American researchers have made a major breakthrough in the world of nutrition. Scientists have discovered that most vitamins, including the world's best-selling brands, are poorly absorbed and even worse, they prevent both natural and commercial anti-oxidant supplements (vitamins that people take to reduce the risk of serious diseases like cancer) from working - until now.

Dr. Garry R. Buettner, the head of the Free Radical Research Institute, from the University of Iowa, considered the world's number one authority in the field of free radical research, made the discovery along with researchers from Melaleuca Inc., considered one of the world's leading wellness companies, and a registered pharmaceutical company.

Dr. Buettner and a team of scientists tested the world's leading vitamin supplements. According to Melaleuca President and CEO Frank VanderSloot, the team of researchers discovered that the process used by almost every vitamin manufacturer prevents anti-oxidants from working in the small intestine - rendering both the vitamins and the anti-oxidants useless.

VanderSloot went on to tell close to 10,000 customers at the company's annual convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, and tens of thousands more by webcast and teleconference, that Melaleuca has filed for a patent on a new discovery - oligofructose complex - that is now the world's only vitamin process that accomplishes two things: (1) proper mineral absorption, and (2) does not destroy the value of anti-oxidants.

Until the announcement, Melaleuca had been the only company in the world with a patent on vitamin and mineral absorption. That patent, commonly called fructose compounding, expired recently and the company has replaced it with its new oligofructose complex.

VanderSloot was careful to point out that the company's new vitamin line does not prevent nor cure any disease. However, he emphasized that there are thousands upon thousands of research papers from the around the world that, for decades, have proven the cancer-fighting and disease-fighting nature of anti-oxidants. The challenge, until now, has been to prove or disprove the absorbability and effectiveness of anti-oxidant supplements, a multi-billion dollar industry, and the role traditional vitamins play.