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12 mg of iron from curry leaf extract

Most iron supplements work with mineral iron salts. Vitalplant's Iron Vegan Capsules take a different approach: the iron comes entirely from a plant extract.

Iron from the plant instead of the salt

400 mg curry leaf extract per capsule, standardized to 3 percent iron. This provides 12 mg of iron, which corresponds to 86 percent of the nutrient reference value.

The iron is present in a plant matrix. It was not added as an isolated salt, but comes from the plant itself, where it is naturally bound.

Curry leaf is not curry. Murraya koenigii is a tree from the rue family, botanically related to citrus fruits. The aromatic leaves are cooked fresh in South Indian cuisine. It has nothing to do with curry powder, a spice blend.

What iron does

Iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin and to normal oxygen transport in the body. It also contributes to normal cognitive function, normal energy metabolism, and normal function of the immune system.

Iron also plays a role in cell division. All of the stated claims are listed in the EU Register of authorized health claims.

Iron Vegan Capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of two ingredients: curry leaf extract and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorants, no sugar. The product is vegan and gluten-free, filled in amber glass. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Apotheke.

Bromelain with 2,500 GDU in an enteric-coated capsule

Bromelain is not measured in milligrams, but in activity units. Vitalplant's Bromelain capsules provide 500 mg of bromelain from pineapple with a declared activity of 2,500 GDU.

What GDU means

GDU stands for Gelatin Digesting Units. The unit describes how much gelatin a certain amount of bromelain can break down under defined conditions. Bromelain is a mixture of enzymes, and with enzymes, weight alone tells you very little.

That is why the specification is crucial. Two products with 500 mg of bromelain each can differ significantly in activity. Without a GDU value, they cannot be compared.

Derived from pineapple. Bromelain is found mainly in the plant's stem, the hard core that remains after the fruit is processed. It is pressed, then the enzyme is isolated and dried.

Why the capsule is enteric-coated

Enzymes are proteins and are sensitive to acid. An enteric coating does not dissolve in the stomach, but only further along in the digestive tract.

Our capsule shell is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in combination with gellan, a plant-based gelling agent. This means it contains no animal gelatin and no synthetic coating.

Bromelain capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of bromelain and the enteric-coated capsule shell. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorants. The product is vegan and gluten-free, filled in amber glass. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Apotheke.

Fermented organic drink made from 22 plant-based ingredients

Most dietary supplements come as capsules or powders. Vitalplant’s Bio Gut Elixir is a liquid ferment: 22 fruit, vegetable, and herb ingredients from certified organic farming, prepared with microorganisms and fermented.

What fermentation does to the ingredients

Fermentation is one of the oldest food production methods. Microorganisms transform the components of the raw material in the process. Cabbage becomes sauerkraut, milk becomes yogurt, grapes become wine. The process takes time, temperature, and the right cultures.

Seven cultures. Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are at work in the starter, a total of seven different strains. They are contained in the finished drink.

That’s why it’s liquid. A ferment cannot be put into a capsule without losing its character. For Gut Elixir, the liquid form is not a matter of convenience, but the result of the process.

The 22 ingredients

The largest share consists of root and tuber vegetables: Jerusalem artichoke, beetroot, pumpkin, onion, and garlic. These are joined by fruits including cranberry, pomegranate, raspberry, blackberry, grape, blueberry, and apple.

The recipe is rounded out with leafy vegetables and herbs such as broccoli, parsley, dandelion, and artichoke, as well as spices: ginger, turmeric, and pepper. Spirulina, walnut, and lemon complete the blend.

For fermented plant-based ingredients, we state the recipe, origin, and process. This can be verified.

Bio Gut Elixir: composition and quality

The elixir is certified under the EU organic regulation, certification body number DE-ÖKO-039, and the ingredients come from EU and non-EU agriculture. It is bottled in amber glass. Every batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Pharmacy.

Vitamin D3 from lichens, dissolved in MCT oil

Vitamin D3 usually comes from lanolin, the wool fat of sheep. Instead, Vitalplant’s Vitamin D3 + K2 drops use lichens as the source and are therefore purely plant-based.

