalances due to stress and/or inflammation can cause fatigue in several ways.
Because cortisol is designed to keep you alert in times of stress, it can cause insomnia, and the lack of quality sleep will make you tired. Cortisol also suppresses insulin production to keep the sugar available for muscles in a stress response, and can result in low blood sugar, which will also make you fatigued. Lastly, your adrenal glands can ultimately become exhausted from the constant demands placed on them to produce endless amounts of cortisol, usually as a response to chronic inflammation from a poor diet and/or over-use of anti-inflammatory drugs, and they simply wear out and produce too little cortisol, which will also result in fatigue.
This sequence usually results in chronic fatigue syndrome, which manifests many of the symptoms seen in cortisol imbalances including insomnia, depression, food cravings, weight gain, and muscle and joint pain.
Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Autoimmune Disease:
Autoimmune diseases all have one thing in common, which is that something has triggered the immune system to attack one type of tissue in the body. With fibromyalgia it is the muscles; in rheumatoid arthritis it’s the joints; in thyroiditis it’s the thyroid; and so on. This is the physiological equivalent of ‘friendly fire’.
Two potential scenarios for this immune system mistake can involve high cortisol levels and/or intestinal inflammation. In one, high cortisol levels rob the immune cells of a chemical that helps them tell foreign cells (e.g., bacteria and viruses) apart from the body’s own cells. The second is through leaky gut syndrome, where poorly-digested bits of protein leak out of pinholes in the intestinal wall and trigger an immune response.
Leaky gut syndrome comes after a prolonged period of intestinal tract inflammation, which causes a rise in cortisol. Add to this the combined effect of an over-worked immune system and immune cells deprived of the chemical that identifies foreign cells from the body’s own cells, and you have a perfect setting for an autoimmune attack.
Food Cravings:
Because cortisol is meant to suppress insulin production and lower our cells’ sensitivity to insulin so that sugar is available to the muscles for a stress response, excess cortisol will cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate. Since the brain’s primary fuel is sugar in the form of glucose, any imbalance in blood sugar will cause you to crave sweets and carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, potatoes, and pastries. In addition, when the adrenal glands are busy producing cortisol in response to stress and/or inflammation, they cannot adequately fulfill some of their other functions, such as producing aldosterone, a hormone that regulates the body’s mineral content. This means you might be low on magnesium, which will make you crave chocolate, or salt, which will make you crave chips, olives, or other salty processed foods.
Heart Disease:
In a fight-or-flight situation, you definitely want a lot of oxygenated blood available to your muscles, so cortisol will appropriately raise your blood pressure. Unfortunately, even when the cortisol is elevated because of inflammation rather than the need to outrun a charging rhinoceros, you will still end up with high blood pressure, and the constant pounding of the blood against the walls of the blood vessels can result in a heart attack or a stroke.
Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar):
This occurs when high levels of cortisol are suppressing the body’s production of insulin and you can’t absorb the sugars and carbohydrates you are eating, thus resulting in low blood sugar. The symptoms of this are fatigue, headaches, mood swings and irritability, as well as a craving for more sugar, which can in turn cause weight gain and, ultimately, diabetes.
Immune System Disorders:
When your body is stressed and in fight-or-flight mode, it doesn’t want to expend any energy for immune system functions that are of no importance until you’ve either fought off or run away from whatever is endangering you. After the stress is over, the body assumes you may have some injuries which require an immune response to fight infected wounds, at which point the immune system kicks in again. But as long as your body is producing cortisol, even if it is just in response to inflammation, the immune system can become suppressed.
Experiments have shown that cortisol can reduce white blood cell production by 38%, and that prolonged elevation of cortisol can damage the thymus gland which produces these immune cells.
Insomnia:
Cortisol has its own circadian (daily) rhythm, and should be at its highest level in the morning when we are waking up and getting started with our day; by night time it should be very low. One of cortisol’s functions is to keep us very alert in times of danger, so high levels of cortisol at night will cause insomnia.
There are two types of insomnia. In the first, you have trouble falling asleep because the cortisol levels are already too high; in the second, you fall asleep but then wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep. This second type occurs because either the elevated level of cortisol has lowered your blood sugar too much (see Diabetes), or it’s time for your body to repair connective tissue and it realizes that the intestinal tract is inflamed and it produces cortisol in response to the inflammation.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcers, and Colitis:
One of the first known effects of prolonged stress was the discovery that it would cause ulcers in rats; this was proved by Hans Selye in the 1930’s. Cortisol adversely affects the intestinal tract in two ways.
First, high cortisol levels shift the nervous system away from digestive function, since you won’t be eating and running or fighting at the same time (unless you are Mike Tyson eating your opponent’s ears). Secondly, cortisol impairs the body’s ability to repair itself because it doesn’t want to spend the energy on this activity when it needs it for the stress response. The end result is a progressive thinning and wearing away of the intestinal lining. So we have a double whammy: an inflamed intestinal tract lining from a poor diet and too many anti-inflammatory drugs, which is then aggravated by having your body produce still more cortisol in response to the intestinal inflammation.
Leaky Gut Syndrome:
After a prolonged period of intestinal tract inflammation and elevated levels of cortisol, the intestinal lining becomes so debilitated that microscopic pinholes occur, allowing bacterial, poorly-digested bits of protein, and hormones such as estrogen and progesterone to leak out of the intestinal wall. This will result in a response by the immune system as it tries to deal with the bacteria and figure out what the bits of protein are, and can cause some serious hormone imbalances as the hormones that were supposed to be eliminated in a bowel movement are now circulating throughout the body, where they can attach to hormone receptor sites on the breasts, ovaries, and uterus.
This endless cascade of high estrogen and progesterone can over stimulate the receptor sites on these cells and possibly trigger cancer.
Low Sex Drive:
Unbalanced cortisol levels either due to chronic stress and/or intestinal tract inflammation are bound to lead to a lower level of sexual energy, desire, and performance. There are several reasons for this.
Because your adrenal glands are so consumed with making cortisol, they will either get lazy about producing sex hormones or, more likely, your production of sex hormones will become suppressed because sex and fight-or-flight don’t match up very well. If your body is in stress response mode, stopping to have sex is no more likely to happen than if you were running or fighting for your life – which is exactly what your body is getting ready to do when cortisol levels rise. And since unbalanced cortisol levels can also cause insomnia, depression, and fatigue, the likelihood of feeling perky and sexy is also pretty slim.
