Search results
85 results
Search results
Four mushrooms in equal parts, 125 mg per capsule
Vitalplant’s Organic Medicinal Mushroom Complex combines Reishi, Hericium, Chaga, and Shiitake. All four are dosed exactly equally, which is by no means a given in this product category.
Four mushrooms, four ways of life
Reishi, the glossy bracket fungus, grows on hardwood stumps and is corky, hard, and bitter. Hericium forms hundreds of soft spines instead of gills and hangs like a white waterfall from weakened beech trees.
Chaga infects living birch trees in cold regions and forms a black, charred-looking crust over the years, which botanically is not a fruiting body but a sclerotium. Shiitake, finally, is the most familiar of the four, an edible mushroom that ranks second worldwide in cultivation volume.
Breadth or quantity: the honest calculation
Four mushrooms in one capsule inevitably mean less of each individual one. Each capsule contains 125 mg per mushroom.
For comparison: our single Organic Shiitake provides 500 mg per capsule, Organic Chaga also 500 mg, Organic Hericium 400 mg, and Organic Reishi 300 mg. The complex is therefore an introduction to breadth, not depth.
Anyone looking for a specific mushroom in a targeted, higher amount is better off with the respective single product. Cordyceps is not included; we offer it exclusively as a separate product.
What we do not claim, and the quality
In the EU, no health claim is permitted for mushroom extracts, neither for a single one nor for a combination. Four mushrooms therefore do not equal four promises. What we can state are the species, amounts, and origin.
All four extract powders come from certified organic cultivation, control body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin non-EU agriculture. The capsule contains nothing but the extracts and the vegan shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. Bottled in amber glass that largely blocks UV light.
Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Pharmacy.
Fourteen ingredients with rosemary and mint oil
Vitalplant’s organic breath tea is the most complex blend in our tea range: fourteen ingredients, including two essential oils, which give the infusion its distinctive freshness.
The herbal blend
Rosehip peel and apple pieces form the base and provide a fruity-tart underlying note. Hibiscus flowers intensify the acidity and give the infusion a deep red color.
Lemongrass and star anise add the aromatic accents, one citrusy, the other sweetly spicy thanks to its anethole.
Five mint family herbs shape the herbal component: curly mint, sage, rosemary, peppermint, and thyme. Add to that nettle leaves and linden blossoms.
Rosemary oil and mint oil are added as essential oils. They make all the difference from a pure leaf blend, because they dissolve immediately when steeped.
Preparation and taste
Pour 200 ml of boiling water over 3 g of tea and let it steep for 5 to 8 minutes. The infusion is distinctly fresh and herbal, with the fruity notes becoming more pronounced the longer it steeps.
The tea is naturally caffeine-free and suitable for any time of day. If you prefer the essential oils more intensely, cover the cup while steeping.
Organic breath tea: origin and quality
100 g of loose tea yields around 30 servings. The ingredients come from certified organic cultivation, certified according to EU organic regulations, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin EU and non-EU agriculture. No added sugar. Packed in a resealable stand-up pouch.
Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Pharmacy.
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.
Melatonin with four plant extracts and B vitamins
Melatonin is one of the few substances in this area with an officially approved claim. Vitalplant’s Night Rest capsules combine it with four plant extracts, two amino acids, and five B vitamins.
What melatonin does
Melatonin helps shorten the time it takes to fall asleep. The beneficial effect occurs with an intake of 1 mg of melatonin shortly before going to bed. One capsule contains 0.5 mg, so two capsules provide exactly the 1 mg to which this claim applies.
This claim is listed in the EU Register of nutrition and health claims. It applies expressly to the stated amount, which is why the recommended intake is 1 to 2 capsules about 30 minutes before going to bed.
What else is in the capsule
160 mg passion flower extract and 120 mg reishi extract. In addition, 40 mg lemon balm extract and 25 mg hop cone extract.
120 mg L-tryptophan and 40 mg L-theanine. L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid that the body cannot produce on its own. L-theanine occurs naturally in tea leaves.
Five B vitamins, each at 100 percent of the nutrient reference value: niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folic acid, and vitamin B12. Riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 help reduce tiredness and fatigue, as well as support the normal function of the nervous system.
There are no approved claims for the four plant extracts and the two amino acids. For these, we state the amount and source.
Night Rest capsules: composition and quality
Thirteen ingredients in one formula, without fillers, anti-caking agents, or colorants. The capsule shell is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. 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 Pharmacy.
100% Fortigel®, nothing else
Kollagen Move by Vitalplant contains hydrolysed bovine collagen as Fortigel®. No second ingredient, no flavourings, no sweeteners.
