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• ORIVeDA's bedrijfsstrategie is uiterst transparant. De kern is om onze klanten te voorzien van de kwalitatief best mogelijke producten, informatie en achtergrond betreffende die producten en optimale service. Ook moeten de producten betaalbaar zijn.

• We zijn geen naiëve enthousiastelingen of simpelweg verkopers: we zijn genuanceerd en kritisch en experts in ons vakgebied. Onze teksten zijn niet afkomstig van Wikipedia maar uit gedegen literatuuronderzoek. Hoewel pas actief sinds december 2010 kunnen we mede door deze strategie inmiddels bogen op klanten in ruim 85 landen.

• Onze kernactiviteit is het verkopen van goed gedocumenteerde medicinale paddenstoelen-extracten. Daarnaast hebben we enkele gerelateerde speciale producten zoals een 'Stress-Management-Stack' en gezuiverd Shilajit • Mumijo.

Voor een beknopt overzicht van de punten waarop we ons onderscheiden klik hier.


• ORIVeDA extracten zijn zonder overdrijving de meest krachtige in hun soort (wereldwijd!), met gegarandeerde percentages van de belangrijkste actieve bestanddelen. We garanderen dat deze bestanddelen 'bio-available' zijn: opname door het lichaam (en daarmee therapeutisch potentieel) is dus verzekerd. Dat is minder vanzelfsprekend dan het klinkt!

• We kunnen onze kwaliteitsclaims onderbouwen met harde feiten: 'Certificates of Analysis' van onafhankelijke onderzoekslaboratoria zijn hier beschikbaar.
De research waarop de reputatie van deze medicinale paddenstoelen is gebaseerd is te raadplegen via deze webpagina.

• Vanaf het allereerste begin hebben we het gebruik van extracten benadrukt. Alleen door extracten te gebruiken kan therapeutisch potentieel worden gegarandeerd. Voor meer informatie kijk op deze pagina.

• Al in 2012 begonnen we als eerste ter wereld met het specificeren van beta-glucanen op onze labels. Dit zijn de belangrijkste actieve bestanddelen van de meeste medicinale paddenstoelen. Toendertijd vermeldde 98% van de verkrijgbare paddenstoelenprodukten geen enkele specificatie en de rest vermeldde hooguit 'polysaccharides', een algemene term die ook veel niet-bioactieve bestanddelen omvat. Feitelijk ongeschikt als indicator van kwaliteit.

Momenteel is het vermelden van beta-glucanen als indicatie van kwaliteit redelijk ingeburgerd. Er bestaat inmiddels ook een officieel geaccepteerde analyse-standaard zodat er feitelijk geen reden meer is om niet te testen. We adviseren consumenten dan ook om de verkoper altijd om bewijs te vragen als die een kwaliteitsclaim gebruikt.

• Oriveda is ook de eerste die cordycepin als kwaliteitsindicator gebruikt voor Cordyceps. We zijn verder de eerste en tot dusverre de enige die de NGF-bevorderende bestanddelen specificeert waar Lion's Mane bekend om staat - terpenen.

Kort samengevat kunnen we stellen dat we vanaf het allereerste begin voorop hebben gelopen bij het instellen en aanscherpen van kwaliteits-standaarden in deze niche van de supplementenwereld.
Onze benadering maakt het voor consumenten gemakkelijker om een kwaliteitsprodukt te kiezen en om misleidende informatie als zodanig te kunnen onderkennen. Kijk op onze FAQ-pagina voor meer achtergrond !

• Bij geen enkel ander bedrijf krijgt u zoveel waar voor uw geld. Niet alleen zijn onze prijzen vaak lager dan vergelijkbare producten, maar daarnaast zijn de percentages actieve bestanddelen doorgaans aanzienlijk hoger: in sommige gevallen ruim drie maal zo hoog als de beste concurrent.

En zoals gezegd, we garanderen daarnaast dat die therapeutisch belangrijke actieve bestanddelen ook echt door uw lichaam kunnen worden opgenomen. Onze kwaliteitsclaims worden bevestigd door testrapporten. Deze 'Certificates of Analysis' zijn hier in te zien.

• In ZO-Azië worden medicinale paddenstoelen al eeuwen gebruikt. Dit gebied herbergt dan ook de meest kritische consumenten - en daarom zijn we trots te kunnen melden dat ons klantenbestand in Z-Korea, China, Japan en Taiwan sterk groeiende is.
• We bieden maximale service: we zijn 7 dagen per week online en de vragen van onze klanten worden zeer gedetailleerd beantwoord. Deze vragen zijn ook voor ons erg belangrijk: ze bieden soms onverwachte invalshoeken en helpen ons nieuwe producten te ontwikkelen.

• Om contact met ons op te nemen kunt u deze link gebruiken. Omdat we in 24 tijdzones tegelijkertijd actief zijn is telefonisch contact helaas ondoenlijk.