Pre-Menstrual Syndrome, Menopause, Estrogen and Progesterone Imbalances:
Because cortisol production in response to stress and inflammation is such a high priority for your body, the adrenal glands will steal away much of the substance that is the essential building block for all hormone synthesis (pregnenalone). This means that while your adrenal glands are busy making all this cortisol, you can’t adequately make other hormones, which can lead to all kinds of imbalances.
Another problem is that if you have leaky gut syndrome, the excess hormones that your liver has processed and shipped to the intestinal tract to be expelled in a bowel movement are leaking out through the damaged intestinal tract lining (Leaky gut syndrome), and these active hormones will attach to the hormone receptors in breast, ovary and uterine cells, causing unbalanced activity in these tissues.
Thyroid Disorders:
This has to be one of the most misunderstood disorders in the history of health care, and most attempts at treatment seek to alter symptoms instead of targeting possible causes.
Elevated levels of cortisol in response to stress and/or inflammation can affect thyroid gland function in several ways. For the thyroid gland to work properly it must receive a message from the pituitary gland and then make hormone conversions to produce a hormone, called T3, which must go to the liver before it can become useable. High cortisol levels can both alter pituitary function and prevent the conversion of thyroid hormone, so thyroid function can be compromised on either end of the process.
Far more overlooked is the fact that even if the thyroid hormone makes it to the liver intact to be further processed and released as a useable hormone, the liver ships 20% of the thyroid hormone to the intestinal tract in a deactivated form, where it becomes reactivated. So, you will be 20% low on thyroid hormone (a condition known as hypothyroidism), if the intestinal tract is inflamed, dysfunctional, and unable to reactivate the thyroid hormone, you will be.
The symptoms of low thyroid function are fatigue, feeling cold especially in the hands and feet, and depression. By not accounting for the 20% loss of thyroid hormone due to intestinal dysfunction, millions of women are being told by their doctors that their thyroid hormone levels are fine even though they have these symptoms, because their blood tests only show the level of thyroid hormone before it gets to the liver to be processed.
Weight Gain:
This goes hand and hand with the blood sugar problem of cortisol and diabetes, because the brain’s primary fuel is glucose or sugar. If you are not able to metabolize sugar properly, your brain will demand that you eat more foods that have sugar in them to feed itself. So now you are eating high-calorie carbohydrate foods that often are high in fat, and you will gain weight. Equally bad is the fact that these types of food cause systemic inflammation and the further production.
Try Our Stress Test
Our Stress Quiz
The Austrian scientist Dr Hans Selye is considered to this day, the world authority on stress, and he worked closely with Dr Bekhman the theories of ‘adaptive stress. He devised numerous tests, but this is a summary of day-to-day stressors.
Try it – be honest in your answers.
Do you wake up feeling tired in the morning?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you get upset easily?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you feel overwhelmed, even at small tasks?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you have mood swings?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you get tired after lunch?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you eat compulsively, especially after dinner?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you crave sugars, arbohydrates or alcohol?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you crave chocolate frequently?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you carve salty foods?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you gain weight easily?
No | Yes
Do you carry weight around your abdomen, even if you have thin arms and legs?
No | Yes
Do you have trouble falling, or staying asleep?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you need coffee in the morning to get going?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you get sad or depressed easily?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you feel cold easily?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Do you get sick/colds frequently?
No | Yes
Is your sex drive low?
No | Yes
Do you have digestive problems, like bloating, or diarrhea?
No | Occasionally | Yes
Does your lower back “go out” easily?
No | Yes
Do your neck muscles frequently feel tight?
No | Yes
Do you get headaches frequently?
No | Yes
Do you have low, or high blood pressure?
No | Yes
Do you have high cholesterol?
No | Yes
The secret behind the science
The secret behind the science
• Adaptogens
• Background and evidence
• Research on Adaptogens
Background and Evidence
Studies on the entirely natural Rhaponticum carthamoides extract have shown that it is safe and helps the body achieve a wide spectrum of positive biological actions, including the ability to aid the body in the synthesis of protein. Scientific studies revealed that Rhaponticum carthamoides extract, when included in the diet, has pronounced tonic and adaptogenic effects, increasing dynamic work capacity, activating sexual behaviour, and improving adaptive abilities with respect to environmental stresses. Rhaponticum carthamoides extract has a fundamentally different mechanism of action and does not cause the androgenic, thymolytic, antigonadotropic effects inherent in anabolic steroids.
Studies conducted in seven clinics in Moscow, Kiev, and Leningrad revealed that Rhaponticum carthamoides extract significantly improves the physical and mental state of patients, enhances the general tone, increases work capacity, and increases body weight during conditions of decreased nourishment caused by protein synthesis disorders. Its anabolic properties caused a normalization of body weight among the subjects. Moreover, Rhaponticum carthamoides extract had a positive influence on the metabolic indicators of the cardiac muscle. In no case were side effects noted. Moreover, no negative influences were noted on the functions of either the adrenal cortex or the endocrine glands.
Rhaponticum carthamoides extract has been extensively studied on athletes to better understand its important affect on physical performance. In experiments with 112 athletes, 89 percent of those receiving Rhaponticum carthamoides extract displayed a more rapid passing of fatigue, less apathy after physical work, and improved performance in sports such as track and field athletics, swimming, speed skating, and ski racing. The speed and strength qualities of the tested athletes were all significantly improved in comparison with the control group which received a placebo. The study confirmed the effectiveness of Rhaponticum carthamoides extract on physical rehabilitative processes in that a more rapid normalization of lactic and uric acid occurred in the tested subjects.
After taking Rhaponticum carthamoides extract, 69 percent of the subjects displayed accelerated adaptation to climatic and social conditions, 86 percent displayed an improved appetite, and 78 percent registered a significant increase in adaptation to intense physical work loads. Additionally, a comparison experiment was conducted with commonly known anabolic steroids. The Rhaponticum carthamoides’ effect was comparable to that of the steroid compounds yet the former had none of the negative affects on the function of the adrenal cortex. The androgenic effects of anabolic steroids and their accompanying side effects were not revealed in the Rhaponticum carthamoides extract.
Based on in depth studies, Russian scientists, researchers, and trainers have recommended Rhaponticum carthamoides in many areas of athletics for improving speed and strength abilities, as well as for enhancing the muscular functions. Since it actively influences the metabolic processes in the organs and tissues, the Rhaponticum carthamoides extract is effective for preventing and eliminating the myocardial over-tension associated with physical exercise. This greatly contributes to the recovery processes after physical work. Many laboratory studies have shown the anabolic affects of Rhaponticum carthamoides, including the capacity to increase body weight by improving the muscle fat ratio, to increase haemoglobin and erythrocyte levels, to raise the total level of protein content in the blood, and to reduce the build up of uric acid. The proven net result of this nutrient is that the body’s muscle building processes outpace the muscle breakdown processes, leading to greater fitness, endurance, and performance.
