Dr.’s Garcia have worked hand in hand with compounding chemists to introduce one of the most potent anti-aging
vitamin lines on the market today. Engineered with the intention of providing the body with supranormal levels of
healing vitamins, these vitamins work by providing your body with the critical components to helping the body maximize its cellular functions.
This vitamin line has been tried on their patients in the peri-operative period and has given their patients an enormous boost in healing. Patients are reporting not only that they feel better sooner, but they have overall less swelling, bruising, and overall less recovery time.
Stage I is geared to keeping your bodies’ cellular functions working at the most maximal level possible. Providing your body with the highest doses of critical
vitamins has shown to speed up reactions vital to the normal functioning of critical cells involved in the up keep of the immune, cardiac, digestive, and integumentary (skin) systems.
Along with these functions, the Multivitamin line has shown to boost metabolism, libido, and overall energy levels.
Stage II was created to combat the ill effects of free radicals that are constantly being produced in the body through several different reactions. This line of anti-oxidants has a plethora of high dose anti-oxidants that scavenge those free radicals, thus preventing long term damage to your internal organs as well as your skin.
Anti-oxidants have also been shown to help prevent cardiovascular disease, boost metabolism, and significantly improve the complexion of your skin, giving a more vibrant and healthy glow.
Vitamins, minerals and other nutrients aside from keeping the internal
processes of the body healthy, strong and functioning will also help to
promote the healing of the wounds both on the external and internal surfaces
of the body. The rate at which wounds heal and the quality of the repair of
tissues depends greatly upon adequate nutrition and supplementation. There
are several vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that affect this
healing
process.
Reviva Anti-Aging System was first developed to bring together all of the
aspects that promote healthy healing and living. Developed by a team of
physicians, the system starts with a detailed analysis of the needs of your diet
and supplementation. We have done several clinical trials and found almost 95%
of the population to be deficient of our recommended regimen of vitamins. This
is despite the stringent emphasis that the United States Food and Drug
Administration place on the Recommended Daily Allowances. Originally designed to
treat our peri-operative patients undergoing cosmetic procedures, the system has
evolved into providing life time maintenance. Our patients that have continued
on this system as maintenance have shown a dramatic increase in their ability to
heal, their energy levels, their libido, concentration, and overall health. Some
of our patients have even found that they no longer need to take certain
medications to treat high blood pressure or high cholesterol!
As part of our mission, we will aim to bring some light as to the actual
purpose of the principal vitamins and supplements found in our system. The
effects of the system are synergistic with a good diet and exercise plan.
“An ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure”
The importance of preventative medicine cannot
be over-stated. As we are learning more about the importance of starting
early with good nutrition, supplementation, and exercise, we are learning
that the aging process can be slowed to the point that it almost seems to be
reversed. We are even finding cases where people have done very little in
their lives to protect their skin and internal organs, and once establishing
a good preventative regimen, they have seen results.
We are often asked: “Will I need to be on this forever?” This is a very
tough question because most of us want a quick fix to a long-standing
problem. The aging process is just that; a process. It is not an event that
can be treated and you are done with it. Likened to losing weight, the most
difficult part is not losing the weight, but maintaining the weight loss.
The maintenance is where the preventative stage really comes to fruition.
You can do everything in your power to “turn the clock back” whether it be
through the institution of a good skin care regimen or via minor procedures,
but you will only see the long term benefits when you combine these with
diet, exercise, and an effective vitamin regimen.
Good Nutrition:
First let’s talk about the importance of good nutrition in
handling your body’s load of proper healing. Protein malnutrition is more
common than one thinks and has been found in up to 25% of hospitalized
patients. In its most deadly form, protein deficiency can result in
kwashiorkor, a rare disorder commonly seen in third world countries.
Countless scientific articles have been written about the effects of proper
protein consumption in the diet. The average 70kg person generally requires
2000 calories, of which roughly 200 calories (10%) must consist of proteins.
Protein deficiency impairs all aspects of wound healing as well as immune
response.