• ORIVeDA is een geregistreerde merknaam van Oriveda BV, Amsterdam, lid van de Amsterdamse Kamer van Koophandel sinds 01-1997, onder nr. 66136016.
BTW #NL856410147B01



Kijk eerst bij de veelgestelde vragen voordat u contact met ons opneemt !


Kijk eerst bij de veelgestelde vragen voordat u contact met ons opneemt !


FAQ - Bestellen / Verzenden / Betalen / Retourneren

Bestellen / Verzenden

Meteen nadat de Bestelknop is gebruikt kunt u uitchecken en betalen.

Klik op het tasje met het nummer in het menu rechtsboven. Er zal een venster openen met een overzicht van het bestelde en duidelijke stap-voor-stap instructies. Tijdens de procedure kan een account worden aangemaakt, maar dat is niet verplicht. Een account maakt opnieuw bestellen in de toekomst wel eenvoudiger en sneller.

Het is uiterst belangrijk om een compleet adres met postcode in te vullen ! Let er ook op dat u geen spelfouten maakt in uw emailadres. Als dat gebeurt zult u geen notificaties of informatie betreffende uw bestelling ontvangen. Bij grotere bestellingen raden we aan om te kiezen voor aangetekende verzending - u krijgt dan een track en trace code en uw aankoop is verzekerd. Er moet getekend worden bij ontvangst.

Nadat de uitcheckprocedure is voltooid en u heeft betaald krijgt u een bevestiging van uw bestelling. Daarnaast kijgt u een email met daarin links naar de bijsluiters die bij de bestelde producten horen. Deze bijsluiters zijn beschikbaar in verschillende talen.

Mocht u deze mails niet hebben ontvangen, kijk dan in uw spam-box en voeg ons email-adres ([email protected]) toe aan uw contacten. Als dat ook geen oplossing biedt, neem dan contact met ons op via deze link.
  • Afhankelijk van de omvang van de bestelling wordt deze verzonden in een beschermende envelop of een platte kartonnen verpakking. Bestellingen tot 5 items passen gewoon door de brievenbus.
  • Zodra uw bestelling in behandeling is genomen of is verzonden ontvangt u daarvan bericht.
  • Bestellingen worden binnen 1 tot 2 werkdagen verzonden. Doorgaans ligt een bestelling die voor 15.00u is gedaan de volgende werkdag in de bus (Nederland). Andere Europese bestemmingen kunnen tot ca. 5 werkdagen in beslag nemen, afhankelijk van de locatie. We gebruiken DPD/DHL voor de aflevering.
  • Bestellingen die gedurende de laatste 6 weken van het jaar worden geplaatst zijn meestal vertraagd als gevolg van de extreme seizoens-gerelateerde drukte. Onze excuses hiervoor !

Betalen

Onze webshop accepteert iDEAL, Bancontact (België), GiroPay (Duitsland), Paypal en credit cards.

De feitelijke afhandeling van de betaalprocedure gebeurt buiten ons om. Wij hebben geen beschikking over uw credit card gegevens o.i.d.

Zodra de betaling is afgehandeld ontvangt u daarvan onmiddelijk bericht per email. Dat is meestal binnen een minuut maar kan bij sommige betaalwijzen wat langer duren (Bancontact. Giropay m.n.).

Neem onmiddelijk contact met ons op als u ongewone dingen opmerkt !

Mijn credit card wordt geweigerd ??

Het kan gebeuren dat uw credit card betaling niet wordt geautoriseerd. Een reden kan zijn dat u onze website benaderd via een VPN of een proxy-server (als u niet weet wat dit is kunt u ervan uit gaan dat dit niet het geval is).

Onze credit card verwerker (STRIPE) ziet dit als 'verdacht' en zal in zo'n geval niet de kaart autoriseren. Mocht dit niet het geval zijn maar uw credit card wordt desondanks geweigerd dan moet u contact opnemen met de bank die uw credit card heeft verstrekt. Aangezien wij zelf geen betalingen verwerken kunnen we hier helaas niet bij helpen.

Neem onmiddelijk contact met ons op als u ongewone dingen opmerkt !

Waar is mijn geld ?

In het geval dat we geld teruggeven kan dat wat tijd kosten. Paypal is supersnel, maar teruggestorte iDEAL en credit card betalingen kunnen 5 - 10 dagen in beslag nemen. Dat ligt niet aan ons, maar aan de betalingsverwerkende instantie. Helaas kunnen we daar geen invloed op uitoefenen.

Retourneren

Aangezien we voedingssupplementen verkopen nemen we geen producten terug om redenen van hygiene en veiligheid. Mocht u een probleem hebben met het bestelde product, neem dan contact met ons op en we zullen ons best doen om te helpen.

FAQ - Paddenstoelenextracten

Which mushroom is most suitable for me ?

Don't be deceived by the online marketing and anekdotes - mushroom extracts are not magic cures. Premium extracts do cover a very wide spectrum though, and they can help you to gain and maintain good health and to slow down the effects of aging and stress in particular.

