Because supplements are subject to fairly limited regulation by the FDA, it can be confusing to determine which supplements are safe and effective. When buying vitamins and other supplements, look for products that have been tested by third parties and that contain safe levels of vitamins and minerals. According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade association that represents manufacturers of dietary supplements and functional foods in the U.S. UU.
Whether you want to increase your vitamin D levels or increase your iron intake, supplements are one way to improve your nutrition and make sure you get all the nutrients your body needs. Patented blends and formulas, as well as complex ones, are often developed around an expensive ingredient because this allows the company to use less of that ingredient, creating a formula where the expensive ingredient is only a small part of the formula. We've seen this with ingredients like CoQ10, curcumin, SAMe, and chondroitin in joint supplements. Minerals are unstable on their own and must be stabilized in supplements as salts, meaning that they are chemically bound to another compound.
This isn't a problem, but most of the weight of these salts can often be the other compound and not the mineral. For example, only 14% of magnesium bisglycinate is magnesium and only 11% of magnesium citrate is magnesium. This doesn't mean they aren't good forms of magnesium, but it's important that the label states exactly how much of the mineral you're eating. For example, a good label might say Magnesium (as magnesium citrate) 110 mg, so you know you're taking 110 mg.
A misleading label for the same product may say 1000 mg of magnesium citrate, leading you to believe that you are consuming much more magnesium than the 110 mg it provides (since the remaining 890 mg is citrate and not magnesium). A similar problem exists when it comes to getting choline from supplements. Where there is more limited or scant scientific evidence, on a case-by-case basis, supplements may make qualified health claims with respect to reducing the risk of disease if they have been reviewed and evaluated by the FDA prior to use and are accompanied by disclaimers regarding the level of scientific evidence. One example is that psyllium husk, based on very limited evidence, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Another example is that EPA and DHA may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering blood pressure, according to inconsistent and inconclusive evidence. Supplement labels aren't required to disclose when the amount of an ingredient may pose a risk of harm, and most don't voluntarily disclose it. Be careful when a vitamin or mineral is listed at more than 100% of the Daily Value (DV), as it is more than you normally need from your entire diet and may be too much. The daily value is based on the maximum requirement of the general population, but its requirement may be lower.
The first step to becoming an informed consumer is to review the product's ingredients. Do some research to weigh the pros and cons, and also see what the experts say. Take the time to do your homework. Read the company's website and learn how the company gets its products.
Check to see if a company has a reputable advisory board, and finally, know that even scientific studies can be biased. Be your own health advocate and live your best life with credible information. USP tests to ensure that the diet capsules you're buying have the right amount of ingredients in each dose, so you know what you're doing to improve your health, whether you're taking a probiotic or a multivitamin. Supplements with the USP checkmark not only mean that what you buy is what you see on the label, but that the product meets high quality standards.
Before you buy a vitamin or other supplement, check the warning signs above to make sure that the product at least promises to give you what you want. People are increasingly taking responsibility and control of their diets with foods that are not only delicious, but also nutritious. Some people need to drink a liquid if they have trouble absorbing the vitamins in a pill, or even if they find it difficult to swallow capsules or tablets. That said, here are four quality control tests that USP practices to ensure that the supplements you're buying meet high quality standards.
I'm breaking down what you should know before buying supplements and answering some of your most common questions. The USP analyzes the purity of capsules, powders, and liquids, so you should not buy supplements that contain unwanted ingredients that could harm your health. .
