Energize Activator Gel

Provides these key ingredients:

• Methylene Blue
• MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)
• Calcium 2-ketogluconate
• L-Ornithine
• Volufiline
• Copper-zinc-magnesium, L-aspartate-gluconic acid anion-cation complex
• N-acetyl carnosine
• Creatine
• Hyaluronic acid
• Collagen amino acids

Incorporates PenetrX, OptoDerm’s proprietary transdermal penetration technology to boost the iontophoretic effect of the device.

Methylene Blue (MB) – Oxidative stress is the major cause of skin aging that includes wrinkles, pigmentation, and weakened wound healing ability. Methylene blue, a traditional mitochondrial-targeting antioxidant, shows a potent ROS scavenging efficacy in human skin fibroblasts. MB is more effective in stimulating skin fibroblast proliferation and delaying cellular senescence than other actives. It improves skin viability, promoted wound healing and increased skin hydration and dermis thickness. Gene expression analysis shows that MB treatment alters the expression of a subset of extracellular matrix proteins in the skin, including up-regulation of elastin and collagen 2A1, two essential components for healthy skin.

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) – markedly increases skin elasticity and hydration. Reduces inflammation.

Calcium 2-ketogluconate – stimulates production of hyaluronic acid and elastin, improves skin elasticity by more than 16% (in vivo test) and decreases cutaneous fatigue by up to 27% (in vivo test).

L-Ornithine and Volufiline – assist small adipocytes in the skin mature into large adipocytes, in order to restore lost facial fat and volume in mature skins. This decrease in facial fat volume is a major cause of visible aging as we get older.

Energize Activator Gel also contains a proprietary copper-zinc-magnesium complex, providing all the minerals essential for collagen and elastin production, as well as to oxygenate the skin during treatment.  This activity  results from the synergy between copper, zinc and magnesium. Micronutrients (minerals) act as catalysts in enzymatic reactions and ensure the proper functionality of the metabolic exchanges. The combination of an inorganic cation and an organic anion (L-aspartate and gluconic acid) allows the former to be carried more effectively to their targets. In addition to their role as carriers, the organic anions play a part biologically in the cell’s essential metabolic reactions. Cu and Zn also act in concert as a biocidal and wound healing agent.

acts on the key stages of the energy cycle. Its action stimulates cell metabolism:

• It stimulates & protects mitochondria
• It boosts respiration and ATP production by fuelling the Krebs Cycle in the skin
• It blocks primary free radicals
• Beyond its action on cellular oxygenation, Oxygenate protects the dermis (an anti-glycation action) and the skin’s balance (by boosting cellular communication).

The oxygenating activity of Energize Activator Gel results from the synergy between copper, zinc and magnesium. Micronutrients (minerals) act as catalysts in enzymatic reactions and ensure the proper functionality of the metabolic exchanges. The combination of an inorganic cation and an organic anion (L-aspartate and gluconic acid) allows the former to be carried more effectively to their targets. In addition to their role as carriers, the organic anions play a part biologically in the cell’s essential metabolic reactions.

Chrono-energizing effect:

• At 50 mins – +45% cellular respiration

• At 2 hours +28% pyruvate (supplies the energy chain)

• At 6 hours +34% available energy (ATP)

• At 24 hours +38% ATP +15% activation of cell metabolism (production of protein) +15% renewal of the epidermis (production of DNA)

N-acetyl carnosine has long been reputed to confer immunomodulating, wound healing, anti-glycating, and antineoplastic effects. It also accelerates the healing of surface skin wounds, such as those caused by ablative procedures.

During the aging process glycated end products of bonding between protein material and sugar molecules naturally leads to formation of deep wrinkles in the skin that are particularly visible in normally exposed areas such as the face. Carnosine prevents, reduces and can reverse the formation of such glycated end products (AGEs) and also breaks the protein-sugar bonds to enable actual reversal of skin wrinkles. If glycosylation were not prevented it would proceed as follows:

• a sugar/aldehyde molecules approach protein molecules (for instance, malondialdehyde could approach, attach to and inactivate healthy protein molecules);
• sugar molecules attach to protein molecules leading to carbonylation crosslinking;
• the proteins that are carbonylated crosslink (a detrimental factor); and
• advanced glycosylation end-products (AGE’s) form, which can cause extensive damage by reacting with free radicals and other toxins so that AGE’s deposit in the cell structure. It is clear, in this regard, that malondialdehyde is the result of free radical damage to lipids, the fatty portion of cells, leading to a vicious cycle of aging (observed by skin wrinkling), since oxidation results in free radical formation that produces malondialdehyde, causing glycosylation, resulting in AGE’s, which lead to more free radicals to repeat the cycle).

In summary, Carnosine’s known anti-glycating properties, provide an anti-aging effect on fibroblasts by inhibiting crosslinking of glyco-oxidized proteins. It is reactive as an anti-glycating agent with aldehydes and ketones, that is compounds containing carbonyl groups capable of blocking carbonylated proteins, that form as described above, and thus prevent the formation of detrimental AGE’s.

Creatine is a substance found naturally produced by the body and converted in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas where it then travels around the body and helps supply energy to the bodies cells. It’s mostly stored in skeletal muscle, but is also found in the brain. Creatine is important for the energy supply and function of the cells including those found in the skin. This is why it’s important to replenish that supply of creatine to the skin as we age and it the natural production of creatine declines.

As an organism ages, there is a decline in mitochondrial function and cellular energy balance. This decline is both accelerated by and can cause the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage DNA, lipid membranes, and structural and catalytic proteins, especially those involved in energetic pathways of cells. Furthermore, ROS have also been linked to some of the detrimental skin changes that occur as a result of photoaging. Levels of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a component of the respiratory chain in mitochondria, are reduced in skin cells from aging donors, that topical application can ameliorate to retard skin aging.

Creatine is an important component of the energy transduction system, functioning as a reservoir for high-energy phosphates. Like CoQ10, the energy storage mechanism in skin is negatively affected by aging and oxidative stress, but also responds positively to topically applied creatine to, stimulate collagen, glycosaminoglycan and ceramide synthesis. Research data demonstrates the ability of creatine to recharge declining cutaneous energy levels, leading to beneficial effects to prevent and treat age-related changes in human skin.

In summary, Creatine provides these skin benefits:

• It helps to boost skin cell turnover and repair which in turn helps to combat signs of ageing and minimise fine lines and wrinkles, helping to achieve glowing skin due to new skin cells;
• It induces significant improvement in skin relief (reduction of wrinkle depth) and papillary structure, leading to a clinical improvement in photoaged skin;
• Collagen and elastin are an important part of our skin, and especially in terms of ageing, it’s what gives our skin that plump and youthful look. Without energy being supplied to skin cells, and especially in the presence of AGE’s, these collagen and elastin stores will begin to deplete, the skin will begin to lose volume and elasticity, and it will sag. Creatine stimulates the production of  collagen, elastin, glycosaminoglycans and ceramides;
• It helps to treat hyperpigmentation as increased cell turnover helps to repair dull patches of skin to uncover new skin cells;
• It has the ability to increase the water content in cells, so as the decline of intracellular water occurs, this can be supplemented by creatine giving you a more hydrated, moisturised feel and look to skin; and
• Studies have found that creatine can help protect skin DNA from harmful UVA radiation.

Energize Activator Gel also contains marine collagen from the scales of north-Atlantic white fish, with all the essential amino acids required for collagen and elastin production: Alanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Cystine, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Histidine, Hydroxylysine, Hydroxyproline, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Tyrosine and Valine. These amino acids are delivered safely into the upper layers of your skin.