All of the above factors indicate that the Rhaponticum carthamoides extract will, by positively changing the protein balance in athletes, increase the mass of contractive muscle fibres as the result of workloads, and prevent an unwanted decrease in muscle mass caused by a decrease in training activity. This greatly helps competitive athletic performance by supporting the level of physical training even during the periods of lower activity which precede competitions (tapering).
Rhaponticum carthamoides extract is the core ingredient in Prime Plus. The other components in Prime Plus are a group of natural proteins and vitamins blended to provide maximum energy building processes. Protein preparations have long been used as part of the diet of athletes. Such preparations directly influence the synthesis of muscle protein, providing for the development of strength and speed/strength qualities. The vitamin complex in Prime Plus is also vital for speeding the recovery processes after physical exercise.
One important study was conducted at the National Research Institute of Sport in Moscow, Russia, the primary organization providing sports research and development support to the Soviet and now Russian Olympic teams. A natural protein substance was used in combination with Rhaponticum carthamoides extract. The protein preparation was known from previous in depth studies to favourably influence the muscle fat ratio as well as work capacity among athletes. In the combined study it was found that taking Rhaponticum carthamoides extract and proteins was optimal to achieve the highest increase in work capacity in athletes.
The results of the study revealed the pronounced affect of the protein supplement in preventing a decrease in muscle mass, which is a natural result of intensive training. Moreover, taking the protein in combination with Rhaponticum carthamoides extract resulted in a reliable accrual of muscle tissue and a significant decrease in the fat content. In spite of the strong anabolic action of the Rhaponticum carthamoides preparation, no side effects were noted in any of the test subjects, confirming the safety of the products.
In studies conducted on Prime Plus, its favourable effect on work capacity, the muscle fat ratio, and the rehabilitative process were demonstrated. For example, an increase in the muscle component and a decrease in the fat tissue were observed after taking Rhaponticum carthamoides extract. After taking Prime Plus a more favourable improvement in the muscle fat ratio was noted. There were no changes in the hormonal sexual state in relation to the level of testosterone and epitestosterone, after taking Prime Plus, indicating the safety of the product. In one study on a group of marathon runners, aged 51 68 years, the use of Prime Plus proved vital to the facilitation of training. Usually, long distance runners can suffer from a loss of muscle tissue as a result of their exhaustive regimens. However, Prime Plus enabled them to train even more intensely, while building muscle weight and decreasing the fat tissue.
What follows is a summation of specific actions attributed to adaptogenic plants contained in Prime 1 and Prime Plus. These descriptions are taken from in depth studies, many of which are identified on the following pages. The citations listed in the bibliography represent a few among the thousands of references in world scientific literature on the ingredients in these Prime Products. These selected references are offered as general background to the long standing widespread use and testing of these ingredients and its purpose is solely informational. No medical advice is given or intended by PrimeQuest. If you have a medical condition or health problem you should seek the advice of your own physician or health professional before taking any Prime Products.
Adaptogenic ingredients in Prime Products:
• Eleutherococcus senticosus
• Rhaponticum carthamoides
• Glycyrrhiza uralensis
• Rhodiola rosea
• Schizandra chinensis
• Rosa majalis
• Aralia mandshurica
Stress Protection System
tress is a phenomenon that manifests itself in our bodies in many different ways. Some of the more common symptoms of stress include problems with sleep, depression, anxiety, irritability, and lethargy. Along with the physical symptoms, the body also has more fundamental biological responses to stress. At the cellular level, stress affects our ability to properly transform glucose into energy. Beta‑lipa‑proteins build up and inhibit the passage of energy through the cell walls. This reduced energy level not only affects our ability to perform physical functions, but inhibits the proper function of all the body’s organs – including the brain.
Perhaps the single most important property of adaptogenic plants is their proven ability to combat stress in all forms. Eleutherococcus, the strongest of the adaptogenic plants, increases the body’s resistance to a variety of stressors. Experiments have conclusively demonstrated that Eleutherococcus changes the course of the primary physiological indicators of stress by reducing the activation of the adrenal cortex. Rhodiola rosea leads to an increase in the amount of basic b‑endorphin in the blood plasma which inhibits the hormonal changes indicative of stress. Research by the following scientists shows that adaptogens, which are an integral part of the Prime Product formulation, allow the body to more ably cope with stress, whether it is daily, extreme, acute, or chronic.
Researchers I.I. Brekhman O.I. KirillovY. Ikeya H. TaguchiL.R. Galushkina E.V. KryukovskayaN. Takasugi T. Moriguchi T. Fuwa N. Singh S.I. Chernysh H. Kinoshita Yu. B. Lishmanov N. Nishiyama S. Sanada |
Institutes Institute of Biologically Active Substances Siberian Department of the USSR Academy of Sciences Vladivostok, RussiaTsumura Laboratory Ibaragi, JapanI.M. Sechenov First Moscow Medical Institute Moscow, RussiaCentral Institute of Wakunaga Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Hiroshima, Japan Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics Leningrad University Higashi Nippon Gakuen University Lab. Radionucl. Method Experimental Station for Medicinal Plant Studies Department of Pharmacognosy |
Immune System
Studies show that the adaptogenic extracts included in the unique formula for Prime 1 render vital support to the immune system. For example, in one study of healthy volunteers, a general enhancement of the activation state of T‑lymphocyte was observed after administering Eleutherococcus. T‑lymphocyte cells are also called “killer cells” because they attack and destroy various viruses. Another study revealed that Eleutherococcus extract augments the phagocytic activity of the peripheral blood leukocytes and favours the reduction of pathological flora on the surface of the skin, indicating an increase in the body’s non‑specific resistance. The effect of adaptogens, manifested by their ability to induce the formation of endogenic interferon (intracellular development of basic anti‑viral proteins), reveals essential aspects of their control over the immune and non‑specific mechanisms which protect the body from viruses. Adaptogens exert a strong immunomodulatory influence in health test subjects and can be considered non‑specific immunostimulants.
