fbpx
nativa-complex-logo
Shop Now

Labels & Ingredients

1. What are NRV’s?14

NRV stands for ‘Nutrient Reference Value’. Put simply, it is the recommended daily amount or minimum quantity of a nutrient an average healthy person needs to stay healthy, supplement diet or boost nutrient intake, and avoid deficiency or related illnesses. These values vary by country, age, sex, medical history, health status, lifestyle, and life stage. For example, calcium requirement is higher for growing bodies like babies, children or in pregnancy and menopause.

NRV was formerly known as RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) and is simply a direct replacement for RDA. The term was changed in December 2014 by the European Food Safety Authority (otherwise known as EFSA) under European regulation, but the values remain the same.

2. Why do we use NRV’s?14

NRV’s matter because for a supplement to qualify to claim that it is a ‘source’ of a vitamin or mineral, it needs to contain at least 15% NRV. A supplement containing 50% NRV vitamin D (2.5µg) or 100% NRV vitamin D (5µg) could both be labelled as containing vitamin D. Other products may also declare units of measure as 200 IU instead of 5 µg Vitamin D. They are meant to reduce confusion and enable applying standard nutrient reference values for labelling purposes.

As a consumer it is important for you to take note of NRV’s as nutrient levels may vary significantly in foods and supplements.  Understanding the NRVs for vitamins and minerals helps you plan and optimise your diet accordingly. We recommend thorough reading and comparison of the ingredients lists which will show all nutrients quantities present within products.

3. Why do some supplement products exceed the NRV’s?14-15

You may notice that some supplements have formulas or certain ingredients which exceed or have more than 100 % of the nutrient the NRV’s. This is because NRVs only refer to the minimum amount of a certain vitamin or mineral the average healthy person needs to maintain health, supplement diet, or boost nutrient intake, and avoid deficiency or related illnesses. Indeed, the first NRV for vitamin C was implemented as the lowest possible amount to prevent scurvy however most people will need more vitamin C for good health for example, if you have a weak immune system, are a smoker or caffeine and alcohol user or on “water-pill” medication.

4. What are the upper safe levels of nutrients?14-15

Like NRVs, some vitamins and minerals also have a Safe Upper Limit (SUL).7 Based on recent scientific knowledge, SUL refers to an intake of nutrients that can be consumed over long periods without any major health risk.

For example, the NRV for a fat-soluble Vitamin A is 800µg, while the SUL is 1500µg. If you were taking a daily multivitamin with 100% NRV vitamin A, in combination with another skin health supplement containing 120% NRV vitamin A (often called vitamin stacking), you would be over the SUL including food sources. It is recommended that you stay below the SUL for a nutrient particularly for fat-soluble vitamins and in cases of long-term supplement use. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble, which means they are stored in the body and taking them over a long time or in high doses can be toxic, with side effects ranging from constipation to liver and kidney damage.

5. Are nutrient interactions good or bad?14-15

Many micronutrients complement each other and are often recommended to be taken together, however, in high doses this may result nutrient synergy, greater impact, increased absorption and effectiveness or risk of side effects. For example, Vitamin D enables your body to easily pull-out calcium from food sources passing through your gut rather than removing it from your bones.

Nutrient combinations that can offer health benefits may include:

  • Probiotics and prebiotics for digestive health 
  • Vitamin D and calcium for muscle, bone, hip, and joint health
  • B-vitamins, homocysteine, and CoQ10 for brain function, mood, and stress relief
  • Vitamin E, CoQ10 and Omega-3  for heart health and vascular functions
  • Antioxidant vitamins A-C-E for immunity and respiratory health
  • Selenium and Zinc for healthy thyroid and thyroid hormone function
  • Vitamin A-C-E and lycopene against oxidative stress, free radical and sun damage on hair, skin & nails

The interplay of micronutrients isn’t always cooperative and synergistic. Certain supplements can interfere with each other, leading to imbalances or deficiencies, decreased absorption and effectiveness, or potential harm to your health. If you need to take these combinations, try taking them at least two hours apart or taking one in the morning and the other during the evening.

