82 replies to this topic

[curious_sle]

Yeah. add oxaloacetic acid, NtBHA alt-711 etc yippie granted some wishes will not be feasable but it truely looks good. After all, if rawmaterial quality is good (hard to judge from afar) you are after all pretty much in charge and can't really complain about items you add.

[luv2increase]

can i just chime in again and say that the use of synthetic vitamin E is unacceptable?

It really makes me wonder the quality of ANY of their ingredients when they use such a thing as this!

The only reason to use this, is to save money. If they are greedy enough to purchase cheap synthetic vitamin E, I'm certain they are greedy enough to purchase the cheapest of the cheapest for ALL their stuff.

Are we the only ones to see through this ajnast4r???

[niteinnyc]

can i just chime in again and say that the use of synthetic vitamin E is unacceptable?

It really makes me wonder the quality of ANY of their ingredients when they use such a thing as this!

The only reason to use this, is to save money. If they are greedy enough to purchase cheap synthetic vitamin E, I'm certain they are greedy enough to purchase the cheapest of the cheapest for ALL their stuff.

Are we the only ones to see through this ajnast4r???

This is a very important issue, and one that I hope they will address. However, I don't think that the reason for cheap ingredients is cost savings in this case. Their business model, I think, is to sell from an a la carte selection of ingredients, and add a mark-up and costs for the services. There should be no reason for them to seek out cheaper ingredients because they are just passing the cost along, so it shouldn't matter if they sell you a cheap synthetic or a more expensive natural form of vitamin E. In fact if they use a straight % for the mark-up then they would stand to make more money on the higher cost stuff. The real issue I think is that they would need to be willing to stock those high quality forms to offer as a choice. The choice of different forms especially in higher quality seems to be lacking as of now. If I am mistaken and they are not passing the cost along, then I think that it would be wise for them to start doing so or they will be shutting out a huge segment of their market.

Whether or not that want to do this to accomodate those of us who demand quality remains to be seen, but if they choose not too it would be a foolish mistake on their part since this board is a potentially huge market with the promise of many repeat sales, and represents what I think is their main target demographic (just look at the number of views here, it blows away that other board that they post on). Perhaps they just need to know that the demand would be there for these high quality ingredients, and I think we are aiding that by requesting it here.


So far they have also not answered my questions concerning their capping facility, methods and oversight, and to me this is the single most important issue that should be addressed before anything else. If they do not address this, well then we ought to just assume the worst, which is that they could be a few guys running this operation out of their basement. Unlikely maybe, but who knows and why take a chance? I guess I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now and wait to see if they will address these important issues and the other's raised here. Those on that other body-building centric board where they got good reviews don't seem to be doing anything other than praising them over there. I didn't see any questions asked or concerns raised. I guess it's just a different breed over there.


On that note, and as an aside to the members here, I want to say that I just discovered this board about a month ago, and the wealth of information contributed here by so many knowledgable members is on a level which I think is unsurpassed. Using this board as a guide and a resource of information is really a life changing experience, so I thank you all.

Edited by niteinnyc, 22 March 2007 - 05:48 PM.

[ageless]

can i just chime in again and say that the use of synthetic vitamin E is unacceptable?

It really makes me wonder the quality of ANY of their ingredients when they use such a thing as this!

The only reason to use this, is to save money. If they are greedy enough to purchase cheap synthetic vitamin E, I'm certain they are greedy enough to purchase the cheapest of the cheapest for ALL their stuff.

Are we the only ones to see through this ajnast4r???

This is a very important issue, and one that I hope they will address. However, I don't think that the reason for cheap ingredients is cost savings in this case. Their business model, I think, is to sell from an a la carte selection of ingredients, and add a mark-up and costs for the services. There should be no reason for them to seek out cheaper ingredients because they are just passing the cost along, so it shouldn't matter if they sell you a cheap synthetic or a more expensive natural form of vitamin E. In fact if they use a straight % for the mark-up then they would stand to make more money on the higher cost stuff. The real issue I think is that they would need to be willing to stock those high quality forms to offer as a choice. The choice of different forms especially in higher quality seems to be lacking as of now. If I am mistaken and they are not passing the cost along, then I think that it would be wise for them to start doing so or they will be shutting out a huge segment of their market.