Researchers Institutes
E. Lodemann University of Frankfort on Main
A. Wacker Germany
J. Lutomski Institut f. Helpflanzebforschung
P. Gorecki Poznan, Poland
J. Hajasa Pommorsche Medizinische Akademie
Szczecin, Poland
V.M. Elkin All‑Union Research
N.G. Zakharova Institute of Influenza
V.M. Leonov Leningrad, Russia
J.N. Fang Shanghai Institute of Materia Medical Ch. Academy of Sciences Shanghai, China
Bohn Orpegen‑Med.‑Molekularbiol.
C.T. Nebe Federal Republic of Germany
C. Birr
I.N. Lyashenko Dept. of Skin Venereology Vinnitsa, Ukraine
V.I. Kupin USSR Academy of Medical Sciences
E.V. Polevaya Moscow, Russia
A.M. Sorokin
M.S. Kim College of Pharmacology
N.G. Lee Seoul National University Seoul, South Korea
H. Wagner Institute of Pharmacology and Biology
A. Proksch University of Munich Munich, Germany
Physical Work Capacity
Research institutions have discovered that adaptogens are vital for enhancing a person’s capacity for physical workloads. Adaptogens have been widely used in studies with workers in professions involving intense physical work strain. They significantly improve bodily functions, by enhancing the body’s ability to perform physical tasks and to recover after strenuous physical activity. In tests on 655 healthy men, all of whom were employed as flight personnel (pilots, navigators, radio operators), Eleutherococcus, Aralia, and Schizandra accelerated recovery processes following tiresome flight schedules. The subjects’ physiological state improved significantly within three hours of a flight to levels even higher than prior to the flight.
In one long‑range study involving 60 000 people conducted over a 10‑year period at the Volzhsky Automobile Factory in Tolyatti, Russia, absence and disability were reduced by 20 – 30% after taking Eleutherococcus. A 30 – 50% decrease in cases of influenza and a general improvement in health were also noted.
Researchers | Institutes |
---|---|
J. Hancke
G. WikmanA.K. SchezinV.I. Zinkovich L.K. GalanovaP.P. Guhchenko N.K. Fruentov |
Swedish Herbal Institute
Goteborg, SwedenLaboratory of Medical‑Physiological Control Tolyatti, RussiaKhabarovsk Medical Institute Khabarovsk, Russia |
Mental Work Capacity
Along with the research which proved adaptogens’ value for improving physical work, research studies involving various tests of mental acuity have demonstrated that adaptogens also have the ability to increase a person’s mental work capacity. That is, they increase both the amount of mental exercise person can carry out, as well as the quality of that work.
For example, Schizandra chinensis and Rhaponticum carthamoides exerted a strong simulative influence among test subjects who displayed great improvement in reading comprehension, aptitude, and speed.Rhodiola rosea and Aralia mandshurica enhance a person’s ability for memorization and prolonged concentration. In proofreading tests, after taking Rhodiola extract, a decrease in the quantity of mistakes was observed in 88% of the experimental group, while an increase in the quantity of mistakes was observed in 54% of the control group.
Eleutherococcus senticosus, the “King” of the adaptogens, has been shown to increase mental capacity by improving reflex action, attention span, and the precision of performed work. Improvement in hearing, eyesight, and motor co-ordination was also additional benefit noted in these studies.
Researchers Institutes
A.A. Lebedev Far East Scientific Centre of the USSR Academy of Sciences
V.V. Kazakevich Vladivostok, Russia
V.D. Linderbraten
L.V. Turbina
V. Petkov Institute of Physiology
D. Yonkov Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
A. Mosharoff Sofia, Bulgaria
M.A. Gerasyuta Scientific‑Research
T.N. Koval Institute of Sea Transport Hygiene
Leningrad, Russia
A.S. Saratikov Tomsk Medical Institute
E.A. Krasnov Tomsk, Russia
P.P. Gubchenko Khabarovsk Medical Institute
N.K. Fruentov Khabarovsk, Russia
R.Yu. Il’uchenok Institute of Physiology
S.R. Chaplygina Novosibirsk, Russia
Performance, Endurance and Rehabilitation
Adaptogens provide the basis through which people can build up an energy reserve to be tapped when the body needs it most – under extreme physical tension and during recovery from fatigue. Test subjects administered adaptogenic extracts rapidly displayed improved indicators of energy and endurance, and athletes were able to improve greatly the results of their athletic endeavours.
In one study, under exhaustive muscle workloads, it was revealed that Rhodiola extract increased the activity of proteolytic enzymes and also significantly increased the level of protein and RNA in the skeletal muscles.
In another study involving a college baseball team, it was revealed that all four parameters of work capacity (including VO2 max, O2 pulse max, total work and exhaustion time) showed significantly larger increases when Eleutherococcus was administered than when the subjects were given a placebo. After administering Schizandra in an experiment on 140 athletes, 74% of the test subjects obtained their best results in a 3 000 metre run.
Observations were also conducted on weightlifters, wrestlers, and gymnasts. Based on the data obtained, it was concluded that Eleutherococcus extract increased physical work capacity, decreased fatigue and improved the general mental and physical state of the test subjects.In an experiment on healthy male athletes, adaptogen administration induced a 64% increase in work endurance, while a higher rate of cases with reduced blood lactate and consistently lower blood pressure was also recorded.
A study of people performing physical labour revealed that when Eleutherococcus, Rhaponticum carthamoides, and Rhodiola were administered, all test subjects showed an improvement in their general physical and mental states. There was also an improvement in functional indicators (pulse, arterial pressure, vital capacity, back muscle strength, hand endurance under static tension, co-ordination of movement) and a reduction in the duration of the recovery period in all test subjects.Through extensive experiments on swimmers, skiers, and other athletes, scientists around the world have reliably demonstrated the value of adaptogens for increasing stamina and accelerating the recovery processes after physical exertion.
Researchers Institutes
E. Ahumada Laboratorio de Farmacologia
J. Hermosilla Universidad Austral de Chile
Valdivia, Chile
V. Wyss Inst. Med. Sport A. M.
G.P. Ganzit Di Giorgio
A. Rienzi Torino, Italy
A.E. Bulanov Vladivostok Medical Institute
A.A. Sheparev Vladivostok, Russia
T.M. Agapova
K. Asano Institute of Health & Sports Sciences
T. Takahashi Tsukuba University
M. Miayshita Ibaraki, Japan
M. Kuboyama Medical Research Laboratories
H. Kuo Tokyo, Japan
B.N. Blokhin Institute of Physical Culture
Moscow, Russia
L. McNaughton Tasmanian State Institute of’ Technology
G. Egan Centre for Physical Education
G. Caelli Australia
Normalizing Effect
The adaptogenic ingredients of Prime 1 and Prime Plus have an important normalizing effect on all bodily functions. In studies of an icebreaker’s crew on extended Arctic voyage, after 4 months of sailing, Rhaponticum extract had a normalizing effect on the central nervous and cardiovascular systems, leading to improved sleep, appetite, mood, general mental and physical state, and general enhancement of the functional ability of humans under working conditions.
