Developed by leading pediatric researchers and clinicians, the speak® formulation contains 7 nutrients in precise doses and ratios for children with special nutritional requirements.
What are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?
Omega-3 fats are unique and essential dietary fats. They are not made in the body and must be consumed through diet and supplements. EPA and DHA are the omega-3 fats found in fish and fish oil and are considered the most functional omega-3 fats. While some consider omega-3 fats to be a vitamin because they are required in the diet, they are not formally recognized as vitamins. Instead, they are called essential dietary fats.
EPA and DHA work individually and together to support neurological function and improve cellular activity. Both EPA and DHA work in cell membranes. Healthy cellular metabolism is central (i.e. critical) for normal functioning of all biological (i.e. human) pathways. Specifically, EPA resides in cell membranes and supports healthy cellular metabolism. There is no dietary substitute for DHA. DHA is required for normal and healthy brain and nerve development and maintenance
Each serving of speak® contains concentrated, ultra-purified omega-3 (725 mg EPA, 275 mg DHA) in addition to rich amounts of two forms of vitamin E. Omega-3 supports cognitive function and is paired with the antioxidant vitamin E. Optimal amounts of both d-alpha and gamma tocopherols function as key antioxidants and operate along omega-3 fats to support neurological health and provide essential nutrition. Due to the theoretical blood thinning effects of omega-3 and vitamin E, vitamin K (a normal and healthy blood clotting nutrient) is also included. This precise combination of purified ingredients is delivered in a convenient creamy liquid which can be poured directly from the bottle in a 1 tablespoon serving size resulting in greater ease of use for parents and children.
What is vitamin D?
Known as the sunshine vitamin due to the fact that our skin cells can use sunlight to synthesize vitamin D, is an essential vitamin that may be lacking in some individuals due to their diet or their inaccessibility to sunlight especially in Northern winter climates. Much research has been published on the benefits of vitamin D and child development. The speak®+d formulation supplies 800 IU of vitamin D per serving.
What is vitamin E?
Vitamin E is a family of fat-soluble vitamins that work in the body primarily as antioxidants. They are considered valuable and important vitamins for this reason. The richest food sources of vitamin E are nuts and oils.
While 8 forms of vitamin E exist in various amounts in foods (4 forms of tocopherols and 4 forms of tocotrienols), nearly all of the research in humans has focused on the d-alpha tocopherol form. It exists in the body in the greatest amount. More recently, we have learned about the importance of gamma-tocopherol and the importance of balance between these 2 forms of vitamin E.
D-alpha tocopherol:
It is transported and stored in blood and tissues and this is where it works as an antioxidant.
As an antioxidant it protects body tissues (cells) from damage that occurs as a result of normal metabolism. Our bodies, as living organs, are constantly in a state of flux and d-alpha tocopherol is simply a part of the machinery designed to maintain health and normal regeneration of cells. Said another way, d-alpha tocopherol protects cells from oxidation.
As an antioxidant, it works to prevent oxidation of other fats, such as fish oil, and thereby supports cellular health.
It also works to maintain healthy blood vessels.
It is available in natural (d-alpha) or synthetic (d,l-alpha) forms.
Gamma-tocopherol:
Like d-alpha tocopherol, it works as an antioxidant but gamma-tocopherol is structurally different from d-alpha and works in different pathways in the body.
Supplementing with d-alpha tocopherol increases the need for gamma-tocopherol and supplementing with both improves the function of both.
What is vitamin K, and why is it in speak®?
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin with various functions in the body. Vitamin K has roles in maintaining heart and bone health, as well as being a critical component for normal and healthy blood clotting. There are 3 forms of vitamin K, but only K1 and K2 are consumed by humans as vitamins. They both have unique and important functions. Vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 are included in speak® primarily to maintain nutrient balance. This is particularly important with long-term supplementation. It is important to support a proper balance between vitamins E and K. speak® contains the natural forms of vitamins K1 and K2.
Is there any sugar in speak Smooth, and if not, what is used as a sweetener? Speak Smooth does not contain sugar and is sweetened with xylitol which is a natural, non-sugar sweetener.
Where does the orange flavoring and color come from in speak Smooth? The natural orange flavor comes from natural orange oil which is found in the rind of oranges. Beta carotene which provides the orange color to many fruits and vegetables, gives speak smooth its orange color.
What ages are children who take speak? Children aged 2 and above may benefit from the nutrients in speak. Many families with older children have reported positive experiences with speak. Follow the suggested use and increase over time.
When should I begin to notice beneficial changes in my child? Every child is different and responses vary. Not all children experience benefits in the same ways or during the same time period. A number of factors may influence a child’s response, such as consistency and serving, co-existing conditions, previous supplementation, transition time, and adherence to special diets. The time of year can impact response as well due to summer allergies, winter cold and flu season, etc. It is recommended to give speak on a daily basis (consistency is key) for a minimum of a 4 month period to determine if your child benefits from the nutrients in speak.
I noticed that the bottle says to refrigerate after opening. Should speak Smooth be shipped refrigerated? Omega-3 can break down at very high heat (over 300 degrees F) or by being exposed to high heat over a long period of time. Variable temperature changes during shipping typically do not affect the integrity of the oil. Once the bottle is opened however, it should be refrigerated.