What’s in a drop

25 µg vitamin D3, which corresponds to 1,000 IU and 500 percent of the nutrient reference value. One drop a day is enough, so a 30-ml bottle lasts a long time.

Vitamin D3 from lichens. Lichens are not plants in the strict sense, but a symbiotic community of fungus and algae. They produce cholecalciferol, the same form of vitamin D found in human skin under sunlight. The difference from lanolin is not in the molecule, but in its source.

20 µg vitamin K2 as all-trans MK7, 27 percent of the nutrient reference value. All-trans describes the spatial arrangement of the molecule and is the form found in the body.

MCT oil as a carrier. Vitamins D and K are fat-soluble and need a fat as a solvent. Medium-chain triglycerides usually come from coconut and are liquid at room temperature.

What vitamin D and vitamin K do

Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, normal muscle function, and normal absorption and utilization of calcium and phosphorus.

Vitamin K contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and normal blood clotting. Both claims are listed in the EU Register of authorized health claims.

Vitamin D3 + K2 drops: composition and quality

The formula consists of three ingredients: MCT oil, vitamin D3 from lichens, and vitamin K2. No preservatives, no flavorings, no colorings. Oils are sensitive to light, which is why they are bottled in amber glass. Every batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

25 mg zinc from bisglycinate in one capsule

Zinc 25 capsules from Vitalplant deliver the highest zinc content in our range in a single daily capsule. Zinc bisglycinate is used, an organically bound form.

What’s inside the capsule

90 mg zinc bisglycinate, providing 25 mg elemental zinc. The proportion is 28 percent. This distinction is important: for minerals, what matters is not the weight of the compound, but the mineral content within it. 25 mg corresponds to 250 percent of the nutrient reference value.

Zinc bisglycinate as a chelate. The zinc is bound to two molecules of the amino acid glycine. This structure is called a chelate, unlike inorganic zinc salts such as zinc oxide or zinc sulfate.

350 mg buckwheat sprout extract. The plant extract forms the capsule matrix. Despite its name, buckwheat is not a grain, but a knotweed plant and therefore naturally gluten-free.

The difference compared with our Zinc + C: there, the zinc content is 10 mg per capsule, while 320 mg vitamin C are added. Zinc 25 is for anyone who wants zinc on its own and at a higher dosage.

What zinc does in the body

Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, hair, and nails, and to normal cognitive function. It helps protect cells from oxidative stress.

Zinc also contributes to normal DNA synthesis and protein synthesis, plays a role in cell division, and helps maintain normal testosterone levels in the blood. All claims listed are included in the EU Register of authorized health claims.

Zinc 25 capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of three ingredients: buckwheat sprout extract, zinc bisglycinate, and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorants, no sugar. The product is vegan and gluten-free, filled in amber glass. Every batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant stands Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

100% VERISOL®, a one-ingredient formula

Kollagen Shine by Vitalplant contains hydrolyzed bovine collagen as VERISOL®. Nothing else: no flavoring, no sweetener, no anti-caking agent.

Peptide size instead of raw material quantity

Intact collagen is a triple helix and practically insoluble in water. Only enzymatic hydrolysis breaks this structure down into short peptide chains. How short they end up depends on which enzymes are used and how long they are allowed to work.

VERISOL® is a registered trademark for a peptide fraction whose manufacturing process is defined. The reason for buying such a raw material lies in reproducibility: every batch goes through the same defined process.

We do not attach any performance promise to that. In the EU, collagen peptides do not carry an approved health claim, and using a brand name as a substitute for one would be dishonest. We state the raw material, amount, and process.

Shine or Move

Also available are Kollagen Move with 100% Fortigel® and Kollagen Pulver with ten grams per serving without brand specification.

Shine and Move are identical in serving size and raw material origin. They differ in the hydrolysis process, not in any quantity that could be compared.

Use and quality

Five grams dissolve completely in 150 ml of liquid, hot or cold. The powder is tasteless and does not gel.

As bovine collagen, the raw material is neither vegan nor vegetarian. Packed in a resealable stand-up pouch, store in a cool, dry place, do not freeze.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Apotheke.

