All Supplements Are The Same, Right?

For most of us, this is what we've been told.  All supplements are the same.  It doesn't matter what you take or where you get them from.  Just buy the cheapest...it doesn't matter.  But is this true?

No, it is not.  In a nutshell, supplements can be broken down into (2) categories of quality:  Food Grade and Pharmaceutical Grade.

So what's the difference?  Food Grade supplements are overseen by the FDA.  These are the supplements you will find at your local store in the vitamin aisle.  There are a few issues with these types of supplements. 

1.  They may or may not contain all the ingredients listed on the bottle. 
2.  They may or may not contain those ingredients in the amounts advertised. 
3.  The FDA also allows fillers, binders, dyes, etc to be included, but the manufacturer is not required to list them on the label.  These can make up 10% or more of the contents.  Meaning if an ingredient is listed as having 100mg, you may only be getting 90mg (or less).
4.  ConsumerLabs (an independent tester of supplements) has found "foreign substances" in some of these products, such as metal shavings.
5.  There is no guarantee the supplement will actually dissolve in your body.  If it doesn't dissolve, it is not absorbed and is, essentially, worthless.  It basically comes out looking like it did when it went in.
6.  To keep costs down, many manufacturers use synthetic ingredients rather than pure forms.  An example is Vitamin E.  Check the label on your bottle.  If it is using DL-Alpha Tocopheryl, this is synthetic and does not absorb into your body very well.
7.  According to the FDA, manufacturers are NOT required to provide evidence that the supplement is effective or safe.

Pharmaceutical Grade supplements adhere to strict rules regarding the manufacture of supplements and their purity.  These are the same rules used by pharmaceutical companies.  They must follow GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and follow USP (United States Pharmacopedia) guidelines.  Some also have NSF certification (a 3rd party consumer watchdog organization who randomly inspects and tests products).

1.  All ingredients listed on the label must be included in the bottle.
2.  The amounts of those ingredients must be found in the bottle.
3.  Binders, fillers, dyes, etc are not allowed and the ingredients must be OVER 99% pure.
4.  Because these follow GMPs and USP guidelines (and in some cases, NSF certification), there are NO foreign substances in the products.
5.  Generally, these supplements are guaranteed to dissolve in the body.
6.  These products use higher quality ingredients (see #3).  The higher quality ingredients are more expensive, thus the large price difference.  Again, using the Vitamin E example, D-Alpha Tocopheryl is the natural form of Vitamin E and will absorb into the body.
7.  And again, because of USP guidelines, these products can give the consumer peace-of-mind.

So as you can see, all supplements are not created equal.  When you are looking for a supplement, weigh the differences and remember, 'You get what you pay for'.  Seek out supplement manufactures who follow GMPs, USPs, and have NSF certification to ensure you are getting the highest quality supplement.  Or in other words, make sure you get more 'Bang for your Buck'.

To Your Health