Stressed? Harassed? Read this

Stress goes by different names and wears different masks. It’s the silent killer, the modern-day killer, the life buster, the slow killer. It’s a killer, period.

Like the "wear and tear" that, say, a car undergoes when being driven through bumpy roads over long distances, our body goes through changes, whether major or minor. According to Dr. Andrea Pennington, medical director for Discovery Health Online, the body releases cortisol and norepinephrine – stress hormones – when faced with a stressful situation. These hormones are poured into the bloodstream to allow the body to perform under pressure.

A stressful situation could be anything. Being stuck in traffic, failing to pay the electric bill, standing in front of people to perform or do a presentation, breaking up with a loved one, or even beating a deadline (such as this article) – these and more cause our daily stresses. While it can boost your adrenaline and make you act spontaneously and perform to your optimum level, stress can also affect you negatively. Those who have a poor diet, do not exercise and have no relaxation are most likely to experience the negative effects of stress. Thus, one feels tired, depressed, and mad. Other people report lack of focus and memory problems. In turn, you can suffer numerous health problems such as head and body aches, high blood pressure, insomnia and an overall decrease in energy levels.

Apart from natural stress busters like adequate physical exercises or sports acitivities, having a healthy outlook in life, as well as meditation, yoga, regular body massages and spas, people are encouraged to take multivitamins and other supplements to help the body perform to an optimum level and keep up with the fast-paced lifestyle of today.

Now, for an ordinary person who is peppered with all sorts of ads of health supplements on TV and in print media, multivitamins are one and the same. One quick look at the nutritional information on the label of a product with the more familiar vitamins A, B, C, D, E and so on, and the buyer takes no time in purchasing the stuff. Hey, this is good according to my favorite actor who swears by this supplement ... yeah, I love it’s TV commercial, it’s so hip, so colorful – pretty superficial analysis, eh?

Well, according to Dr. Joseph Lee, a US- and Singapore-trained urologist, not all multivitamins are the same. Sure, these have the essential minerals and vitamins – A, B-complex, C, E, etc. – but a powerful multivitamin contains special ingredients which boost the strength of the multivitamin’s formulation.

He cites Pascual Laboratories’ new multivitamin, Immuvit, that contains "a modern Swiss formulation of essential vitamins and minerals needed by the body to promote well-being."

Not wanting to sound like a medicine salesman, Dr. Lee explains that his choice is based on the fact that the product has some ingredients not found in other multivitamins sold on the market. There are the two powerful ginsengs – Korean and Siberian. Korean ginseng is said to strenghen digestion and promote longevity as well as battle fatigue, impotence, infertility and stress. Siberian ginseng, meanwhile, is known to enhance the immune system, calm nerves, help muscles utilize oxygen better and store more energy efficiently. It also contains "adaptogen agents" that enable the body to counteract stress and regulate bodily functions. Siberian ginseng is also believed to relieve chronic fatigue, increase one’s resistance to colds and flu and increase mental alertness.

Apart from ginseng, Immuvit also has Coenzyme Q10, the so-called wonder nutrient. CoQ10, according to medical research, is a fat-soluble molecule naturally present in all cells. It has been reported to help cellular energy production for bodily functions. Apart from its antiaging properties, it is also believed to prevent free radical damage and cell oxidation, aid people with heart problems and help fight cancer.

Furthermore, there are other components found in Immuvit alone – panthotenic acid, folic acid, selenium, molybdenum, chromium. Don’t get lost in the medical terms. All it means is that this particular multivitamin has more to offer than the rest.

Developed by Dr. Karl "Mr. 100%" Rueckert, a Swiss pharmacist and former president of Pharmaton, Immuvit aims to change harassed and stressed out individuals into Mr. 100% themselves. Before females start reacting, Roberto Bautista, Pascual Laboratories pharma division manager, explains that though their target market profile is 40 and above males, it doesn’t mean that females can’t take this as well. "Men are subjected to different kinds of stresses day in and day out and for them to function properly, they need all the health supplements they can get to perform their tasks better," he says, adding that since ginseng is known to provide extra energy, enhance fertility and yes, that good ol’ libido, men are better off taking it on a regular basis. (If we may add, females, in general, seem to cope better with life’s stresses but that’s just our personal opinion. Guys, don’t get stressed over this statement, okay?)

Dr. Lee adds that studies made in the US have proven that Immuvit has brought positive changes in the lives of patients who say they have more energy to spare and their anxiety levels have dropped. At the moment, Pascual Laboratories is undertaking a local study on the effect of the product on local patients. It’s going to be a two-year study, says Dr. Lee, and they are optimistic that the results will be positive.

Immuvit, according to experts, has no known adverse side effects. They say that Immuvit is best taken after breakfast or on a full stomach, and three to five days after, the patient can already see the positive effects in his energy level and general well-being.

Now, life’s daily stresses have taken a toll on the body’s immune system. With a life span that keeps getting shorter and shorter each passing year, we might as well look for ways to at least curb the surge of mankind’s modern scourges, including cancer, aging and, of course, stress.