Beginner's Guide to Sheep Placenta
Written by: Wan SofaSyifa
Reviewed by: Fenny Lim, BSc. (Hons) Nutrition, UKM
Healthcare and aesthetic products made with animal products that promote health and anti-aging can be intimidating. Sheep placenta is one of the most recognizable products on the market, but it has been subject to a lot of misconceptions over the years. Knowing and understanding this ingredient is the first step towards breaking misconceptions about sheep placenta.
Follow us as we break down what is sheep placenta and how it benefits you.
To start off;
What is Sheep Placenta?
Sheep placenta generally refers to an extract used in dietary supplements or cosmetic products such as face masks, facial creams, and more. In mammals, the placenta plays an important role in transferring nutrients from the mother to the fetus via the umbilical cord [1].
This ingredient has gained traction in healthcare and aesthetics for two main reasons;
- history of use – how long sheep placentas have been used
- bioavailability – how easy it is to benefit from
History of Use
Placenta, in general, has been recorded and recognized as a traditional medicine in China since the sixteenth century. It is also used in other parts of the world, such as Argentina, parts of Europe, and Central India. Any form of scientific research on the placenta, as part of tissue or cell therapy only began in the 1930s by a Soviet ophthalmologist, Vladimir Petrovich Filatov, and a Swiss surgeon, Paul Niehans.
Paul Niehans is known as a pioneer in cell therapy and the founder of the esteemed Clinique La Prairie, a Swiss medical institution with strong applications of cell therapy. In the meantime, Vladimir Petrovich Filatov is the first individual to use placenta extract as part of clinical studies for tissue therapy [2].
Following this, placenta therapy in the form of extracts starts to gain traction in aesthetics and therapeutics anti-aging products.
Bioavailability
Bioavailability refers to how readily a substance can be absorbed into our bodies and benefit us. Sheep placenta, in general, has been found to have a high bioavailability. It has a similar nutritional composition and medical benefits to the human placenta, so it is the preferred choice when using animal placentas.
Since it has a high bioavailability, you can expect to gain the majority of sheep placenta’s therapeutic benefits when you consume it or absorb it through the skin.
What is Sheep Placenta Used for?
As a nutrient-delivery organ for the fetus, the sheep placenta is rich in growth factors, amino acids, peptides, nucleic acids, fatty acids, and vitamins. These nutrients allow sheep placenta to have;
Anti-inflammatory Properties
Inflammation is a natural biological response when our body encounters foreign antigens. When this happens, our body produces more immune-based cells, such as lymphocytes. A mild effect of inflammation is a raised temperature, dizziness, and pain. When unchecked, chronic inflammation can cause diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver disease.
Studies have shown that the nutrients in sheep placenta are capable of providing our body with anti-inflammatory properties, helping us prevent the mild and severe effects of inflammation.
Antioxidant Properties
Antioxidants are important as it decreases oxidative stress on your cells. Oxidative stress can damage the cells and lead to long-term diseases such as heart disease. Oxidative stress is caused by free radicals that occur internally or externally. External free radicals can come from the environment, food, and lifestyle.
Studies have shown that the sheep placenta is capable of providing antioxidants for the body.
Antimicrobial Properties
Antimicrobial effects refer to the capability to stop bacterial growth in the body. By having antimicrobial properties, sheep placenta is able to prevent bacterial infection.
Bacterial infection can cause dangerous diseases such as salmonella, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and more.
Wound-Healing Properties
Sheep placenta is able to provide wound-healing properties due to the growth factors it contains. In a study conducted by Navadiya et al. in 2012, the placental extract was shown to speed up wound healing among diabetic patients.
Other studies also show similar results. Wound healing is important to avoid infection that can cause other health complications.
Pain Relief Properties
The nutrients available in sheep placenta are also shown to give pain relief for symptoms such as swelling, redness, and sudden pain.
Studies done in 2014 with placental extract on patients suffering from complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) shows that the extract is capable of alleviating their symptoms.
Cellular Therapy Affects
Sheep placenta has the ability to improve overall health because of its high bioavailability. Its therapeutic effects are on a cellular level, to cover the core of your body’s health. Modern use of sheep placenta has been built over the foundation of tissue and cell therapy.
Several studies have shown that the sheep placenta extract protects, repairs, and regenerates cells, allowing them to function better.
Rejuvenating and Anti-aging Effects
By having high bioavailability, the nutrients in sheep placenta, such as N-acetylneuraminic acid, glucosamine, omega-3 fatty acids, various fatty acids, other amino acids, nucleotides, and many more, are able to be absorbed fully.
Sheep placenta is shown to be capable of stimulating the fibroblast, cells that naturally produce collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic. Fibroblasts help keep our skin elastic and prevent wrinkles.
Additionally, sheep placenta’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties help slows down the aging process by reducing the effects of oxidative stress on your body [3].
The Various Forms of Sheep Placenta
Traditionally, sheep placenta is dried and crushed into a powder that is either consumed on its own or encapsulated. Now, sheep placenta extract is used either as injections, masks, essences, serums, or capsules, depending on the end product. Normally, masks, essences, and serums are used externally for aesthetic purposes. Injections and capsules are used internally as healthcare products.
In terms of therapeutic efficacy, internal intake gives better results as it is directly absorbed by your cells.
CellLabs' Sheep Placenta Line
CellLabs’ Sheep Placenta Line is a healthcare product in the form of dietary supplements. Our sheep placenta extract is encapsulated in enteric-coated capsules with the highest extraction ratio at 120:1 for better absorption in the small intestine. It utilizes all the benefits of sheep placenta in easy-to-consume daily capsules.
For additional benefits, some of our sheep placenta products are also formulated with evergreen ingredients to give you the best value.
When is the Best Time to Take Sheep Placenta, and Who Can Take It?
Sheep placenta is a potent ingredient and is mostly suitable for adults aged 20 years and above. Depending on the purity of the extract in products, some are only suitable for adults aged forty years and above due to the potency of its therapeutic efficacy. As for intake, the best time to take sheep placenta in the form of dietary supplement is in the mornings before any meals.
Contrarily, taking sheep placenta in the form of injections and externally can be done at any time – simply because it does not have to interact with your digestive system. While injection is as effective as capsules, it is an intrusive process with a higher cost and must be done professionally.
External intake via cream or other aesthetic products is less effective since it has poor absorption because sheep placenta has a bigger molecule.
The Takeaway
If you want to start purchasing a sheep placenta-based dietary supplement, we advise you to always check your product labels so that you are well informed on what you are buying. Our products, for example, provide you with information on the correct dosage to take, other ingredients included in the product, expiration dates, and more.
We also welcome you to ask us any questions and recommend you consult your doctor or pharmacist should you have additional concerns.
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