Xtend-Life Review – Supplements That Can Really Extend Your Life?

One supplement manufacturer that we'd like to revisit with this review is the Xtend-Life company.

We have been promoting and recommending Xtend-life natural products through this website. You might be wondering why we have chosen Xtend-life natural products over all the rest of the natural products out there.

I have done various intensive research and reviews in the natural products market. There are different multi-vitamin supplements, and they all vary in terms of their effectiveness, quality, and price.

Xtend-life has proved to be one of the few in the market which focuses on the right formulations based on science. It is one of the supplement brands whose claims are backed up by quantitative scientific data.

The Xtend-Life Story

Xtend-Life was born out of passion and out of the universal desire not to get old. Upon his 51^st birthday, Warren Matthews, the founder of Xtend-Life, started looking into ways of slowing down the aging process.

And, with the help of Professor A. Munem Daoud, he managed to create one of the most potent and healthiest dietary supplements out there.

Now, more than 21 years after he started on this journey, Matthews's company, Xtend-Life, is one of the leading names in the business.

"Because we don't pay a middleman, we're able to invest in the best ingredients and formulations," they say, and after trying their products myself, I've no doubt this is true.

They're a family-owned business, which is all the more inspiring, operating out of New Zealand.

They take great care in the preparation of the Xtend-Life vitamins and only use ingredients of the highest quality, which makes them one of the world's leading boutique manufacturers.

The Trouble with Most Manufacturers...

Unfortunately, a vast majority of the multi-vitamin supplements in the market today have been put together and are being marketed by unqualified marketers or even physicians.

Many people prefer these kinds of supplements because they come cheap.

But the question of whether these health supplements really work or not is highly debatable.

I would like to move on by discussing the major differences that Xtend-life has over most other health supplements today.

What Sets Xtend-Life Apart from The Rest?

If you visit your health store, you will notice how there is an overwhelming number of supplement brands out in the market.

It will surprise you to know that some of these brands hire contract manufacturers to make their products for them, and then put the corresponding brand name on the label.

This should not be a problem if the contract manufacturer produces quality supplements based on high-grade raw ingredients. However, in this setting, the supplement marketer does not have direct control over them.

These companies outsource manufacturing mostly because they want to focus on the marketing aspect.

They also can sell products cheaply as they save up on manufacturing costs.

But this set-up compromises their control of ingredient sourcing and quality assurance.

And do you want to risk your health by ingesting or applying sub-par ingredients to your skin, only so that the manufacturer could save a buck or two?

In fairness to supplement brands and contract manufacturers, some can offer excellent quality multi-vitamins. However, we generally can't pinpoint which one is which, and we don't have access to the information to find out for ourselves.

Xtend-life, on the other hand, manufactures its own supplements using high-quality raw ingredients.

While their natural products generally do not come as cheap as other supplements, they can assure the end result that they are after.

Tip: I recommend contacting Xtend-Life if you're dealing with a health-related issue, as they might be able to work out a particular supplement plan with you. I also think that Customer Service says a lot about a company, so contact them to see what vibe you get from them?

Why Is Manufacturing Your Own Supplements Important?

It may not seem like much to you, where the brand chooses to manufacture their products, but look at it this way:

The supplement brand delegates the manufacturing to a third party.

And you, the customer, know nothing about this third party whatsoever.

You don't know how reputable they are or what the quality of their work is.

You don't know if they manufacture in a safe and clean space or what they use to create the supplements.

Practically, you have very little control over what is given to you.

With a company that manufactures its' own products, as Xtend-Life does, you know who made the product you're about to ingest or apply, and you know where and how they made it.

Here are some of the benefits of manufacturing your supplements:

• For one, you get to choose your formulators. Formulators are the people who think up and design the formula of the product so that it has the best possible efficiency. We'll talk a bit more about this below.

• When you manufacture your products, you get to test out the raw ingredients beforehand. In contrast, when a company delegates the manufacturing to a third party, they can't really do that.

The finished product is all that interests many supplement manufacturers, but that's not great news for you, the consumer.

You need to know that the raw ingredients used are of the best quality and have been tested before and after manufacturing.

