Author name: Valentina Quintana

The Role of Magnesium and Vitamin D3 in Stress and Immunity In these times, more than ever, we need a strong body and a resilient mind, capable of dealing with the demands of the environment and the constant changes we face. In addition to the contributions of nutrition to health and well-being, more and more is known about the relationship between our mental state and the integrity of the defense system: the immune system. Next, you will be able to understand in greater detail the main functions of this wonderful system, as well as the nervous system, and you will learn about two micronutrients that are essential for the proper functioning of both. Read! The Immune System Your body has several mechanisms to defend itself against threats from the environment. The first of these is part of the so-called “Innate Immunity”, the one you are born with and is made up of the physical barriers of protection, that is, the skin – including its secretions and hairs – and the mucous membranes of your digestive and respiratory system. The second line of defense, also innate, is made up of numerous mobile cells that are formed in the bone marrow, but then inhabit different tissues to fight microorganisms and toxins that have managed to cross the first barrier of protection, thus preventing them from spreading through the blood. Thirdly, there is “acquired immunity”, that constituted by an army of much more specialized cells that are recruited throughout life, as contact is made with a certain agent of harm. It is slower, but much more powerful than innate immunity, and is able to remember its functions in the future, which is why if you get chickenpox in childhood, it will never happen again! The Nervous System The nervous system is a network of extremely sensitive and complex “electrical wires” called “nerves” that connect the various parts of the body. Behind the function of each tissue, there is always the influence of the nervous system. The brain, a large organ located inside the skull, integrates the information of what we perceive of the environment through the senses, and what we perceive internally, and accordingly, it issues orders for the body to respond as necessary. Thus, it allows the movement of muscles, the secretion of hormones and the maintenance of basic vital parameters. Adaptation to stress involves both the nervous system and the hormonal system. The first acts quickly, releasing adrenaline and noradrenaline, and the second, a little slower, releasing the famous cortisol. Both, in turn, directly influence the capacity of the immune system. Every time our body suffers physical or psychological stress, these mechanisms will be activated that will try to take the body to a new state that allows us to adapt and find a balance. However, when stress is maintained for a long time, these mechanisms become dysregulated and depleted, causing various problems such as depression, anxiety, frequent infections, skin problems, gastrointestinal problems, among others. The Importance of Magnesium Magnesium for Stress Management Magnesium is an essential mineral, which means we must obtain it through our diet. It plays an important role throughout the body, participating in more than 300 chemical reactions to maintain internal balance. In the nervous system, magnesium is crucial for communication between neurons and its deficiency has been associated with depression, anxiety, memory loss and also an altered response of the neurohormonal system that regulates stress that you read about above. Magnesium supplementation has been shown to be beneficial for improving sleep quality, muscle health, regulating digestion – everything that is altered when you are stressed, have you noticed? – and also improves mood and decreases anxiety symptoms, among other benefits. Magnesium to boost the immune system Magnesium is involved in protecting and repairing DNA, which is damaged when there is a lot of inflammation in your body. It also helps macrophages (defense cells) eliminate harmful agents, the mobility of defense cells, and participates in the formation and action of antibodies. How much magnesium do we need? Nutrition guidelines recommend a daily intake of 400 to 420 mg of magnesium per day for men, and 310 to 320 mg for women. However, while magnesium is found in multiple food sources, given the high frequency of deficiency, daily supplementation with at least 100 mg per day is recommended. Food Sources of Magnesium Animal sources: salmon, chicken, raw egg, yogurt and milk. Plant-based sources: grains such as oat bran and brown rice, nuts such as Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, and peanuts. Some fruits such as avocado and banana, and other foods such as chickpeas, Swiss chard, and cocoa. Serving ideas: You can make yourself a delicious banana smoothie with cocoa and natural peanut butter for breakfast, and a colorful chard, avocado and mushroom salad with chickpeas and brown rice for your lunch or dinner. Vitamin D: From the Sun to Your Cells Vitamin D and Stress In states of stress, cortisol can decrease the assimilation of ingested vitamin D in food, as well as the “ripening” of immature vitamin D formed in the skin. On the other hand, a vitamin D deficiency has been associated in people with anxiety, depression, attention deficit, and other states of physical stress such as muscle-tendon injuries, cardiovascular disease, among others. Vitamin D to boost the immune system Vitamin D behaves as an important immune regulator. It strengthens antimicrobial activity and helps different cells of the immune system such as monocytes, macrophages and lymphocytes to multiply, move and defend better. It decreases your body’s tendency to self-attack, also known as autoimmunity. On the other hand, vitamin D contributes to maintaining the integrity of physical barriers such as the skin, digestive tract and respiratory tract. Difference Between Vitamin D and Vitamin D3 Vitamin D is made in the body by the contact of ultraviolet B rays with the skin. Then, this “pro” vitamin D must be processed in the liver and kidney to be active, and it is the latter, the so-called Vitamin