Proteins are composed of amino acids, which are fond in the basic
healing blocks. In terms of the molecular composition of healing tissues,
proteins coil together to form complex molecules called collagen
How important is Hydration?
The human body is composed of several basic components, but none more
important than water. As humans, 70% of our weight is due to water, which is
crucial to the proper functioning of our systems.
Starting at a cellular level, the proper level of hydration allows for
key elements to function properly. The manifestations of dehydration can be seen
at all levels starting with the skin and on to vital internal organ function.
The truth is that adequate hydration is the most important component to both
healing and maintaining tissues.
The recommended daily allowance of water is approximately 2 liters per
day.
What Are Free Radicals?
Free radicals are agents found in cells that are by-products of normal
cellular reactions. They are active and very destructive to normal tissues.
Think of carbon monoxide exhaust from a car and even though it is a by-product
of combustion, it is very dangerous. The most common free radicals generated in
the body are hydroxide, super oxide, and hydrogen peroxide. When abundant, these
agents can be very dangerous and detrimental to the integrity of cell structures
and normal cell reactions. As a result of this, an entire science of
anti-oxidant therapy has been instituted.
How do anti-oxidants work and why
are they important?
At Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery Institute, we have designed the medical grade
Reviva Anti-Aging System that includes a Stage II Anti-Oxidant. This supplement
is composed of a mixture of over 10 scientifically proven products that work to
scavenge free radicals and prevent the damage to your tissues, allowing for the
prevention of premature aging. Many of the supplements, whether by mouth or
topical, work by preventing certain accumulation of free radicals.
Topical agents have been shown to effectively neutralize certain chemical
reactions occurring on the surface of the skin that become activated when
exposed to environmental assaults. Combined with a good sunscreen regimen, these
damaging effects can be all but eliminated..
We have now talked about the basics behind Reviva Anti-Aging program. Let’s
delve a little deeper and find out how the components of the system are working
at the most basic level.
Vitamin A or retinol is a fat soluble vitamin critical to the proper function
of vision, fighting infection, proper bone growth, and male reproduction.
Retinol is found most highly concentrated in liver of animals as a form called
retinyl esters and when needed, is transported to be converted into one of two
forms.
- Retinal is the most critical form and is converted from Retinol to aid
in vision. Retinal works to maintain rhodopsin, a necessary component for
night vision. Rhodopsin is found in rods, which are the sensors used for
black and white and night vision. In a more extreme deficiency of Vitamin A,
the eyes can suffer from Xerophthalmia, a condition of severe dry eyes
leading to ulceration and eventual total vision loss.
- Retinoic Acid is the second converted form of Retinol and functions in
immune mediated responses by upgrading an intranuclear process called
transcription. It is actually unclear what exact role Vitamin A plays in the
immune response, but children that have low immunity, have been found to
improve with the administration of Vitamin A and conversely, those with
deficiencies of the vitamin, have been found to be more susceptible to
infections.
These 2 forms of Retinol also play other roles in normal physiologic
balance of the body.
Epithelial Cell Turnover
Cells of the skin have a constant turnover that allows your skin to have that
vibrant luster and glow. If you look critically at your skin, you will see that
the outer layer is constantly sloughing off. Microdermabrasion, a procedure very
commonly done in Medical Spas, aims to help “buff” the outer layer of skin by
getting rid of those already dead skin cells. This in turn gives your skin a
shiny and healthy appearance.
In states where Vitamin A is deficient, those skin cells are not able to
turnover and your skin ends up looking dry, scaly, and worst of all, aged.
The second effect that Vitamin A deficiency can have is to dry up
secretions in the mouth, giving you dry mouth, and increasing your chances of
infection in the mouth, cracking of the lips and gums, and premature tooth
decay.
Reproduction
Sertoli Cells are those very important cells located in the male
scrotum that produce sperm cells. Vitamin A deficiency has been shown to
decrease the transcription and eventual maintenance of those Sertoli Cells,
leading to less sperm cells being produced.