B vitamins in activated form with five accompanying ingredients

Vitalplant’s B Complex Aktiv contains all eight B vitamins and goes even further: alpha-lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, choline, vitamin C, and vitamin E complement the formula. Thirteen ingredients in one daily capsule.

What activated means

Some vitamins must first be converted in the body before they can be used. Activated forms already include this step.

Vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin. 25 µg per capsule, 1,000 percent of the nutrient reference value. Methylcobalamin is one of the B12 forms found in the body, unlike synthetic cyanocobalamin.

Folate as Quatrefolic®. 400 µg, 200 percent of the nutrient reference value. Quatrefolic® is 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, the form in which folate circulates in the blood.

The five accompanying ingredients. 200 mg alpha-lipoic acid, 30 mg coenzyme Q10, 25.5 mg choline from phosphatidylcholine, 75 mg vitamin C, and 6 mg vitamin E. They are the reason the Aktiv Complex is more broadly formulated than a pure B complex.

The difference from our B Complex Forte: there the focus is on the eight B vitamins alone, with higher amounts of folate and biotin. The Aktiv Complex, on the other hand, includes the accompanying ingredients.

What the nutrients do

Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, biotin, and vitamin C contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism. Riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin C contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Vitamin B6, biotin, vitamin B12, and vitamin C contribute to normal psychological function. Choline contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism. Vitamin E helps protect cells from oxidative stress. All of the stated claims are listed in the EU Register of authorized health claims.

B Complex Aktiv capsules: composition and quality

Buckwheat wholegrain flour is used as the carrier. Despite its name, buckwheat is not a grain, but a knotweed plant and therefore naturally gluten-free. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorings. The product is vegan, filled in amber glass. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

88 grams of fiber per 100 grams

Hardly any other product comes close to this value. Organic psyllium husks from Vitalplant consist almost entirely of fiber, and the reason for that lies in which part of the plant is used at all.

Only the husk, not the seed

Plantago ovata is a plantain and is therefore related to the ribwort plantain that grows in Central European meadows. The species is cultivated mainly in India and Pakistan, where it copes well with dry soils.

The German name is descriptive: the tiny, dark, elongated seeds look like fleas. However, the whole seed is not processed, but only its outer husk. The seed kernel contains oil and protein, while the husk contains almost only mucilage.

These mucilage substances are arabinoxylans. They bind many times their own weight in water and form a gel in the process. That is exactly what happens in the glass when you stir in the powder: after one to two minutes, the liquid is visibly thicker.

What the nutritional values show

At 88.25 g of fiber per 100 g, the content is almost fifteen times the EU threshold for the claim high fiber content, which starts at 6 g.

Aside from that, there is practically nothing else in it: 0.24 g sugar and 0.24 g fat per 100 g. This also makes the powder meet the conditions for low sugar and low fat. The energy value is 808 kJ, or 193 kcal per 100 g, and this comes almost entirely from fiber, of which the body only uses a small portion.

Grind, origin, and quality

Our husks are ground, not whole. That makes a noticeable difference: powder swells faster and more evenly, distributes without residue, and can also be worked into dough. Whole husks, by contrast, remain grainy and take longer.

Because the powder binds liquid, enough of it should be used. If you stir it in, you should drink it quickly before the gel sets.

A single ingredient, from certified organic cultivation, control body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin non-EU agriculture. No additives, no flavorings, naturally neutral in taste. Packed in a resealable stand-up pouch.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

No fruiting body, but a crust on the birch

Organic Chaga capsules from Vitalplant contain extract from Inonotus obliquus. What is harvested from Chaga is botanically something different from every other mushroom in our range.

How Chaga grows

The fungus Inonotus obliquus infects living birches, especially in cold regions: Siberia, Scandinavia, Canada, Northeastern Europe. At the site of infection, over the years a black, cracked mass forms that looks like charred wood.

This mass is not a fruiting body, but a sclerotium, a sterile, persistent structure made of compacted fungal mycelium. The actual fruiting body only develops when the tree dies, and is hardly ever found.

On the outside, the sclerotium is deep black, due to a high melanin content. If you break it open, a rust-orange interior appears. Because the fungus draws its material from the living birch for years, it also contains components of the tree itself.

