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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.

Artichoke leaf extract, standardized to 10 percent cynarin

When people think of artichokes, they think of the vegetable. But for an extract, a different part of the plant is used. Vitalplant artichoke capsules contain a leaf extract standardized to 10 percent cynarin.

Why the leaves and not the bud

What ends up on the plate is the artichoke’s immature flower bud. The extract, by contrast, comes from the plant’s large, deeply cut leaves. They are the part of the plant with the highest content of bitter compounds.

Cynarin as a measure. Cynarin is a derivative of caffeic acid and one of the artichoke’s characteristic bitter compounds. Its content serves as the standardization value: our extract is set to 10 percent, so every batch falls within the same range.

Why standardization is used. The bitter compound content of a plant varies considerably depending on the variety, location, and harvest time. A standardized extract balances out these fluctuations.

Cynara scolymus: plant and origin

The artichoke belongs to the daisy family and is therefore related to thistles and sunflowers. It grows up to two meters tall and forms striking purple flower heads if you let it bloom.

The cultivated form originates in the Mediterranean region, where it has been grown since ancient times. To this day, the main growing areas are in Italy, Spain, and France. As a vegetable, it spread from there throughout Europe.

Artichoke capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of two components: artichoke leaf extract and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no separating agents, no colorants. The product is vegan and gluten-free, bottled 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.

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.

Four extracts, all four standardized

Vitalplant's milk thistle complex combines four plant extracts. What makes it unusual: each one is standardized to a marker compound, not just the one in the name.

The four extracts and their marker compounds

Milk thistle extract, 250 mg, with 80 percent silymarin. Silymarin is a mixture of flavonolignans, especially silybin, silychristin, and silydianin. It is obtained from the ripe seeds of Silybum marianum.

Schisandra extract, 200 mg, with 5 percent schisandrin. Schisandra chinensis is a climbing plant from East Asia. Its berries are called wu wei zi in Chinese, fruit of the five flavors, because they taste sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent all at once.

Artichoke extract, 150 mg, with 10 percent cynarin. The leaves are used, not the edible bud. Cynarin is a derivative of caffeic acid and one of the characteristic bitter compounds.

Dandelion root extract, 50 mg, with 2 percent flavonoids. Unlike the Bitter Complex, which uses the whole herb, this product uses only the root.

Why standardization matters here

The content of secondary plant compounds varies significantly depending on the variety, location, harvest time, and weather conditions. A standardized extract balances out these fluctuations, so each batch falls within the same range.

There are no authorized health claims for the four plant extracts. That is why we state the amount, plant part, and marker compound. The milk thistle complex complements a varied and balanced diet.

Milk thistle complex capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of five components: the four extracts and the capsule shell made from hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorings. 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.

A mushroom with spines instead of gills

Bio Hericium Capsules from Vitalplant contain extract from Hericium erinaceus. Anyone who has seen the mushroom once won’t forget it: it looks like a white waterfall.

Lion’s mane, hedgehog mushroom, monkey head mushroom

Most mushrooms form their spores on gills or in tubes on the underside of the cap. Hericium does it differently. It does not form a cap, but rather a white clump from which hundreds of soft spines hang down, up to five centimeters long.

Hence the German names hedgehog mushroom and monkey head mushroom. Lion’s mane comes from English, Lion's Mane.

It grows on weakened or dead deciduous trees, in Europe mainly on beech and oak. In Germany, it has become so rare in the wild that it is under nature protection and may not be collected. As an edible mushroom, it is therefore cultivated; its flesh is reminiscent in texture of crab meat.

Why there is no efficacy claim here

Many claims circulate about Hericium. None of them is approved in the EU as a health claim; there simply are none for mushroom extracts.

That is why we do not write anything about an effect, not even indirectly. The mushroom, the amount of extract, and the organic origin are stated on this page, and that is all.

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 own shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, so no anti-caking agent and no filler.

It is filled into amber glass, which largely blocks the UV portion of the light.

Hericium is also included in the Organic Medicinal Mushroom Complex, though there it comes in a much smaller daily amount because it shares space with three other mushrooms.

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

Seven plant extracts from four continents

Vitalplant’s Libido F Complex combines seven plant extracts drawn from very different botanical traditions. The daily dose of two capsules provides 935 mg of plant extracts.

The seven extracts

Shatavari, 150 mg per capsule. Asparagus racemosus belongs to the asparagus family and comes from India and Sri Lanka. The root is used.

Maca, 100 mg, from the Andes of Peru, and pomegranate, 62.5 mg, from Western Asia, where the fruit has been cultivated for thousands of years.

Dong Quai, 50 mg. Angelica sinensis is an umbellifer from China, botanically related to European angelica. Also included are damiana leaf, 50 mg, from Central America and fenugreek seed, 50 mg, from the Mediterranean region.