    • Calcium and iron:
    • Vitamin C and vitamin B12

References:

  1. Allessandra Durazzo, Massimo Lucarini and Michael Heinrich (12 January 2023). Frontiers in Pharmacology: Dietary Supplements, Botanicals and Herbs at The Interface of Food and Medicine. Accessed 6 December 2023 Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/18013/dietary-supplements-botanicals-and-herbs-at-the-interface-of-food-and-medicine

  2. Restore Mason JB, Booth SL. Vitamins, trace minerals, and other micronutrients. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 205.

  3. Markell M, Siddiqi HA. Vitamins and trace elements. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry’s Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 27.

  4. MedlinePlus [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); [updated 2023 Jan 19]. Vitamins. Accessed 8 December 2023 Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002399.html

  5. Kangsen Mai, M. Xue, G. He, S.Q. Xie, Sadasivam J. Kaushik, (2022). Chapter 4: Protein and amino acids, Fish Nutrition, 4th edition (pages 181-302). Accessed 6 December 2023 Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819587-1.00012-4

  6. Reichrath J, Lehmann B, Carlberg C, Varani J, Zouboulis CC. Vitamins as hormones. Horm Metab Res. 2020 Feb;39(2):71-84. doi: 10.1055/s-2020-958715. PMID: 17326003. Accessed 8 December 2023 Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17326003/

  7. Kevin Martinez and Jennifer Huizen (24 June 2021). Medical News Today: Natural hormone replacement therapy: How it works. Accessed 8 December 2023 Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/natural-hormone-replacements

  8. Brett White (15 August 2021) Dietary Fatty Acids: Am Fam Physician. 2021;80(4):345-350 Accessed 8 December 2023 Available from: https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2021/0815/p345.html

  9. Christine Mikstas and Wendy C Fries (3 February 2023). WebMD: Top Foods High in Fatty Acids. Accessed 8 December 2023 Available from: https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-fatty-acids

  10. Salminen S, Collado MC, Endo A, Hill C, Lebeer S, Quigley EMM, Sanders ME, Shamir R, Swann JR, Szajewska H, Vinderola G. The International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of postbiotics. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Sep;18(9):649-667. doi: 10.1038/s41575-021-00440-6. Epub 2021 May 4. Erratum in: Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Jun 15; Erratum in: Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022 Aug;19(8):551. PMID: 33948025; PMCID: PMC8387231

  11. Debbie Steinbock (d30 March 2023) Mindful Family Medicine: The “Biotic” Trio: Prebiotics, Probiotics & Postbiotics Accessed 8 December 2023 Available from:  https://mindfulfamilymedicine.com/the-biotic-trio-prebiotics-probiotics-postbiotics/

  12. Lambeau KV, McRorie JW Jr. Fiber supplements and clinically proven health benefits: How to recognize and recommend an effective fiber therapy. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2020 Apr;29(4):216-223. doi: 10.1002/2327-6924.12447. Epub 2020 Mar 2. PMID: 28252255; PMCID: PMC5413815. Accessed 8 December 2023 Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5413815/

  13. Kara Rogers (25 July 2023). Encyclopedia Britannica: Coenzymes. Accessed 8 December 2023 Available from: https://www.britannica.com/science/coenzyme.

  14. Jeremy R. Townsend, Trevor O Kirby, Philip A. Sapp, Adam M. Gonzalez, Tess M. Marshall, Ralph Esposito (12 October 2023). Nutrient synergy: definition, evidence, and future directions. Frontiers in Nutrition: Volume 10. Accessed 8 December 2023 Available from: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2023.1279925

  15. Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (2003). Safe Upper Levels for Vitamins and Minerals Available online: https://cot.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/vitmin2003.pdf

  16. Rohini Radhakrishnan and Shaziya Allarakha (je;a). MedicineNet: 16 Essential Minerals. Accessed 8 December 2023 Available from: https://www.medicinenet.com/16_essential_minerals/article.htm

nativa-complex-logo
Facebook Instagram