6 replies to this topic

[birthdaysuit]

This is the product, has anyone taken this, is it safe?

 

http://www.iherb.com.../4981/?p=1&fr=2

[birthdaysuit]

I understand that many things have arsenic in it. There is a lot of disinformation on the web, which is why we must be careful what we believe on the internet I've read that this product, contains roughly 24 micrograms of the carcinogen arsenic per .4-ounce serving, which far exceeds the 10-mcg-per-34-ounce safety limit established by the Environmental Protection Agency. This was discovered back in 2013, I don't know if they changed their safety protocols. I don't even know if this is the truth. 

 

This is what they have to say about arsenic:
 

What is arsenic?
Arsenic is found everywhere on the Earth's crust in fair sized amounts, comparable to other toxic metals, at about 5 ppm. In seawater, there are 2 to 5 ppb, which accounts for the fact that many seafoods have more arsenic than the FDA limits (2.6 ppm) allow: mollusks, crustacea – prawns and shrimp – fish, fish roe, cod liver oil, herring, even freshwater fish, and most sea animals and plants. This arsenic is not toxic.

Arsenic is found in nature and in manmade products, such as pesticides. It is found in organic and inorganic forms.  Since the element is readily taken up by plants, it is present in our food.  Arsenic has been used in a variety of applications including as a pesticide, as a wood preservative and in the semiconductor industry. It exists in two forms: organic and inorganic.

What is the difference between organic and inorganic arsenic?
Atoms in arsenic bond to other elements to form molecules.  If carbon is one of these elements, it is an organic molecule. Inorganic and organic are not terms used to indicate pesticide usage, or even human activity, but rather the other metals and elements they are bound to.

Inorganic and organic arsenic occur naturally in the environment, with inorganic forms being most abundant. Inorganic arsenic is associated with other metals in igneous and sedimentary rocks, and it also occurs in combination with many other elements, especially oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur. Organic arsenic contains carbon and hydrogen.

Isn’t all arsenic dangerous?
Organic arsenic is not toxic.  Arsenic itself is rather quickly and efficiently metabolized through methylation in the liver, and then excreted through the urine: 50% to 70% of all ingested arsenic exits via that route. Literature accumulating since the turn of the 21st century indicates that feces, perspiration, and the sloughing of skin cells also serve as avenues of exit for arsenic. Hair and nails additionally serve as sequester points for the metal. Most tissues rapidly clear arsenic, except for skin, hair, and nails. Arsenic from fish and seafood does not even appear to be metabolized or bio-transformed, but instead is rapidly excreted unchanged in the urine within 48 hours of ingestion. Even in the case of the most dangerous, inorganic, trivalent arsenic, most is cleared from the body within two days, with final trace amounts finally exiting the body two weeks or more afterwards.

How does arsenic get into plants? Do all plants have arsenic?
Arsenic may be present in many plants due to its absorption through the soil and water.  Some seafood has high levels of organic arsenic, so it might stand to reason that sea vegetables also have organic arsenic.  This is the non-toxic form of arsenic.

Do organic foods have less arsenic than non-organic foods?
No.  Arsenic is found naturally in soil and water, so regardless of the practices used there will be some presence of arsenic. 

Does Vibrant Health test for arsenic in their products?
Yes. Vibrant Health has always tested its products for the presence of arsenic and other heavy metals. Rather than an overall arsenic level test we have updated our test to determine levels of organic and inorganic arsenic separately.  By testing in this way we can keep levels of arsenic as low as possible, and make sure if it is present it’s primarily organic form.

“What does ppb mean?”
1 ppb = one part per billion, or 1µg (microgram or one millionth of a gram) of substance per liter of water. This is equivalent to one drop of water in a swimming pool, adding a pinch of salt to a 10-ton bag of potato chips or three seconds in a century.

 

 

Every lot number of each product is submitted to an outside, “third-party” analytical laboratory looking for trace amounts of arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. But that is not the only analysis that safeguards consumers. 