• Xtend-Life also gets to source out their ingredients. Scouting for the best quality ingredients individually is a pain, not to mention a costly process, which many manufacturers skip over.

But in the preparation of Xtend-Life natural products, it's the first and most vital step. Each ingredient that comes into the Xtend-Life building is tested extensively before being okay-ed for use.

Fun Fact: When comparing the labels of two different products, you might find the same ingredient on there and think to yourself, 'oh, that's the same thing then'. But it's not.

As a customer, you have practically no idea what the concentration of that ingredient is. And considering that levels can range from 1% to 99%, I'd say there's quite a bit of room for difference.

And besides, how can you know what form of the ingredient has been used? Most ingredients on the market come in many different forms, and yet, they can all technically pass for the same thing.

For example, Vitamin B6 comes in two different forms: Pyridoxal-5-phosphate and Pyridoxine. Pyridoxal-5-phosphate has better bio-availability and is of higher quality than Pyridoxine, yet they can both be labeled as 'Vitamin B6'.

Now, most manufacturers opt for Pyridoxine, as it's about 5 times cheaper than Pyridoxal-5-phosphate, even though the latter is much more efficient.

A company whose aim is to create the best possible supplement for its customers does not and should not opt for the cheaper ingredient, but that's not the point. The point is, you as the customer, have little control over this, don't you?

So that's why it's crucial to get a brand that does its own manufacturing. For example, the Xtend-Life facilities have been approved both by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries.

And you, the customer, can easily see this if you go to their website. And that's what you should try to do for any manufacturer you're considering doing business with.

Just take the time to check that their products and facilities are in compliance with FDA and GMP regulations. It should only take a minute, and if you can't find that info on their website, then that should really tell you something about their brand.

Formulators Matter… And Here's Why:

I did mention we'd come back to this, and we have. Why are we focusing on this? Because the person who's deciding the formula of the products you use wields a lot of power, so we need to make sure they know what they're doing.

Most natural product brands will tell you that their supplements have been specially formulated to suit your health needs. And if they have their bio-chemists and specialists doing the formulating, then that's fine. But what if they don't?

Also, some brands are being marketed under the name of famous doctors, but how sure are you that these doctors have the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical background necessary?

Though medical doctors and physicians have general knowledge about nutrition, this is hardly ever enough. Just because two things are similar doesn't mean they're the same, does it?

Xtend-Life's famous torchbearer, Prof. Dr. A Munem Daoud, is one of the few individuals who have a comprehensive grasp of this subject area. Bio-scientist Dr. Munem's knowledge in nutrition goes deeper into the molecular level as he has done various research studies to discover how nutrients interact with each other in the body.

Most physicians and general practitioners lack this kind of knowledge.

Ever Heard of Ingredient Synergy?

This is where having your formulators comes in really handy. Ingredient synergy refers to how well (or how poorly) your ingredients interact with each other.

A dietary supplement (and any skincare or health products, really) needs to be formulated in such a way that the ingredients will complement and enhance each other's effect.

In other words, with the right ingredient combo and dosage, your ingredients can empower each other and become even more potent through nutrient interactions. On the other hand, with the improper dosage or bad ingredient combo, they can work against each other and inhibit the effects they would normally have on your body.

Xtend-Life formulators optimize their ingredients so that they don't hinder, but help one another. Take, for example, Echinacea. As many people know, Echinacea is a great boost to the immune system. But did you know that when it's taken with Angustifolia root, the effect on the immune system is much more powerful than when taken on its own.

We're not saying other manufacturers don't do this as well, just pointing out that this is an important, yet often overlooked aspect of buying supplements.

What About the Delivery?

I'm sure you've considered the form your supplement takes, whether it's a gel capsule or a tablet. But usually, we pay attention to this for our benefit and ease of consumption.

But the delivery method matters quite a lot. If the active ingredients of the supplement are released too early, they risk being damaged by stomach acids, and thus can't deliver the desired effect.

A way of preserving the ingredients through the stomach and until they reach the upper intestine is an enteric coating. Although much more costly for manufacturers, enteric coating is perhaps the best method of ensuring that the essential enzymes reach your intestines intact.

