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The Technology of Topical Patch Vitamins and Minerals: A Layer by Layer Analysis
PatchMD is one of the first and finest companies to offer topical patch vitamins and dietary supplements. This cutting-edge nutrient delivery technology has taken the supplement market by storm, but it has also attracted a fair share of skepticism.
It’s easy to appreciate the convenience and accessibility offered by patch-based nutrient delivery. Patch supplements are effortless to apply. You can wear them on the go. They’re hypoallergenic, and they can be used by individuals who struggle to digest nutrients orally.
While their usefulness is easy to comprehend, the technology behind these patches isn’t intuitive to most of us. Where are the nutrients stored? How are the nutrients absorbed into the skin, and how are they distributed throughout the body? All of these questions come to mind, and all of them need to be addressed before committing to a patch supplement regimen.
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Where Are the Nutrients Stored?
All PatchMD topical patch vitamins and minerals can be broken down into three layers, each with their own distinct purpose. Let’s go layer by layer to better understand the storage and release of nutrients:
- The Contact Layer – This layer is all about the adhesive. Thankfully, PatchMD uses only the finest all-natural adhesives which still stay in place throughout the day.
- The Multi-Nutrient Layer – As the name suggests, this middle layer is where all the nutrients are stored. This layer is by far the most advanced and is uniquely capable of releasing nutritional content slowly over the course of 8 hours. Think of it as the meat of a cheeseburger, or as the meat-substitute in a vegan burger (did we mention all PatchMD products are rigorously vegan-friendly?)
- The Backing Layer – This layer is designed with two factors in mind: structure and durability. Because the backing layer is constantly exposed to the elements, it must be made resistant to moisture, heat, and mild physical stress. At the same time, the layer must provide a flexible and comfortable framework for the structure of the entire patch. PatchMD achieves this while simultaneously utilizing the most natural and hypoallergenic materials available.
How Are the Nutrients Absorbed?
Patch supplements represent just one of many forms of topical delivery systems. While these patches are a relatively recent innovation, topical delivery methods have been commonly used for centuries. Perhaps the most familiar topical delivery system is a topical cream.
Patches are very similar to topical creams while offering a few distinct advantages. These advantages include a sustained release of nutrient content which may aid in bioavailability. They’re also more convenient and lack the chemical odor of some topical creams.
For all forms of topical delivery, nutrients are applied directly to the skin. It’s important to remember that our skin, while protective, is extremely porous. It is capable of absorbing all manner of compounds, both nutritious and toxic. If you’ve ever been told to avoid physical contact with liquid mercury it is for this exact reason. The skin will absorb this heavy metal content which can be extremely toxic to the entire body if it is able to reach the bloodstream. Of course, the opposite is true of nutritional content and its ability to reach the bloodstream, but how?
How Are Transdermal Nutrients Distributed Once Absorbed?
This issue is easily the most mysterious and important facet of transdermal absorption – the route which an absorbed compound takes from the skin to the bloodstream itself.
As nutritional compounds permeate the exterior layers of the skin, known as the stratum corneum and epidermis, they will eventually reach the dermis. This layer of skin contains a rich capillary bed which serves as a direct route to the bloodstream.1 These capillaries are essentially tiny blood vessels that connect the arterial system. However, they are also responsible for the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste between the blood and the skin.2
The bloodstream can be thought of as the primary delivery system of the human body. Once a nutrient successfully reaches the bloodstream it can be readily distributed throughout numerous tissues, organs, and organ systems.
Who Benefits Most from Transdermal Absorption?
While anyone can find useful benefits from choosing topical delivery over oral delivery, the benefits are particularly pronounced for those who have digestive issues. Beyond a doubt, the most common route for nutrients to enter the bloodstream is via the intestines.
Even though this system of nutrient absorption in ingrained in most people, there is plenty of potential for the digestive system to become compromised by any number of health complications. Those who have been dealing with such complications are well aware of the usefulness of transdermal delivery.
Why Choose PatchMD?
Supplement patches, being such a useful nutritional technology, have naturally experienced a boom in popularity throughout the health and wellness industry. This is a positive development as it will generate competition and incentivize the continual improvement of patch delivery technology. However, it will also attract the attention of imitators. Those who want to make a quick buck off the technology. These imitators, like most, will gladly cut as many corners as possible in the process.
As such, it’s important for those interested in testing out supplement patches to seek out a brand of quality and integrity. It’s one thing for a supplement company to claim such virtues, but another thing entirely to act upon them.
In the case of PatchMD, all materials from the adhesive to the nutrients themselves are carefully selected to be the most natural and hypoallergenic available. Because they need to stay on the skin to provide the full 8 hours of sustained nutrient delivery, the patches are also made to be extremely durable and resistant to the elements. Finally, all nutritional formulas and dosages are carefully designed to fit the recommendations of the most cutting-edge scientific literature.
If all of that isn’t enough incentive to give topical patch vitamins and supplements a try, then you should know PatchMD also offer a 100% money-back guarantee. This means you have literally nothing to lose! If you’ve been excited by or curious about the efficacy of patch supplements then there is no better place to start than PatchMD.