Metavive and Adrenavive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How are your products made?

All of our organ meats are carefully selected from the highest quality free-range sources. The meats are first prepared by manually removing as much connective tissue and fat as possible. In contrast to some other manufacturers, we do not use heat, chemical solvents or enzymes to remove these fats, because we believe these techniques may damage the nutritional value of the finished product by also removing or reducing amounts of naturally-occurring vitamins, lipids, lipoproteins and other nutrients from the meat.

The raw meat is then carefully cleaned, frozen and freeze-dried at very low temperatures to both concentrate and preserve the organ meat along with its complement of protein and other nutrients, before being gently ground to a fine powder, suitable for blending and encapsulation.

The powdered meat is then blended with a complementary, synergistic complex of nucleotides (see next FAQ question) and rice bran. The rice bran ensures that each capsule is properly filled for consistent and reliable dosing. Finally, our products are encapsulated in pure gelatine or vegetable cellulose capsules.

What are nucleotides and why have you added them?

Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA and RNA. As such, they are needed by all cells of the human body, particularly during periods of regeneration, growth and repair. Nucleotides are also involved in cellular energy production, help to mediate cellular signalling and regulate certain enzymes, along with many other cellular functions.

The body has an ability to produce small amounts of nucleotides itself, as well as to salvage them from old, non-functional cells. However, in tissues which normally have a high cellular turnover (e.g. in the gut, the production of immune cells, or in athletes), or when environmental stressors normally generate an increased demand (e.g infection or injury), then these synthesis and salvage pathways may not be sufficient to supply adequate amounts of nucleotides to the body. So depending on current circumstances, additional nucleotides derived from the diet can become essential for the body.

Historically, organ meats and fermented foods were the richest natural sources of nucleotides in the diet. But as intakes of these wholefood sources have declined in the modern diet, recent scientific interest has focussed on finding additional sources of nucleotide supplementation. As such, the purified complex of all four primary nucleotides added to this new formula, perfectly complements these premium quality organ meat supplements.

For further information and research articles on the use of nucleotides, please visit: www.nucleotides4health.org

Do your products contain any artificial additives or allergens?

The entire Procepts product range is free from any artificial additives (colours, preservatives, binders, flowing agents or release agents). All our products are also free from any of the 14 food allergens (including wheat/gluten, dairy, egg and soy) as well as other known allergens, such as corn.

Although the ribonucleotides in this formula are extracted from yeast, this ingredient is quality tested to confirm no yeast remains in the finished product. The only other ingredient we use is rice bran, which ensures that each vegetable cellulose capsule is correctly and accurately filled for consistent and reliable dosing.

Where do your organ meats come from, and how are the animals raised?

All of our organ meats are carefully selected from the highest quality, free-range sources. Our bovine products are from Procepts’ proprietary farm sources in the United Kingdom, Europe and New Zealand. Our grass-fed cattle are reared as nature intended, without the use of growth-promoting hormones or antibiotics. For most of the year they are free to range on open grass pastures and whilst protected indoors during the winter months, they are fed naturally fermented grass (silage).

The porcine meats that we use are from ‘RSPCA Assured’, high-welfare farms in the United Kingdom, where our pigs are raised without the use of growth-promoting hormones, or antibiotics. They are born outdoors and reared on natural grass pastures, before being brought into large straw-filled barns. Throughout their entire lives they are free to roam, socialise in groups, and to express their natural rooting behaviours.

Although antibiotics are never used routinely on either our porcine or bovine farms, it goes without saying that they may be used for short term illness, if deemed necessary under the guidance of a licensed veterinary surgeon.

We have been told that “Mad Cow” disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) can infect meat products. Can you assure us that your product is safe?

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) is a fatal disease affecting cows that can be transmitted to humans by consumption of infected meat products, causing new variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD). BSE reached a peak in Europe in the 1980s, with the UK being the most severely affected country. It is believed to have been caused by recycling the by-products of diseased cattle through meat and bone meal back into the feed for healthy cattle. Since that time, the disease has been subject to a worldwide eradication programme including significant changes to all animal feed and beef slaughter regulations.

Our bovine products are produced with beef sourced from premium human food-chain suppliers in the United Kingdom, Europe and New Zealand, recognised by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as having negligible and controlled BSE risks.

We also receive veterinary certificates with each batch of meat. This confirms that each animal was health inspected by a qualified veterinary surgeon before slaughter, and confirms that the animals were free from a variety of important diseases, including BSE. These inspections are normal practice before any animal is accepted into the human food-chain.

Given that BSE only affects cattle, our porcine products have a zero risk of BSE.

What other safety measures do you take to assure the quality of your products? Can you provide us with laboratory documentation to prove this?

As food supplements (i.e. concentrated nutrients, delivered in dose form), our products have been formulated to fully comply with all relevant European Union (EU) legislation, including elements affecting food supplements, foods, food labelling, microbiology, contaminants and quality standards.

EU food legislation includes laboratory testing of every batch of meat for general aerobic bacterial levels, intestinal bacteria, E. coli and Salmonella species. It also requires testing for lead, arsenic and cadmium. Strict legal limits are imposed on these contaminants within meat, and every batch that we use is laboratory tested to confirm that these legal standards are met, and in fact, significantly improved upon.

