What is Bioavailability? Here's why it's so important for mental wellness

When it comes to bioavailability, most vitamins, minerals and other health supplements leave a lot to be desired. Unless you know what to look for when you’re buying supplements, you’re probably flushing a lot of hard-earned money down the drain. Literally!

Let’s break down what bioavailability is, why it matters, and how to choose the best supplements for bioavailability.

What is bioavailability?

Bioavailability is a measure to define the percentage of a nutrient (or ingredient) that actually gets absorbed in the body's tissues. 

In simple terms, bioavailability is how well your body absorbs and uses a supplement when it enters the body.

The bioavailability of a supplement is important, as it increases the amount of the desired nutrient your body is able to absorb, and therefore the benefits of that nutrient you can receive, without you having to take higher doses.

Not all supplements are designed for optimal bioavailability, therefore you might not even be absorbing the nutrients you think you're getting from your supplement.

What is the difference between bioavailability and absorption?

Bioavailability is a sub-category of absorption. Where absorption simply refers to the movement of a substance from entering the body into the bloodstream, bioavailability is the extent to which the substance is absorbed and used.

Research shows that certain pairings of vitamins and minerals allow for better bioavailability and absorption.

Take PYM Mood B Complete, our methylated B vitamin complex with zinc as an example.

Studies show that zinc helps lower stress and boost the absorption of B12, which is how zinc made its way into our formula!

The impact of anti-depressants on nutrient absorption

Research has shown that pharmaceutical drugs can deplete your body of critical nutrients through multiple mechanisms, including increased excretion of vitamins and minerals, and impaired digestion, absorption and storage of nutrients. These deficiencies can add additional symptoms and increase the side effects.

In fact, up to 30% of drug “side effects” can be caused by drug-induced nutritional deficiencies, particularly vitamin D and B vitamin deficiencies. 

This is especially concerning because studies have shown a link between vitamin B deficiencies and depression and anxiety.

So, our team of psychiatrists, nutritionists and food scientists dug into the research and found a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (the gold standard of research!) which found that methylated B vitamins showed significant improvement in mental health measures as compared to placebo. 

That's why we intentionally formulated Mood B Complete with methylated B vitamins! 

Choosing the best supplement for bioavailability

There is no one best form of supplement, as the best form depends on the nutrient. 

Therefore, when shopping for a supplement, it's best to shop from brands that rely on evidence from clinical studies to support their claims and formulation decisions.

At PYM, all of our products are formulated with ingredients that have human clinical studies showing that the body is able to absorb that specific form of the ingredient.

For example, we formulated PYM Mood Chews with amino acids GABA and L-Theanine as chewables rather than a capsule or tablet. That's because it's been shown that chewing helps kick-start the digestion process, which helps your body absorb and utilize the nutrients more effectively.

PYM Mood Magnesium is another great example. There are many different kinds of magnesium, but only a few kinds that are truly the most bioavailable and best for stress, sleep, and mental wellness. 

We formulated Mood Magnesium as a powder with Magnesium L-Threonate, Magnesium Malate, and Magnesium Glycinate, the dream team trifecta to help calm your mind, relax your body, and help you drift off to sleep and stay asleep. Learn all about the benefits of these three kinds of magnesium here!

Summary

All PYM products were designed with bioavailability in mind! That means your body is more likely to actually absorb and utilize the nutrients from the supplements so that you can get the maximum bang for your buck. 

*The statements in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products mentioned in this article are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult with a healthcare provider before adding any supplements to your mental wellness routine.