Ther-Rx Corporation - Encora® - Prescription nutritional supplement with essential fatty acids - Patients


	Important Encora™ Information

	Footnote References Prescribing Information Safety Information

Healthcare Providers Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I prescribe Encora^®?

How do I prescribe Encora^®?
Click for printable Rx sheet.

Shouldn’t I recommend that patients get the vitamins and minerals they need by simply modifying their diet and taking supplements?

I know that Encora addresses osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and mood fluctuations, but does it contain the vitamins found in other supplements?

How can I best convey the risk of osteoporosis to younger patients and convince them to take a nutritional supplement?

Why is Encora separated into morning and evening doses?

My patients aren’t aware of the need for folic acid outside of pregnancy. Any ideas on how to frame the conversation?

What is the appropriate age to start a patient on Encora?

Why does Encora place such emphasis on its doses of folic acid and omega-3 fatty acids?

How can I remember to tell my patients about Encora?

Q: Why should I prescribe Encora^®?

A: Encora is a form of preventive medicine helping to protect a woman’s heart from cardiovascular disease, bones from osteoporosis, and mood from fluctuations. Most American women do not obtain the recommended daily levels of many nutrients from their diet, thus necessitating supplementation. Encora offers greater benefits than most multivitamins, in addition to its therapeutic levels of folic acid and essential (omega-3) fatty acids, which are simply not found in this combination or potency in any over-the-counter (OTC) supplement. Encora is dosed in such a way that women absorb the maximum amount of the vitamins and nutrients ingested. Unlike OTC supplements that may deliver the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamins and nutrients all at once, the higher doses of calcium, folic acid, omega-3s, and vitamins D, E, C, and B6 found in Encora are taken so that the body can maximize possible protective benefits. (1,4,12-14,18-21,30-35) Finally, a prescription nutritional supplement gives you the added peace-of-mind of knowing exactly what your patient is putting into her body.

Q: Shouldn’t I recommend that patients get the vitamins and minerals they need by simply modifying their diet and taking supplements?

A: Of course a balanced diet and an active exercise program are the bedrock of a healthy lifestyle. However, vitamins and minerals are continuing to decline in our food supply. By the time food has traveled from the farm to the supermarket to the home, its nutritional value has plummeted. As your patients are sure to admit, they’re not too crazy about many of the sources (i.e., animal organs, such as liver, kidney and others) that contain critical vitamins. Finally, more people are eating more canned and processed foods. Convincing your patients that they are unlikely to get enough essential nutrients from diet alone may not be too hard. Convincing them to do more than just use a standard multivitamin may be more difficult. Faced with having to take numerous vitamins with the goal of reaching the various RDAs, patients may just tune out the message. Encora is able to meet, if not exceed, the RDA of many vitamins and minerals while limiting the number of pills to a manageable 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening. (12-19)

Q: I know that Encora addresses osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and mood fluctuations, but does it contain the vitamins found in other supplements?

A: Along with therapeutic levels of calcium, folic acid, and essential (omega-3) fatty acids, Encora contains the antioxidants vitamin E and vitamin C, as well as vitamin B6, for added protection of the heart and cells. (1-11,36-38)

Q: How can I best convey the risk of osteoporosis to younger patients and convince them to take a nutritional supplement?

A: According to Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, PhD, RD, associate professor of surgery and director of the Cancer Prevention, Detection and Control Research Program at Duke University, “Osteoporosis has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. We get too little calcium in our diets, for one, and we don’t get enough weight-bearing exercise.” (43)

Osteoporosis is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually, including over 300,000 hip fractures, approximately 700,000 vertebral fractures, 250,000 wrist fractures, and 300,000 fractures at other sites.9 And while osteoporosis is often thought of as an older person’s disease, it can strike at any age. In fact, women start to lose bone mass at age 30. (1,15)

Q: Why is Encora separated into morning and evening doses?

