Can we just take a sec to talk supplements? Like, why where you purchase your supplements matter and how to purchase supplements safely.
I was recently asked a question that REALLY made me think. She ask asked why I recommended a certain digestive enzyme over another (much cheaper) brand from the drug store.
I get it, I’ve been that broke college student too. We all like to save a buck, am I right?
And she is not alone with this question, I’ve heard similar questions in the past. But the truth is, there’s a BIG difference when it comes to supplements, that $8 bottle of digestive enzymes on Amazon is not the same as the $25 bottle from your health practitioner. I’m telling you, this is not an area you want to cut corners. Especially, when you want to get results. When you make the choice to buy supplements from Wal-Mart, or off Amazon, or hell…even Sephora sells supplements, you’re taking a gamble. This choice makes you susceptible to:
FAKE PRODUCT – Yes, Amazon has been known to receive counterfeit product. Just this last summer they put out a consumer notice. If you’re lucky, you took a pill full of corn starch for $20. Or you end up really sick after consuming one contaminated with heavy metals or pharmaceuticals.
DILUTED INGREDIENTS – The regulation on consumer grade supplements is pretty pathetic. Did you know that on the rare* occasion these products are tested, they are allowed to have +/-20% of the number listed on the label. So if you buy 5000IU of vitamin D because your Dr. said so, you may only be getting 4000IU. Variances are often even greater since they aren’t regularly being checked. Meaning you won’t get the therapeutic effects as quickly.
LACK OF DISCLOSURE – Consumer grade products also lack ingredient disclosure, because well, they don’t have to list any ingredients that make up <1% active ingredients.
FILLERS – Your local drugstore is filled to the brim w/ supplements containing fillers. Fillers are generally used to fill-out a capsule or stretch a product further. They contain anything from starch, calcium, salts, sugars, silicon dioxide, or maltodextrin.
DEGRADATION – I can almost guarantee that your supps from the drugstore or an online retailer are not temperature controlled. Lots of supps require a stable temp to prevent product degradation. If a product spends time in a hot warehouse or UPS truck, you can bet your product won’t be as potent or beneficial as you hoped.
When you lay it all out, it’s crazy and scary to think you don’t know what you’re getting in some cases. That is why I will ALWAYS recommend quality, medical grade products you can trust. I typically recommend buying directly from a quality brands like Pure Encapsulations, Metagenics, Biotics Research, Klaire Labs, Bio-Botanical Research, NuEthix Formulations. Otherwise, you can often place a purchase directly from your health professional. For my go-to products, head to our shop at Nutrition Dynamic, where you can purchase quality products from the brands above.
What other questions do you have about how to purchase supplements safely?