Saffron, 5 mg, as SAFFR'ACTIV®. A trademarked extract. Saffron consists of the dried stigmas of the crocus, which are hand-picked. It takes around 150,000 flowers to make one kilogram, which makes saffron the world's most expensive spice.

Why the amount of saffron seems so small

5 mg sounds small next to 150 mg of Shatavari. However, amounts in this range are common for standardized saffron extracts, because the raw material is highly concentrated and extremely valuable.

There are no authorized health claims for the seven plant extracts. That is why we specify the amount, origin, and standardization. Libido F Complex complements a varied and balanced diet.

Libido F Complex capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of eight components: the seven extracts and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. No fillers, no anti-caking agents, no colorants. 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Organic aronia berry powder from EU cultivation

The aronia berry is hardly edible in its raw state. Its high tannin content makes it so tart that it is almost never eaten fresh. The organic Aronia capsules from Vitalplant contain the ground fruit powder with no other ingredients.

What makes the berry special

The color comes from anthocyanins. Aronia berries are among the darkest fruits of all. Responsible for this are anthocyanins, water-soluble plant pigments from the flavonoid group, which also give elderberry, blueberry, and red cabbage their color.

Tannins shape the flavor. The tart, astringent note comes from tannins. They are the reason aronia is traditionally processed into juice, liqueur, or jam instead of being eaten fresh.

500 mg of fruit powder per capsule. Ground whole berry, not concentrated. The raw material is certified according to the EU organic regulation, control body number DE-ÖKO-039, origin EU agriculture.

Aronia melanocarpa: shrub and cultivation

The black chokeberry originally comes from eastern North America. It belongs to the rose family and is therefore related to apples and pears, which is also reflected in the German name.

The plant came to Europe in the 19th century. It is extremely frost-hardy and has low soil requirements, which is why it has become established as a cultivated plant in Eastern Europe and now also in Germany. It is harvested in late summer.

Organic Aronia capsules: composition and quality

The formula consists of two components: organic aronia berry powder 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. 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.

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.

Why 5 g of monohydrate becomes 4.4 g of creatine

Vitalplant creatine powder consists of pure creatine monohydrate. The name already explains why the two numbers on the pack differ: monohydrate means that one water molecule is bound to each creatine molecule.

Creatine has a molar mass of 131.1, monohydrate 149.2. Calculating the ratio shows that 87.9 percent of the mass is creatine itself. One scoop of monohydrate therefore yields 4.4 g of creatine. Anyone comparing creatine products should look at this second number, not the first.

What is authorised and what applies to it

For creatine, there are two health claims approved in the EU, and both are tied to clear conditions.

Creatine increases physical performance during speed-strength training in the context of short-term intense physical exertion. The positive effect is achieved with a daily intake of 3 g of creatine. The claim is intended for adults who perform intense physical activity.

Daily creatine intake can improve the effect of strength training on muscle strength in adults over 55 years of age. Here too, the rule is: 3 g of creatine daily, in combination with strength training that allows an increase in muscle exertion over time, at least three times a week over several weeks and at an intensity of at least 65 to 75 percent of the one-repetition maximum.

Both claims therefore require training. Without a training stimulus, there is nothing to enhance.

Monohydrate and the amount in food

Creatine occurs naturally in meat and fish, in beef at roughly 4 to 5 g per kilogram of raw muscle meat. One serving of this powder therefore corresponds to roughly the creatine content of one kilo of raw beef steak.

Monohydrate is the form named in the approved claims and the one that underpins by far the largest share of the available studies. It is also the simplest and most affordable option.

Purity and processing

One ingredient, no flavouring, no sweetener, no anti-caking agent. The powder is practically tasteless and dissolves in 300 ml of liquid without residue. Not intended for children and teenagers, but expressly for adults. If you already take our Pre Workout+ you should know that it already contains 4 g of creatine monohydrate per serving.

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

Black Maca as a 10:1 Root Extract

Maca comes in several color types, which differ significantly in how common they are. Vitalplant's Black Maca capsules contain a concentrated 10:1 extract from the black variety.

What a 10:1 Extract Means

For one part extract, ten parts of dried maca root are used. A capsule with 450 mg of extract therefore corresponds mathematically to around 4,500 mg of root material. This is the difference from pure maca powder, which is not concentrated.

Why black maca is rarer. Most of the harvest consists of yellow tubers. Red and black types make up only a smaller share. They are sorted by hand after harvest, which explains the higher price.

The color is in the skin. Yellow, red, and black describe the color of the tuber surface. It is the same species, not different plants.

Lepidium meyenii: Cultivation in the Andes

Maca belongs to the mustard family and is therefore related to radish and cress. The plant is grown in the high altitudes of the Peruvian Andes, often above 4,000 meters.