Wound Healing
In states where there are deficiencies in retinol, a key component to
wound healing is affected called fibronectin. This substance allows for the
sealing of wounds and also plays a role in the attraction of substances in
the immune system that aid in fighting infections and overall staying
healthy.
For this reason, a substantial dose of Vitamin A is supplied in
our Stage I Multivitamin, serving to prep the system for cell damage.
Whether you are having surgery or are interested in general health, Vitamin
A works to stimulate collagen growth, an integral component of skin, and
give you stronger and healthier skin.
Sources of Vitamin A
Vitamin A can be attained in the form of retinol from animal products
like milk and liver. Because the liver is the actual reservoir for Retinol,
this is the highest concentrated source available. Once ingested, Vitamin A
is converted in the intestine to the active forms of retinal and retinoic
acid.
Plants are not an actual source of Vitamin A per se, but rather
a source of Beta-Carotene. This is a precursor found in green leafy
vegetables and yellow vegetables (including carrots) that are converted to
retinol in the intestine when ingested.
Topical Vitamin A has been
shown to help with cell regeneration and the building of Type II collagen
fibers to diminish the fine lines and wrinkles, and age spots created from
sun exposure. Also, there has been some evidence that the actual size of
pores can be diminished, blotches and blemishes eliminated, giving your skin
a rejuvenated appearance.
Topical Vitamin A agents have been found to
be just as effective as the supplemental forms. Retinol can be found in
several topical agents like our SkinCeuticals® line allowing for better
exfoliation of the skin by shortening the skin turnover cycle down to 10-14
days.
Also known as 1, 25 dyhydroxycholecalciferol, this crucial vitamin is a
fat soluble vitamin that functions in calcium, phosphate, and magnesium
balance. Vitamin D is actually activated when the skin is exposed to light.
The major function is to stimulate a protein named Calbindin to cross into
the lumen of the intestine and capture Calcium molecules. They are then
transported back into the blood and along with phosphate, are used to
maintain proper bone mineralization.
In a Vitamin D deficient state,
adults can suffer from osteomalacia, a disorder hallmarked by weak bones and
a tendency for fractures. Rickets, the pediatric variant, is most often seen
in underdeveloped countries afflicting the long bones, causing bowing and
tendencies for fracture.
Vitamin D is conservatively formulated into
our Stage I Multivitamin allowing your bones to stay in better balance. As
we age, we expose ourselves less and less to sunlight and consume less
calcium. This proper balance offered in our Multivitamin maintains your
bones feeling and functioning stronger and more efficient for longer periods
of time.
Vitamin E comes from a family of molecules called tocopherols. These
products are principally found in green leafy vegetables and when ingested,
work mainly as an anti-oxidant by scavenging free radicals. Vitamin E has
recently been shown to have some cardio protective effects mostly by working
as an anti-inflammatory agent that blocks certain prostaglandins. For this
reason, Vitamin E, when given in large doses, should be stopped several
weeks before any procedure.
Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin that is involved in the clotting
process serving as a cofactor in the creation of thrombin, the principal
clotting agent. In deficient states, the body will have inability to clot,
leading to more bruising and discoloration after any insult including
surgery.
As part of our Stage I Multivitamin, you will find proper doses of
Vitamin K that prepare your system by both preventing excessive bruising and
allowing your tissues to heal more effectively.
Vitamin B Family:
Thiamine plays an important role in helping the body convert
carbohydrates and fat into energy. It is essential for normal growth and
development and helps to maintain proper functioning of the heart and the
nervous and digestive systems. Thiamine is found naturally in the following
foods: Liver, Spinach, Green peas, Beef, Nuts, and Soybeans.
Thiamine deficiency - is generally found in countries where the dietary
staple is white rice. Deficiencies in the Western world are generally caused
by excessive alcohol intake and a very poor diet. Symptoms include:
depression, irritability, headache, lethargy, fatigue and weakness.
