The supplement paradox: more is not always more
You take your vitamins every morning. You choose well-known brands, spend good money on them, and follow the recommended dosage. Yet you notice little difference. Does that sound familiar?
That is the supplement paradox: the gap between what is on the label and what actually reaches your body. This is rarely due to the supplement itself, but often whether the active ingredient actually reaches its destination.
Four barriers to absorption
1. Stomach acid
An ordinary tablet first ends up in one of the most acidic environments in the body: your stomach, with a pH of 1.5 to 3.5. Some nutrients, such as vitamin C, B vitamins, and reduced glutathione, can be partially broken down there before reaching the small intestine.
2. The intestinal wall
What survives the stomach still has to pass through the intestinal wall. Water-soluble nutrients must cross a lipid membrane to do so. Without the right "packaging," this absorption is slow, incomplete, and highly individual.
3. Your own gut health
Digestive issues, a disturbed gut flora, low stomach acid, or impaired bile function can further reduce absorption. As a result, the same product can have very different effects on different people.
4. The first-pass effect
Nutrients absorbed through the intestinal wall go first to the liver. There, a portion is converted before reaching the general circulation. That "first-pass effect" reduces the amount that ultimately reaches your tissues.
Bioavailability: what it is and why it matters
Bioavailability is the proportion of a nutrient that enters the circulation after ingestion and is available to the body. What matters, therefore, is not just what you take, but how much of it is actually absorbed.
With vitamin C, for instance, absorption decreases as the dose per serving increases; what isn't absorbed can cause loose stools and is excreted. Large, fat-soluble molecules like coenzyme Q10 are relatively poorly absorbed from standard capsules.
The liposomal approach
With liposomal technology, the active ingredient is encapsulated in microscopic spheres of phospholipids: the same material that makes up your own cell membranes. This packaging is designed to protect the substance during digestion.
For our liposomal vitamin C, a clinical study (CT-0007-17, n=24) measured a 1.76× higher bioavailability than that of regular vitamin C.
The PPH standard: dry liposomal technology
PPH uses dry liposomal technology: the liposomes are contained in a stable dry powder matrix. Our products are made in an FSSC 22000-certified production environment in the Netherlands, independently audited by Kiwa Nederland B.V.
- Protected The active ingredient is encapsulated in liposomes
- Stable No preservatives, 36-month shelf life
- Controlled Every production batch is quality-checked before release
Conclusion
Whether a supplement does what you expect often comes down to absorption. Those who understand what bioavailability is can make more informed choices.
View the full PPH range and discover which liposomal formula is right for you.
Because your vitality is not optional — it is essential.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- Cara, K.C. et al. (2020). Relative Bioavailability of Vitamin C from Food and Dietary Supplements. Journal of Nutrition. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32614951/
- Briskey, D. et al. (2019). Liposomal encapsulation enhances anti-inflammatory effects of vitamins. Nutrients. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30791388/
- EFSA (2017). Overview of procedures for assessment of dietary supplements. EFSA Journal. efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/