In experiments simulating the effects of extreme changes in altitude on mountain rescue workers, the normalizing action of adaptogens on metabolic disorders occurring under such conditions was revealed. According to the data, adaptogens have a normalizing action on the synthesis of RNA during stress. Adaptogens also contribute to the normalization of protein, vitamin, and water‑salt metabolism. Extremes in bodily functions like high cholesterol, low haemoglobin levels, irregular sugar contents, and abnormal blood pressure may be normalized with the support of adaptogens, which activate and regulate normal and efficient blood circulation. At the same time, the use of adaptogens in no way disrupts the function of these bodily systems.
Researchers Institutes
G.N. Bezdetko Department of Physiology and Pharmacology of Adaptation
Institute of Marine Biology
Vladivostok, Russia
E.M. Mikaelyan Department of Bioorganic and Biological Chemistry
A.B. Aphrikyan Erevan Medical Institute
Erevan, Armenia
V.V. Berdyshev Vladivostok Medical Institute
Vladivostok, Russia
M.A. Gerasyuta Scientific‑Research Institute of Sea
T.N. Koval Transport Hygiene
S.A. Keyzer Leningrad, Russia
S.A. Brandis Mountain Rescue Laboratory
V.N. Pilovitskaya Donetsk, Ukraine
Anti oxidant and Anti ageing
As a part of their normal function, body cells make toxic molecules called free radicals – each molecule is missing an electron. Because the free‑radical molecule “wants” its full electron complement, it reacts with any molecule from which it can take an electron. When the free radical takes an electron from certain key components in the cell, such as fat, protein, or DNA molecules, it damages the cell in a process known as oxidation. In addition to free radicals that occur naturally in the body, they also occur as the result of environmental influences. These influences may include ultraviolet radiation or air‑borne pollutants such as cigarette smoke – both of which contribute to cell oxidation and may accelerate the ageing process.
Antioxidants, or oxidation inhibitors, that occur naturally in the human body and in certain foods may block some of this damage by donating electrons to stabilize and neutralize the harmful effects of the free radicals. Adaptogens also possess an antioxidant action. Based on biochemical analyses, adaptogens cause a reliable decrease in total cholesterol and b‑lipoproteids, and increase the level of hydrophilic and lipid antioxidants in the blood. In studies by Japanese scientists, it was found that Gomisin N (a component isolated from Schizandra fruit) is a more active antioxidant than dl‑a tocopherol (vitamin E).
Researchers Institutes
S. Toda Laboratory of Chemistry
M. Kimura Kansai College of Acupuncture Medicine
M. Ohnishi Japan
Y. Ikeya Tsumura Laboratory
H. Taguchi Ibaragi, Japan
H. Mitsuhashi
S.I. Chernysh Institute of Biology of the Leningrad University
Leningrad, Russia
O.N. Voskresensky Poltava Medical Institute
T.A. Devyatkina Poltava, Ukraine
Non Specific resistance
Adaptogens increase the body’s non‑specific resistance to the harmful influence of various physical factors, such as, cooling, overheating, enhanced motor activity, increased or decreased barometric pressure, and ultraviolet or ionising radiation. Adaptogens have also been shown to increase the body’s resistance to the harmful influence of both chemical and biological natures (various toxins, narcotics, hormones, foreign serums, bacteria, etc.).
Many facts concerning this kind of universal defence action have been obtained for adaptogens. In observations on sailors in the tropics, it was revealed that in 70 ‑ 75% of the test subjects, Eleutherococcus decreased the manifestation of unfavourable changes in the central nervous system, thermoregulation, and hemodynamics (changes associated with the process of adaptation to an environment for which the human body is unaccustomed). Eleutherococcus also contributed to an increase in physical and mental work capacity, alleviation of tension in the function of the adrenal glands, and improvement in the functional state of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
In another study on female vegetable farmers, the body’s resistance to harmful environmental factors increased, the general physical and mental state improved, and work productivity increased by 23.5% after taking Eleutherococcus. Eleutherococcus also contributed to better recovery after intense physical work.Adaptogens also possess an anti‑alcoholic action, decreasing the desire for alcohol. In one observation involving 148 people, the favourable anti‑alcoholic action of Eleutherococcus was noted in 73% of the test subjects in the experimental group.
Researchers Institutes
V.V. Berdyshev Vladivostok Medical Institute
Vladivostok, Russia
A.E. Bulanov Department of Physiology and Pharmacology of the
M.I. Polozhentseva Institute of Marine Biology
Vladivostok, Russia
S.A. Nikitin Volgograd Medical Institute
T.A. Orobinskaya Volgograd, Russia
T.N. Serkacheva
Ehud Ben‑Hur Nuclear Research Centre
Beer‑Sheva, Israel
Cardionvascular System
Adaptogenic extracts have a favourable influence on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, providing important support for people carrying out physical workloads. For example, athletes receiving Aralia mandshurica and working out heavily experienced a lower demand on the cardiovascular system. In another observation of shift workers in the Siberian gas industry, the favourable influence of Eleutherococcus on the dynamics of the cardiovascular system and its protective effects during severe climatic and working conditions were also registered. Adaptogens render a marked cardio-protective effect during painful emotional stress, contributing to a reduction in the adrenore-activity of the heart and the degree of stress damage to the myocardium.
Researchers Institutes
M.L. Kolomievsky Second Medical Institute
N.I. Pirogov Moscow, Russia
L.G. Khetagorova Department of Pathology and Physiology
Yu. A. Romanov N.I. Pirogov Medical Institute
Moscow, Russia
Z. Yongxin National Institute for Pharmaceutical Control of Biological Products
Y. Kedong Beijing, China
Yu. B. Lishmanov Lab. Radionucl. Method
L.V. Maslova Res. All‑Union Cardiol Sci. Centre
Tomsk, Russia
T.N. Afanas’eva Minsk Medical Institute
A.A. Krivchik Minsk, Byelorussia
D.I. Dyakov Khabarovsk Medical Institute
Khabarovsk, Russia
A.P. Shornikov Laboratory of Medical‑Biological Problems of the Far North
S.V. Sokolov Surgut, Russia
Cancer, AIDS and Eleutherococcus
Eleutherococcus senticosus (often referred to as “Siberian ginseng”), belonging to the family Araliaceae, is a distant relative of Korean or Chinese ginseng (Panax ginseng). Eleutherococcus was originally used by people in the Siberian Taiga region to increase performance and quality of life and decrease infections.Based on this historical use, Eleutherococcus became the focus of clinical research in Russia during the last three decades. Today, more that 1 000 papers have been published on Eleutherococcus (primarily in Russian) and current estimates indicate that approximately 5 million people in the USSR use Eleutherococcus on a daily basis.