In the United States, the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (DSHEA) was enacted in 1993 for multiple reasons, one of which was to put in place a higher level of official regulation of the dietary supplement industry in order to protect consumers. DSHEA has been followed by Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) that codify appropriate manufacturing procedures that should preclude contamination of supplements by heavy metals. Every reputable dietary supplement manufacturer in the country, including Vibrant Health, now follows GMPs, and FDA has accelerated their inspection and enforcement of GMPs.

As a result, every raw material that goes into a dietary supplement must be redundantly tested for heavy metals by the raw material supplier, and again by the manufacturer before it is added to any dietary supplement formula. A third test for heavy metals should be conducted on the finished product. At any of these three steps, a raw material or finished product showing excessive levels of any of the heavy metals must be rejected. Vibrant Health adheres to these regulations. Outside testing labs, unaffiliated with the seller of the raw materials or the marketer of the finished product are most often used to do the testing, thereby, injecting a welcome level of impartiality to the process. (Microbiological analyses of ingredients and finished products follow similar procedures.)

 

 

They certainly seem like a reputable company. Their Green Vibrance powder supplement facts are promising and really cover the whole scope of health, which would be great for my Lyme Disease. Just want to get further opinions on this product before consuming because it honestly has everything in it. 

Edited by birthdaysuit, 01 April 2016 - 08:32 PM.

[tunt01]

I've taken it for a month or two.  It made me perk up a bit.  In the end, I just made smoothies w/ vegetables, fruit, and flax milk and quit all the powder crap.

[f(x)]

Great stuff, I take their product Max Vibrance which is Green Vibrance with more added. They changed the formula last year specifically removing plants that are more prone to heavy metal contamination. There was an occasion a couple years ago where they recalled some batches of products but it was more on the precautionary side than major catastrophe, to my understanding.

[birthdaysuit]

Great stuff, I take their product Max Vibrance which is Green Vibrance with more added. They changed the formula last year specifically removing plants that are more prone to heavy metal contamination. There was an occasion a couple years ago where they recalled some batches of products but it was more on the precautionary side than major catastrophe, to my understanding.

Do you have a source for this? I emailed them for a COA and they have not gotten back.

 

I must admit this is the best looking green powder I've seen.

 

[f(x)]

They sent out an email to those on the mailing list (done by creating an account on the website) when they released new product versions back in August. Said something to the effect of changes were made to reduce heavy metals and improve taste (gv IS an acquired taste lol tho it tastes better nowadays.) I could dig out the email if you really want me to. They have a blog and FAQ linked to their website with a lot of content, might reference the heavy metals thing there too.

Max Vibrance, what I take, is basically GV but with plant protein, plant extracted vitamins and minerals, and more fruits/veggies. Basically, the best thing on the market, period. Nothing I've seen comes close. Notice how a lot of greens/all in one supplements have proprietary blends that don't tell you how much of each ingredient there is - 95% of the first cheap ingredient listed, 5% everything else, anyone? Something else I like about Vibrant Health products.

Edited by f(x), 02 April 2016 - 10:21 PM.

[Kinesis]

Without doing a lab analysis there's no way of knowing for sure. The best we can do is make informed judgments. Mine would be that if you like this product, go ahead.

For one one thing, there is even some debate as to whether trace amounts of arsenic are beneficial or even essential in human nutrition. As the material you cite points out, virtually every natural product has some amount - the relevant question is always how much. As a commercial product, lots of people are using it, and any actual incidences of arsenic toxicity would be unlikely to escape the manufacturer's notice.

Moreover, arsenic poisoning is generally cumulative; unless a huge amount is taken all at once, symptoms occur long before permanent damage or death ensues. In the unlikely event you were getting excessive arsenic and noticed something was wrong, you could discontinue use.

Finally, there don't appear to be any ingredients in this product that aren't in many other products considered healthy - no red flags. Considering the whole spectrum of substances being considered for human consumption in this forum, this would have to be one of the least risky in the bunch.

If you like what's in it and you feel good while taking it, go for it.