Frequently Asked Questions
Alpha PMX is an Elemental Nutrient Formula (ENF). The idea is that pure nutrients
can be combined in an chemically defined manner to replace food, partially or
completely. The use of ENFs has been common in nutritional research.
How is Alpha PMX different from regular food?
Alpha PMX requires little or no digestion. The nutrients are ready to
be absorbed into the bloodstream. Often, especially with the first few servings,
you can feel the effects of nutrients being rapidly absorbed. Nutrients also act
on the surfaces of the throat and later stomach and small intestine. You may
notice a drying effect on your throat. Food materials are slowly digested with
prolonged, sustained release of nutrients - some nutrients are lost since food
may not be fully digested and nutrients may not be completely absorbed.
Because the nutrients are quickly absorbed and utilized, it is advisable to have
a serving of Alpha PMX every 2-3 hours.
It is natural to feel thirsty after drinking a serving of Alpha PMX. For each
cup of Alpha PMX, drink another cup of water between servings. Occasionally the
nutrients stimulate bowel contractions - this is felt as mild crampy abdominal
pains. This mild over-stimulation may be corrected by drinking more water and
tends to disappear as you get used to taking the formula.
What food materials does Alpha PMX contain?
The nutrients are mostly supplied in their pure, elemental form. The
vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are pharmaceutically manufactured and
certified USP or FCC. The carbohydrates are supplied as natural sugars -
glucose (dextrose) and fructose - and maltodextrin, a mixture of carbohydrate
chains of different molecular weights. All the carbohydrates are derived from
vegetable sources, primarily corn.
Does Alpha PMX contain sugar?
Yes, the carbohydrate content of Alpha ENF was designed to imitate fruits and
vegetables which supply a combination of glucose, fructose, and complex
carbohydrates - starch and fibers. Glucose is the basic sugar of life. The human
body is a glucose-machine just as a car is a gasoline-machine. Each cell in your
body consumes sugar as glucose. Glucose (dextrose) supplies 8% of total
calories. Fructose supplies 6% of the total calories. Fructose is very similar
to glucose but is metabolized by different metabolic pathways. Fructose, for
example, does not require insulin for passage into cells as does glucose.
Fructose is three times as sweet as glucose. Glucose and fructose should be
considered normal vegetable-fruit sugars. The remainder of the carbohydrate is
supplied as maltodextrin. These carbohydrate chains require some digestion
and can provide sustained-release glucose, similar to the starches in grains and
vegetables. The sugar content of Alpha ENF is essential to supply energy and
should be no problem to normal individuals. If you are worried about
hyperglycemia, be sure to take Alpha ENF in smaller servings every 2-3 hours.
Does Alpha PMX contain Fiber?
Yes PMX contains non-nutritive carbohydrate fibers, methylcellulose and microcellulose,
which act like vegetable fiber in the gastrointestinal tract - providing bulk
for stool formation and acting as a sponge to soak up bile salts which might
otherwise cause an irritable bowel or diarrhea.
Will the sugar in Alpha PMX cause yeast to overgrow in the intestinal tract?
No. Early studies of the effect of elemental formulas showed dramatic
reduction of all microorganisms growing in the intestinal tract. With formulas
similar to Alpha PMX, delivering most of the sugar as glucose, candida yeast in
the lower digestive tract disappeared completely!
Can Alpha PMX be used by strict vegetarians?
Yes, PMX contains no animal products. Strict vegetarians will benefit from
the boost of nutrients that the formula supplies, especially nutrients that may
be scarce on a vegetarian diet. These include amino acids, iron, vitamin B12,
vitamin D, and trace minerals.
Will I get Enough Protein ?