Whether or not that want to do this to accomodate those of us who demand quality remains to be seen, but if they choose not too it would be a foolish mistake on their part since this board is a potentially huge market with the promise of many repeat sales, and represents what I think is their main target demographic (just look at the number of views here, it blows away that other board that they post on). Perhaps they just need to know that the demand would be there for these high quality ingredients and I think we are doing that by requesting it here.


So far they have also not answered my questions concerning their capping facility, methods and oversight, and to me this is the single most important issue that should be addressed before anything else. If they do not address this, well then we ought to just assume the worst, which is that they could be a few guys running this operation out of their basement. Unlikely maybe, but who knows and why take a chance? I guess I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now and wait to see if they will address these important issues and the other's raised here. Those on that other body-building centric board where they got good reviews don't seem to be doing anything other than praising them over there. I didn't see any questions asked or concerns raised. I guess it's just a different breed over there.


On that note, and as an aside to the members here, I want to say that I just discovered this board about a month ago, and the wealth of information contributed here by so many knowledgable members is on a level which I think is unsurpassed. Using this board as a guide and a resource of information is really a life changing experience, so I thank you all.

Well i think we've all come to realize the potential of this customization idea. I'm almost sold on it, but waiting for answers like many here. I think the major consumers would be people such as those that come here, mostly experienced and knowledgeable supplement users looking to perfect and concoct their own supplements... so answering our questions and ensuring our demand for only high-quality, safe and effective ingredients are used, makes financial sense to companies in this market.
Not answering and not ensuring such questions only makes us think the worst, which would be bad for business. I like to think as an optimist and believe in people doing the right thing, but that is not the reality we live in everyday.
Eventually this will take off by someone who can offer us what we want. It's a start.

[edward]

Ok guys I took the plunge and placed an order. Plan to fill in the gaps of my supplement plan with other sources due to the standardization issues but CustomCaps should cover most of my nutritional bases. So we shall see. My order is still pending however I got a prompt professional (computer generated) email response.

[niteinnyc]

Good Luck! Maybe since you're giving them some money you can get them to come back here and answer the questions and concerns. So far I take it as a bad sign that they seem to be ignoring the important questions. It could be that since they recently started out they are still too undercapitalized to show us a photo of dazzling facilities or to stock the expensive stuff. That would be understandable, but it would show a lot of good intention if they at least gave us some sort of forthcoming response.

I am looking forward to your review, Mr. Guinea Pig

[curious_sle]

way to go edward, please keep us posted . I'd love to fix my own ortho-core booster

[capsule_guy]

can i just chime in again and say that the use of synthetic vitamin E is unacceptable?

It really makes me wonder the quality of ANY of their ingredients when they use such a thing as this!

The only reason to use this, is to save money. If they are greedy enough to purchase cheap synthetic vitamin E, I'm certain they are greedy enough to purchase the cheapest of the cheapest for ALL their stuff.

Are we the only ones to see through this ajnast4r???

Luv2increase,

Like I stated before the Vit E clearly states what it is. We currently do not offer another selection for this but will be getting some natural in the near future. If it is unacceptable then I advise you not to add it to your creation. Definatly not because we are greedy and doing it for mere material issues. Each ingredient is marked up individually according to the price. If something is more expensive we mark it up more. It would not make us any more money to put something cheap on the site.

CC

[capsule_guy]

Everyone,
I know you all have alot of questions so to start I will post parts of a press release we are getting ready to send out. Hopefully this will answer some of the more basic questions and begin to fill in the blanks of how we came about

"Frequently we are asked how are we able to provide a service that no other company has successfully provided or even has attempted to provide. Many people have written us and told us what we do is flat out impossible. Yet not only do we daily produce these individual formulas but we are in the process of expanding our operation. The answer to this question is simple: our operation was not born overnight. All aspects of Custom Capsule, our manufacturing facility and our website, were built from the ground up with the custom formulation concept in mind. Along the way we took insight from apothecary pharmacies, which provide essentially the same type of custom service for prescription medications and have been gaining popularity throughout the US. In fact, some of the equipment we use is identical to what is found in a typical apothecary.