A: The nutrients in Encora are specifically divided (a morning dose and an evening dose) to allow the body to best absorb and utilize them. The folic acid found in Encora is greater in the morning at 2 mg with an evening dose of 0.5 mg. We’ve done this because sudden cardiac death is more likely to occur in the first 3 hours after awakening. Folic acid has been shown to improve endothelial function (endothelial dysfunction being a significant contributing factor to cardiac events) maximally in the first 2-4 hours after awakening. (4,33-35) On the other hand, calcium is more readily absorbed and deposited into bone in the evening. Therefore, Encora provides higher doses of calcium and vitamin D in its PM dose. (1,18-21)

Although your patients have busy schedules, it is very important to remind them to take both doses of Encora as recommended to get the maximum benefit of each ingredient. Consider suggesting to patients that they keep Encora on the nightstand, by a toothbrush, or on the kitchen counter. It may help patients remember to take Encora twice a day. To make the dosing even easier, each day’s Encora comes in a convenient blister pack. These blister packs can be easily carried. They are also labeled AM and PM to help distinguish between the 2 doses.

Q: My patients aren’t aware of the need for folic acid outside of pregnancy. Any ideas on how to frame the conversation?

A: Over 90% of women don’t get enough folic acid and vitamin E from their diet, so it’s a good idea to raise the issue. (16) The fact is, folic acid is rarely found in sufficient amounts in foods and must be supplemented as a vitamin because of its many critical benefits. Patients need to understand that folic acid helps cells divide and grow, as well as break down homocysteine and maintain the health of the cardiovascular system. (1) Encora is an excellent source of folic acid: its morning dose at 2 mg (and an evening dose of 0.5 mg) addresses the fact that sudden cardiac death is more likely to occur in the first 3 hours after awakening. Folic acid has been shown to improve endothelial function (endothelial dysfunction being a significant contributing factor to cardiac events) maximally in the first 2-4 hours. (4,33-35) The data behind folic acid intake is compelling to say the least.

Q: What is the appropriate age to start a patient on Encora?

A: Women of childbearing years and beyond can all benefit from Encora. Encora contains recommended nutrient levels that help protect women in 3 key areas: its 1,000 mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D help prevent osteoporosis (1,2); its 2.5 mg of folic acid, 1,300 mg of essential fatty acids, and selected vitamins and minerals help protect against cardiovascular disease (3-6); and its abundance of omega-3 fatty acids helps balance mood and protect against depression. (7-11) Consider that:

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Bone density in women begins to decrease over time at about the age of 30 (1); 1 in 2 women over age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in her remaining lifetime (15)

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The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) in women increases significantly after menopause (2–3 times that of women the same age before menopause) (25)

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A recent internet-based survey of middle-aged women showed that 76% experienced symptoms of depressed mood; the perimenopausal and postmenopausal epoch has been identified as a critical development period in a woman’s life thought to be characterized by an increased frequency of mood disorders (23)

Q: Why does Encora place such emphasis on its doses of folic acid and omega-3 fatty acids?

A: Encora offers a unique combination of vitamins and minerals that simply cannot be found in any other single nutritional supplement. (30-32) We know that folic acid helps break down homocysteine. At higher levels, homocysteine may cause buildup in the arteries and blood clots, leading to various cardiovascular problems. (1)

The American Heart Association recommends a daily dose of about 500 mg of EPA/DHA (essential fatty acids) for people with no known coronary disease, and 1,000 mg for patients with known coronary disease. However, the average American woman consumes an average of only 90 mg of EPA/DHA per day. (14,24)

The 2.5 mg of folic acid, 1,300 mg of essential fatty acids, and selected vitamins and minerals found in Encora help protect women against cardiovascular disease. (3-6) The abundance of omega-3 fatty acids also helps balance mood and protect against depression. (7-11)

Q: How can I remember to tell my patients about Encora?

A: Because Encora addresses 3 of women’s greatest health issues—osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and mood fluctuations—there are numerous occasions during which it might be appropriate to talk to a patient about a prescription nutritional supplement. Postnatal visits, bone density tests, and annual checkups are a sampling of appropriate situations. As you know, women are at a heightened risk of death from CVD (as compared to men) and osteoporosis, and protective benefits of the nutrients in these therapeutic areas are proven. (15,25) Anyone displaying risk factors such as a family history of cardiac events or osteoporosis, and poor diet and exercise habits should know about Encora.