Beriberi - this is caused by thiamine deficiency and affects the
cardiovascular, muscular, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. As well as
the above symptoms, a person with ‘dry’ beriberi may have: nerve
degeneration, nervous tingling throughout the body, poor arm and leg
coordination, and deep pain in the calf muscles. Symptoms of ‘wet’ beriberi
include: an enlarged heart, heart failure and severe swelling.
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome - this syndrome is a rare
thiamine-deficiency disease associated with alcohol excess and a
thiamine-deficient diet. Alcohol reduces thiamine absorption in the gut and
increases its excretion from the kidneys. The disease is characterized by
involuntary movement of the eyeball, paralysis of the eye muscle, staggering
and mental confusion.
Riboflavin is involved in energy metabolism and supports vision and skin
health.
Good sources of riboflavin - Include milk, yogurt, cottage cheese,
wholegrain breads and cereals, egg white, leafy green vegetables, meat,
liver and kidney.
Riboflavin deficiency - people at risk of deficiency include those who
consume excessive amounts of alcohol and those who do not consume milk or
milk products. Riboflavin deficiency is usually seen along with other
B-group vitamin deficiencies. Symptoms include: inflamed tongue (painful,
smooth, purple-red tongue), cracks and redness in the tongue and corners of
the mouth (chelitis), anxiety, inflamed eyelids and sensitivity to light,
reddening of the cornea, skin rash.
Plays an essential role in energy metabolism in the repairing of living
cells.
Niacin plays an important role in the production of several sex and
stress-related hormones, particularly those made by the adrenal gland. Also
plays a role in removal of toxic and harmful chemicals from the body.
Increases HDL (good Cholesterol) and decreases LDL (bad Cholesterol)
We
often recommend that patients take niacin to help increase the flow of blood
through tiny vessels in healing tissues.
One of the most common effects
of niacin use is the sensation of “flushing” or “tingling”. These effects
are thought to be due to the dilation of small blood vessels throughout the
body as well as in areas healing from surgery.
Sources:
Found in animals: Liver, Heart Kidney, Chicken Fish Milk and eggs.
Fruits and Vegetable: Leaf Vegetables, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Carrots, Dates,
Asparagus, Avocados, Mushrooms and Brewer’s yeast.
Seeds: Legumes, Whole
grain, Nuts.
Needed to form a very important enzyme called Coenzyme A (CoA), which
in turn is essential in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats
Sources: Practically any food. Pantethine is the most active form of this
vitamin in the body but since is so unstable at high temperatures or long
periods of storage, calcium pantothate instead as a dietary form.
Pyridoxine is needed for protein and fatty acid metabolism, the formation
of red blood cells and certain brain chemicals. It influences brain
processes and development, immune function and steroid hormone activity.
There is some new evidence that shows that pyridoxine may be used in the
treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome and also has been shown diminish the
untoward symptoms of the pre-menstrual cycle
.
Sources of pyridoxine - these include: cereal grains and legumes,
green and leafy vegetables, fish and shellfish, meat and poultry, nuts,
liver and fruit.
Pyridoxine deficiency – Seen most often in people with excessive alcohol
intake, women (especially those on the contraceptive pill), the elderly, and
people with thyroid disease are at particular risk of deficiency. Symptoms
include: insomnia, premenstrual tension, anemia, smooth tongue and cracked
corners of the mouth, irritability, muscle twitching, convulsions, kidney
stones and dermatitis.
Folate is needed to form red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the
body. It helps the development of the fetal nervous system, as well as DNA
synthesis and cell growth. Women of child-bearing age need a diet rich in
folic acid and, if planning a pregnancy, should consider taking supplements
or eat fortified foods. This is important to reduce the risk of neural tube
defects such as spina bifida in the newborn.
Good sources of
folate - these include green leafy vegetables, legumes, seeds, liver,
poultry, eggs, cereals and citrus fruits. Many cereal-based foods in
Australia, such as bread and breakfast cereals, are fortified with folate.