Why no effects are described here

Chaga is traditionally used as an infusion in Northern Europe and Russia, and many stories have grown up around it accordingly.

In the EU, no health claims are approved for mushroom extracts. So we do not make any, neither directly nor by implication. We describe the mushroom, not its supposed performance.

Origin and processing

The extract powder comes from certified organic cultivation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin non-EU agriculture. In addition to the extract, the capsule contains only its vegan shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.

With 500 mg per capsule and one capsule a day, Chaga is the easiest product in our mushroom range to dose. Amber glass largely blocks the UV portion of light.

Chaga is also included in the Organic Medicinal Mushroom Complex, there with 125 mg per capsule alongside Reishi, Hericium and Shiitake.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

Fiber powder with 58 g fiber per 100 g

Dietary fiber is the part of plant-based food that the small intestine does not break down. The German Nutrition Society recommends that adults consume at least 30 grams per day. Vitalplant’s Bio Darm Vital powder is made up of just under 59 percent fiber.

Where the fiber comes from

Acacia fiber. Obtained from acacia resin, also known as gum arabic. The fiber is water-soluble, tasteless, and barely changes the consistency of the mixed powder.

Inulin from agave and Jerusalem artichoke. Inulin is a polysaccharide made of fructose units that many plants store as a reserve substance. Jerusalem artichoke is the classic European source, agave the South American one.

Lucuma, baobab, celery, and ginger. Four additional plant-based ingredients. Lucuma is a South American fruit with a caramel-like aroma, baobab the fruit of the African monkey bread tree.

Two mushroom extracts. Lion’s mane mushroom and turkey tail, both from certified organic cultivation.

What high fiber content means

In the EU, the claim “high fiber content” is tied to a fixed threshold: at least 6 grams of fiber per 100 grams. At just under 59 grams, Bio Darm Vital is almost ten times this value.

This is a nutrition claim, not a health claim. It describes what is contained and makes no promise of an effect.

Bio Darm Vital: composition and quality

All ingredients come from certified organic cultivation, certified according to the EU Organic Regulation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039. No sugar, no flavorings, no anti-caking agents. Because the powder contains no artificial additives, it tends to clump, so reseal it well after each use. Every batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

Organic rosehip powder from the whole fruit

Rosehips are neither berries nor nuts; botanically, they are something of their own. The Organic Rosehip Capsules from Vitalplant contain ground rosehip from certified organic farming, with no other ingredients.

What a rosehip actually is

The rosehip is the false fruit of the rose. What looks red and fleshy is the swollen flower base. The actual fruits are the small hard seeds inside, surrounded by fine hairs. These hairs are the reason rosehips were once used as itch powder.

Powder, not extract. For our capsules, the dried fruit is ground and not further concentrated. One capsule contains 500 mg rosehip powder, meaning the whole ground raw material.

From certified organic farming. Certified according to the EU Organic Regulation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin non-EU agriculture.

Rosa canina: plant and harvest

The dog rose is the most common wild rose in Europe. It grows as a shrub along forest edges and hedges and reaches up to three meters in height. In May and June it bears pale pink flowers; from September onward, the rosehips ripen.

They are harvested after the first frosts because the fruits then become softer. They are then dried and ground. In the kitchen, rosehip is best known as purée and jam.

Organic rosehip capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of two components: organic rosehip powder and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no separating agents, no colorants. The product is vegan and gluten-free, filled in amber glass. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Pharmacy.

200 mg Coenzyme Q10 with Vitamin C from PureWay-C

Coenzyme Q10 is a substance naturally produced by the body that is found in practically every cell. Vitalplant Coenzyme Q10 capsules provide 200 mg of ubiquinone per capsule, supplemented with vitamin C.

Ubiquinone and Ubiquinol

Coenzyme Q10 occurs in the body in two interconvertible forms: as ubiquinone and as ubiquinol. Our capsules contain ubiquinone, the oxidized and significantly more shelf-stable form. Ubiquinol is more sensitive to oxygen and light.

The name says where it occurs. Ubiquinone is derived from the Latin ubique, meaning everywhere. The substance was named for its wide distribution in living organisms.