In combination with regular treatment mushroom extracts can often help to improve the positive effects of that treatment and to minimize side effects. In some cases they can even replace the regular treatment. In general mushroom extracts do not have side effects themselves - they are nutraceuticals, meaning 'food with therapeutic potential'. People in general experience no side effects when consuming their food, but as usual, there are always some exceptions.

Below we have compiled an overview linking mushrooms to specific health effects, based on research results from the past decades. Keep in mind research results are not a guarantee for good effects. Many reports are based on animal or lab tests only and many variables are involved. Also, every person and every health condition is unique to a certain extent. There is never a guarantee.

I'm confused by the contradicting information online

Very understandable. Here are some common sense bullet points to help you make head or tail of the information:
  • The quality claims you read on a website / blog / in a forum should be seen as marketing without value, unless the claims are backed up by test reports, such as a genuine Certificate of Analysis (COA), which has been issued by an actual registered / certified laboratory. In-house testing is per definition unreliable because of the conflict of interest. You can find our test reports here.
  • Most vendors will not share test reports (don't you wonder why not ??). They might send you some 'fact sheet / spec sheet', though. This means nothing and can be considered deceiving, because everybody with a computer can produce that.
  • If the quality claim is not reflected on the Supplement Facts label that means a red flag. The Supplement Facts label shows the guaranteed levels of compounds, and the justness of this information is checked by the authorities. False claims result in prosecution. Many vendors decide therefore not to repeat their statements on that label. By doing that they are in fact underlining it's marketing, not facts they're telling you.
  • Information on the front label is not verified for its accuracy. Therefore you cannot rely on that, in particular if it is not repeated on the Supplement Facts label. Another red flag.
We wrote a dedicated article based on common sense and easy-to-follow logic which includes all of the above and more. It will help you to find the best mushroom product possible and to spend your money wisely. You can find that article here.

Where do you source your mushrooms ?

We source our raw materials based on the objective quality. We use third party laboratories to determine that quality and, of course, the safety. We test for both active ingredients and contamination, such as heavy metals and radioactive isotopes, all in all for ± 30 compounds.

We ignore geographical location and we use several suppliers, changing to another supplier if the quality is better there.

Marketing has led many people to believe it matters where the mushrooms have been sourced. Like, Siberian Chaga is always best, Japanese Reishi is always preferable, Chinese mushrooms are always best avoided, etc...

But this is not true at all, and nobody has ever been able to prove that, as an example, 'Siberian Chaga is best'. Such claims are based on ignorance and hearsay.

Marketing. If you can show us objective proof that e.g. Siberian Chaga has a higher quality than others please get in touch!

'Best quality' is -objectively speaking- defined by the therapeutic potential and the safety / lack of contamination, fillers and adulteration of the supplement. All these variables are easy and cheap to test.

The bioactive compounds define the therapeutic potential. These compounds are well-known and can be determined cheap and easily in a lab. Compounds such as beta-glucan, terpenes and polyphenols. Being the pragmatic common-sense people that we are, that is what we do - we test a lot of raw materials and then choose the stuff with the highest therapeutic potential and the lowest level of contamination.

As said, we test for ± 25 - 30 compounds, including heavy metals and 3 radio-active isotopes. We source the best quality mushrooms only, ignoring geographical location.

And we share those test results with our customers, starting from the idea that premium and proven quality is what people want. It's also the best marketing there is, knowing that consumers want their money's worth. We're sure everybody agrees with that !!

Which makes you wonder why other vendors don't follow the same path. Instead, a story is their main marketing. A story rich in unsubstantiated and exaggerated claims, usually. No hard facts, but a lot of suggestive statements and assumptions instead. What do you prefer ?

Just check our COA's if you want to validate our quality claims - they're available here.

Do you use fruiting bodies or mycelium for your supplements ?

This information can be found on the product page for each mushroom. In some online communities the general idea is circulating that fruiting body is always preferable over mycelium. This is wrong.

In brief, here's why (it's mainly just common sense !):
  • for some mushrooms the most important active ingredients are actually in the mycelium (Lion’s Mane (erinacines), Turkey Tail (PSP/PSK), Cordyceps CS-4 (no fruiting body extracts exist!))
  • there is a difference between mycelium-on-grains/rice (biomass) and pure mycelium. Biomass should always be avoided as it is contaminated with undigested substrate in the form of starch. This includes all US-cultivated products. We only use pure mycelium, free from starch, if the products properties request the use of mycelium
  • quality claims are only worth something if they are backed with actual test reports. This includes a claim like 'fruiting body extracts are better than mycelium-based extracts' or vice versa. Nice statement, but where is the proof ? Also see our 'I'm confused by all the information online' entry, above. Using ‘we use fruiting bodies only!!’ has the subtext ‘it’s better!’ but actually only reveals the ignorance of the vendor, and the actual specifications, if any (% of glucans, terpenes etc.) usually have no verifiable source or backup in the form of official documents. Only specifying active ingredients is acceptable as proof of superior quality.
An objective and common-sense-based purchase guideline can be found in the 'Articles' section of this website.