Surprisingly, though, the birth of the concept in October 2004 was not inspired by apothecaries but our own experience in the supplement industry and as weightlifting and health enthusiasts. As owners of a small supplement manufacturing company who often made custom blends for ourselves and for friends we were meeting with several suppliers for new manufacturing equipment. After reviewing a capsule press that could handle small batches, we began discussing how convenient the press would be for encapsulating our own personal formulas. Soon the conversation turned back toward business and the bright idea took form: how great would it be to provide customers with the same service we enjoyed ourselves.

We knew the task would not be simple and required a complete realignment and reinvention of our current business model. We selected a new facility, we researched equipment, we researched mixing methods, safety measures, customer interfaces, and designed in-house website software that provided the level of functionality and safety we needed. All of this was necessary in order to accomplish what really is a fairly simple task: make a small batch of pills to a customer’s specifications. Yet really what we accomplished was making sure a simple task stayed simple, meaning that it operated cost-effectively, efficiently and as a function of this, safely. So what happens when someone decides they want to create a capsule? After carefully reviewing each ingredient, including individual warnings, a customer selects the ingredients and amounts they want in a pill. The software automatically ensures that ingredient conflicts are not present and that ingredient safety limits are not exceeded. After selecting the number of batches and adding the formulation to the shopping cart the customer names the formulation. After checkout our technicians take over. The technician logs into the website and reviews the custom formulation orders. A printout is made of each order, which includes the total amount of each ingredient and any necessary adjustments for potency or other factors. In-house reference charts are used to determine the proper mixing order and the addition of any necessary excipients, inert ingredients that are commonly used by capsule manufacturers as fillers or binders. The ingredients are then selected from our storage area and placed on a cart to be taken to the weighing area. Each ingredient is assigned a unique code by our database and referenced by that code to ensure that only the proper ingredients are used. We weigh each ingredient using sensitive and precisely calibrated digital scales. Finally the ingredients are mixed and encapsulated. Each step in this process is carefully documented to insure proper attention to detail and prevent any errors. Still, the order is not finished. Capsules are run through a polisher to remove any material on the outside of the capsule. Batches are then tested for consistency and quality by predetermined guidelines. Finally a batch is divided up and counted before being placed in custom labeled bottles to be packaged and shipped to the customer.

Nearly two years later we finally reached this milestone of allowing customers to create a unique capsule when we launched in August, 2006.

2007 promises even more milestones. Already this year, we have begun thinking about what is next, what we can do to add to this experience and make it even easier for the consumer. Rest assured that 2007 is going to realize some exciting changes for our website. First of all, we are making the site more interactive. Many of you have requested that we place images of all of our products on our site, especially for the custom formulations. We realize that people like to see what they are getting, even if it is just a picture of the bottle, so we implementing images for most of our products, including a view of exactly what makes a custom label custom. This will soon include an exciting label view that will change dynamically as ingredients are added to show the customer exactly what the printed label will look like. Also look soon for news updates that let you know when new products are added and about special promotions. Some of what you can expect to see in terms of new products are more pre-made, ready to purchase products and discounted bulk powders. We soon will implement a sale section as well, with great deals on a rotating selection of products. Further, individuals have wanted the ability to save their cart information, including their custom formulas, a feature that has already been implemented. Still, most requests we receive are for new ingredients. We read daily requests from our contact page about all sorts of ingredients. Some of these ingredients are items that we wanted to add originally and have not gotten to yet, some are great products that we simply overlooked, and some we were unfamiliar with at the time and have been since added to our priority list. We greatly enjoy reading through these requests and finding out what products people are interested in. If you have not seen a supplement you want on our site, email us about it. We definitely are not sitting idle here. Already we have added dozens of new ingredients since launch, with many more additions planned. "


Best regards,

CC

[niteinnyc]

CC, Thanks for returning with some more info. I am truly in love with your concept.