95 mg vitamin C per capsule from 100 mg PureWay-C®, a vitamin C complex with citrus bioflavonoids. This corresponds to 120 percent of the Nutrient Reference Value.

What vitamin C does

Vitamin C contributes to reducing tiredness and fatigue and to protecting cells from oxidative stress. It contributes to the normal function of the nervous system and to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin and blood vessels.

There is no approved health claim for coenzyme Q10 itself. We therefore specify it with amount and form, without any performance claims. All statements about vitamin C are listed in the EU Register of approved health claims.

Coenzyme Q10 capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of three ingredients: coenzyme Q10, PureWay-C®, and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no release agents, no colorants. The product is vegan and gluten-free, filled in amber glass. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Pharmacy.

Five herbs and spices, four of them from one family

Vitalplant's Organic Stomach Tea is the simplest blend in our tea range: five ingredients, all from certified organic farming, with no flavorings.

The herbal blend

Anise, fennel, coriander, and caraway all belong to the umbellifer family. That explains why they work so well together in terms of flavor: their essential oils are chemically related and create a rounded, sweet-spicy aroma.

Anise brings the clearest sweetness, shaped by anethole, which is also found in star anise and fennel. Fennel adds a milder, slightly earthy note. Coriander contributes citrus nuances, while caraway provides the strongest and most aromatic component.

Peppermint leaves are the only ingredient from another family, the mint family. Their menthol provides the fresh counterpoint to the four umbellifers.

Preparation

Pour 3 g of tea over 200 ml of boiling water and let steep for 5 to 8 minutes. For seeds and fruits, the longer steeping time is worthwhile, because the essential oils are released more slowly than in leaves.

A kitchen tip: if you lightly crush the seeds in a mortar before pouring on the water, you get a much more intense aroma. The tea is suitable for any time of day and is naturally caffeine-free.

Organic Stomach Tea: origin and quality

100 g of loose tea makes around 30 servings. All five ingredients come from certified organic farming, certified according to the EU organic regulation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin EU and non-EU agriculture. No flavorings, no additives, no sugar. Packed in a resealable stand-up pouch.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

Five ingredients that together add up to exactly 15 g

Pre Workout+ from Vitalplant contains L-citrulline malate, creatine monohydrate, L-glutamine, L-taurine, and acetyl-L-carnitine. Nothing else, and that can be verified.

The math adds up

Each serving contains 5 g L-citrulline malate, 4 g creatine monohydrate, 4 g L-glutamine, 1.5 g L-taurine, and 0.5 g acetyl-L-carnitine in the scoop. Added together, that makes exactly 15 g, and exactly 15 g is one serving.

So there is no remainder for carriers, flavorings, colorings, or sweeteners. And there is no catch-all ingredient hiding unknown amounts. Each ingredient is listed with its amount.

What we are allowed to say about it

Of the five ingredients, exactly one carries an EU-approved health claim: Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 3 g creatine. The claim applies to adults performing high-intensity exercise.

That threshold is met here. Creatine monohydrate contains bound crystal water, which is why 4 g monohydrate correspond to around 3.5 g of pure creatine.

No claim is approved for citrulline, glutamine, taurine, or acetyl-L-carnitine. We are not repeating what is circulated about them on forums and labels. Instead, we state the amounts so you can compare them with what you already know.

Caffeine-free, and what that means

Most pre-workout products get their noticeable effect from caffeine, often in amounts of 200 mg or more. This one contains none.

That has two consequences. First, the powder also works for training late in the evening without costing you the night. Second, the familiar kick many people look for in a pre-workout is missing. If that is what you expect, you will not find it here.

If you also use our creatine powder or glutamine powder, you should add the amounts together: both ingredients are already included here at 4 g per serving.

Vitalplant is led by Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

Acerola extract with 25 percent natural vitamin C

Vitamin C can be produced synthetically or obtained from plants. Vitalplant's acerola capsules take the second route: the vitamin C comes entirely from acerola cherry extract.

What’s in a capsule

500 mg acerola extract. The extract is standardized to a vitamin C content of 25 percent. 500 mg of extract provides 125 mg of vitamin C per capsule, which corresponds to 156 percent of the nutrient reference value.