The primary reason for the widespread use of Eleutherococcus in Russia and its growing use here in the United States, is its ability to act as an “adaptogen”. This term, which was coined by the Russian scientists Drs Brekhman and I.V. Dardymov, describes the plant’s ability to increase resistance to stress and provide a balancing effect regardless of the direction of the condition – either excess or deficiency.
This action is based on the ability of the active components of Eleutherococcus to concentrate in the adrenal glands and support their function during times of stress. This has made Eleutherococcus particularly useful for persons under considerable daily stress – both mental and physical. Its ability to increase endurance has also made it part of the daily supplement routine of many Russian athletes.
Support for Cancer patients
Among the more clinically applicable findings in Russia with regard to Eleutherococcus has been its value as a supportive tool in the treatment of cancer. Several oncology institutes in the U.S.S.R. have reported success in improving the general health of patients with cancer and reducing the chances of metastasis (the development of secondary tumors). Even more dramatic was the ability of Eleuthero-coccus to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy in cancer patients.
One study, carried out at the Institute of Oncology in Georgia (USSR) examined the effects of daily oral supplementation of 2 cc of liquid, Eleutherococcus extract in women with a diagnosis of breast cancer. A group of 80 patients was chosen, all of whom had gone through surgery for their cancer and were receiving both chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Half the woman received the Eleutherococcus extract while the other group received no additional treatment. The patients in the Eleutherococcus group showed a significant reduction in the side effects to the radiation and chemotherapeutic treatments (i.e. nausea, dizziness, loss of appetite). The reduction in side effects to standard cancer therapy allows for higher doses of these agents to be used in difficult cases. Similar results and also a long term improvement in appetite as well as enhanced healing time were found by Dr T.M. Khatishvill in his study using Eleutherococcus with oral cancer patients.
In addition to its supportive use in cancer therapy, Eleutherococcus had also been shown to be useful adjunct in hastening the cure of chronic conditions such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Following serious operations, it has also been shown to hasten healing time, reduce complications and shorten the length of the hospital stay.
Prevention of Viral Illness
Popular definition of Eleutherococcus as a stimulant and anti-stress agent, has clouded the growing evidence of its usefulness in the prevention of viral illness. Several studies in Russia (summarized in a paper by Dr Brekhman entitled, “Eleutherococcus: 20 years of research and clinical appli-cation”, presented May 29, 1980 at the 1st International Symposium on Eleutherococcus in Hamburg) have indicated that the use of Eleutherococcus greatly reduced the incidence of influenza and colds. In the winter of 1972 – 1973, over 1 000 workers of the Norlisk mining and smelting plant received Eleutherococcus on a daily basis. When compared to co-workers not receiving the extract, they demonstrated a greater than two-fold reduction in the incidence of influenza and acute respiratory disease.
Drs M.P. Zykov and S.F. Protasova of the Research Institute of Influenza in Leningrad have actually suggested the Eleutherococcus either be used in combination with influenza vaccinations of by itself in the prevention of influenza – particularly in high-risk populations. Also noted was a decrease in post vaccination reactions in persons supplemented with the extract. The use of Eleutherococcus appears to enhance the body’s immune response to viral attack and thus is a sensible adjunct during cold and flu season.
Immunomodulating Properties
Expanding of the adaptogenic and antiviral properties of Eleutherococcus, is new evidence (see 1987 study below) which suggests that the extract has the ability to selectively increase important components of the immune system known as lymphocytes. Lymphocytes act as the bodies primary defense against viral infection and have become the focus of study particularly with regard to HIV (human immune deficiency virus) infection. Recent research has focused on agents which possess the ability to enhance certain subsets of lymphocytes. These agents have been coined “Immunomodulators”. Eleutherococcus and Astragalus (a Chinese herb) are two identified immunomodulators from the plant kingdom.
A German clinical study (Arzheim-Forsch Drug Res, 1987) served to introduce Eleutherococcus as an immunomodulator. Thirty-six healthy volunteers participated in a double-blind study in which half the group received Eleutherococcus and the other half placebo. The study measured lymphocyte activity in the two groups. The researchers found that the Eleutherococcus group showed a general enhancement of the activation of T-Lymphocytes (i.e. T-cells) and more specifically a marked increase in T-lymphocytes of the helper inducer type. Also known as “CD4 cells”, T-helper lymphocytes trigger the body’s immune response against infection. Without them, the rest of the immune system cannot function properly. It is interesting to note that the T-lymphocytes of the helper inducer type are specifically those that decreased significantly in HIV-infection and the progression to AIDS.
The authors of this study conclude, “In view of the most recent state of knowledge, one might speculate about a positive effect of Eleutherococcus in very early stages of HIV (AIDS virus) infection by preventing or retarding the spread of the virus, mediated by a synergistic action of elevated numbers of helper and cylotoxic T-cells.”
Use in the HIV-infection
Ultimately their conclusion did not go unnoticed Dr N. Weger, a medical doctor and researcher in Germany, had a long history of work with the liquid Eleutherococcus extract used in the Russian studies.
While working with the liquid Eleutherococcus extract, Dr Weger also became aware of another medicine which was approved for use with cancer patients in Germany. This medicine is a natural glandular extract consisting of highly refined polypeptides. The poly-peptide extract had shown the ability to increase lymphocytes, reverse weight loss and increase subjective well-being in cancer patients with depressed immune systems.
Dr Weger postulated that the combination of the liquid Eleutherococcus extract and the polypeptide extract would be beneficial for AIDS patients. Since both substances had been shown to be virtually non-toxic, he set about testing the combination in HIV-infected patients.
