Advena Supplement Facts

Daily Dosage: As a dietary supplement, take one capsule in the morning with 8 ounces of water. 45-60 days of continuous use is necessary for optimum results.

Advena Research:

Iron (elemental iron)- Iron deficiency anemia is more common in women. However, iron deficiency without anemia can result in hair loss, impaired cognitive function and can exacerbate heavy menstrual bleeding, thereby making the deficiency worse. It can also impact endurance capacity with aerobic training (1). Upon diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia, oral iron therapy should be started immediately (2).

In toddlers, after breastfeeding or formula is discontinued, supplementation with 10 mg of elemental iron daily is recommended to prevent deficiency and impaired cognitive development (3). Mental development scores are improved with supplementation (4). Starting oral iron in antenatal iron-deficient women immediately following delivery produces improvements in hemoglobin levels and iron stores (5).

Vitamin B-12 (methylcobalamin)- Megaloblastic anemia may occur when vitamin B12 is deficient. Pernicious anemia is another type of vitamin B12 deficient anemia where intrinsic factor which helps with absorption of B12 is lacking. Simple treatment is replacement of vitamin B12 which is often accomplished through intramuscular (IM) injections. However, research shows that oral methylcobalamin is just as effective a treatment for vitamin B12 deficient anemia, and is better tolerated and less expensive compared with IM treatment (even in cases of pernicious anemia) (6).

Also, patients given oral methylcobalamin showed rapid improvements (1 month recovery) in blood parameters and neurological defects (7). Maintenance doses of 1,500 micrograms daily for 7 days every 1-3 months can be used in some patients to maintain levels of vitamin B12.

Folic acid- Folic acid deficiency can also cause megaloblastic anemia. Although many grain based foods are fortified with folic acid, special diets can contribute to deficiency, as well as certain medications. Taking oral contraceptives can cause folic acid deficiency, megaloblastic anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency and polyneuropathy (8). Folic acid deficiency anemia is also very common in psychogeriatric patients, and should be routinely evaluated (9).

Trace Minerals: The following minerals have been shown to support oxygen transport on red blood cells, a process that is limited in anemia.

Zinc- Deficiency of zinc can play a role in development of anemia and iron deficiency, especially in pregnant women (10). Therefore, in pregnant women, not only should iron be routinely supplemented, zinc should be included in the protocol as well.

Copper- Whenever zinc is given long term to treat any condition, copper must be co-administered to prevent copper deficiency because they use the same transport system. Sideroblastic anemia and peripheral neuropathy can be caused by copper deficiency which is for the most part the result of unopposed zinc therapy (11).

Selenium- Deficiency of selenium can contribute to anemia in ill patients, like those with HIV infection (12). Plasma levels of selenium are also significantly lower in children with iron deficiency anemia than in controls (13).

Vitamin C- Administration of vitamin C enhances the absorption of dietary iron in the gut (14). Clinical research has shown that giving vitamin C with iron is a more effective treatment for iron deficiency anemia than iron alone, improving blood parameters and measures of iron status (15).

References:

1. Brownlie IV T et al. Tissue iron deficiency without anemia impairs adaptation in endurance capacity after aerobic training in previously untrained women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2004;79(3):437-443.

2. Cook JD. Diagnosis and management of iron-deficiency anaemia. Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2005 Jun;18(2):319-32.

3. Eden AN. Iron deficiency and impaired cognition in toddlers: an underestimated and undertreated problem. Paediatr Drugs 2005;7(6):347-52.

4. Sachdev H, Gera T, Nestel P. Effect of iron supplementation on mental and motor development in children: systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Public Health Nutr 2005 Apr;8(2):117-32.

5. Krafft A et al. Effect of postpartum iron supplementation on red cell and iron parameters in non-anaemic iron-deficient women: a randomised placebo-controlled study. BJOG 2005 Apr;112(4):445-50.

6. Bolaman Z et al. Oral versus intramuscular cobalamin treatment in megaloblastic anemia: a single-center, prospective, randomized, open-label study. Clin Ther 2003 Dec;25(12):3124-34.

7. Taksaki Y et al. [Effectiveness of oral vitamin B12 therapy for pernicious anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency anemia] Rinsho Ketsueki 2002 Mar;43(3):165-9.

8. Kornberg A et al. Folic acid deficiency, megaloblastic anemia and peripheral polyneuropathy due to oral contraceptives. Isr J Med Sci 1989 Mar;25(3):142-5.

9. Arinzon Z et al. Folate status and folate related anemia: a comparative cross-sectional study of long-term care and post-acute care psychogeriatric patients. Arch Gerontol Geriatric 2004 Sep-Oct;39(2):133-42.

10. Ma AG et al. Comparison of serum levels of iron, zinc and copper in anaemic and non-anaemic pregnant women in China. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2004;13(4):348-52.

11. Willis MS et al. Zinc-induced copper deficiency: a report of three cases initially recognized on bone marrow examination. Am J Clin Pathol 2005 Jan;123(1):125-31.

12. Van Lettow M et al. Low plasma selenium concentrations, high plasma human immunodeficiency virus load and high interleukin-6 concentrations are risk factors associated with anemia in adults presenting with pulmonary tuberculosis in Zomba district, Malawi. Eur J Clin Nutr 2005 Apr;59(4):526-32.

13. Gurgoze Mk et al. Plasma selenium status in children with iron deficiency anemia. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2004;18(2):193-6.

14. Fishman SM, Christian P, West KP. The role of vitamins in the prevention and control of anaemia. Public Health Nutr 2000 Jun;3(2):125-50.

15. Sharma DC, Mathur R. Correction of anemia and iron deficiency in vegetarians by administration of ascorbic acid. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 1995 Oct;39(4):403-6.