In an ideal world, food would provide all the nutrients our bodies need. However, this is simply not the case. With depleted soils and days (or even weeks) between harvesting of produce and delivery to markets, it’s very difficult to get truly, nutrient dense food. This doesn’t even consider an individual’s higher nutritional needs from stress or even environmental toxins.
Supplements can play a really important role in keeping the body nourished or in helping to renourish when it’s been depleted. In many cases, nutrient deficiencies (even borderline low levels) can cause common symptoms but, when replenished, can help bring healing to the body.
So, why do I offer dietary supplements to my clients? I want you to have access to high-quality products that are most effective, easily absorbed and worth the price… and also, convenient.
Lots of questions surround supplements. Quality may be the biggest question mark… including:
1. Are the products safe?
2. Do the products work?
3. Are the products worth the cost?
FDA regulations do nothing to ensure any of these things. Safety and efficacy really fall to the individual product manufacturers, which is why the choice of product really does matter.
Here are a few points to consider when shopping for nutritional supplements:
1. The FDA does not test dietary supplements for safety or efficacy
The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) defines how dietary supplements are regulated. The law states that it is the responsibility of each manufacturer to show that a product is safe and effective before marketing that product. But, the FDA has no authority to do its own safety review before a product is made available to the public.
A commonly cited study that brings into question the quality of supplements was conducted by authorities in New York in 2014. They analyzed 78 bottles of dietary supplements from major retailers and found that 4 out of 5 products did not contain evidence of the herbs that were stated on the label and many contained contaminants not listed on the label—things like houseplants, powdered radish, and even wheat in products that were labeled “gluten-free.” Some have argued that the type of testing used was not a valid way to identify herbs, but the presence of so many contaminants cannot be dismissed.
Some companies do their own testing of raw materials and final products, but some do not. Product analyses are completely voluntary. High-quality companies will pay for third-party testing to confirm the presence of ingredients, the potency of ingredients, and the absence of contaminants. Common contaminants that are tested for include heavy metals, solvents, pesticides, and microbes.
Voluntary third-party certifications include the USP Verified Mark, Consumer Labs, UL, International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS), and the Emerson Quality Program℠.* Xymogen too has their exclusive epedigree program and 3rd party testing to protect authenticity and product quality.
2. The FDA does not certify supplement-manufacturing facilities.
The FDA requires companies to follow current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), but it does not offer any certification for this. cGMPs require that the manufacturing facility be clean, climate-controlled, and run with good quality-control procedures. cGMPs have to do with how products are made—they have nothing to do with what is actually in the final product.
Quality companies go above and beyond the requirements of cGMPs and get third-party certifications related to their manufacturing practices. Voluntary certifications for good manufacturing practices include NSF International and NPA (Natural Products Association). The Emerson Quality Program℠ ensures that all companies distributed through Wellevate (now Fullscript), and Xymogen/WholeScripts meet or exceed the standards of cGMPs.*
3. The FDA does not standardize dosages or forms of ingredients in supplements.
Vitamins and minerals can be sourced from many different places and can be provided in many different forms. For example, Pyridoxine hydrochloride is the cheapest form of B6, but pyridoxine-5-phosphate (P5P) is the most biologically active form. Niacin can lower cholesterol, but only at a dosage of 1000 mg per day. Iron sulfate causes the common side effect of constipation, while iron citrate formulated with vitamin C is most readily digested and absorbed.
The form, dose, and the formulation of the supplement all influence whether or not it will be effective. High-quality companies rely on a team of medical experts and evidence-based science to formulate products that offer patients the greatest benefits. Part of the Emerson Quality Program℠ is an evaluation of product formulations of all companies distributed through Emerson Ecologics, Wellevate and FullScript. Xymogen’s/WholeScript’s team uses ingredients and research from around the world to develop their supplements to find what works best for specific conditions to improve clients’ health.
As you can see, quality, formulations and manufacturing play a role in overall effectiveness, safety and value.
Need a personalized plan? Let me help you simplify your supplements and make sure you’re on a good plan for your body.
Need access to clean, quality and effective supplements through a convenient and trustworthy source? Check out my trusted sources Wellevate, Fullscripts, and WholeScripts (Xymogen) below:
Adapted from Fullscript. For additional information on supplement quality programs: Emerson Quality, Xymogen