How much should I take ?

The health effects of the bioactive compounds in mushroom extracts are dose-dependant according to research. Therefore, using the levels of active ingredients as a guideline seems logical, but surprisingly enough this is not standard. A lot of researchers and most vendors approach mushrooms as if they are standardised products, as if -just an example- all Turkey Tail mushrooms are identical.

Wrong.

Levels of active ingredients will vary based on many variables, such as environmental conditions, strain, cultivation and processing techniques and storage conditions. Only when there is a clear indication of active ingredients on the product's supplement facts label (which is supervised by the authorities) you can dose accurately. That is common sense.

We wrote a dedicated article based on clinical research reports, which take into account the levels of active ingredients in the product and linked those to the therapeutic effects. You can find this extensive article here (opens in a new window).

Briefly, based on the verified levels of active ingredients in our products:
  • Age below 35: 1 gram of extract daily
  • Age 35 - 50: 1-2 grams of extract daily
  • Age over 50: at least 2 grams daily
These recommendations are for maintenance and assume you are in OK health. Specific health conditions usually require a higher dosage - we provide this information on demand and -briefly- in the instruction leaflets that come with every purchase.

If you read websites like examine.com you might also find dosage recommendations. Unfortunately, these recommendations are never based on levels of active ingredients but on flawed and/or outdated research, anecdotes and vendor's recommendations (which are also based on flawed research, anecdotes, etc etc..)..

I want to give my dog your Turkey Tail (PSP-50). What is the dosage ?

Our PSP-50 is very popular with dog-owners because research (based on a similar product) showed good effects when used for dogs with cancer. Our product is cheaper and contains more active compounds than the researched product.

In the research the best results were achieved with a daily dosage of 100mg p/kg of bodyweight. Higher dosages were not investigated but might even be more effective, given that the therapeutic effects are dose-dependant.

Using the research report as a guideline the recommended dosage for our PSP-50 product is ± 70mg daily p/kg bodyweight. One capsule contains 350 mg.

What is the expiration date ?

Our mushroom extracts do not have an 'Expiration Date' but a 'Best Before' date.

The extract powder in the capsules only contains inert compounds which do not oxidize or react with each-other. They do not expire / lose their bioactive properties over time. The only thing is that due to the hygroscopic properties of these extracts they can solidify over time because they absorb moisture from their environment. The chances of this happening are minimised by packing the extract in capsules inside an airtight, sealed pouch together with a silica gel pouch, but increase once the package has been opened. As soon as the product is opened -exposed to air- it can solidify / change color.

If the moisture levels increase the potential for bacterial contamination in theory also increases, which is why we still use a 'Best Before' date. The 'Best Before' date is usually ± 1½ year away or even 2½ years (Chaga only).

Why should I take mushroom extracts on an empty stomach with vitamin C ?

This recommendation is not applicable to alcohol extracted Lion 's Mane, because that extract is optimized for the alcohol-solubles and is best taken with food.

The main active ingredient of most medicinal mushroom extracts are water-soluble beta-glucans, though. These are very large macro-molecules with a high molecular weight; in fact a type of dietary fiber.

When taken orally, intestinal absorptive cells (enterocytes) facilitate the transportation of beta-glucans and similar compounds across the intestinal cell wall into the lymph, where they begin to interact with receptors of the immune system, activating a wide spectrum of immunological effects.

Due to their size beta-glucans do not pass the intestinal wall easily. To increase the chances of beta-glucan entering the blood-stream it's common sense to have as little 'competition' as possible present. So no solid foods or fiber-rich smoothies !

Research found that the absorption / therapeutic effect of beta-glucans is improved when combined with vitamin C (ascorbic acid). The type or amount is not important: 20 - 50mg of the cheapest type will do. See e.g. this article - a Google search for 'beta-glucan vitamin C' will return many more results.

Vitamin C will also improve the absorption of iron.

Why shouldn't I combine mushroom extracts with dairy products ?

An important bioactive compound of all medicinal mushroom extracts are anti-oxidants, in particular polyphenols and their derivatives. Lactose (mainly found in dairy products) binds polyphenols, potentially neutralizing their anti-oxidant effects.

Research reports show conflicting results, which is why we recommend to either choose lactose-free dairy products or to take dairy products at a different time (at least an hour away) than the supplement. Just to minimize the chances of negative effects. (link)

Are these products tested for heavy metals and such ?

All products are 100% safe. The extracts are tested by an independant third party laboratory for heavy metals and other trace elements. The test results are available here. The analytical labs we use (CWC, Alkemist, Eurofins Group) are ISO/IEC 17025 accredited, which means the highest level of certification and quality assurance.

Don't overlook that although less is always better, levels of heavy metals should be seen in relation to the intake (of a dietary supplement or another food) and the bodyweight of the individual consuming it. For a baby 1ppm of whatever compound might be toxic, whereas for an adult man it is perfectly safe. The danger is in the dosage !!