The combination product was administered to five HIV-infected individuals for four to eight weeks. The results found significant increases in T-helper lymphocyte (CD4 cells) counts averaging 95%! All of the patients showed improved subjective well-being, weight gain, and elimination of diarrhea and respiratory congestion. No side effects were experienced. One patient actually showed a 20 pound weight gain in eight weeks after significant weight loss over the preceding months prior to the study. The combination product was tested during an 18 monthly trail in Tanzania with a larger population of HIV-infected patients. The results of this study were equally impressive.
Thanks to the work and insight of Dr Weger, the combination of Eleutherococcus and the polypeptide extract are being used successfully by several individuals with HIV-infection in this country and abroad. Clinical research continues both in the United States and Africa. The combination product has also found applications with cancer patients as well as individuals suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Thus, while historical application and Russian research point to Eleutherococcus as one of our most effective tools against stress and viral illness, new research has opened the door for its use with populations with chronic illness. It is important to note that the extract used in the Russian studies and later in Dr Weger’s work is a liquid extract of Eleutherococcus. Eleutherococcus senticosus, as opposed to Korean or Chinese ginseng (Panax ginseng) can be safely taken by woman without interference of their menstrual cycles or masculinizing effects. When possible, individuals with cancer, HIV-infection, or chronic fatigue syndrome should opt for the combination of the liquid Eleutherococcus and the polypeptides extract.
Dr Donald Brown is a naturopathic physician practicing in Seattle, Washington.
Eyesight, Colour Perception, Hearing, and Vestibular Functions
The adaptogenic plants which comprise the fundamental ingredients of Prime Products have been shown through extensive laboratory study and clinical trials to support and improve the function of the sensory organs.
In one study, 111 205 physiological tests were conducted to reveal the influence of Eleutherococcus on members of railroad locomotive brigades. The test subjects experienced improved general physical and mental states, increased endurance, improved headache alleviation and prevention, and decreased irritability, which is often associated with this high stress occupation. The use of Eleutherococcus also led to improved vision, including increased chromatic stability, improved spectral and contrast sensitivity, improved colour differentiation, and increased long distance signal visibility – all of which are crucial to the safety and effectiveness of people in this occupation.
In another study on 156 people exposed to industrial noise, after taking Eleutherococcus, all the participants reported a marked improvement in their general physical and mental condition, an increase in productivity, an alleviation or complete elimination of ringing in the ears, and an improvement in general hearing ability. In yet another study on 65 healthy individuals, mainly air, sea, rail, and automobile commuters or employees, using Eleutherococcus extract led to alleviation or elimination of discomfort for those suffering from motion sickness and the general discomforts associated with travel.
Schizandra proves particularly valuable for sharpening the eyesight, while Aralia reliably improves perceptual acuity in skill tests. In wide trials, these natural substances have proven to be extremely valuable for professionals whose occupations bring heavy demands on the eyes, ears, and other senses. In every study, among pilots, machine operators, astronauts, and factory workers, the sensory functions have shown significant improvement under the influence of the various adaptogens.
Researchers Institutes
E.F. Beburin Institute of Biologically Active Substances of the Far East
Department of the USSR Academy of Science
Vladivostok, Russia
T.L. Sosnova All‑Union Institute of Rail Road Hygiene
Moscow, Russia
M.S. Trusov Far East Central Military Hospital
Khabarovsk, Russia
V.A. Sinovich Khabarovsk Medical Institute
Z.B. Akhmerova Khabarovsk, Russia
Selected Summary of Research
The citations below represent a few among the thousands of references of the world scientific literature to the ingredients of Prime Products. These selected references are offered as general background to the longstanding widespread use and testing of these ingredients and its purpose is solely informational. No medical advice is given or intended by PrimeQuest. If you have a medical condition or health problem you should seek the advice of your own physician or health professional.
- Brekhman, I.I. and O.I. Kirillov. “The Protective Action of Eleutherococcus during Stress.” in: Eleutherococcus and Other Adaptogens from Far East Plants. Vladivostok: Siberian Department of the Academy of Science of the USSR, 1966. 9.
- Williams, Moira. “Eleutherococcus Senticosus: Bridging the Gap between Alternative and Orthodox.” International Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, April 1992.
- Wanlstrom, Mikael. Adaptogens – Nature’s Key to Well Being. Goteborg: Skandinavisk Bok, 1987.
- Brekhman, I.I. Man and Biologically Active Substances. Oxford: Pergamon Press Ltd., 1980.
- Lupandin, A.V. “Adaptation and Rehabilitation in Sports.” Khabarovsk: Institute of Physical Culture, 1991.
- Koloskov, Yu.B., E.V. Kryukovskaya, E.A. Demurov, and A.N. Kudrin. “The Mechanism of the Adaptogenic Effect of Aralia Mandshurica.” Farmatsiya (Moscow) 39 (4), 1990: 75.
- Brekhman, I.I. “What Can Oppose Stress?” in: Adaptation and Adaptogens. Proceeding of the 2nd Symposium: “Processes of Adaptation and Biologically Active Substances” (May 1975). Vladivostok: Far East Scientific Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR, 1977, 81.
- Lupandin, A,V. “Adaptation to Extreme Natural and Technogenic Factors in Trained and Untrained People under the Influence of Adaptogens.” Fiziologia Cheloveka 16 (3), 1990: 114 119.
- Lucas, Richard. “Eleuthero – Health Herb of Russia.” Spokane: R&M Books, 1973.
- Panasyuk, E.N., A.Ya. Sklyarov, O.Ya. Chupashko, and A.A. Bezrukov. “Research on the Influence of the Adaptogens, Eleutherococcus and Aralia, on Work Efficiency under Stress Conditions.” in: Actual Problems of Labour Physiology and Preventive Economics (Theses of Reports at the IXth All Union Conference). M., vol. 3, 90.
- Okushko, V.P., I.K. Lutskaya, and S.P. Reva. “The Influence of Eleutherococcus on Resistance to Tooth Decay.” Paper released by M. Gorky Medical Institute, Donetsk, 1989.
- Brekhman, I.I. Eleutherocossus, Leningrad: Nauka, 1968.
- Saratikov, A.S. “Adaptogenic Actions of Eleutherococcus and Rhodiola Rosea Preparations.” in: Processes of Adaptation and Biologically Active Substances – Proceedings of the Conference (VIadivostok, May 1972). Vladivostok: Far East Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR, 1976.
- Gerasyuta, M.A., and T.N. Koval. “The Experience of Prolonged Use of Leuzea Carthamoides Extract for the Purposes of Preservation and Increase of Mental and Physical Work Capacity.” in: New Data on Eleutherococcus and Other Adaptogens: Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Eleutherococcus (Hamburg, 1980). Vladivostok: Far East Scientific Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR, 1981, 135.
