Biophotonic Scanner - a clever ploy to push Pharmanex supplements?

[Guest guest]

Hi All, & Hi RH

 

RH wrote:

> What is the general opinion of those here about the benefits of

> antioxidants in the body? I came across a technology the other day

> called a Biophotonic Scanner that was invented at one of the top

> research Universities in the U.S. I uses laser light to sign in

> the palm of your hand to give you a score of how many antioxidants

> are in your tissue. I did it and it took 3 minutes and my score

> was 41,000 which they say it pretty high. Your thoughts? RH

 

I am cautious about claims about cutting-edge gadgetry " invented at one of the

top research Universities in the US " .

 

Google indicates that Pharmanex [the company behind the Biophotonic

Scanner] is a major supplier of food supplements. It could be argued that

Pharmanex is using the Scanner to push its products, which are expensive.

 

http://www.technologydoctor.com/mlmscanner0304/ says: " The scanner

technology was developed at the University of Utah by Professor Werner

Gellermann. The scanner shines a blue laser onto your hand where the amount

of carotenoid antioxidants present changes the light to green which is then

analyzed by the scanner. Carotenoids are a family of antioxidants found in

vegetables. As you consume a good diet of fruits and vegetables, your level of

skin carotenoid increases. When this number is compared to those who do eat

the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables, one can tell the

effectiveness of their present program. "

 

Google indicates that Prof. Gellermann is a researcher in the Department of

Physics and Dixon Laser Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City

 

What exactly does the gadget measure, and how repeatable are the

measurements? There are many different types of antioxidants. Google

indicates that the Biophotonic Scanner measures Vit C metabolites

(carotenoids), but not total antioxidant activity.

 

Have scientific papers been published in peer-reviewed journals? Medline has

not a single hit on the profile: Biophotonic and Scanner. However, there are

some scientific references to the PRINCIPLE behind the scanner at

http://www.jidonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/115/3/441

 

 

 

 

 

Best regards,

 

Email: <

 

WORK : Teagasc Research Management, Sandymount Ave., Dublin 4, Ireland

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Chinese Proverb: " Man who says it can't be done, should not interrupt man doing

it "

[Guest guest]

Pharmanex, a MLM division of Nu Skin, is the owner of this technology

and is definitely using it to sell their supplements. They give a

challenge - to test a peson's level of carotenoids and then use their

LifePak supplements for 60 days and retest- a guarantee to show a

marked increase in your antioxidant leve as measured by the scanner,

which measures carotenoids.

 

I am currently trying to evaluate their stuff and claims - but their

goal is to get this scanner in every doctors office. They claim

their supplements are the best, but I have not yet checked any

independant ratings.

 

Glenn