Product Description
Starting in the 16th century, primitive Comanche mastered abandoned Spanish horses to hunt buffalo. Either by lances, arrows, or driven over a cliff, elite Comanche hunters efficiently took down stampeding buffalo from horseback and ate the best organs themselves.
Comanche women did all the skilled labor required to break down, cook, dry, and process every other part of these 800-2000 lb sacred animals. Then they loaded an incredible variety of life-giving products, literally from nose-to-tail, onto 400-lb sleds and hauled them back to camp. As they worked, they chewed on fresh organ meats, including the placenta of fetal buffalo calves.
When Comanche and other Great Plains tribes brought home a pregnant heifer buffalo, a special stew was prepared from the fetal calf along with the placenta. It was probably similar to modern Menudo and used the buffalo stomach as a stockpot. We know from our ancestors’ belief that “like supports like,” this nutritious stew would have been potent medicine given to expectant and nursing mothers. As late as the 19th century, when the Bureau of Indian Affairs cataloged all of the ways a Plains Indian woman would use cattle, the fetal calf and placenta stew was cataloged. (2)
“Our Ancestors not only knew the nutritional value of the placenta but they recognized its spiritual value as well…
The placenta brings new life into the world and is the active interface of the most biologically intimate connection between two living organisms. Our ancestors believed the placenta represented part of the new child’s soul. Many native people worldwide ritually bury their infant’s placenta to fertilize a new sapling, which acts as a guardian spirit for the child as they grow together. In one of America’s earliest gender-reveal ceremonies, women of the Cheyenne tribe would sew the placenta with medicine herbs into a pouch, shaped like a long-lived turtle for baby girls and a regenerating lizard for boys. The Sioux had a similar practice...they kept this amulet with them their whole lives and it was their most powerful protective charm, often sewn into clothing by their mother. The Arikara tribe hang these navel amulets from the sacred buffaloberry bushes dotting the Dakota’s Great Plains to bless their babies.
Natives believed that their placenta was a helpful ancestor or spirit-twin, and they gave the placenta another purpose instead of simply discarding it as a medical waste product. There is now some thought being given to bringing back the widespread ancient custom of ritual placenta disposal and consumption, which has been totally dismissed and disrespected in our modern hospitals.
“The Cheyenne said that a child who did not have a navel amulet would always be looking for his or her soul.”
BENEFITS OF GRASS FED PLACENTA
Made up of the fetal membranes, amniotic sack, and umbilicus, the placenta supports the growth of a fertilized egg into a fully-formed infant. A fertilized egg emerges from the fallopian tube as a group of rapidly dividing cells called the embryo. When the embryo reaches the uterine wall several of these cells embed themselves into mother’s tissue. These cells will grow into the placenta, while the cells that remain inside the uterus will become the fetus. (3)
Technically, the placenta does not belong to the mother. Her body may create it, but it is part of the developing child... it is made up of 50 percent genetic material from the father. Created from just sperm and egg, the placenta develops without any nerve cells… that means that the placenta functions on its own without being controlled by the mother’s brain... Incredible!
In order to support the growing baby the placenta is able to perform the tasks of multiple organs. It can essentially function as the baby's lungs to supply oxygen, kidneys to filter out waste, and as the gastrointestinal and immune systems by delivering nutrients and antibodies. It also functions as the baby's endocrine system, secreting hormones including estrogen, progesterone, and growth factors (IGF-1). These hormones and endorphins also help to keep the mother’s stress level in balance. With such an elegant design in form, function and fitness, it's clear as day that we need to bring this wise tradition (i.e. consuming placenta) back home.
The placenta supports both mother and child during pregnancy and postpartum as well. During birth, a mother will lose about 10% of her body’s blood supply (blood loss during cesarean section births can be significantly more). Consuming placenta benefits a new mother by supplying her with heme iron, amino acids, essential fats, stem cells and growth factors. Our functional healthcare practitioners have reported that mothers who consume placenta after birth bleed significantly less, have an elevated mood, and more energy.
Placenta is rich in heme iron, vitamins D3, B6, B12, E, selenium, stem cells, growth factors, cytokines, and hormone cofactors. The daily requirements for these essential vitamins and minerals increase during pregnancy, and each plays an important role in speeding postpartum healing, stimulating lactation, and supporting overall health.
HEME IRON
Grassfed Placenta is a rich source of bioavailable heme iron. For women, there is a clear link between low iron status and poor pregnancy outcomes... such as low birth weight, preterm birth, and miscarriages. Iron requirements during pregnancy are considerably higher than usual; yet, over 20% of women in developed countries enter pregnancy with extremely low iron stores, with figures in developing countries likely even higher.
Depending on whether we are female or male, we have about 2-4 grams of iron in our bodies. Iron comes in two forms: heme and non-heme. More than 95% of functional iron in the human body is in the form of heme. Heme iron is only found in animal food sources (muscle meat, organs, blood, etc.). Non-heme iron is found in plant foods like whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and leafy greens. Heme iron is more bioavailable (absorbed more efficiently) than non-heme iron, thus the body is more likely to absorb iron from animal products than iron derived from plant foods.
