L-arginine, OPC, coenzyme Q10 and plant extracts explained

Why you will not find any promised effects here

In the EU, food supplements may only be advertised with health claims that have been officially authorised. There is no such authorisation for L-arginine, L-carnitine, OPC, coenzyme Q10, astaxanthin, lycopene and the plant extracts. We therefore only describe these substances and state their amounts. In the product, authorised claims apply only to the vitamins and minerals. You can read more about this in the article Zinc, selenium and vitamin D for men.

The following table shows all substances in Vita Energy Complex for men for which there is no reference value and no authorised claim. The amounts refer to the daily serving of 3 capsules according to the manufacturer.

L-arginine and L-carnitine

L-arginine is an amino acid, i.e. a building block of protein. The body can produce it itself, but it is also taken in with food, for example through nuts, seeds, pulses, meat and fish. In the product, L-arginine is present as L-arginine hydrochloride. Hydrochloride means that the amino acid is present as a salt of hydrochloric acid, a form commonly used in food supplements. At 1000 mg per daily serving, it is the ingredient with the largest amount in the formula.

L-carnitine is a compound that the body produces from the amino acids lysine and methionine. In the diet, it is found mainly in meat, which is also where its name comes from, the Latin word for meat. The product contains it as L-carnitine tartrate, 80 mg per daily serving. Tartrate is a salt of tartaric acid, which is found in grapes, for example.

OPC from pine bark

OPC stands for oligomeric proanthocyanidins. These are plant substances from the large group of polyphenols. They are found, for example, in grape seeds, apples, cocoa and the bark of certain pine trees. In Vita Energy Complex for men, OPC comes from the bark of the maritime pine Pinus pinaster. A daily serving contains 120 mg of pine bark extract with OPC.

The manufacturer expressly points out that a product containing OPC does not replace a diet with fresh fruit and vegetables.

Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinone, is a vitamin-like substance. The body produces it itself. You also take it in in small amounts with foods such as meat, fish and nuts. Because the body can produce Q10 itself, it is not counted among the vitamins. A daily serving of the product contains 50 mg of coenzyme Q10.

Astaxanthin and lycopene: two carotenoids

Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments that give plants, algae and some animals their yellow, orange or red colour. Astaxanthin, for example, is the pigment that gives salmon and prawns their reddish colour. In the product, it comes from astaxanthin-rich oleoresin from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis, 4 mg per daily serving. Lycopene is the red pigment of the tomato and is also found in watermelon and pink grapefruit. A daily serving contains 6 mg of it.

The manufacturer gives two mandatory notes on astaxanthin. Products containing astaxanthin-rich oleoresin from Haematococcus pluvialis algae are not suitable for children and adolescents under 10 years of age. In addition, the product should not be consumed if other food supplements containing astaxanthin esters are consumed on the same day.

Six plant extracts

• Pine bark: bark of the maritime pine, source of the OPC, 120 mg.
• Pomegranate: extract from the fruit, 40 mg.
• Maca: a plant from the cabbage family that grows in the high Andes of Peru. The root is used, which is traditionally eaten as a food in Peru, 40 mg.
• Saffron: the spice from the stigmas of the crocus flower Crocus sativus, 10 mg.
• Ginger: extract from the root, 5 mg.
• Black pepper: extract from the fruit of Piper nigrum, 5 mg.

An extract is obtained from a part of a plant. Certain constituents of the plant are dissolved out with a solvent such as water or alcohol and then dried. This makes it possible to put plants that are otherwise known as a spice, fruit or root into a capsule in small amounts. The plant extracts are contained in the product in amounts of 5 to 120 mg and complement the formula. The same applies to them: there is no authorised health claim, which is why we only state their origin and amount.

A tip for reading the ingredients list: under EU food law, the ingredients are listed in descending order of weight. In Vita Energy Complex for men, L-arginine hydrochloride therefore comes first after the capsule shell, and the vitamins follow at the end because of their small amounts.

Vegan and with a plant-based capsule shell

According to the manufacturer, Vita Energy Complex for men is vegan. The capsule shell is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, a substance based on plant fibres, and is coloured with iron oxide. You can find an overview of all 18 ingredients, including the vitamins and minerals, in the article What is in Vita Energy Complex for men. You can find more products for men in the category for men.