Although we can confirm that every batch of our products is tested for the above, and that laboratory certificates are retained for legal purposes, we are unable to provide copies of this documentation to the public because our sources and supply network agreements are strictly confidential.

What is the difference between bovine and porcine thyroid? Which one should I choose?

Bovine and porcine thyroid products appear very similar in terms of their nutritional composition and profile, our customers will elect to use either our beef or porcine sourced products for various reasons.

The most important reasons for a given preference relate to philosophy or food intolerance. For customers with an intolerance to pork meats, or for those who wish to avoid pork for religious or philosophical reasons, we recommend use of our beef thyroid products (or vice versa).

Another reason for preferences one way or another relates to apparent variations in individual requirement or need. Although most of our customers do not notice a difference between the two types of product, some customers have noted that they find one type more effective than the other. If our porcine formula has not delivered the desired results, some have reported good responses after switching to the bovine version. The opposite has also been true in some cases. We can only speculate as to the reasons for this, these perhaps relating to undiagnosed food intolerances or the presence or absence of nutritional factors that are unique to each meat.

As our best-selling product range, the Metavive range has been made available with a choice of either bovine (beef) or porcine (pork) meats. Unfortunately, due to costs of production and insufficient demand for such choice, it is not possible at this time for us to offer both options across our entire product range.

Do your adrenal and thyroid products contain any hormones, or have they been removed?

We are aware that some other manufacturers use chemical and heat-based techniques to deliberately denature or remove a variety of hormones which are naturally present in all meats at the time of slaughter. At Procepts Nutrition, our approach is different.

Our goal is not to add or remove anything from our meats. Instead we aim to provide the complete, raw nutritional value of the original organ meats and glands, so avoiding chemical losses, manipulation or heat-based damage to the nutrients. Our meat is simply provided as nature intended, in its naturally preserved, freeze-dried form.

The freeze-drying (lyophilisation) process both concentrates all of the active nutritional components and preserves the meat from spoilage. Each of our freeze-dried organ meats provides a highly specific and complex nutritional package, as a unique blend of naturally-occurring vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids, peptides, lipoproteins, nucleoproteins, nucleotides, enzymes, hormones and a variety of fats.

How do Procepts thyroid products compare with prescription medicines such as Armour? How much T4 or T3 does each capsule contain?

All food supplements are marketed and sold with the intention of being used as concentrated sources of nutrients that supplement a normal and varied diet in healthy persons. Unlike medicines, they are not intended to prevent or treat diseases, nor are they to be used to make medical diagnoses.

Procepts food supplements are not intended to be used either as a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional or in place of use of licensed medicines. Any person concerned about his or her health, or with a suspected or known disease or other medical condition, should seek advise from a suitably qualified and experienced healthcare professional.

What is the best way to take your supplements, with or without food, and at what time of day?

Based on feedback from our customers and health professionals, our organ meats are best taken on an empty stomach, around 20-30 minutes before food. However, if this is not possible, our supplements will still be digested and absorbed if taken during or after meals.

Some customers have reported improved results by dividing their daily dose evenly throughout the day. Accordingly, we have provided different capsule sizes and dosages within our Metavive and Adrenavive product lines to make this easier.

We suggest taking our Metavive and Adrenavive products during daylight hours, allowing the body to naturally unwind prior to sleep.

How do I determine my optimum dosage and what is the maximum dose I can take?

As with all food supplements, we advise you to consult your doctor or other qualified or experienced health professional before taking any of our products.

Each of our products comes with a standard recommendation to take one capsule daily, or as directed by a healthcare professional. Based on individual assessment, your healthcare professional will be able to advise on the most suitable product from our Adrenavive and/or Metavive ranges.

Is it possible to experience an allergic or other adverse reaction to Procepts products?

In the case of any food or food supplement, Procepts Nutrition products included, there is a possibility that an individual might experience an allergic or other adverse reaction after consuming them. If you think you have experienced an untoward effect after consuming any of our products, we advise that you immediately stop taking the product, and inform us by contacting our primary UK or EU distributor, as we monitor all reported and suspected allergic or other adverse reactions. If the reaction is moderate to severe in nature, please also contact your doctor or other qualified and experienced health professional.

Given that Procepts Nutrition products are freeze-dried organ meats, the products represent a highly concentrated source of a diverse range of natural substances, from naturally-occurring vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids, peptides, lipoproteins, nucleoproteins, nucleotides, enzymes, hormones and a variety of fats. While none of these include any of the 14 legally defined allergens, there is still the possibility that some individuals might react adversely, or over-react by way of an allergic, sensitivity or hypersensitivity reaction to one or more of the ingredients. Such reactions are more likely when too high a dose is taken, or when the product is taken on an empty stomach.

Metavive and Adrenavive are food supplements that are not recommended during pregnancy, or for people who have an over-active thyroid or adrenal glands (e.g. hyperthyroidism, hyperadrenalism, Cushing’s syndrome).