We recommend that all Octathaletes use USANA Vitamins and Minerals.

As to why, please read on

Usana make loads of products, some of which are quite possibly no good at all, some of them we would probably not even want to recommend to you. We just don't know about all of them.

However what we do know from personal experience is that Jacqui Macquisten, the Ladies Octathalon champion for the last three years, has been taking Usana Essentials vitamins and minerals for the last 4 months and in that time she has not gone down with any colds of flu. In that 4 month period, her family and her clients have all had illnesses and she has not caught them from anyone, even at times when she had just done extreme training sessions and her immune system protection was at its lowest. In the past we have often found she has picked up colds and flu symptoms these times and in each case it has set back her training.

Firstly, we have to say that this might be a one off. Secondly, what has worked for her may not work for someone else.

So what is it all about?

if you read though all the literature on the Usana website, you'll listen or read about to alot of people, including so called top sportspeople, saying how wonderful it is. Dis regard all this. It means nothing.

If you read everything, you'll probably get bored and be none the wiser and to be honest, the more we read, the more we got put off the whole thing as there is a lot of spin, alot of adspeak and probably quite a bit of pseudo science as well and its not that easy to see the wood for the trees.

So why recommend it?

A product has to have some unique selling point (U.S.P.) that has an advantage over all its rivals and that advantage has to offer you some added benefit worth paying for, even worth paying a bit more for in some cases. The Usana Essentials vitamins and minerals have a few USP's, but frankly we found only one we were interested in. You may find others, but that is up to you.

Well what is Usana's USP you like?

In short the process it uses to create the damn tablets is such that it allows what's put in them to get into your body's cells faster and in greater amounts than normal. That's really a rough breakdown of the mumbo jumbo science in a nut shell.

So what the advantage in that?

We know that healthy cell function is critical for a healthy functioning body. A cell can manufacture just about anything it needs if it gets the right ingredients. The problem is that these days getting the ingredients into the cell is proving difficult. The cellular membrane on the cells surface is the first barrier and poor diet often makes this malfunction. When top Octatheletes push their bodies to the limits, and drain their bodies of reserves of energy and nutrients when they do this, nothing is more important than healthy cell function, especially in the white and red blood cells. The white cells need to be effective for healthy immune systems and the red ones are needed to efficiently carry oxygen to the muscles.

In addition to this with modern farming done again and again on the same soils, the produce we consume comes with less and less of the vitamins and minerals and trace elements that used to be in the same stuff 50+ years ago (Thats why farmers put fertiliser on the soils, but it doesnt come with all the expensive ingredients - just phosphorous and nitrogen). So we know we need to get this stuff into our cells and taking multivitamins and minerals, especially as a top up in case we unknowingly consume things that leave us with a deficit in some area - like not having enough selenium seems to be a sensible thing to do. We also know it is difficult to get the stuff into the cells but we recognise the importance of doing this.

What is the benefit again?

With healthy functioning cells you will be able to train more, get fitter faster, avoid having to pull out of events due to last minute illnesses. Your lactic tolerances will likely improve with more oxygen getting to the muscles and managing to clear out the lactic acid, even to the extent that it could make a difference between winning and losing by you managing to push out the last few reps. You will even be able to socialise again in the last few weeks before a major event, because you know that at the moment if you go out where there are crowds of people, you can catch colds from them in places like lifts, cinemas, restaurants or bars. How often to you shudder at the consequencies of all your hard training being wasted when you hear someone sneeze next to you as you worry about catching it yourself.

With a topped up healthy immune system, you will now be confident you have the best chance to avoid these problems.

So where can I get some ?

You will be able to order it on this site shortly, however for now there will be a stand at this years Octathalon event where a representative will be happy to answer any of your questions.

If you really cannot wait and even fancy reading more, we have put further details up below. Beware of the jargon and remember you should not automatically beleive what you read. Best to try it out yourself first. If it works great, if it does not - tough -don't buy it again, it may be that it just does not work for you.

USANA ESSENTIALS

The USANA Essential Nutritional supplements to enhance your training.  Trusted by Olympic atheletes and top sportspeople to protect their body from oxidative stress and toxins when training; aids recovery time and strengthens the immune system. The Mega Antioxidants, Chelated Minerals, and BioOmega oils  helps your cells to function to peak performance.  

USANA provides vitamins and minerals in amounts and forms so that, in conjunction with a healthy diet, you will receive excellent bioavailability, full effectiveness, and uncompromised safety.

USANA tablets are formulated to meet United States Pharmacopoeia standards, which require full disintegration within 30-45 min.  Because USANA tablets are formulated to these standards, the vitamins and minerals found in our supplements are properly and efficiently absorbed into the body.

What are the Essentials?

The Essentials are USANA's flagship product: a supplement combining both the Mega Antioxidant and Chelated Mineral (MultiMineral Plus in Canada) products.

Formulated to not only prevent deficiency diseases, the Essentials provide the necessary micronutrients to retain optimal health and energy levels that everyone, at every age, needs every day. The Essentials also contain trace minerals, mixed carotenoids, bioflavonoids, and other phytochemicals and antioxidants to provide a full arsenal of compounds to help protect against daily exposure to free radicals.

What is the absorption rate (or bioavailability) of USANA's products?