Dietary protein supplies amino acids, the real nutrients. Proteins are mostly
responsible for food allergy and have been specifically eliminated from the
formula. Instead, crystalline, L-form amino acids are the nutrients supplied in
Alpha PMX. All the essential and non-essential amino acids are combined in a
rationally balanced mix. Alpha PMX supplies 30 grams of amino acids (taking the
place of protein) at 1500 Calories or 450 grams per day. For those that eat less
than 450 grams per day, your need for amino acids is probably covered - the 25
gram estimate is probably higher than your actual need, and the formula amino
acids are more efficiently absorbed and utilized than proteins in food. Since
the amino acid pool in the body is recycled, net loss of amino acids is
estimated to be only 2 grams per day.
How is Alpha PMX Different from other meal-replacement powders?
Many nutrient formulas are available. Most are made of potentially allergenic
materials such as milk powder or milk proteins, egg white or albumin, soya and
other vegetable proteins. All food preparations which contain large molecules,
especially proteins and partially hydrolyzed proteins are avoided on low allergy
programs because they retain some allergenic effects. Liquid diets for weight
loss, protein powders, soya protein or vegetable protein powders, and
nutritional supplements may be allergenic and otherwise contain problems that we
wish to avoid. Products containing herbs, "natural foods or plant materials"
also may contain allergenic materials and may have undesirable side-effects.
Is Alpha PMX Safe for Celiacs?
Yes, Alpha ENF and the Alpha Nutrition Program are gluten-free and are well
suited to the needs of all Celiacs. Some email writers have questioned the
source of some ingredients - none contain gluten. Maltodextrin is a hydrolysed
starch and is not related to "Malt" which is a gluten-containing derivative of
cereal grains - as in "Barely Malt".
Multiple Food Allergies ?
Q Any ingredient in product that I might react to? I have had severe allergic
reactions. Testing is still being done but so far I have scratch tested as
allergic to turkey, beef, pork, salmon, chicken, oranges, bananas, strawberries,
blueberries, pear, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, soy, carrots, squash,
onions, asparagus, cabbage, garlic, oat, almond, hazelnut, milk, yeast, corn,
fungus mold mix I am not allergic to peanuts, rice, wheat, egg white, apple,
string beans, potatoes, tomatoes,
A There are I many issues that we cannot deal with when someone reports a
long list of food allergies. First of all the tests should be be done by a
specialist MD. There are so many phony tests out there, we don't try to decide
which test results have validity. Second, your MD has the primary
responsibility to inform and advise you. If, for example, you are told you are
allergic to milk, then your MD needs to provide information about milk proteins
and the foods that contain them. If a long list of "allergic foods" are
presented to you, your MD has to tell you about the reliability of the test
results and educate you about avoiding these foods and also inform you about
hidden sources of the food allergens.
Skin tests are not good indicators of food allergy and require experience and
good judgment to interpret properly. In addition, sophisticated knowledge of
nutrition is required to design a new diet that is free of allergens and also
follows other important disease prevention recommendations.
We designed the Alpha Nutrition Program to solve the problem of multiple food
allergies. We try to help well-informed people to learn more and make better
decisions for themselves. We have many books and much information online. It is
your responsibility to study this information. We do offer email support to
answer some questions as you study our books.
We do not add food items to our formulas, so no foods are listed. You need to
learn how elemental formulas are constructed. Ingredient lists are online and
links to them are found on all our formula pages. We recently added an online
tutorial to teach you about our formulas. Please spend 10 minutes and go through
the tutorial. Also, download the formula documents for complete
information.
Can a knowledgeable scientist prepare a self-management program
Yes, we hope so. The program is home science and requires an intelligent
approach to self-monitoring and problem solving. You need to read Alpha
Nutrition Program, and understand the essential steps. If you choose to use
Alpha ENF for a food holiday, 3 to 4 kg will get you through the first 7 to 10 days
and that is usually long enough to feel better. If things go well, you will want
to use Alpha ENF or PMX longer as a maintenance tool.
Alpha Nutrition products and services are ordered at Alpha Online. We ship
through the Post Office to all destinations in Canada and the USA. 
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