There, there are strong temperature fluctuations, intense sunlight, and thin air. After harvesting, the tubers are traditionally dried in the sun, which takes several weeks. Only then does the extraction follow.

Black Maca Capsules: Composition and Quality

The formula consists of two components: the maca root extract and the capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. No fillers, no flow 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.

Five plant extracts with eleven micronutrients

Vitalplant’s Luna Balance capsules combine five standardized plant extracts with a full spectrum of B vitamins, plus zinc and vitamin C. Take one capsule in the morning, and a second in the afternoon if needed.

The five plant extracts

Ashwagandha, 150 mg per capsule. KSM-66, a branded extract from the pure root of Withania somnifera.

Feverfew, 50 mg. Tanacetum parthenium, a daisy family plant with daisy-like flowers, long established in Europe as a garden plant.

Coenzyme Q10, 50 mg. A substance found naturally in the body, present in every cell and added here as an isolated raw material.

Chaste tree, 20 mg, from the fruits of Vitex agnus-castus, a Mediterranean shrub. And saffron, 15 mg from the stigmas of the crocus, the world’s most expensive spice.

What the micronutrients do

Vitamin B6, vitamin C, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, biotin, folate and vitamin B12 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, where authorized for the respective nutrient. Vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 contribute to normal psychological function.

Zinc contributes to normal fertility and reproduction. One capsule provides 5 mg, which corresponds to 50 percent of the reference intake. Folate has a role in cell division.

There are no authorized claims for the five plant extracts or for coenzyme Q10. For these, we state the amount, origin and standardization.

Luna Balance capsules: composition and quality

Fitting sixteen ingredients into one capsule is a matter of formulation density. Even so, the formula is free from fillers, anti-caking agents and colorants. It uses organically bound mineral forms: magnesium bisglycinate and zinc bisglycinate. 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.

Fourteen ingredients with zinc, B vitamins, and pantothenic acid

Vitalplant’s Brain Complex combines plant and mushroom extracts with two phospholipid compounds and four micronutrients. The daily dose is three capsules.

What’s in the daily dose

360 mg plant extract complex from Brahmi, ginger, and rosemary. Brahmi, botanically Bacopa monnieri, is a marsh plant from South Asia.

360 mg Hericium extract with 30 percent polysaccharides, plus 270 mg Hericium powder and 270 mg Tremella fuciformis extract. Tremella is a jelly-like mushroom that is also used as an edible mushroom in East Asia.

180 mg phosphatidylserine and 120 mg citicoline. Both belong to the phospholipids or their precursors, and thus to the building blocks of cell membranes.

60 mg Ginkgo biloba extract in a 45:1 ratio, standardized to 24 percent flavone glycosides and 6 percent terpene lactones. Also included are 120 mg each of pine bark and larch bark extract, plus 15 mg black pepper extract.

What the micronutrients do

Pantothenic acid contributes to normal mental performance. Zinc contributes to normal cognitive function.

Thiamine and vitamin B12 contribute to the normal function of the nervous system and to normal psychological function. All of the statements listed are included in the EU Register of authorized health claims.

There are no authorized claims for the plant and mushroom extracts, for phosphatidylserine, or for citicoline. For these, we state the amount and standardization.

Brain Complex capsules: composition and quality

Fourteen ingredients in one formula, with no 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 Stern Pharmacy.

Named after a caterpillar, delivered as an extract

Cordyceps capsules from Vitalplant contain extract from Cordyceps sinensis, known in German as caterpillar fungus. The name is unusual enough to deserve an explanation.

Where the name comes from

Cordyceps sinensis grows wild on the Tibetan plateau, at altitudes between 3,000 and 5,000 meters. There, the fungus infects the larvae of root borers, grows through them, and in spring sends a slender, club-shaped stalk up from the ground.

The Tibetan name Yartsa Gunbu describes exactly that: summer grass, winter worm. Wild-collected specimens are among the most expensive natural products of all and are traded by weight.

Taxonomically, the species has been correctly called Ophiocordyceps sinensis since 2007. The older name Cordyceps sinensis has remained in trade and is therefore also listed on our ingredients list.

What we are allowed to say about it — and what we are not

For medicinal mushrooms, not a single health claim is approved in the EU. The relevant applications have been sitting unresolved for years on the so-called on-hold list, neither approved nor rejected.

We could fill this limbo with hints. We do not. What appears on this page is the species, origin, and extract amount, and that can be verified.

Positioning in the range and quality

Cordyceps is the only one of our medicinal mushrooms without organic certification. It is also the only one not included in the Organic Medicinal Mushroom Complex. If you want it, you need these capsules.

The extract sits in a vegan capsule shell made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, without anti-caking agents and without filler. It is filled in amber glass because brown glass largely blocks the UV portion of light.

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