Absolutely. This is one of the two main messages of this website. Most people think that "a vitamin is a vitamin," and "just buy the cheapest one available." Is that how you want to approach your health? Quality supplements make all the difference in the world to maintaining your health and longevity due to several reasons. The basics of any supplement is that it must dissolve (disintegrate) within a short period of time (ten minutes or less) within your stomach, then it must be in a formulation that is readily absorbed in the intestines, and thirdly the nutrients must be in a form that is "bio-available," a state that the cells recognize and utilize. Nutritional supplements are a science, and the manufacturing of these supplements must be approached that way. This makes all the difference in how the supplements affect your body and cells; the difference between "wasting your money" and TRUE HEALTH!
Quality manufacturers are few, so here just a few things to look for from your supplement brand:
Pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing (vs. food-grade): Most supplements are made to the standards that apply to your pizza: "as long as it doesn't hurt you, it is safe for consumption." Pharmaceutical-grade GMP (good manufacturing practices) is a standardized process that ensures the quality of the supplements. This can be verified by third parties (see next section).
U.S. Pharmocopeia: Make sure the supplement manufacturer adheres to the U.S. Pharmocopeia Standards of Production, that includes dissolution. If the products cannot dissolve in a timely manner within your stomach they cannot effectively be absorbed.
100% Potency Guaranteed: It is shocking the number of brands (name brands) that do not contain the amount of ingredients stated on the bottle. Studies from Yale New Haven Hospital and Tufts University Hospital have shown that many brands not only contain less than the stated amount of ingredients (from 50% of the listed ingredients, down to 0% in some cases), they are also made with the wrong ratios of vitamins and minerals to each other, and are missing some ingredients altogether. Always look for the guarantee of potency.
Athlete Guarantee: Most Olympic and professional athletes will not take ANYTHING, let alone supplements, out of fear of being disqualified for banned substances. The brand that we use and recommend carries a one million dollar guarantee that no banned substances could ever be traced back to their products. Many Olympic and professional athletes are using our products with confidence, and experiencing noticeable differences in their performances.
Third-Party Verfication: (see next section).
Safety: Iron can accumulate in the body and cause heart and liver damage, let alone death. Health care providers should monitor iron levels and make recommendations. One should never take iron without the supervision of their health care provider. Vitamin A can be toxic at higher levels (to the liver) as well as cause birth defects. Beta carotene is the preferred "pro-vitamin A" supplement, as the body converts beta carotene into vitamin A as the body requires. These are just two of many supplement facts that quality manufacturers take into account.
Who is manufacturing the products? Does the supplier (the distributor) manufacture their own products, or does some huge conglomerate manufacture brand X one day, brand Y another, and brand Z on yet another day? If the distributor/supplier does not manufacture their own products it is very difficult to maintain quality control (from ingredients to end product distribution).
Quality Ingredients: Manufacturers of supplements buy their ingredients from suppliers. Not all suppliers are the same. Most brands provide ingredients of low quality, low potency, and low purity. This is very inexpensive, and many manufactures prefer the inexpensive ingredients because they can put their products on the shelf at a low cost and still maintain a high profit margin. Quality vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant ingredients come with certificates of analysis, and are certified to be potent and pure. If you don't start with quality ingredients you cannot end up with a quality end product.
Is there third-party verification regarding the quality of supplement brands?
Yes, there is. And, third-party INDEPENDENT verification regarding the quality of nutritional supplements is critical to your health. Most people are not taking quality supplements, and therefore are not getting the full benefits for which they are taking them in the first place. Furthermore, since most people are not taking quality supplements, or supplements that do not contain the amounts stated on the bottle, or purity required for optimal absorption and bio-availability, no significant health improvements are noticed by them or their doctors.
On the other hand, many physicians are noticing true health changes in thousands of people who have made quality supplements a part of their daily lives. However, how does one know if a brand truly is pure, potent, and guaranteed to contain what it states on the bottle? Is there a guide that helps people compare various brands? Yes!
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