Throughout my adult life, I have had a love-hate relationship with supplements. I have been through periods where I take them consistently and periods where I don’t use them at all. I think my biggest issue is finding a supplement company I can truly trust and not over complicating things by taking more supplements than I need.
I recently promised myself that I would not buy any more supplements until I used up everything I currently have. While I finished using what I had I re-evaluated what I really needed and then researched like crazy to find a company I trusted. This is obviously very personal and dependent on your personal goals or known deficiencies.
There are some things to consider when purchasing supplements. Unlike prescription drugs, the supplement industry is not well-regulated, and manufacturers are not required to prove the safety or effectiveness of their products before sellingto the public. This lack of regulation can lead to ineffective or unsafe products. And today anyone can create, market and sell a supplement.
Do I feel different when I take supplements consistently? For me, the answer is YES! I have more energy, sleep better, don’t get sick, and can handle anxiety and stress better. Do you need supplements to be healthy? The answer to that question is maybe, maybe not (there are mixed thoughts on this from medical experts) but I do think many of us would benefit.
As with anything nutrition related we must understand that we are all biologically different so our needs will vary. What is helpful for one body may not be helpful for another. The key is to figure out what works for you. Before you start adding new supplements to your daily regimen do A LOT of research on the supplements you are considering adding to your regimen along with the company that produces the supplements and user reviews. In addition, consulting with a medical professional is a wise idea too especially if you currently taking and prescription medications.
CAN FOOD FULLY MEET OUR NUTRITIONAL NEEDS
One of the arguments against supplements is that we should be able to get everything we need through food. While I have always advocated for getting nutrients through food. The reality is that our modern world can make this challenging.Supplements can help to fill gaps in our diet when we are not eating a perfectly balanced diet which many people struggle with. And, it can help us get in things we could not otherwise. For example, sulforaphane which we will get too in a moment!
Those who eat a Standard American Diet get 70% of their nutrients from processed foods. This number may be shocking. But, the fact that the standard American diet is heavy in processed foods, refined grains, vegetable oils, and added sugars helps us understand why this number is a reality for many.
Dr. Howard Sesso, an epidemiologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital points out that as we age, our body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food decreases, and our energy needs are not the same so we tend to eat less.
Another reason why it can be difficult to get all of our nutrients solely through food is that the food we consume today lacks nutrients due to the soil it is grown in. Soil quality is not what it was hundreds of years ago. The majority of farmland lacks nutrients making our food less nutrient-dense.
The final reason is that we would need to eat a lot of nutrient-dense food to get everything we need solely through diet.
However, remember that too much of anything can be a bad thing. So over consuming supplements or using them to try and undo an unhealthy diet and lifestyle may have a negative impact on your health.
QUALITY MATTERS
Once you figure out what supplements may be an appropriate fit for you the next step is making sure you are purchasing high-quality supplements. The market is extremely saturated making it difficult to know what to buy and what you are actually getting.
This is where Mara Labs recently came into the picture for me.
Mara Labs’ mission is to bring you best-in-class supplements that guarantee a positive change in your cellular biology. And, I can honestly say that after taking them for the last month I truly feel different. As you know I only share products I use daily and love and have seen positive impacts from. I will never share a product I don’t fully believe in and use myself.
Mara Labs is committed to producing products backed by evidence-based research that provide cellular benefit due to proven bioavailability and bioactivity. This means that when you take one of their supplements, it not only makes it into your bloodstream, but into your cells as well. This will have a positive impact on your health.
I have never found a supplement company like Mara Labs. And, the color and brightness of the supplements themselves clearly show the quality. They are the prettiest supplements I have ever seen. You will see the difference too! In addition, Mara Labs was founded by researchers, scientists, practitioners and facilitators who are Johns Hopkins and Stanford alumni.
BrocElite
The supplement Mara Labs is most known for is called BrocElite. It is the only broccoli supplement on the market offering naturally derived stabilized sulforaphane in a capsule (as opposed to the precursor, glucoraphanin). I wrote an article for The Institute of Transformational Nutrition on sulforaphane years ago which you can find here. I am overjoyed to have found a supplement that can help me easily consume this amazing ingredient!
Sulforaphane or SFN for short was discovered in 1992 by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. It is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants on earth. It has been shown to reduce free radical damage and inflammation at the source.
As I shared above, what makes BrocElite such a super star is that it is the only naturally-derived broccoli supplement on the market offering stabilized Sulforaphane in a capsule. By stabilizing SFN, SFN can pass straight through your stomach and safely into your cells.
It is a powerful anti-inflammatory that harnesses 100x the antioxidant capabilities of eating green vegetables to give you all the benefits without having to prepare, cook or eat a single stalk of broccoli. I’m not telling you to stop eating your veggies though. You should definitely keep eating vegetables, but this is such an excellent way to ensure you get your daily dose. In 2 capsules you get the equivalent of approximately 3oz of broccoli sprouts and the following benefits.
