Ingredient Synergy in Natural Products

Studies have found that unrefined compounds (think extra virgin olive oil,  raw pumpkin seeds etc.)  carry components which can increase solubility or transform the primary compound into a more effective tool. This concept is called synergy. Refined, synthetically made, isolated compounds would be unable to achieve this naturally.

This is not a new concept. Modern medicine learned quickly that administering a complex cocktail was more effective than a single ingredient formula. Through evolution, plants have mastered this process in order to survive. Any nutritionist would tell you that supplements can never fully replicate the complex benefits of consuming fresh food.

Natural beauty benefits from a synergistic approach because our skin and hair is complex. Natural products function as a smart program, going in to adjust, fix and support as needed. A single-ingredient product is like single-command robot - it will do what it needs to do, no more no less. 

For example, using carrot extract as a source of Vitamin A provides better overall benefits to the skin compared to a retinol serum because its additional components, Vitamin C, minerals and phenols, work synergistically to boost the skin’s overall vitality. If you use only retinol serum you might find yourself seeking out these missing pieces, which costs money. Why not try natural sources?

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Grace

Sources:

H. Wagner, G. Ulrich-Merzenich,

Synergy research: Approaching a new generation of phytopharmaceuticals,

Phytomedicine,

Volume 16, Issues 2–3,

2009,

Pages 97-110,

ISSN 0944-7113,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2008.12.018.

Fabio Carmona, Ana Maria Soares Pereira,

Herbal medicines: Old and new concepts, truths and misunderstandings,

Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia,

Volume 23, Issue 2,

2013,

Pages 379-385,

ISSN 0102-695X,

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-695X2013005000018.