Bioavailability is defined as the degree and rate at which a substance (as a drug) is absorbed into a living system or is made available at the site of physiological activity. Different vitamins and minerals have different absorption rates regardless of their source (tablet, liquid, powder, or food). Calcium, for example, has a fairly standard absorption rate (~25-35%). The delivery form does not generally make a significant difference.

There are many factors that can affect the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Some of these factors are a function of the person taking the nutrient and are dependent on the age of the person, the integrity of their digestive system, the state of their health, the time of day, the person's gender, and if the supplements were taken on a full or empty stomach. People whose nutrient needs are greater - such as growing children, pregnant or lactating women, and those who are currently deficient - may have significantly enhanced absorption rates for certain nutrients.

Recently, some individuals and companies have made claims that their products are superior because they are "98% absorbed" (or some similar number). This is a misleading statement because there are far too many variables to imply that an individual's absorption is a certain percent of the material consumed. Even absorption of minerals from food sources can vary significantly. Boron, molybdenum, and iodine can be absorbed at over 90 percent, while the average absorption rates of zinc, copper, and selenium can range from 30 to 80 percent depending on the form.

From this, it is obvious that stating a specific absorption rate on a package or in advertising is almost always misleading and inaccurate.

USANA tablets are formulated to meet United States Pharmacopoeia standards, which require full disintegration within 30-45 min. They are also formulated to meet standards for dissolution. Because USANA tablets are formulated to these standards, the vitamins and minerals found in our supplements are properly and efficiently absorbed into the body.

Innovative formulations have been developed to optimize nutrient bioavailability. Each lot of USANA tablets is tested against finished product specifications to ensure that it meets standards for identity, target weight, hardness, thickness, disintegration, potency, purity, and microbial counts. USANA provides its vitamins and minerals in amounts and forms so that, in conjunction with a healthy diet, you will receive excellent bioavailability, full effectiveness, and uncompromised safety.

What are the benefits of Olivol?

Olivol contains polyphenols derived exclusively from the fruit of the olive. The polyphenolic antioxidants found in olives are not present in other common dietary sources. They are structurally distinct from the vitamins, carotenoids, bioflavanoids, proanthocyanidins, and other antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. These antioxidants may be one of the components of the Mediterranean diet associated with health and longevity.

What is the Chelated Mineral (MultiMineral Plus in Canada)?

The Chelated Mineral product provides a balanced amount of important minerals. Minerals and trace elements represent less than one-half of one percent of the total nutrients we consume every day, yet without them our bodies would be unable to efficiently use the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in our diet.

Minerals play a variety of essential roles in the body. Many vitamins and enzymes need a mineral cofactor for proper function, and this is part of what makes the Chelated Mineral and Mega Antioxidant products such an excellent combination.

What is the Mega Antioxidant (Mega AO)?

The Mega Antioxidant offers advanced levels of all 13 essential vitamins in a high quality, highly bioavailable formulation. It also contains a full range of antioxidants for comprehensive, "full-body protection" from oxidative stress.

In addition to comprehensive antioxidant protection, the ingredients in the Mega Antioxidant offer nutritional support for sound cardiovascular function, healthy pregnancies, optimal vision, a sound immune system, and efficient energy metabolism.

Are USANA's supplements safe for athletes?

USANA Receives Certification Through NSF's Certified for Sport Program

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2008--USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: USNA) recently received certification of six of its products through NSF International's Certified for Sport(TM) program. NSF's independent certification helps athletes make educated decisions about the safety of the dietary supplements they choose to take.

USANA's Essentials(TM) (Mega Antioxidant and Chelated Mineral), Proflavonal(R) 90, Procosa(R) II, Active Calcium(TM) and Body Rox(TM) supplements are now approved to carry NSF's trusted Certified for Sport mark. USANA also received Good Manufacturing Practices registration and dietary supplement certification in 2007 through NSF. These are just some of the third-party findings that help consumers and athletes know USANA products are Nutritionals You Can Trust.

"The Certified for Sport program validates USANA's guarantee that our nutritional products are complete, balanced, safe and effective," said Dr. Tim Wood, USANA Executive Vice President of Research and Development. "This latest certification, as with all of our third-party testing, is based on regular product formulas--the same products that USANA customers take every day. Receiving this certification is just another step toward fulfilling our goal of providing supplements that everyday consumers and world-class athletes can trust."

The NSF Certified for Sport program was developed to meet the growing demand of athletes, coaches and all others concerned about banned substances. The NSF Certified for Sport(TM) Mark helps consumers know that products have met NSF's stringent independent certification guidelines. Products are tested and facilities are inspected for a wide range of substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the NFL/NFLPA and MLB/MLBPA. The list includes stimulants, narcotics, steroids, diuretics, beta-2 agonists, beta blockers, masking agents and other banned substances.

High-quality formulas, a rigorous quality assurance program and third-party certifications have helped USANA earn the trust of many world-class athletes and athletic organizations, including United States Speedskating, Speed Skating Canada , USA Luge and the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. "It is imperative for our athletes to know precisely what they're putting into their bodies," said Stacey Allaster, President of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. "With USANA's guaranteed assurance of the quality of their products, our athletes can trust that they will be able to attain optimal health and fitness without the fear of violating the strict WADA code they all adhere to."
  
USANA has taken its assurances to athletes one step further through its unique Athlete Guarantee Program. Select athletes who participate in the program are guaranteed compensation up to $1 million if they should test positive for a substance banned by WADA as a result of taking USANA(R) nutritional products.