Below are the official EU and World Health Organisation / Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (WHO / JECFA) guidelines. The amounts are in mcg (micrograms).
  • Arsenic: (Adult, 70 kgs: 150 mcg = daily limit)
  • Cadmium: (Adult, 70 kgs: 70 mcg daily = daily limit)
  • Lead: (Adult, 70 kgs: 250 mcg daily = daily limit)
  • Mercury: (Adult, 70 kgs: 16 mcg daily = daily limit)
Of course it is also interesting to know how much heavy metals are present in common everyday foods.

To compare, in 2007 the FDA conducted a survey to determine levels of heavy metals such as lead in typical foods. The majority of foods were free or almost free of any heavy metals, but not all. There was no difference between 'organic' and standard.

Their most striking results (levels per serving, per day):
  • fresh collard greens: 30 microgram of lead
  • dry roasted mixed nuts: 20 microgram of lead
  • Brussels sprouts 15 microgram of lead
  • Sweet potatoes : 16 microgram of lead
  • Spinach: 15 microgram of lead
These are all considered normal and safe levels.

The capsules have a different color than before

Mushroom extracts are based on natural products. There will always be small variations in color. Apart from that, sometimes a new way of processing the products can also result in a significantly lighter or darker color. But the color in itself is not really important.

In the end the only thing that really matters is what is in the product - the active ingredients. Check the supplement facts label and, when in doubt, check the most recent test report(s).

The contents of the capsules got hard !

Mushroom extracts are hygroscopic, in particular an alcohol extract such as our Lion's Mane. Meaning, they absorb moisture easily, which can cause the extract powder to solidify. It is comparable to sugar and salt, which form lumps easily in a humid environment.

Is this a problem ? Is the product spoiled ?

No. Just like with sugar or salt the properties of the extract will not be affected. The only potential issue is that increased moisture levels also increase the potential for bacterial growth over time. Therefore, always keep the product in a well-closed bag or bottle in an environment that is as dry as possible.

We could get rid of this 'problem' to a certain extent by adding additives (aka 'flow agents') to the product, such as malto-dextrin. This lowers the hygroscopic properties and it also makes the product easier to process. Most vendors do this. We don't.

Keep in mind that the percentage of malto-dextrin has to be ± 20 - 25% to be effective and that the specifications of the extract are usually based on the raw powdered extract without the additives present. Meaning, you pay for capsules with e.g. 400mg extract powder each, guaranteed to contain 20% beta-glucan (= 80mg p/capsule), but you get 300mg extract powder and only 60mg of beta-glucan p/capsule. You get only 75 - 80% of what you expect to get.

Are your products organic ?

Yes. But, although our manufacturer has the USDA Organic certificate, issued by EcoCert SA, please take notice that 'organic' is not defined by law or regulations the FDA enforces. Despite the good intentions it is used by the majority of vendors as an effective marketing tool only.

'Organic' is not a reliable quality indicator in the case of medicinal mushrooms - further down we'll explain why.

• Our PSP-50, Lion's Mane mycelium and our Cordyceps CS-4 are mycellium products. They are cultivated in bioreactors (stainless steel lab-tanks), the most controlled environment imaginable; completely sterile. You cannot get more 'organic'.

• Reishi, ABM and Lion's Mane fruiting bodies are cultivated in accordance with both the USDA-organic and the international GACP regulations. GACP regulations have been developed specifically for cultivating medicinal plants. It is carries more weight than a USDA certificate in our opinion. The GACP standard is more strict and is internationally enforced instead of only local. This certificate is also not abused as a marketing instrument by supplement and 'superfood' producers.

Abused, indeed. The majority of the mushroom supplement sellers using the USDA certificate as a marketing tool have only that to market - a mushroom product with the USDA-organic stamp, but lacking other specifications such as active ingredients or levels of heavy metals.

An 'USDA-organic' mushroom might still contain significant amounts of heavy metals and microbial contamination, which mushrooms tend to accumulate from the soil and their environment. Unless they have a full Certificate of Analysis showing both contamination and the active ingredients these products might still be unreliable. Remember how the Fukushima fall-out covered over half of the US ? Those deposits (mainly heavy metals, both radio-active and otherwise) are still everywhere and mushrooms accumulate these.

As said before, 'organic' is NOT a good quality indicator for medicinal mushrooms; as it only focuses on things that should NOT be present in the product (traces of pesticides and fertilizers, e.g.) instead of focussing on the things that ARE PRESENT in the product (bioavailable bioactives, microbial and heavy metal contamination, e.g.). In the end these compounds determine the usability and therapeutic potential of the product.

We offer a full Certificate of Analysis, issued by an independant FDA-approved lab, that tells the consumer exactly what's in the product, instead of playing their emotions by emphasizing only the 'organic' aspect. Available here.

How can I be sure the products are therapeutically effective ?