The acerola cherry. Malpighia glabra is a shrub from Central America and the Caribbean. The fruits look like cherries, but botanically they are not related. They spoil quickly and are therefore processed soon after harvesting.

Only two ingredients. Besides the extract, the capsule contains only the shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No added ascorbic acid powder, no fillers.

What vitamin C does

Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal energy-yielding metabolism. It also contributes to normal function of the nervous system and normal psychological function.

Vitamin C helps protect cells from oxidative stress and supports normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, bones, cartilage, and blood vessels. Vitamin C also increases iron absorption.

All statements listed are included in the EU Register of authorized health claims.

Acerola capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of two components: acerola extract and the capsule shell. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorants. The product is vegan and gluten-free, filled in amber glass. Each batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Pharmacy.

200 µg Selenium as selenomethionine

Selenium is a trace element that the body needs only in very small amounts. Vitalplant selenium capsules provide 200 micrograms per capsule, bound as selenomethionine.

Why the binding form matters

Selenomethionine is an organic selenium compound. The selenium in it sits in the position where sulfur would otherwise be in the amino acid methionine. Inorganic alternatives such as sodium selenite are structured differently.

200 micrograms correspond to 363 percent of the nutrient reference value. The amount is given in micrograms, not milligrams — with selenium, required amounts are a thousand times lower than, for example, with magnesium.

400 mg buckwheat germ extract. The plant extract forms the capsule matrix. Despite its name, buckwheat is not a grain, but a knotweed plant and therefore naturally gluten-free.

What selenium does

Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair and normal nails. It helps protect cells from oxidative stress and contributes to normal thyroid function.

Selenium also contributes to normal sperm production. All of the claims listed are included in the EU Register of authorized health claims.

Selenium capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of three ingredients: buckwheat germ extract, selenomethionine, and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorants. The product is vegan and gluten-free, bottled in amber glass. Every batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

Eight B vitamins, 900 µg folate per capsule

The B Komplex Forte from Vitalplant focuses on the essentials: eight B vitamins, no additives. Folate and biotin are significantly higher here than in our B Komplex Aktiv.

What’s in the daily capsule

Folate as calcium L-methylfolate, 900 µg. That corresponds to 450 percent of the nutrient reference value. Calcium L-methylfolate is 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and therefore the form in which folate is present in the blood.

Biotin, 400 µg, or 800 percent of the nutrient reference value. Vitamin B12 as cyanocobalamin, 20 µg, also 800 percent.

The other five. Niacin 40 mg, pantothenic acid 46 mg, thiamine 20 mg, riboflavin 15 mg and vitamin B6 11 mg. All are between 250 and 1,818 percent of the nutrient reference value.

The difference from our B Komplex Aktiv: it also includes alpha lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, choline, vitamin C and vitamin E, and the B12 is in the form of methylcobalamin. The Forte complex omits these in favor of higher folate and biotin levels.

What B vitamins do

Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, biotin and vitamin B12 contribute to normal energy metabolism. Riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folate and vitamin B12 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, biotin and vitamin B12 contribute to the normal function of the nervous system. Folate contributes to normal amino acid synthesis and plays a role in cell division. All of the claims listed are entered in the EU Register of authorized health claims.

B Komplex Forte capsules: composition and quality

Buckwheat whole grain flour is used as the carrier. Despite its name, buckwheat is not a grain, but a knotweed plant and therefore naturally gluten-free. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorants. The product is vegan, filled in amber glass. Every batch is tested for heavy metals by an independent laboratory.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

1.25 mg vitamin B12 per capsule

One capsule provides 1,250 µg vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin. That is 500 times the nutrient reference value of 2.5 µg, declared on the label as 50,000 percent. Such a magnitude is common with vitamin B12, but it does deserve an explanation.

Why neither animals nor plants produce B12

Vitamin B12 is chemically called cobalamin, and the name is meant literally: a cobalt ion sits at the center of the molecule. No other vitamin contains a metal.

It is formed exclusively by bacteria and archaea. Neither a plant nor an animal can do this, and neither can humans. Ruminants get their B12 because the corresponding bacteria live in their rumen; through meat, fish, eggs, and milk, it then enters the human diet. People who eat a plant-based diet do not have this detour available.

