Choosing a Quality Supplement!

The world of nutritional supplements is a confusing landscape for most people.. Arcane terminologies, metric measures and comparisons of individual nutrient formulations leave most people scratching their heads. How does a milligram compare to a microgram? What in an international unit? Why do some products use mineral salts, while others use chelated minerals? What is a chelated mineral? How do you make an informed choice.

Next time you are in a pharmacy or health food store, stop and watch how shoppers make their purchase decisions. Often they will pick up a product, glance at the label and then pick up another to compare. Next, they may go to individual nutrient supplements and investigate this avenue of choice. Often they end up simply walking away confused.

"It runs counter to the most basic principals of nutrition - balance and completeness"

People often approach nutritional supplementation in a piece meal fashion. some take vitamin E to promote cardio vascular health. Others a vitamin C or zinc supplement to support a healthy immune system. Many skip from one product to another month after month, chasing the latest buzz-word or "magic bullet" that has been flaunted in the media. This approach to choosing a nutritional product is just plain wrong. It runs counter to the most basic principals of nutrition - balance and completeness.

Product Quality Checklist

Here is a quick do it yourself ten point checklist to help you evaluate whether a particular product is worthy of your consideration. Ask yourself these questions:

• Is the product delivered in a single dose? (one a day vitamins simply cannot provide the levels of potency needed for optimal nutrition without being to large to swallow.)
• Are the potency levels high enough to provide optimal daily nutritional without compromising safety?
• Are the ingredients provided in their most bio available form? ( Mineral salts are not as well absorbed as chelated minerals or minerals bound to an organic carrier.)
• Is the safety profile of each ingredient thoroughly researched and evaluated?
• Does the company meet pharmaceutical guideline - not food grade guidelines - for Good Manufacturing Processes (GMPs)?
• Is the product formulated to meet pharmaceutical standards for full disintegration and dissolution?
• Is the product potency guaranteed for a specific shelf life?
• Is the product potency independently tested and guaranteed for potency and safety?
• Is the product manufactured in house? (or is it contracted out to the lowest bidder?)
• Is the product free of ingredients that may have cumulate toxicities (pre formed vitamin A and iron?)

If the product meets all of this criteria, you know that you have a nutritional supplement of exceptional quality. If it doesn't keep looking.

In reality, its just not feasible for the consumer to consider all these points about the product just by scanning the label. Many nutritional manufacturers don't make such detailed information easily available.

There are independent publications that have made the comparisons for you. The most comprehensive I have found to date is Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements, Australia-New Zealand Edition by Canadian biochemist, Lyle MacWilliam BSc, MSc, FP. Lyle MacWilliam uses a rigorous 14-point score, to assess product quality. His Blended Standard for optimal daily intake is derived from the independently published recommendations of several well known nutritional authorities. Using these criteria, MacWilliam evaluates nutritional supplements.