Unfortunately there is never a guarantee, because every person and every health condition is unique to a certain extent. Many variables are in play, so some trial and error is unavoidable. Despite that, here are some tips to maximize the chance of positive effects:

• Choose an extract. According to research 80% of people either have trouble or cannot digest non-extracted mushroom products at all because they lack the enzyme chitinase in their stomach. This enzyme is essential to deal with the chitin that locks the bioactive compounds in the cell walls of the mushroom. Chitin restricts the bioavailability. Only an extract can guarantee bioavailability - otherwise a therapeutic effect is completely unpredictable. See this link for a detailed explanation.

• Compare the product claims from the website against the supplement facts label - it is unlawful to exaggerate or lie on that label, but on a website or a front label vendors have much more leeway to market a product. The supplement facts label should show a breakdown of beta-glucans at least. Nowadays beta-glucans can be tested very accurately using the AOAC-approved Megazyme® assay.

Many supplements specify polysaccharides, but that's using 20th century standards. Beta-glucans are polysaccharides, but not all polysaccharides are beta-glucans; e.g. starch, chitin, cellulose and dextrin are also -completely useless- polysaccharides found in many mushroom products. A high polysaccharide percentage does not mean it is a good product.

You can easily test for the presence of starch and dextrin at home: open a capsule and mix the powder inside with a bit of cold water to make a liquid solution. Then add a few drops of iodine. See this youtube video. If the solution changes color (black, blue, red) it contains non-mushroom polysaccharides or starch. Percentages of up to 30% are not uncommon. Rice powder is also added often to increase the weight and to prevent cakeing of the extract powder.

• If a vendor is marketing his product as a 10:1 extract (or whatever ratio) but does NOT specify any bioactives (beta-glucan, triterpenes, polyphenols) on the supplement facts label this might mean it's just dried and powdered mushroom, non-extracted. (also check: "What ratio are your mushroom extracts ?").

There simply is only one reason NOT to test for beta-glucan or other active compounds - testing is pretty cheap and the results are what the consumer wants to see. Logic tells us the only reason to keep it vague or leave it out is because the outcome is unfavourable and will make the product look bad.

• If you want more quality confirmation we recommend to ask the online vendor for a Certificate of Analysis (COA), issued by a third party lab. Many vendors simply write their own COA or will send you a fancy-looking Technical Data Sheet / Specifications Sheet, but it is obvious this proves nothing.

A good COA should show the details / certification of the laboratory and carry a lab technician's signature. It should list the active ingredients and the contaminants, like heavy metals. The statements should match the product's supplement facts label. Our COA 's can be found here.

A very extensive guideline can be found here.

What is the extraction ratio ? 1:1 ? 8:1 ?

Most consumers assume "8:1" means the product is 8 times more powerful than a "1:1" product. This is not the case. Nevertheless, these ratios are usually used by vendors to underline the 'potency' of their products.

This stems from herbal practice: a dried herb (± 10:1) is more potent than the fresh one in general - this is applicable even to kitchen herbs! Many Chinese producers are actually in the herbal business and added mushrooms as an extra source of income in the past decades. They are using the same processing and quality indicators for mushrooms, but this is wrong. Mushrooms are not -structurally speaking- cellulose based (like herbs) but have a chitinous structure. Chitin needs specific processing -involving heat or enzymes/fermentation- to release the locked bioactives - see elsewhere in these FAQ.

Using a ratio-indicator with mushrooms is potentially deceiving, because it reveals nothing about the chemical compostion or bio-availability - the consumer still has no clue if the product is in fact therapeutically useful.

A ratio claim is also impossible to verify, how can you prove that, let's say a 200:1 claim, is correct or incorrect ?

Mushrooms contain a lot of water, up to 90% (e.g. Agaricus blazei fruiting bodies). Drying and pulverizing them will already decrease the volume and the weight significantly; completely dry ABM powder is already meeting the 10:1 ratio; 90% water has been removed, 10% dry matter is left. But no extraction of bioactives took place and the bio-availability is still poor. Ratio claims are best ignored.

There is one important exception though.

Lion's Mane fruiting body extracts should always be 1:1. A 'concentrated extract' such as '8:1' is in fact weaker than a 1:1 product; lab tests proved this. That's because most of the beta-glucans in Lion's Mane are not of the soluble kind, so they will be filtered out during the 'concentration' phase.

Another thing: a Lion's Mane 1 : 1 extract will also contain the alcohol-solubles (such as sterols and hericenones, which are considered powerful bioactives). A 1:1 extract is the complete mushroom ('full-spectrum') but bioavailable.

The bottom line, again: a ratio-indicator in itself is meaningless. A ratio-claim should be supported by a detailed breakdown of the bioactives on the supplement facts label to carry any weight.

We keep repeating this: the only thing that is really important for a consumer is the information on the supplement label (it is prohibited by law to lie or use deceiving phrasing on this label): the exact percentages of bioactives such as beta-glucans should be there.
If not, avoid it - the therapeutic potency might be questionable. Testing for beta-glucan is easy and cheap - so why not do it unless the outcome is not what you want ?