You may have noticed that members here tend to be particular about their supplements and health in general. From my observation as a newcomer, it is a result of much time spent devoted to research and seeking out good knowledge while weeding out the quackery to empower themselves with the information to put together their own quality high-impact regimens and lifestyles. As a newcomer who never took health very seriously before, it is a bit overwhelming (sometimes it even seems anal), but I feel that this is where true cutting edge healthcare, wellness, longevity or whatever you want to call it, lies. When the individual takes such deep personal responsibilty for being informed and kept current and essentially becomes their own care provider, he or she is benefitting on a level that would not likely be gotten anywhere else. The reason I am saying this is because I want to point out that the fact that you clearly state what your synthetic E is, was besides the point. The point is that it's there, is the only choice, and anyone spotting it who knows well enough will think as the above poster did. It is great to know that you will soon carry the natural form and this issue will be moot.

I think it would be absolutely fantastic if you looked over the top rated stuff that gets consistant good feedback and takes latest data/studies into consideration. Two products that immediately come to mind are Ortho Core, which it seems is the Rolls Royce of core multi-supplements, and Ortho Mind. Offering the ability to replicate these with the added benefit of tweaking according personal preference (for example using less of some of the Bs) would go over quite well I am sure. Resveratrol is a must have now, it is super-hot. You could do well with that one alone if you could source good purity, low-emodin at a decent price (if you think I'm kidding, look at the popularity of the 500mg thread). No one seems to be offering this capped yet, as far as I know. Very high concentrated pomegranate, blueberry, green and white tea are also extremely important. I'd look for vitamins, minerals and herbs in their highest absorbable forms. Anyway, without asking for the kitchen sink, I think that this would be a great start if you wanted to move in this direction. I know it is what I would be doing in your place (if had any free time I might use my own advice myself), I truly think it will pay off.

Edited by niteinnyc, 27 March 2007 - 05:07 PM.

[Anthony_Loera]

lol bizarre, didn't expect the actual company to drop by.... It's revgenetics all over again

And no, I have no affiliation with the company and am still not sure whether to trust them or not. I just thought it might be a convenient idea because I am rather pissed off about opening 20 different bottles and ingesting grams of silica and fillers

Welcome CC!

[lol]


Sounds like a good concept, and fills a niche that really hasn't been considered at all. Kudos!
Hey, are you going to the NPA Las Vegas convention? See ya there if you are!

Anthony Loera
RevGene.... (edited)

[edward]

Received my Custom Capsule order yesterday and I am very impressed. Six bottles with glossy labels listing the ingredients. Each bottle is sealed an looks like an off the shelf formulated supplement however it has my name and custom formula on it.

I put most of what I take on a daily basis in my CC formula and I usually get a subjective energy boost and positive feeling (due to things such as ALCAR, Flavonoids, Maca and a few other things) about 45 minutes after taking my morning supplements. After taking my Custom Capsule formula I got this same (if not better) positive feeling and energy boost. This along with the professional presentation of the product leads me to believe that they have indeed done what they said they would do. That is use pharmaceutical compounding equipment to blend the amounts of various supplements I requested into one formula. I talked with them about the various questions I had and they cleared up the standardization issues. Basically every extract they have that is standardized is listed as such % of this or that. If not then it is a whole herb extract. They have plans to get standardized extracts to substitute for these whole herb extracts in the future, so hopefully my only gripe will no longer be a gripe. So far I will definitely be a repeat customer as it is simply great not opening 20 bottles each morning. (now i'm down to about 4)

[zoolander]

How about some photos then edward

[niteinnyc]

Received my Custom Capsule order yesterday and I am very impressed.

Thanks for the review, that sounds promising Edward. Did they give you any eta on getting the other standardized herbs, and did you ask them about better forms of other ingredients? Did you have enough room in one capsule for the whole stack that you ordered, or did you need to divide up the dosages? Not having to open 30 bottles once or more a day sounds good.