What a branded raw material says
Fortigel® is a registered trademark for a specifically manufactured collagen peptide fraction. The difference from a generally declared collagen hydrolysate lies in the process: enzyme selection, temperature control, and process duration determine which peptide sizes are created when the collagen triple helix is broken down. A branded raw material defines this process and makes it reproducible from batch to batch.
We are deliberately not claiming what this does in the body. No health claim is approved in the EU for collagen peptides. What we can state is the raw material, its quantity, and the process behind it, and that is exactly what can be verified.
Move or Shine
In addition to Move, we offer Kollagen Shine with 100% VERISOL® and the plain Collagen Powder without brand specification.
Move and Shine differ neither in the serving size nor in the source animal. Both are hydrolysed bovine collagen, and both provide five grams per scoop. The only difference lies in the hydrolysis process and thus in the peptide profile. Which one is right depends on your preference for the respective branded raw material.
Use and quality
The powder is flavourless and dissolves in both cold and hot drinks without gelling. Stirred into coffee, it leaves the aroma unchanged.
Collagen comes from cattle and is therefore neither vegan nor vegetarian. Filled in a resealable stand-up pouch, store in a cool, dry place and do not freeze.
Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Pharmacy.
Seven bitter herbs in one capsule
Bitter compounds have largely disappeared from the modern diet. Vegetables have been bred for mildness over decades. Vitalplant’s Bitter Complex brings together seven plants known for their bitter taste.
The seven plants
Turmeric extract, 80 mg, and dandelion, 80 mg. Turmeric is a ginger family plant; the rhizome is used. From dandelion, the whole herb is used, a member of the daisy family that grows in almost every meadow.
Artichoke extract, 50 mg, yarrow, 50 mg, and mugwort herb, 50 mg. All three belong to the daisy family. Mugwort is especially known in Central Europe as a seasoning for hearty roasts.
Hop cones, 33 mg, and centaury, 20 mg. Hops are commonly known as a beer ingredient, and their bitter compounds shape the taste. Centaury belongs to the gentian family, a group known for its pronounced bitterness.
At three capsules a day, this amounts to around 1,089 mg of plant substances.
Why plants taste bitter
Bitter compounds are no accident for the plant. They form as secondary plant substances and make leaves, roots, or flowers unattractive to herbivores. Chemically, they are very different groups of substances: sesquiterpene lactones in dandelion, bitter glycosides in centaury, alpha and beta acids in hops.
There are no approved health claims for the seven plant extracts. That is why we state the amount, plant part, and origin.
Bitter Complex capsules: composition and quality
The formula consists of the seven plant ingredients and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. 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.
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.
Zinc and Vitamin C in one capsule
Vitalplant Zinc + C capsules combine two micronutrients that are often taken separately. One capsule provides 10 mg zinc and 320 mg vitamin C.
Two nutrients, two forms
Vitamin C as PureWay-C®. A trademarked vitamin C complex in which ascorbic acid is combined with citrus bioflavonoids. 340 mg PureWay-C® contains 320 mg vitamin C, which corresponds to 400 percent of the nutrient reference value.
Zinc as bisglycinate. 34 mg zinc bisglycinate provide 10 mg elemental zinc, and thus 100 percent of the nutrient reference value. The zinc is bound to two molecules of the amino acid glycine, a structure known as a chelate.
The difference compared with our Zinc 25: there, the zinc content is 25 mg per capsule, but without vitamin C. Zinc + C is designed for anyone who wants both nutrients in one capsule.
What zinc and vitamin C do
Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, as well as to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, bones, and blood vessels. Vitamin C also increases iron absorption.
Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, hair, and nails, and to normal cognitive function. Both nutrients help protect cells from oxidative stress. All statements listed are registered in the EU Register of authorised health claims.
Zinc + C capsules: composition and quality
The formula consists of three ingredients: PureWay-C®, zinc bisglycinate, and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colourings. 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 Stern Apotheke.
Korean ginseng with at least 5 percent ginsenosides
Many plants are called ginseng, but they are often not botanically related. The Panax Ginseng capsules from Vitalplant contain genuine Korean ginseng, botanically designated as Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer.
Why the addition C. A. Meyer matters
C. A. Meyer stands for Carl Anton von Meyer, the botanist who scientifically described the species in 1843. Such author abbreviations are an established part of the botanical name and make it unambiguous.
The difference from other ginseng species. Siberian ginseng is botanically Eleutherococcus senticosus and is not closely related to Panax. American ginseng is also a separate species. Anyone who wants genuine Korean ginseng should therefore look for the full designation.
Ginsenosides as a measure. Ginsenosides are triterpene saponins, the characteristic active compounds in the ginseng root. Our extract is standardized to at least 5 percent. Without this information, it is hardly possible to compare the quality of a ginseng extract.
