Dietary supplement containing alkaline electrolyte buffers

Abstract

An improved dietary and/or therapeutic supplement composition comprising a quantity of a dietary and/or therapeutic supplement agent having a pH that upon ingestion with food or a beverage would limit the effectiveness of the agent and a sufficient amount of an electrolyte additive is provided in combination with the agent to raise the pH of the composition to a level of from about 8 to about 12.5 to increase the effectiveness of the agent upon ingestion of the composition along with a meal or a beverage. In a preferred composition, the electrolyte additive is selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium and potassium electrolytes. The supplement composition may be in the form of tablet, capsule, powder or liquid forms. The supplement composition is designed to provide for optimum utilization of a dietary and/or therapeutic supplement agent when taken orally with food or a beverage.

1 . An improved dietary and/or therapeutic supplement composition consisting essentially of, in combination: 
 a solid dietary and/or therapeutic supplement agent selected from the group consisting of water soluble vitamins, bioflavanoids, minerals, trace minerals, whole plant food products containing phytonutrients, herbs, and mixtures of the foregoing that are known to promote health and well being and each having a pH of 6 or less which upon ingestion with food or a beverage would limit the availability of the agent to the person ingesting the agent; and    an electrolyte additive selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium and potassium electrolytes, a sufficient amount of the electrolyte additive being provided in combination with the agent to raise the pH of the combination of the supplement agent and the additive such that upon ingestion of the composition with food or a beverage, the pH of the person's stomach is maintained from about 8 to about 12.5 thereby increasing the effectiveness of the agent in the person's stomach.    
     
     
         2 . An improved dietary and/or therapeutic supplement composition as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a sufficient amount of said electrolyte additive is included in the composition to cause the pH thereof to be in the range of about 8 to about 10.5.  
     
     
         3 . An improved dietary and/or therapeutic supplement composition as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte additive is selected from the group consisting of hydroxides,chlorides, chelates, di-phosphates, oxides, stearates, carbonates, gluconates, bicarbonates, phosphates and sulfates of calcium, magnesium and potassium.  
     
     
         4 . An improved dietary and/or therapeutic supplement composition as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said supplement agent is glucosamine.  
     
     
         5 . An improved dietary and/or therapeutic supplement composition as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said supplement agent is glucosamine and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM).  
     
     
         6 . An improved dietary and/or therapeutic supplement composition as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said supplement agent is methylsulfonylmethane.  
     
     
         7 . An improved dietary and/or therapeutic supplement composition as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said supplement agent is methylsulfonylmethane and ascorbic acid.  
     
     
         8 . An improved dietary and/or therapeutic supplement composition as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said composition consists essentially of: 
 1000 mg of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM);    780 mg of ascorbic acid;    20 mg of bioflavonoid;    100 mg of calcium carbonate;    50 mg of potassium gluconate; and    50 mg of magnesium oxide.    
     
     
         9 . An improved dietary and/or therapeutic supplement composition as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said composition is a capsule consisting essentially of an admixture of: 
 500 mg glucosamine sulfate;    900 mg methylsulfonylmethane (MSM);    20 mg 20% Boswellia extract;    100 mg dl-phenylalanine;    60 mg ascorbic acid;    5 mg citrus bioflavonoids;    50 mg magnesium carbonate;    50 mg potassium carbonate;    100 mg calcium gluconate;    10 mg ginseng extract;    10 mg 24% ginkgo biloba extract;    15 mg pyroxdine hydrochloride; and    180 mg 10% gla borage powder extract.    
     
     
         10 . A method of improving the availability of a dietary and/or supplement agent that is ingested with food or a beverage consisting essentially of the steps of: 
 providing a quantity of a solid dietary and/or therapeutic supplement agent selected from the group consisting of water soluble vitamins, bioflavanoids, minerals, trace minerals, whole plant food products containing phytonutrients, herbs, and mixtures of the foregoing that are known to promote health and well being and each having a pH of 6 or less which upon ingestion with food or a beverage would limit the availability of the agent to the person ingesting the agent having a pH that upon ingestion with food or a beverage would limit the effectiveness of the agent; and    adding a sufficient amount of an electrolyte additive selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium and potassium electrolytes, a sufficient amount of the electrolyte additive being provided in combination with the agent to raise the pH of the combination to a pH of from about 8 to about 12.5 and to maintain the alkaline pH of the supplement composition in the person's stomach upon ingestion of the composition with food or a beverage and during digestion thereof in the person's stomach thereby increasing the effectiveness and utilization of the agent in the person's body.    
     
     
         11 . A method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein a sufficient amount of said electrolyte additive is includeed in the compostion to cause the pH thereof to be in the range of about 8 to about 10.5.  
     
     
         12 . A method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said electrolyte additive is selected from the group consisting of hydroxides, chlorides, chelates, di-phosphates, oxides, stearates, carbonates, gluconates, bicarbonates, phosphates and sulfates of calcium, magnesium and potassium.