[edward]

Oh by the way in an email they informed me that they are adding Resveratrol to their ingredient line within the next month (although personally I like to take that with fish oil and lecithin on an empty stomach separately from everything else). Though if it's cheap enough and of good quality, making a blend with RESV and grapeseed and a few other things might be the way to go.

[zoolander]

Ok guys how about we make up some cocktails and post them here

such as:

Sleep Aid:
Pills Per Serving: 2
Servings Per Batch: 150
Pills Per Batch: 300

Ingredients
5-HTP 100 MG
Melatonin 5 MG
Inositol 100 MG
Valerian Root 150 MG
L-Theanine 200 MG

Total:46.18

[edward]

They didn't give me a timeline for when they would get the other standardized herbs. I'll email them. I don't have my camera here at work but when I get home tonight I will take some pictures and post them.

[zoolander]

cheers

[ageless]

Ok guys how about we make up some cocktails and post them here

such as:

Sleep Aid:
Pills Per Serving: 2
Servings Per Batch: 150
Pills Per Batch: 300

Ingredients
5-HTP    100 MG
Melatonin  5 MG
Inositol    100 MG 
Valerian Root  150 MG 
L-Theanine  200 MG 

Total:46.18

good idea... i already posted my anti-hangover/brain/body mix in another topic.

For sleep aid, I like:

Melatonin 400mcg...can u dose it less than 1mg? I like using a dose of this hormone that is similar to what the body releases naturally and similar to what one might get by eating melatonin rich foods. One study showed 300mcg to be the ideal dose for good sleep. Any more than 500mcg makes me wake up during the night after about 5hrs and I'd also prefer time-released, in the attempt to simulate the body's natural release of this amazing hormone.
Magnesium 200mg (many people are magnesium deficient/sub-optimal and this is a very important mineral that also helps relax you.
5-htp 50mg
Lemon Balm Extract 100mg
L-Tryptophan 500mg

[ageless]

Received my Custom Capsule order yesterday and I am very impressed. Six bottles with glossy labels listing the ingredients. Each bottle is sealed an looks like an off the shelf formulated supplement however it has my name and custom formula on it.

I put most of what I take on a daily basis in my CC formula and I usually get a subjective energy boost and positive feeling (due to things such as ALCAR, Flavonoids, Maca and a few other things) about 45 minutes after taking my morning supplements. After taking my Custom Capsule formula I got this same (if not better) positive feeling and energy boost. This along with the professional presentation of the product leads me to believe that they have indeed done what they said they would do. That is use pharmaceutical compounding equipment to blend the amounts of various supplements I requested into one formula. I talked with them about the various questions I had and they cleared up the standardization issues. Basically every extract they have that is standardized is listed as such % of this or that. If not then it is a whole herb extract. They have plans to get standardized extracts to substitute for these whole herb extracts in the future, so hopefully my only gripe will no longer be a gripe. So far I will definitely be a repeat customer as it is simply great not opening 20 bottles each morning. (now i'm down to about 4)

Hey Edward, how long did it take from the time you ordered and the time it was processed until you recieved it?
I ordered on tues. and it still says my order is processing.
Thanks

[capsule_guy]

Received my Custom Capsule order yesterday and I am very impressed. Six bottles with glossy labels listing the ingredients. Each bottle is sealed an looks like an off the shelf formulated supplement however it has my name and custom formula on it.

I put most of what I take on a daily basis in my CC formula and I usually get a subjective energy boost and positive feeling (due to things such as ALCAR, Flavonoids, Maca and a few other things) about 45 minutes after taking my morning supplements. After taking my Custom Capsule formula I got this same (if not better) positive feeling and energy boost. This along with the professional presentation of the product leads me to believe that they have indeed done what they said they would do. That is use pharmaceutical compounding equipment to blend the amounts of various supplements I requested into one formula. I talked with them about the various questions I had and they cleared up the standardization issues. Basically every extract they have that is standardized is listed as such % of this or that. If not then it is a whole herb extract. They have plans to get standardized extracts to substitute for these whole herb extracts in the future, so hopefully my only gripe will no longer be a gripe. So far I will definitely be a repeat customer as it is simply great not opening 20 bottles each morning. (now i'm down to about 4)

Hey Edward, how long did it take from the time you ordered and the time it was processed until you recieved it?
I ordered on tues. and it still says my order is processing.
Thanks

Ageless,

your order will ship tomorrow.