- Brekhman, I.I. “Valeology – The Science of Health.” Moscow: Physical Culture and Sport, 1990.
- Maslova, L.V. “The Cardioprotective Action of Adaptogenic Preparations during Stress.” Paper released by the Scientific Research Institute of Pharmacology of the Tomsk Scientific Centre, Academy of Science of the USSR, 1989.
- Collisson, R.J. “Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus Senticosus Maxim).” British Journal of Phytotherapy 2, vol. 2, 1991.
- Baburin, E.F., I.K. Tarasov, and V.N. Alekseev. “On the Question of the Prophylaxis of Motion Sickness.” in: Medicinal Remedies of the Far East. Vladivostok: Far East Scientific Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR, 1972. 120.
- Asano, K., T. Takakhasi, Kh. Kugo, and M. Kuboyama. “The Influence of Eleutherococcus on Muscle Work Capacity in Humans.” in: New Data on Eleutherococcus: Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Eleutherococcus (Moscow, 1984). Vladivostok: Far East Academy of Science of the USSR, 1986, 166.
- Wagner, H., Hiroshi Hikino, and Norman R. Farnsworth. “Economic and Medicinal Plant Research.” London: Academic Press, vol. 1, 1985.
- Gerasyuta, M.A., T.N. Koval, and S.A. Keyzer. “The Effectiveness of the Use of Leuzea Carthamoides Extract in Sailors under the Conditions of an Extended Arctic Voyage.” in: New Data on Eleutherococcus and Other Adaptogens: Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Eleutherococcus (Hamburg, 1980). Vladivostok: Far East Scientific Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR, 1981, 139.
- Sheparev, A.A. “The Use of Adaptogens for the Purpose of Non-specific Prophylaxis in Industry.” Humans and the Ocean: Medical and Social Aspects of the Problem: Proceedings of the Scientific and Practical Conference at the 30th Anniversary of the Vladivostok State Medical College, Vladivostok, 1988.
- Fruentov, N.K., and A.V. Lupandin. “On the Adaptogenic Action of Schizandra Preparations.” in: Processes of Adaptation and Biologically Active Substances – Proceedings of the Conference (Vladivostok, May 1972). Vladivostok: Far East Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR, 1976, 63.
- Brekhman, I.I., and I.V. Dardymov. “New Substances of Plant Origin which Increase Non-specific Resistance.” Annual Review of Pharmacology, v.9, 1969.
- Saratikov, A.S., and E.A. Krasnov. “Clinical Studies of Rhodiola.” Rhodiola Rosea is a Valuable Medicinal Plant. Tomsk: Medical Institute, 1987, 216.
- Galushkina, L.R. “The Pharmacological Study of Eleutherococcus and Appraisal of its Biological Activity.” Paper released by the All Union Scientific Centre on the Safety of Biologically Active Substances, 1990.
- Gubchenko, P.P., and N.K. Fruentov. “Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Eleutherococcus and Other Plant Adaptogens as Remedies for Increasing the Work Capacity of Flight Personnel.” in: New Data on Eleutherococcus: Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Eleutherococcus (Moscow, 1984). Vladivostok: Far East Academy of Science of the USSR, 1986, 240.
- Schadrin, A.S., Yu.G. Kustikova, N.A. Belogolovkina, N.I. Baranov, E.V. Oleinikova, V.P. Sigaeva, A.M. Ivlev, V.L. Romanov, L.I. Imkhanitskaya. S.G. Scripak, and L.A. Ryazanova. “Appraisal of the Prophylactic and Immunostimulative Action of Eleutherococcus and Schizandra.” in: New Data on Eleutherococcus: Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Eleutherococcus (Moscow, 1984). Vladivostok: Far East Academy of Science of the USSR, 1986, 289.
- D’yakov, D.I. “On the Influence of Aralia Mandshurica on the Pulse Arterial Pressure during Prescribed Physical Workloads.” Biologically Active Substances from Flora and Fauna of the Far East and Pacific Ocean, Vladivostok. 1971, 117.
- Brandis, S.A., and V.N. Pilovitskaya. “On the Question of the Effectiveness of Using Eleutherococcus Root Extract for Work in a High Temperature Environment.” in: Eleuthercoccus and Other Adaptogens from Far East Plants. Vladivostok: Siberian Department of the Academy of Science of the USSR, 1966, 155.
- Brekhman, I.I., and O.I. Kirillov. “The Effects of Eleutherococcus on the Alarm Phase of Stress.” Life Sciences Part I: Physiology and Pharmacology 8 (3), 1969: 113 121.
- Lupandin, A.V., and I.I. Lapaev. “Schizandra.” Khabarovsk Book Publisher, 1981, 125.
- Grinevich, M.A. “Survey of Clinical Studies on Eleutherococcus.” in: Results of the Study of Eleutherococcus in the USSR: Theses of Reports at the Annual Session of the Far East Department of the Academy of Science of the USSR. Vladivostok: Siberian Department of the Academy of Science of the USSR, 1966, 69.
- Berdyshev, V.V. “The Use of Eleutherococcus for Normalization of the Organism’s State in Sailors in the Tropics.” in: Adaptation and Adaptogens. Proceedings of the 2nd Symposium: “Processes of Adaptation and Biologically Active Substances” (May 1975). Vladivostok: Far East Scientific Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR, 1977, 119.
- Brekhman, I.I., and G.M. Miansky. “Eleutherococcus – a Means of Increasing the Non-specific Resistance of the Organism.” Izv. Akad Nauk USSR [Biol]. Sept Oct. 1965: 762 5.
- Saratikov, A.S., E.A. Krasnov, and T.F. Marina. “The Influence of Rhodiola on the Central Nervous System.” Rhodiola Rosea is a Valuable Medicinal Plant. Tomsk: Medical Institute, 1987, 150.
- Gubchenko, P.P. “The Influence of Some Plant Adaptogens on Rehabilitation of Work Capacity after Intentional Weight Loss.” In: New Data on Eleutherococcus: Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Eleutherococcus (Moscow, 1984). Vladivostok: Far East Academy of Science of the USSR, 1986, 252.
- Yurgens, I.L., and O.I. Kirillov. “The Influence of Eleutherococcus on Stress.” in: Results of the Study of Eleutherococcus in the USSR: Theses of Reports at the Annual Session of the Far East Department of the Academy of Science of the USSR. Vladivostok: Siberian Department of the Academy of Science of the USSR, 1966, 39.
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