What are some possible side-effects associated with omega-3 and vitamin E supplementation? (The issues described are typically associated with omega-3 supplementation – not unique to this product.)
Some children may experience loose stools when they begin supplementation with oil-based capsules; this usually resolves quickly.
Moodiness, irritability, and emotional outbursts are commonly reported in children during the first few days/weeks of omega-3 supplementation.
Experts believe it is best to be off fish oil 2 weeks before a surgery due to increased bleeding risk, given the platelet effects of omega-3.
Avoid using products such as ibuprofen or aspirin since they increase the risk of bleeding, so the combination (omega-3, vitamin E, and these medicines) could theoretically heighten the risk of bleeding. Acetaminophen may be an option under the direction of your healthcare provider.
Individuals on blood thinners should not be using fish oil and vitamin E.
ULTRA-PURIFIED AND CONCENTRATED
WE KNOW THE SOURCE
Our principal supplier can certify when and where the fish is caught. The approved fishery has been certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council since 2005 (and recertified in 2010). The processing plant is built specifically for fish oil production, and it is thoroughly sanitized and fully automated with a computerized control center.
Time and temperature matter
High-grade fish oil cannot be heated above 180 degrees C because trans fats and impurities begin to form and the omega-3 fats can be altered. High-grade fish oil should not be exposed to heat for more than a few seconds. To maintain exceptional product integrity, we use a very low pressure vacuum and temperatures below 100 degrees for less than one second.
Our product is highly concentrated
Our fish oil is moleculary distilled and refined to a high concentration of EPA and DHA omega-3s, making our oil a potent source of 1000 mgs per serving of these healthy, essential fats required for human health. Finally, d-alpha and gamma tocopherol (vitamin E) antioxidants are added. Our fish oil is held in an oxygen-free environment during the entire process. Our fish oil is then packaged and sealed immediately, ensuring its freshness and potency. Our product is guaranteed to be top-quality, delivering all the benefits of omega-3 in an effective, convenient capsule, Pure Oil, or emulsion.
Speak® does not contain:
Mercury
PCBs
Heavy Metals
Lead
Arsenic
Pesticides
Gluten
Saturated fats
Trans-fats
Mold
Artificial flavors
Artificial colors
Artificial sweeteners
Mystery " filler" ingredients
United States Patent US 9,687,016
European Patent Specification EP 2131679B1
Orders that are in stock are dispatched daily at 2pm Monday – Friday.
Orders placed before 2pm Monday to Friday will be dispatched the same day.
Orders placed after 2pm Monday to Friday will be dispatched the next working day.
As such, orders placed after 2pm Friday will be dispatched the following Monday.
Orders will not be dispatched on Bank Holidays or weekends.
For Standard Domestic Orders: We use Royal Mail’s Tracked 48hr delivery service as standard. Royal Mail state a delivery guideline of 1-2 working days for this service, however during busier periods (such as Christmas) this may not always be possible. If your order has not arrived after 2 working days from the date of dispatch please contact us. We have tracking numbers for this service and will be able to assist you in locating your order.
For Expedited Domestic Orders (Next-Day Delivery): Provided that we have received your order by 2pm, we will process and dispatch your order the same day using Royal Mail’s Tracked 24hr delivery service. This service aims to deliver your parcel within 24hrs of the dispatch time – in some instances this may not be possible and delivery may fall within a 48hr period. If you have not received your order after 1 day from the dispatch date please contact us. This is a tracked and insured service and we will be able to assist you in locating your order.
For Standard International Orders: We use Royal Mail International Track (+ Sign), dependent on what the destination country accepts. Royal Mail state a 3-5 working day delivery guideline for this service within Europe, and a 5-7 working day guideline worldwide. However, we have found this is rarely the case outside of major cities, especially during busier periods (such as Christmas) this may not always be possible. This is a tracked and insured service, please contact us if you have not received your delivery within the above stated time-frames and we will assist you in locating your order.
For Expedited International Orders: We are able to offer expedited international shipping worldwide respected couriers. We can use DHL or another courier of your choice, but we are likely to get the best deal from DHL. Please feel free to use the 'Contact Us' form to ask for a DHL quote for your order.
We are able to offer expedited delivery worldwide using various couriers; this is something that we will examine on a case-by-case basis. Please email us and we will investigate your delivery options and let you know what is possible.
If you have selected a shipping method that does not include tracking/insurance then you accept and agree that in the instance that the parcel is lost or delayed, you will not be entitled to a refund or a replacement product, as we will be unable to make a claim for the loss.
We retain proof of postage at all times and reserve the right to use a different shipping method than you have selected in order to give your order added security in certain circumstances (e.g. for extremely high value orders we may upgrade to Courier delivery). In the majority of situations we will respect the customers chosen shipping method. We retain proof of postage for 180 days. After this time it may not be possible to retrieve your proof of postage.
Standard International Orders are not considered 'lost' by postal carriers until 90 days after the dispatch. As such, we will not consider an order to be officially lost until this time has passed. We may consider an order lost before this date based on tracking information and our previous experiences, but this will be examined on a case-by-case basis.