Best regards,

CC

[capsule_guy]

Oh by the way in an email they informed me that they are adding Resveratrol to their ingredient line within the next month (although personally I like to take that with fish oil and lecithin on an empty stomach separately from everything else). Though if it's cheap enough and of good quality, making a blend with RESV and grapeseed and a few other things might be the way to go.

Reseratrol will be in next week. Along with a natural Vit E. We have already ordered.


Best regards,


CC

[ageless]

Received my Custom Capsule order yesterday and I am very impressed. Six bottles with glossy labels listing the ingredients. Each bottle is sealed an looks like an off the shelf formulated supplement however it has my name and custom formula on it.

I put most of what I take on a daily basis in my CC formula and I usually get a subjective energy boost and positive feeling (due to things such as ALCAR, Flavonoids, Maca and a few other things) about 45 minutes after taking my morning supplements. After taking my Custom Capsule formula I got this same (if not better) positive feeling and energy boost. This along with the professional presentation of the product leads me to believe that they have indeed done what they said they would do. That is use pharmaceutical compounding equipment to blend the amounts of various supplements I requested into one formula. I talked with them about the various questions I had and they cleared up the standardization issues. Basically every extract they have that is standardized is listed as such % of this or that. If not then it is a whole herb extract. They have plans to get standardized extracts to substitute for these whole herb extracts in the future, so hopefully my only gripe will no longer be a gripe. So far I will definitely be a repeat customer as it is simply great not opening 20 bottles each morning. (now i'm down to about 4)

Hey Edward, how long did it take from the time you ordered and the time it was processed until you recieved it?
I ordered on tues. and it still says my order is processing.
Thanks

Ageless,

your order will ship tomorrow.

Best regards,

CC

Awesome! [thumb]
I'm really looking forward to it. And looking forward to many more orders with you guys. Who do I contact with regards to custom capsule getting other nutrients I'm interested in that you don't yet have? ie... hops Isohumolones, corosolic acid, cytidine diphosphate choline(CDP), huperzine-A, vinpocetine, Ginger extract, CoQ10, Vitex, etc...

[ageless]

They didn't give me a timeline for when they would get the other standardized  herbs. I'll email them. I don't have my camera here at work but when I get home tonight I will take some pictures and post them.

No pics yet Edward?!?... I should get my order within a week or so. I'll post my feelings and suggestions.

[luv2increase]

They didn't give me a timeline for when they would get the other standardized  herbs. I'll email them. I don't have my camera here at work but when I get home tonight I will take some pictures and post them.

No pics yet Edward?!?... I should get my order within a week or so. I'll post my feelings and suggestions.

Yeah, it is odd that Edward hasn't posted any pics like he's promised. What is wrong with this?

[curious_sle]

ageless, what's with your order?

[ageless]

ageless, what's with your order?

More specific please curious_sle... I'm assuming I should get it within the next week or so if that is what you mean.

[capsule_guy]

Ageless tr# for your order can be checked through your account.

Curious if you mean why is the shipping taking awhile. We shipped from US and he is outside of the US

Ageless as far as request you can just send them to the comment email on the site. That way every department will receive the email including R&D.


We are going to have pictures on the site very soon but Edward if you were to post some that would be Great!!

[edward]

Hey, sorry guys my wife is using our camera at work, for work. She's in purchasing for a manufacturing plant and is using it to take pictures of inventory for some project her and her boss are working... So short of going and buying another camera I can't do anything about it. Not sure when she will be done with it.

[edward]

Well I put one of my bottles in my scanner and it worked to take a picture. So here you all go. It's a pretty professional presentation and note the professional way the bottle is sealed (nice touch in my opinion).