Cultivation and harvest in Korea
Ginseng is a demanding crop. The roots are usually not harvested until after four to six years, because they gain size and substance during this time. After harvest, the soil must rest for many years before ginseng can be grown there again.
This explains why Korean ginseng remains a comparatively expensive raw material to this day and why the origin and age of the root matter.
Panax Ginseng capsules: composition and quality
The formula consists of two ingredients: the ginseng root extract and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. 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 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.
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.
Six ingredients with goji and pomegranate
Vitalplant's organic men's tea combines fruit, seeds, and leaves into a fruity, tart blend. Six ingredients, all from certified organic farming.
The blend
Goji berries make up the largest share. Lycium barbarum belongs to the nightshade family and is therefore more closely related to the tomato than to classic berries. Dried, the fruits add a sweet-tart note.
Lemongrass adds the citrus accent, fenugreek seeds a strong, spicy component. Fenugreek is a legume and is widely used as a spice in Indian cuisine.
Pomegranate peels contribute tannins that give the infusion its bitterness. Curly mint leaves and nettle leaves round out the blend with fresh and herbal notes.
Preparation and flavor
Pour 3 g of tea over 200 ml of boiling water and let steep for 5 to 8 minutes. The pomegranate peels make the infusion noticeably more bitter with a longer steeping time, because tannins are released slowly. Four minutes produce a milder result.
The tea is naturally caffeine-free and suitable for any time of day.
Organic men's tea: origin and quality
100 g of loose tea yields around 30 servings. All six ingredients come from certified organic farming, certified according to the EU organic regulation, certification body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin EU and non-EU agriculture. No flavors, no additives, no sugar. Packed in a resealable stand-up pouch.
Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the 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.
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.
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.
Guggul resin extract with 5 percent guggulsterones
Like frankincense and myrrh, guggul is a tree resin, not an herb and not a root. The Guggul Extract capsules from Vitalplant contain a standardized resin extract with 5 percent guggulsterones.
How guggul is obtained
The resin comes from Commiphora wightii, a thorny shrub from the dry regions of India and Pakistan. The bark is incised, and the sap that emerges hardens in the air into yellowish-brown lumps. These are collected and further processed.
Guggulsterone as a measure. They are the characteristic components of the resin and serve as the standardization value. At 500 mg extract per capsule and a standardization of 5 percent, this results in 25 mg guggulsterones.
Why standardization matters especially here. Natural resins vary considerably in composition depending on the tree, location, and harvest year. A standardized extract compensates for these fluctuations.
Commiphora wightii: plant and extraction
The guggul shrub rarely grows higher than four meters and withstands long dry periods. It belongs to the family of balsam trees, the same family as frankincense and myrrh.
Guggul has long been known in Ayurvedic herbal medicine and is also called Guggulu there. Because the populations regenerate slowly, the raw material is now increasingly sourced from controlled cultivation instead of wild harvesting.
Guggul Extract capsules: composition and quality
The formula consists of two components: the guggul resin extract and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorings. The product is vegan and gluten-free, filled 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.
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.
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.
Eleven organic ingredients, including a bacterium
Bio Vital Greens from Vitalplant combines baobab, barley grass, wheat grass, spirulina, pineapple, lucuma, spinach, gluten-free oat flour, moringa, kale, and peppermint leaf. Strictly speaking, one of these ingredients is not a plant at all.
The blend in detail
Spirulina is commonly called blue-green algae, but it belongs to the cyanobacteria. It is a bacterium that carries out photosynthesis, and has done so for around three billion years.
Baobab makes up the largest share by volume. The pulp of the African baobab tree dries on the branch while the fruit is still hanging. It therefore does not need to be dried afterward, but can be ground directly.
Barley grass and wheat grass are harvested as young grass, long before ears form. Lucuma is a South American fruit with a flavor somewhere between caramel and maple syrup, pineapple adds acidity. The remaining leafy ingredients, spinach, moringa, kale, and peppermint, give the blend its green color and herbal base note.
What the nutritional values show
With 26,34 g of fiber per 100 g, the powder meets the requirement for the claim high fiber content. Baobab and the two grasses account for the lion’s share. The protein content is 19,79 g per 100 g.
To be clear: pineapple and lucuma naturally contain sugar, 15,72 g per 100 g. Based on a 12 g serving, that comes to 1,89 g. None has been added.
Origin and storage
All ingredients come from certified organic cultivation, inspection body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin EU and non-EU agriculture.
The powder is unsweetened and tastes distinctly herbal. If you prefer it milder, stir it into juice instead of water. Without anti-caking agents, it tends to clump, so close the bag carefully after each use and store it in a dry place.
Behind Vitalplant is Christian Lazar, a licensed pharmacist with over 35 years of professional experience at the Stern Apotheke.
Showing 60/85
Next