It's here, in the intestines, that the coating then disintegrates and is flushed out of the body, with the rest of the refuse. Meanwhile, the active ingredients and healthy enzymes are absorbed by the upper intestine and work their magic.

Xtend-Life uses such enteric coating for many of its products, such as the Total Balance Complex, which delivers the complete nutrient system your organism needs.

However, the delivery system depends a lot on the purpose of the supplement. While some of these ingredients need to be released in the upper intestine, others don't. Which is why Xtend-Life uses four different delivery systems for different Xtend Like products:

• soft gel capsules;
• hard gel capsules;
• enteric coating;
• non-enteric coating.

We suggest doing some research to find out which one fits you best, depending on the type of supplement you need.

What Else Does Xtend-Life Offer?

Xtend Life offers a wide range of products, not only dietary supplements, although this does tend to be their flagship category.

Supplements:

• Total Balance Range, which is by far their most popular product. This is recommended both for general well being, as well as to prevent the effects of aging.

  The Total Balance Range comes in seven different sub-types (men, women, children, unisex, as well as three premium packs for men, women, as well as unisex) and provides you with a full range of necessary nutrients that will boost your health.

  Antioxidants, vitamins – the Total Balance Range is quite popular because it offers the benefits of multiple products in one.

• The Omega 3 DHA Range is great for supporting overall health as well, but it's more targeted to those with an Omega 3 deficiency. This can be particularly helpful to teens dealing with acne (due to hormonal imbalance).

  Here as well, with Xtend-life Omega 3/DHA fish oil supplements, you get to choose between the Ultra, the Premium, the Fish Oil supplement, and the Fish Oil Mini. You can also get Omega 3 supplements for your dog, which I think is a nice touch.

• The Heart and Cardio Range, as its name suggests, supports heart health and circulatory function. It improves the blood flow and builds up calcification in the body. This range is targeted at older people who are more at risk of a cardiac event.

  It offers three supplements: the CX8, again the Omega 3 Ultra, and a Marine Magnesium & Potassium combo.

• Then, there are the condition-specific products, such as the Green Lipped Mussel Powder for aching joints, Not Just Joints to help joint pain and cartilage destruction, Lipi-Rite to balance cholesterol levels or the Kiwi-Klenz for supporting digestive health.
• You can also purchase Xtend-Life supplements for your pets, such as the Omega 3 for Dogs mentioned above of the Green Lipped Mussel Powder (excellent for aged pets).

Tip: Check out the Xtend-Life blog to understand more about what these supplements do and to help you figure out how to incorporate them into your diet!

Skincare

Xtend-Life also offers some natural, skincare products, both for men and women. They have a unique brand, called Kanapa skincare, which blends antioxidants and nutrients to support glowing skin from the outside. They offer a wide variety of cleansers, serums, and creams for all ages.

Superfoods

Lastly, there's the superfood range, targeted at curing quite a few issues - from lack of energy to problematic skin. They offer stuff like Zupafood Greenz, choc-full of green tea, spirulina, and wheat-grass to support energy and well-being, or the Zupafood for Skin, which delivers a super-dose of collagen and elastin, among other goodies.

Tip: Reading up on Xtend-Life will give you a better understanding of who they are and whether or not they're the right provider for you. They also offer a dedicated page for all the ingredients that go into their products, which we think is worth checking out, especially if you've got your heart set on reaping the benefits of one particular ingredient.

You might also like checking out their health tips page to get a better understanding of how your body works. Here, Warren Matthews talks about a wide array of subjects, from potential coronary risks to the latest info on the COVID-19 outbreak!

Can I Get My Money Back If I'm Not Happy?

And if you're not happy, no worries. Xtend-Life offers a great return policy. It gives you a full year (365 days) to send back products if you're not happy with them. And I think that's great 'cause it usually takes some time to see if a supplement is doing it for you.

Bear in mind, however, that they only take one opened bottle back for each product. So if you ordered multiple, finish the first before opening another. Of course, Xtend-Life refund all unopened bottles and the only thing you have to pay is the shipping fees.

Bottom Line

We were quite happy with what we saw and read about Xtend-Life and would recommend them. However, I encourage you to do your own research before purchasing. It is your health, after all!