As an example, have a look at the image below. The most powerful extract is the dual extract (hot water/ethanol) on the right. It has twice the volume of the hot water-only extract. So volume-wise the hot water extract might be 14:1 and the dual extract only 7:1, but to draw the conclusion the 14:1 extract is the most potent one would be wrong.
chaga extract comparison A basic hot water extract (freeze dried) and a full spectrum dual extract (spray dried). The dual extract's particle size is much smaller but the total volume is larger. Smaller particles means better absorption and solubility, which improves bio-availability and therefore therapeutic effect.

Why do you only sell capsules and not powder or tinctures ?

• Capsules contain extract powder, but make dosing much easier - you know exactly how much you take and what is in it.

• We are selling highly concentrated extracts. A side effect of highly concentrated extracts is that they are very hygroscopic, meaning they attract and absorb moisture easily. Loose powder is difficult to keep damp-free, so if no precautions are taken (using e.g. a desiccant or some additive such as maltitol) the powder will soon start cakeing, solidify or develop lumps. In itself this is no problem: the therapeutic effect is not affected, but it is impossible to sell like that. And we do not use additives in any of our mushroom extracts, unlike other vendors.

In fact, the described hygroscopic effect can also be called an indication of quality: only extracts have these problems and non-extracted mushroom powder or biomass doesn't.

• Putting herbs or herbal powder in a bottle together with alcohol and/or water is called 'cold-extraction'. Liquid extracts or alcohol tinctures are effective with herbs, but never with mushrooms. Alcohol or water does not break down chitin, the main structural ingredient of fungal cells. Some directly exposed bioactive compounds will dissolve in the liquid, but the percentages are very low. Mushroom tinctures therefore never specify bio-active compounds on their supplement facts label, because these levels are entirely unpredictable and in general below the level of detection. At least 95% of the tincture is just liquid and the therapeutic potency is minimal, if any.

And consider this: a powdered extract is in fact the deposit of a solvent extract (solvent = alcohol/water), it's what's left after the liquid has evaporated. After all, all powdered extracts start as a liquid extract. A single 30ml tincture bottle contains ± 4 capsules worth of mushroom extract, the rest is useless liquid. The value for money is very poor, but since it is easy, cheap and fun to do, there are a lot of DIY vendors on the market. For therapeutic effects such products are unsuitable. A very detailed explanation can be found here (opens in new window - check the purchase guideline).

Chaga, radioactivity... should we be worried ?

First of all, all our extracts have been tested for the main radioactive isotopes - Caesium and Strontium and Uranium. They are perfectly safe and meet all requirements.

That said, an American producer of cultivated(!) Chaga has been spreading rumors online for several years now. He's stating that Asian / (incl. Siberian) Chaga is contaminated with radioactivity due to the Fukushima disaster, early 2011. This company is marketing its own cultivated Chaga as the only reliable alternative.
These statements are complete nonsense. It's just unsubstantiated marketing talk.

First of all, in Russia it is standard to test for radionuclides such as Caesium and Strontium when exporting. (See this example of a Russian COA).

Second, most people are probably unaware of the strict EU-customs procedures during import. American, Japanese and Canadian Chaga was stopped at the EU-borders quite often during the past few years, but not Siberian Chaga. We will explain further on how this is possible.

Third, the jetstream and ocean streams are moving away from the East Coast of Japan towards the Pacific Ocean and the US. Hawaii was e.g. hit by radiation three months after the disaster took place (over 3 times the normal radiation levels) and the American West Coast was hit shortly afterwards. In North-East China (close to Eastern Russia) however radiation levels increased only 1/100.0000th of the normal level.

Look at this official depiction of the fallout deposition (2011 computer model, later updated with environmental samples in 2013).
fukushima radiation spread
Dark blue means zero deposition. Siberia is just visible, top left. China is left. Both are unaffected except the most N-East part of Russia. But as you can see a large part of the US and Canada was affected badly. Based on this (and the EU customs reports) our advice is therefore to avoid Japanese, American and Canadian Chaga (and other wild-harvested mushrooms) completely unless they have a test report proving their safety. There is no reason at all to avoid Siberian or Chinese Chaga.

Some German vendors are still using the Chernobyl accident as a reason to avoid E-European Chaga. But considering the life-span of a Chaga-infected tree (max. 20 years) and the date of the event (1986) it is clear that the last Chaga-bearing tree from that time died at least 10 years ago. No Chaga from that time is in circulation. And again - only test reports are proof, unfounded claims on a website are not. Fake news.

A side note: cultivated Chaga as marketed in the US has completely different properties than wild-harvested Chaga and therefore cannot claim any of the effects found during research. It is also not extracted but in fact a biomass product (= mycelium including the grains in which it grows) with a high level of starch. No betulin, different sterols... for further background, have a look at this article or this extensive monograph (scroll all the way down to 'The future of Chaga').