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Promotes immune function
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Blocks inflammation
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Encourages detoxification
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Protects + restores brain function
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Powerful antioxidant
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Antiviral + antibacterial
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Provides protection against Glyphosate damage
BrocElite is like no supplement I’ve ever taken! I am so happy to have found it and feel confident about adding it to my routine. Mara Labs also make a BrocElite supplement for Kids as well! After using this product myself I will be adding it into my son’s routine too. You may ask why this would be helpful for your healthy child. Remember chronic infirmities and poor health do not develop overnight. They come about from mounting inflammation, oxidative stress, and the body’s inability to cope with an ever-increasing amount of toxins in the environment. Children can benefit greatly from sulforaphane, a phytonutrient that limits these damaging processes. Obviously consult your pediatrician though first just to be sure it is right for your child.
QuercElite
BrocElite is Mara Labs most known supplement but they have a few others as well including QuercElite which is a quercetin supplement. I have been taking quercetin during the pandemic and after learning more about it and seeing a difference while taking it I have kept it in my daily routine.
Quercetin is an antihistamine found in fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties benefit the immune system. Quercetin is normally only 5% bioavailable, but the broccoli seed complex in QuercElite increases bioavailability and allows quercetin to cross the cell membrane, whereas normally quercetin on its own will not. So, I just replaced the quercetin supplement I was taking with QuercElite. And, the best news of all is the retail price is lower than the one I have been taking! Huge win.
CurcElite
Another supplement I was already taking but replaced with Mara Labs is curcumin called CurcElite which is a highly bioavailable curcumin supplement that contains curcumin and their patented carrier molecule, which increases the bioavailability of curcumin. Again, ensuring the supplement truly does what it is supposed to do! And, BrocElite and CurcElite work together synergistically so taking both together is an excellent idea! You can learn more about that here.
Because I have been loving the Mara Labs supplements I mentioned above I have added in a few new ones as well.
ResverElite
One is ResverElite which is resveratrol. Resveratrol is a compound found in plants, such as grape skin and seeds, that has demonstrated antioxidant, anti-aging, and cardioprotective benefits. ResverElite’s bioavailable resveratrol improves cardiovascular function by regulating cell signaling pathways to inhibit dysfunction and promote normal cellular activity.
Additionally, ResverElite activates a group of proteins called sirtuins that are responsible for proper cellular functions, like the inflammatory response, cellular aging, metabolism, and mitochondrial health. ResverElite also acts as an antioxidant to eliminate free radicals and protect cells from damage. You can find references for these claims here.
I have also been using their berberine and a sleep supplement and have enjoyed both.
BerbElite
BerbElite is their berberine supplement. Berberine is a compound found in various plant species and has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic and Chinese traditional medicine to treat illness and inflammatory conditions.
The bioavailable berberine in BerbElite helps to lower blood sugar, improve sleep, reduce excess “bad” cholesterol while promoting “good” cholesterol, and boosts the production of “feel-good” chemicals in the brain, such as oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. Additionally, berberine improves cellular turnover, liver, and cardiovascular function.
In addition berberine exhibits neuroprotective properties to help maintain normal brain function. You can find references for these claims here. There has definitely been more buzz about the benefits of berberine so I’m happy to have found a quality supplement to use.
SleepElite
Mara Labs sleep supplement called SleepElite is different from others on the market in that it does not include melatonin. While melatonin is necessary for sleep, it can only be relied on for a short period of time. I had no idea! By including L-tryptophane, a bioavailable precursor to melatonin, your body can produce melatonin naturally in higher quantities than are available in a supplement. And, this is exactly what SleepElite does.
Ashwagandha and berberine are also added to and a unique aspect to their sleep formula. Both help to reduce stress and anxiety, making it easier to fall asleep. I have tested SleepElite on and off the last month and I definitely sleep deeper when I take it. I will continue using this supplement given how important deep sleep is for our health.
WHERE TO START
Mara Labs has excellent supplements and I feel confident sharing them with all of you. If after reading this post and doing your own research on Mara Labs you are thinking you would like to try one of their supplements but you don’t know where to start my recommendation would be BrocElite. Given there is no other supplement like it on the market and the benefits are incredible. This is one I will never live without!
They have a ton of educational information on their website which you can find here. If you have any questions or want additional information please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments section below or send me an email!
If you want to try Mara Labs to see for yourself you can use the below code to SAVE 10% and this is not on just one purchase but every single time you purchase their supplements.
Save 10% every time you purchase with CODE: WHOLELOVELYLIFE
Code does not expire.
*Mara Labs provided my first month of supplements free of charge. There was no request to review or write a blog post but after using them myself and learning more about them I felt compelled to share. Moving forward when I share Mara Labs I will have purchased them myself with a small discount. Please note that when you purchase through my link I will receive a small commission which allows me to keep providing you the reader with free information. I thank you for your support.
In Love, Health + Gratitude,
Katie