With so many supplement companies coming to the market in recent years, it’s hard to know which ones to trust. As consumers, we’d like to think that our health is being protected and looked out for by our government and by the company itself. However, some supplement companies aren’t being as transparent as we think. Consumers are buying supplements thinking they are enhancing their health…but really, some supplements aren’t all that they appear to be.
Outsourced Ingredients
Supplement companies are known to outsource their ingredients and then bring them back into the US to sell. The problem with this is that, they aren’t regulated and could have faulty practices abroad. Think fillers, or unpure ingredients.
Would you want to consume something if you aren’t 100% sure what’s in it?
In today’s pharmaceutical and dietary supplement industry, a lot of U.S drugs and vitamins are outsourced to China. This is a new health concern because only a few China manufacturers are inspected by the FDA and that small percent usually has issues and violations that are well below the US safety standard. Even if the supplement isn’t from China, the ingredients are highly likely to be outsourced from there.
Make sure when you are buying supplements, they are manufactured in the United States and that the ingredients are from the U.S as well.
Manufacturing Practices
Although dietary supplements are not reviewed by the FDA, when they are manufactured in a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified and FDA approved facility, you know you can trust that product.
Be cautious of companies that aren’t manufactured in reliable facilities because they won’t be held to the higher standard that the FDA enforces.
The manufacturer of the supplements are responsible for making sure their own products are safe and effective before going to market. The laws don’t require supplements to be reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration. However, if a product is deemed unsafe once it’s already on the market, then the FDA can step in.
It’s a little uneasy to know that the company who is making the product is also responsible for the safety and effectiveness. There could be and is a lot of shadiness around these operations because of bias. When dietary supplements are manufactured in FDA approved facilities, you know they are approved by a third party and no bias are taking place.
Label Deceit
Some online companies refuse to show you the front and back part of the label. Companies will try to get away with steering the customer elsewhere – like pretty unimportant marketing- instead of the actual ingredients… the main reason you are buying supplements.
Poor Testing Standards
Numerous supplement companies create their products but then can’t confidently prove that what they say is in them are actually in them. Many companies use poor testing standards after their supplements have been manufactured. Are they really tested for purity and potency? They may do this to save money and give out less than par products.
Buy supplements that pride themselves in high standard testing. Make sure they can prove the potency and purity of their products to ensure you are benefiting the most from your daily supplements. You don’t want to be taking a pill that is doing nothing for you, do you? Like stated before, make sure they are made or tested in FDA approved facilities or tested by a reliable third party.
Diluted Supplements
Some companies list their “health-improving” ingredients and back it up with scientific research. However, though it may be true that the ingredients have been shown to have benefits, these results would only be found if consuming large amounts.The amount that’s in some supplements are so dilute and minuscule at the time it’s taken that it’s pretty much negligible (aka a waste of your money). On the label, ingredients may be listed as a proprietary blend. This is where they will list the blend ingredients but never the actual amount. This is where they could get away with including such a small amount but still claiming that it could have health benefits.
Before You Buy…
Before buying any supplements, do your own research. See if the company provides research to back up their ingredients. Pay attention to the amount of active ingredients that the supplement provides in each dose.
Take charge of your health.
Be your own health advocate.