Introduction Are you interested in adopting a healthier lifestyle and have you started buying supplements? Do you think you need help to give energy to the body or for a specific function? Imagine the following scenario: you are walking through a park and you run into an old friend. You start a conversation and you mention that you need to buy vitamins for concentration. She recommends “natural” ones made by an acquaintance of hers at home. A few days later, following his recommendation, you acquire a bottle of “memory vitamins” and start taking them. After 2 months you have not felt any effects beyond abdominal discomfort associated with the intake of the famous vitamins. What happened? As consumers, we expect medicines and supplements to be effective and safe. Many times we are faced with countless options offered on the market and we end up choosing the one with the most colors or the one with the cheapest price. We don’t read labels, or we don’t know how to recognize their compounds. We even assume that the packaging contains all the necessary information to make the decision to buy the product or not. We trust too much. However, if we seek to give our body the best care, we must be responsible and choose what we are going to consume with the best possible quality. In this article, you’ll find all the things you need to know about your supplement before deciding. Read! The quality of the supplements The supplement industry is growing more and more. The consumption of vitamins, minerals and products derived from medicinal plants has become a common practice both among those who wish to supplement their diet, as well as those who require specific support to treat certain conditions or diseases. The problem is that, unlike the pharmaceutical industry, the supplement industry is not regulated with the same requirements. Unstudied and non-certified products can go on sale without major restrictions and be available to anyone. Hence the importance of learning to look at which elements determine the quality of the product we are looking for, and whether or not it is certified by a regulatory entity that guarantees certain production standards. As an additional detail, the requirements to acquire a certification can change in different parts of the globe, so not all of them are synonymous with purity, safety and effectiveness. The origin of the materials When we talk about raw materials, we must ensure that their origin is declared on the product’s packaging and that it complies with adequate production, transport and storage standards. This becomes important when it comes to getting a high-quality product, since not all countries have the same requirements or meet the same requirements when producing certain compounds. When a company is willing to reduce its production costs at the cost of compromising the integrity of its products or the working conditions of its staff, it will not comply with certifications or quality controls. One way to ensure that your supplement complies with a standardized and regulated process is through Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification. This implies that the origin of its raw materials must meet the same standards, resulting in a high-quality final product. GMP Certification Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is applied to the production of medicines, food and cosmetics, among other items. This includes formulation development, stability studies, preparation processes, quality testing, and everything else needed before the product goes on sale They offer a guarantee in quality and ensure that the products are generated in a controlled and regular manner. These regulations attempt to prevent risks of contamination and uncertain mixtures of components, which can result in harmful consequences for the consumer. The regulation of good manufacturing practices is based on European regulations. These are royal decrees and standards of the international harmonization conference, which includes the steps to follow for the correct manufacture of medical products with all the necessary details. Requirements of GMP standards Trained staff. Each person must be qualified to perform process controls. Their functions must be defined and recorded in a procedure. In addition, personnel must be in constant training according to the needs that arise in the manufacturing processes. Those who perform quality control should dedicate themselves exclusively to it. In addition, hygiene protocols are required, the use of appropriate clothing and the handling of products and the consumption of food and cigarettes in the facilities are prohibited. Qualified and calibrated installations and equipment. All procedures must be validated and documented. Facilities should be located in appropriate environments to minimize the risks of contamination. They must follow strict hygiene measures, as well as temperature and ventilation conditions. Premises must be designed to prevent the entry of animals, insects or dust. Conservation of raw materials and proper use of containers and packaging. Production, storage and distribution. Compliance with documented protocols in the handling of raw materials and products. Processes carried out by competent personnel. Packaging with appropriate labelling and processes that avoid errors in the contents. Permanent labels during the manufacture, storage and distribution of products. Cross-contamination prevention measures. Inspection of the condition of containers and packaging in the reception and delivery of materials or products, and their corresponding registration. Documentation. Detailed record of all existing processes. Each record must be in clear and specific language. Documentation of any changes to an established process, with research to document such change. Documents that allow full traceability of the products are also required. Quality Controls. Applied in all decisions during the manufacturing process of a product. It is essential that control is independent of production. Self Inspections. External materials or services required in the production process must also comply with GMP standards, so as not to affect the quality or safety of the products. ISO 22000 Standards The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ), seeks to protect the consumer and ensure food safety. Within this framework, the ISO 22000 standard is the one that determines all the requirements that must be met in the handling