The buckwheat sprout extract in this formula does not supply the vitamin; it carries it. By the way, buckwheat is not a grain, but a knotweed plant, and is therefore more closely related to rhubarb and sorrel than to wheat.

Methylcobalamin, and why the dose is so high

Supplement products usually contain two forms. Cyanocobalamin is the synthetic, especially shelf-stable variant, in which a cyanide group sits on the cobalt and must first be replaced by the body. Methylcobalamin is, on the other hand, one of the two forms in which the vitamin actually works in metabolism.

The level of the dosage has to do with absorption. B12 has its own transport pathway via a binding protein from the gastric mucosa. This pathway works very efficiently, but it is limited: only a few micrograms can be absorbed this way per meal, after which it is saturated. Anything beyond that reaches the body only through passive diffusion, and about one percent is absorbed. High-dose products are aimed at this second route.

The approved claims are based on 15 percent of the nutrient reference value, a threshold that is far exceeded here: Vitamin B12 contributes to the normal function of the nervous system, to normal red blood cell formation, and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It also has a role in cell division.

Composition and quality

Three ingredients, nothing more: buckwheat sprout extract, methylcobalamin, and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No anti-caking agents, no fillers, no colorants. The formula is purely plant-based and therefore vegan.

It is bottled in amber glass. This is no minor detail with B12, because cobalamins are sensitive to light, and brown glass largely blocks UV light.

Vitalplant is backed by Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.

One ingredient, ten grams per serving

Vitalplant collagen powder is made from hydrolyzed bovine collagen. No flavors, no sweeteners, no fillers. The ingredients list has exactly one item.

What hydrolysis means for collagen

In its original state, collagen exists as a triple helix: three protein strands wound around each other. In this form, it is tough and hardly soluble in water. Anyone who has ever let beef broth cool knows the result as a firm jelly.

Enzymatic hydrolysis breaks this structure down into short peptides. The gelling raw material becomes a powder that dissolves in both cold and hot water and does not swell up afterward.

The amino acid profile is characteristic. Around one third of the collagen molecule consists of glycine, the smallest of all amino acids. It also contains proline and hydroxyproline. Hydroxyproline occurs in significant amounts almost exclusively in collagen and is therefore used in food analysis as evidence of it.

Collagen, Move, or Shine

We carry three collagen products side by side. This one is the quantity-focused option: ten grams per serving, twice as much as Kollagen Move and Kollagen Shine, but without a defined peptide fraction.

Move and Shine instead rely on branded raw materials with a defined manufacturing process, but provide five grams per serving. Quantity on one side, a specified raw material on the other: that is the difference.

Origin and processing

The powder is flavor-neutral and can also be stirred into hot coffee without changing its aroma. As a raw material of animal origin, collagen is neither vegan nor vegetarian.

It is filled into a resealable stand-up pouch. Store in a cool, dry place, do not freeze, and protect from direct sunlight.

Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Pharmacy.

The bundle for men over 50

Men’s Vital 50+ brings together three products specifically designed for men over 50: our Prosta Plant herbal complex, Men’s Capsules with amino acids and pine bark, and Vitamin D3 with K2. Save compared with ordering the products individually.

What’s in the bundle

Prosta Plant Capsules. These capsules combine three traditional plants associated with men’s health: pumpkin seed, saw palmetto, and nettle root. The formula is supplemented with zinc, selenium, and vitamin E.

Men’s Capsules. L-citrulline and L-arginine combined with pine bark extract, zinc, and selenium. The daily serving is two capsules twice a day.

Vitamin D3+ Capsules. Vitamin D3 at a dosage of 2000 I.E., supplemented with vitamin K2 and magnesium. One capsule every other day is sufficient.

What zinc, selenium, and vitamin D do

Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood. Selenium contributes to normal sperm production and helps protect cells from oxidative stress. Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and normal muscle function. These claims are listed in the EU Register of authorised health claims.

Ingredients and quality

All three products come straight from our range, with no unnecessary additives and every batch independently laboratory tested. Details on recommended use and ingredients can be found on the respective product pages.

Vitalplant is backed by Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at Stern Apotheke.