Choosing Quality Supplements
Choosing quality supplements, such as vitamins or herbs, can be very tricky. Unfortunately, all supplements are not created equal. As a Naturopathic Physician and former researcher at a supplement company, I have had the chance to evaluate supplements on many levels.
Supplement companies have very few (if any) regulations through the Federal Drug Administration, which allows these companies to produce different levels of quality supplements. As a consumer, I’ve found that it is very difficult to identify reputable supplement companies. As a physician, I am given a plethora of information from credible companies that only sell to professionals. Included in this information are certificates of analysis that “prove” the ingredients in a specific formula. The problem with buying inexpensive supplements from the grocery store is that the consumer cannot be guaranteed to get what the bottle label claims is inside. If you are going to spend money on a supplement, don’t you want to be guaranteed that what you’re taking is truly in the bottle? I would personally rather spend a little more money to get quality ingredients.
The other concern with supplements is the source of the ingredient. It is going to be extremely difficult to find a supplement that doesn’t have at least one ingredient from China or another foreign country. A large number of herbs are grown and processed in China, which aids in keeping the cost of supplements lower. If you are concerned about the source of an ingredient, contact the manufacturer directly to verify the source.
To ultimately choose a good product, my recommendation would be to get supplements through a professional, such as a Naturopathic Physician. Cheaper is not better. If you don’t have access to a Naturopathic Physician or someone that specializes in herbal medicine, make sure you do your own research or homework before buying supplements. Consumer Lab gives brand names that are reputable and tells you where you can find decent supplements. A few of the brand names that I use frequently are Nordic Naturals or Carlson’s for cod liver oil, all Thorne products, Pharmax, Wise Women Herbals, Priority One, Biogenesis, Boiron, and Pure Encapsulations.
Dr. Theresa Martez, ND, LMP
www.naturopathicadvantage.com
360-282-4014
Snohomish, WA
Your partner in health,
Alison
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