Why extracts instead of fresh or dried mushrooms?

The term 'extract' is often used quite loosely - dried and powdered mushrooms are often also advertised as 'mushroom extract' because "the water has been extracted". This is misleading.

Hot-water extraction is the minimum that is needed to free active ingredients from the cell-walls in which they are contained. These cells are made of chitin, an indigestible substance for humans. Most of the active components will simply pass through your body without a trace if you choose the cheap 'extracts'. Eating raw or dried powdered mushrooms has no noteworthy therapeutic effect. Our stomachs work too fast to break down chitin and most people lack the enzyme chitinase, which is essential for digesting chitin.

Read this excellent explanation on the supplement-facts blog. Extraction facility We are using a state-of-the-art hot-water and/or ethanol extraction and distillation process to get rid of the useless chitin and set all the bio-active ingredients free. Our Lion's Mane is alcohol extracted.

After hot water extraction we apply alcohol precipitation. This is a production techique which removes low molecular weight compounds and by doing so increases the level of high molecular weight compounds (research showed high molecular weight beta-glucans and proteo-glycans to be the most effective). The final product has a constant pharmaceutical level of quality and bioavailability is guaranteed. The supplement facts label is again the key to distinguishing the 'real' extracts from the 'fake' extracts: only the first type can specify / guarantee active ingredients.

FAQ - Shilajit - Mumijo

Hoe kan ik het beste Shilajit-Mumijo afwegen / doseren / innemen ?

Omdat Mumijo / Shilajit een kleverige pasta is, is het inderdaad niet eenvoudig om, zeg maar, een halve gram o.i.d. af te wegen. We adviseren dan ook om meteen een oplossing met water te maken. (40 % Mumijo/Shilajit, 60 % gedistilleerd of gekookt/afgekoeld water).

Voeg de voorgeschreven hoeveelheid water toe aan de plastic container waarin de Shilajit geleverd wordt. Voor 25 gram is dit ± 40 ml water, dat past nog net in het plastic bakje samen met de Shilajit. Laat dit een nachtje staan (of langer indien nodig - het geleverde product heeft een hoge dichtheid) en roer daarna even door om een gelijkmatige oplossing te verkrijgen.

Mocht u een ander potje willen gebruiken, dan is aan te raden om het product eerst in de vriezer te plaatsen. Eenmaal bevroren kan het eenvoudig uit de plastic container worden gehaald.

In de aangegeven verhouding is de oplossing (net als het pure Shilajit) onbeperkt houdbaar (in een goed afgesloten potje) op een koele en donkere plaats, zoals de koelkast. Het kan zowel inwendig als uitwendig worden gebruikt. Verhoogt u de hoeveelheid water (zeg, 1 liter met daarin 25 gram Mumijo opgelost) dan verhoogt u ook de dagelijkse inname in dezelfde verhouding. Een dergelijke oplossing is niet langer onbeperkt houdbaar - we adviseren daarom hiervan af te zien. Na 10 dagen gebruik is een week rust voorgeschreven.

Voor het afmeten adviseren we een setje keuken afmeet-lepeltjes te kopen; een kwart theelepel oplossing is bijvoorbeeld 1.25 ml, voldoende als dagelijkse dosis voor een volwassene met een lichaamsgewicht van 80-90 kg.

Als u het als creme of lotion wil toepassen, los het op in de bodylotion of zalf die u als basis gaat gebruiken. De houdbaarheid wordt daardoor gelijk aan de houdbaarheids datum van de zalf / lotion. De verhouding is goed als u de uitgesproken geur van de Shilajit niet meer kunt waarnemen. Het komt dus niet zo heel precies in dit geval - maar u heeft niet veel nodig. Meer uitleg en een uitgebreid afmeetschema is opgenomen in de uitgebreide bijsluiter.

Is Shilajit veilig en is het getest op zware metalen ?

Online zijn er diverse bronnen die erop wijzen dat Shilajit doorgaans verontreinigd is met zware metalen zoals lood (een waarschuwing die doorgaans gepaard gaat met een 'beter' aanbod).

Zulke beweringen zijn gemakkelijk te weerleggen - laat het product testen en deel het resultaat met de buitenwereld. Een van de grootste critici is waarschijnlijk de Natural News website (van 'Health Ranger' Mike Adams) reden waarom we hun laboratorium hebben gekozen om ons product te laten testen. De uitkomst was uitstekend, zoals verwacht.

Het meest recente test report kan hier worden gevonden.

Op deze website (helaas alleen Engelstalig) is een uitgebreid en aanbevelingswaardig overzicht te vinden van de achtergronden en dergelijke van Shilajit-Mumijo. Ook worden er ruim 25 Shilajit producten met elkaar vergeleken op prijs, de aanwezigheid van testrapporten en betrouwbaarheid. Oriveda komt daarbij als een van de beste uit de bus.
oriveda faq

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