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How To Choose Safe Quality, Premium Supplements
If you've visited the vitamin and supplement aisle at your local store recently you've probably been overwhelmed by the myriad of choices available to you. The market of nutritional supplements has boomed as more people use supplements to prevent or treat illnesses.
Everyone should know that supplements are not regulated by the FDA in the same way as drugs. A lot of people are shocked find out how little supervision is in the industry. In fact the FDA is requiring supplement companies to ensure their own safety regarding the quality and purity of their supplements. (Learn more about this in the future).
This is a major risk for consumers who are left to research these products on their own and most would be advised to seek the advice of a medical professional before deciding on supplements for their health.
Supplement Preparation
First a little lesson from baking. If you've ever made cookies or muffins from scratch, you know that some recipes call for baking soda, while other recipes require baking powder. And, if you've ever tried to substitute one for the other, then you're aware that it's not working. But why is that?
While both ingredients make your baked good rise but there is a noticeable difference in the chemical reaction that occurs in order for each ingredient to function. Baking soda requires an acid in order to activate. Baking powder, on contrary, has an activator built in. To determine which ingredient you should use in your baking powder recipe, it is important to examine the ingredients in detail and determine how they interact with baking soda or powder.
The same is true for our bodies. When adding a nutritional supplement to your diet, it's essential to be aware of the full list of ingredients in the recipe.
What exactly is the supplement?
What's the role of each component?
What happens when the supplement is used in conjunction with other supplements or medications?
* How does the supplement interact with your body's overall chemistry?
The forms of nutrients are diverse.
Another element of preparation is the many types of nutrients that compose the supplement. There's usually an active and inactive version of a vitamin. Vitamin D, for example, can be found in three varieties. D1, D2, , and D3. But only D3 is active. Folic acid is the exact same. The active form found in most supplements may not be the form your body is using. The activated form is L-5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate, or L-5-methyl-THF. So if you take the folic acid that's found in numerous vitamins, taking into account that your body will get it into it, absorb it and use it, your body has to activate it. Guess what? What's more, our bodies aren't able to do this effectively.
Vitamin E comes in two types: a natural and a synthetic. It's likely you can guess which one is better to meet your needs.
Why would a manufacturer select the less effective form of a nutrient? In some cases, it comes down to the cost or availability. In other cases the less expensive form might have less space inside the tablet or capsule.
It is evident that there numerous factors that can affect the efficacy of a supplement. Some supplements will deliver what you'd expect, whereas others could not. Worst case scenario, certain supplements could cause nausea.
Quality and Purity of the Supplement
The supplement's quality is another important factor.
As I mentioned in the beginning of this piece There isn't much regulation in the supplement industry. Consumers are spending their money on products that do not meet the standards of the brand. Studies have shown that anywhere from 25% to 75% percent of supplements on the market is an absolute cost-saving waste.
Purity is of vital importance. It's not uncommon to find substances that are harmful in supplements. You may be shocked. They could include lead, mold, mercury, pesticides, insecticides and other toxic substances.
Manufacturing Standards for Nutritional Supplements
The first is that you shouldn't depend on the price of a product as an indicator of quality. Marketers are clever. Marketers are smart. They realize that consumers often think of quality as a price. I've seen expensive products packaged in attractive packaging , yet they fail to meet minimum quality standards.
One of the most important indicators of the quality of a product is whether or not the manufacturer is adhering to the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines. These standards were put out by the FDA as a benchmark to guarantee the quality of supplements. The FDA does not actually test the supplements. The GMPs that are used in supplements are not the same as those employed in the production of drugs. In my opinion, this is the bare minimum requirement for safety.
Independent Lab Testing of Vitamins and Supplements
A reliable manufacturer will send their products to independent labs that check for the purity and quality. The most reliable manufacturers employ third-party inspectors to assess their manufacturing processes.
There isn't an universally accepted seal or approval from the government for regulation. So, you're allowed to examine the standards for quality of every manufacturer.
You're trying to be healthier by taking supplements or vitamins. But, as you can observe, selecting the best supplement can be difficult. There's a science behind the way the most effective supplements are made and the quality of those supplements isn't always easy to assess. It is not possible to purchase supplements over-the-counter. It's not a guarantee that it secure.