Excessive intake - folate is generally considered non-toxic, although
excessive intakes above 1,000mg per day over a period of time can lead to
malaise, irritability and intestinal dysfunction. The main risk with
excessive folate intake is that it can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency so it
is best to consume these two vitamins within the recommended amounts.
Folate deficiency – Unfortunately, this is all too common especially
in third world countries. These symptoms generally include fatigue, weight
loss, and peripheral nerve weakness. A disorder of deficiency called
Megaloblastic Anemia can occur with severe cases.
Vitamin B12 is involved in the production and maintenance of body
cells, mental ability and the breaking down of some fatty acids and amino
acids. Vitamin B12 has a close relationship with folate, as both depend on
the other to work properly.
Sources of B12: Vitamin B12 is
gathered almost exclusively from animal derived products and as such,
deficiencies are very commonly seen in vegetarian diets.
Vitamin B12 deficiency - this is most common in the elderly, vegans (vitamin
B12 is only found in foods of animal origin) and breastfed babies of vegan
mothers and is called pernicious anemia. Symptoms include: tiredness and
fatigue, lack of appetite and weight loss, apathy and depression, anemia,
smooth tongue and degeneration of peripheral nerves progressing to
paralysis.
Vitamin C is required for the hydroxylation of proline and, subsequently,
for the synthesis of strong collagen. Poor wound healing is one of the
symptoms of scurvy. A deficiency of vitamin C can lead to the breakdown of
already healed wounds. Plasma vitamin C levels decrease during fracture,
burns, or major surgeries. The USRDA of 60 to 100 mg increases to 500-1500
mg per day in burn victims. Stress associated with Wound healing is directly
accompanied by the oxidation of ascorbic acid. Levels of vitamin C have been
shown to rise in healing tissue and return to normal when healed.
We believe strongly in the aggressive administration of Vitamin C to
help in healing tissues. Laboratory studies of human fibroblasts (cellos
that produce collagen), have shown a 2-3 fold increase in the amount of
collagen Type I production, which allows for any tissue that has been
operated on, to heal faster and with better results..
As Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, it is virtually impossible
to become overdosed on the material, however you can become deficient. In a
condition called Scurvy, one can have multiple problems as a result of the
deficiency. In the late 1500’s and early 1600’s when many sailors were found
on the high seas, they would succumb to this as a result of poor diet. This
made the sailors useless and the English lost many battles as a result of
this. The queen of England then demanded that the sailors have a healthy
dose of a product high in Vitamin C. Limes. Hence the term limies, when
referring to the English.
Used in early preparations such as calamine lotion, Zinc goes back in the
medieval literature to 1500 BC. We actively have over 300 enzymes in our
bodies that require Zinc to function properly such as DNA polymerase which
is needed for cell proliferation during healing.
Super oxide dismutase, an enzyme that hunts free radicals in the
blood (particularly one called super oxide) is activated by zinc. In cases
where there is a deficiency of zinc, then free radicals become abundant and
cause oxidative stress and damage to the skin. This causes the skin to
develop more fine lines and wrinkles and overall look much more aged.
Zinc can be given as an oral supplement to improve wound healing.
Like Vitamin C, when given before surgery, this product serves to improve
the healing times and help in the synthesis of collagen at the same time as
preventing the breakdown of collagen.
The enzymes needed to produce DNA require iron as a cofactor. Cells
cannot divide without prior DNA synthesis, so a lack of iron would impair
the proliferation of all cells involved in wound debridement and healing.
Herein lays the importance of including iron in pre and postoperative
formulations. Iron also has a very important function in the formation of
Hemoglobin, the key component of Red Blood Cells.
Serum iron deficiency is defined as levels below 30 mg/100 ml. Normal
values are 70 to 130 mg/100 ml. Our formulations work by elevating Iron to a
level that is supra-optimal. This very high level serves very important
functions in the hydroxylation of prolene, a principal component of collagen
maturation. Without this hydroxylation of praline (basically activation),
collagen remains unstable and wounds tend to be weak.