If you are interested in learning more about heme iron supplementation, be sure to check out our Blood Vitality page and read the section titled Iron Management.
VITAMIN D
Other than the skin, liver, and kidneys, the only other organ which metabolizes vitamin D is the placenta, where it is synthesized into the active metabolites involved in bone growth and fetal development.
For pregnant women and those planning to become pregnant, vitamin D is of particular importance as it helps to mitigate glucose regulation, develop healthy bones and even helps to tone the uterus – helping the uterus to contract properly during labor. For women suffering from polycystic ovarian disease, vitamin D is helpful as it offers beneficial effects on insulin resistance.
For the good of your placenta and growing baby too, get your daily dose of midday sunshine and enjoy vitamin D-rich foods like Wild Caught Fish Eggs, pastured animal fats (including our Pure Marrow, and Tallow) and raw grass-fed dairy. One tablespoon of fish eggs supplies even more Vitamin D3 than a midday dose of daily sunshine! This is the vitamin D3 boost that the Inuit and traditional mountain-dwelling tribes of South America used to feed children, pregnant women, and their elders when sunlight was not a readily available option.
B VITAMINS
Several B-vitamins help the body metabolize fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. They also help the nervous system function properly and are necessary for a healthy liver, skin, hair, and eyes. Grass Fed Placenta is a whole food supplement that is rich in B vitamins, which support fundamental health, positive mental outlook, iron status, immune function, and cardiovascular health.(5)
B6 (pyridoxal)
Grass fed beef organs, including liver and placenta, are some of the richest sources of bioavailable vitamin B6, which is an important catalyst for over 100 different reactions in your body. (6) Pregnant women with low levels of B6 are at high risk to suffer preeclampsia or eclampsia, which is usually also associated with folate and vitamin D deficiency.(7) Vitamin B6 is also an ingredient for all three of the important neurotransmitters in the brain: dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Imbalances of these neurotransmitters are connected with specific symptoms of major depressive disorder and may also contribute to postpartum depression.(8) The human body neither produces nor stores vitamin B6 so it is essential to get enough in your diet every day by eating grass fed beef liver, pasture-raised poultry, wild-caught seafood, and whole food supplements like Grass Fed Placenta.
B12 (cobalamin)
Vitamin B12 works synergistically with folate to synthesize DNA and red blood cells. It assists in the production of myelin, which protects your nerve cells (neurons) and regulates nerve impulse transmission.(9) Vitamin B12 deficiency during pregnancy is associated with neural tube defect (NTD) and preterm delivery. That said, many other B12 deficiency symptoms that can occur in anyone including anemia, cognitive decline, memory loss, brain fog, depression, cardiovascular problems, peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling, burning in the hands, legs, and feet), impaired immune function, infertility, developmental and learning disabilities. Unfortunately, B12 deficiency is often missed by physicians and diagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
A common myth among vegetarians and vegans is that it’s possible to get B12 from plant sources like seaweed, fermented soy, spirulina, and brewer’s yeast. The truth is, there are almost no vegan sources of vitamin B12. Nearly all seaweed tested has been revealed to contain vitamin B12 analogs (that is, chemically similar) called cobamides that actually block the intake of—and increase the need for—true B12.(10)
B12 is also known as Cobalamin because it contains the trace element cobalt. Cobalamin is produced in the gut of animals and is found almost exclusively in animal foods. Some of the best sources of B12 are liver, clams, oysters, mussels, fish eggs, octopus, crab, lobster, beef, lamb, cheese, and eggs. We can avoid all forms of anemia, cognitive decline, cardiovascular and immune issues simply by consuming the foods of our ancestors.
SELENIUM
Selenium deficiency is a modern health issue...common in people worldwide who are dependent on food grown in low-selenium soil, and also those with digestive disorders, HIV, or who are undergoing dialysis. A high serum level of selenium has been shown to decrease the risk of breast cancer, lung cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, and prostate cancer.(11) So you don’t want to mess around with not getting enough.
Due to farming practices, soil conditions, and climate, plant-based sources of this essential mineral are notoriously random, with the actual amount of selenium ranging from 11% to 288% of the recommended daily amount in one study of Brazil nuts.(12) Even in deficient environments, all animals have homeostatic systems to regulate the amount of selenium and other micronutrients in their organs.(13) Grassfed Placenta is an ideal candidate for a bioavailable whole food dietary source of selenium.
PLACENTAL OPIOD-ENHANCING FACTOR (POEF)
The ingestion of placenta produces pain-relieving effects in mammals. According to a recent study, this is due to the ‘Placental Opioid-Enhancing Factor’ (POEF) which is present in the placenta of humans and related species.
To be fair, the native inhabitants of North and South America and Ancient Egyptians would not be very impressed with these “modern medical breakthroughs.” Whether the molecular mechanism was perfectly understood is purely academic, our ancestors knew all about the pain-relieving qualities of high-quality animal placenta for thousands of years.
CORTICOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE (CRH)
CRH is secreted by the hypothalamus and placenta to release hormones and endorphins which work together to reduce stress and elevate mood. The hypothalamus in the brain is the only source of CRH for most women and all men. During pregnancy, however, the placenta begins to release large amounts of a special kind of CRH to keep the expectant mother’s stress hormones in balance. The placenta increases CRH production three-fold during the late stages of pregnancy.(14) Following childbirth, the placenta retains a large amount of CRH, however, the mother’s level now drops to below normal.(15) This is important because CRH stimulates the production of both cortisol and β-endorphin, the latter binds with opioid receptors to elevate mood and relieve stress. Cortisol releases stored glucose, stimulates fat metabolism from adipose tissue and modulates the immune system to maximize the healing response. CRH seems like a good candidate for why consuming placenta may have a positive effect on postpartum depression and stimulating healing after childbirth.(16)
VITAMIN E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that is essential for the production and maintenance of healthy skin. Consuming Vitamin E rich foods provides our sebum with the raw materials to hydrate and nourish our skin. It's interesting to note that topically applying nourishing fats, like Pure Marrow, can also supply the skin with specific vitamin E forms that we don't absorb when we eat them.
According to the National Institutes of Health, Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce free radical damage and slow the aging process of your cells. Vitamin E can also absorb the energy from ultraviolet (UV) light. It plays an important role in photoprotection, preventing UV-induced free radical damage to skin.
LIVER - THE ULTIMATE SUPERFOOD
Grass fed liver holds the nutritional keys to overall health as it is particularly rich in vitamin A, B12, K2, choline, folate, riboflavin and many other powerful nutrients that most people are deficient in.
Vitamin A is one of several fat-soluble activators necessary for the assimilation of minerals in the diet and its many functions include forming and maintaining healthy teeth, skin, mucous membranes, skeletal and soft tissues. Vitamin A also plays a key role in the function of the unborn child’s immune system and is vital for the healthy development of the unborn child's vision, in addition to other organs and the fetal skeleton.
VITAMIN K2 is one of the fat-soluble activators, a super nutrient that enables our bodies to absorb and utilize all of the minerals from the foods we eat. Unsurprisingly then, Vitamin K2 is essential for conception, fetal development and hormone production. "It is possible to starve for minerals that are abundant in the foods eaten because they cannot be utilized without an adequate quantity of the fat-soluble activators.” - Weston A. Price.
Choline plays a crucial role in placental development and exponential fetal organ growth. Choline also supports tooth development, as well as brain development, and significantly decreases the chances of cognitive dysfunction.
High quality desiccated beef liver supports our fertility as well as our connective tissue systems (skin, hair, gums, ligaments, tendons, etc.), energy metabolism, immune, hormone, heart, and brain health.
Whether from grass fed beef, bison, or lamb, grass fed liver is one of the most nutrient-dense, health promoting foods you could possibly eat. Our genome has evolved with the nourishment of liver since the beginning of time… Hunters all over the world, for uncounted thousands of years, would first eat the raw livers of the animals they killed. Lions and other predatory animals will also eat the liver first.
Our nose-to-tail product line is always from grassfed, inspected animals born and raised without the use of pesticides, hormones or antibiotics. Health of livestock used for manufacturing in New Zealand is closely monitored by a world leading biosecurity system that is second to none, and is a global exemplar. Strict government licensing, auditing and certification procedures mean that our genuine New Zealand freeze dried products can be used with complete confidence in their origin, safety and efficacy. Freeze-drying preserves the heat sensitive vitamins, minerals and co-factors of components leaving the nutrients in the same balance as found in nature.
We care deeply about each and every aspect of our "seed to supplement" way of life... great love and gratitude goes out to the souls of our animal brethren, such beautiful creatures that were sacrificed so that we could be nourished.
SUGGESTED USE: Six capsules daily or as directed by a healthcare professional.
MANUFACTURED IN THE USA: ANCESTRAL SUPPLEMENTS, LLC
* FDA STATEMENT: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
A detoxification reaction is more likely to occur when starting with the full suggested serving size of 6 capsules per day. If you know that you are sensitive to supplements and/or you have an autoimmune condition, you may wish to start slow when adding this product to your current regimen. Tolerability can be greatly improved by starting with just 1 (or) 2 capsules a day and increasing by just 1 capsule every couple of days — this method may take a full two weeks to achieve the desired serving size of 6 capsules per day.
For customers that are highly sensitive to supplements and/or have an autoimmune and/or methylation SNPs, I suggest that you "play it safe" by introducing just one new capsule per week. In other words, just 1 capsule during the 1st week... 2 capsules during the 2nd week... 3 capsules during the 3rd week and so on... yes, this will take some time to reach the suggested dosages but this greatly helps to ensure tolerability of this deep nourishment so that it has a chance to do good.
Since 2002 Longevity Essentials have been supplying some of the best health and wellness products throughout the UK and Europe.
The story is simple. The founder Mike Nash has always been passionate about health, especially the basics, and his popular book Aggressive Health turned people on to many diverse ways of moving the needle of health, before the term biohacking became popular.
With good health comes longevity and we believe that everything you'll find at longevity essentials will support your quest.
