Is it time for you to evaluate your super supplements?
Indeed, more than ever, people are focusing on nutrition and nutritional supplements to help them live healthier, longer, and happier lives. In fact, nutritional supplementation with the correct nutrients manufactured with quality ingredients and administered through studies rather than randomly, can be very effective in helping people live healthier, longer, and happier lives. Of course, eating a healthy diet and exercise are also vital for vibrant optimal health.
Sure almost all companies talk about their quality, and some even go as far as referring to their products as super supplements, you know, one of those state-of-the-art completely safe comprehensive super supplements that is nutrition-packed with powerful ingredients to help reverse the effects of aging among others.
Let the buyer beware!
Before you select or re-purchase your super supplements to serve as a foundation for optimal health there are a few important things you need to be aware of in regards to quality.
First, there are a significant number of supplements on the world market today that are either not true to the ingredient label, or have contaminants present.
In fact, according to ConsumersLab.com whose mission is to identify the best quality health and nutritional supplements through independent testing recently found the following:
“Eleven echinacea products were purchased and tested. Five failed. One had excessive lead contamination. Four had less key echinacea plant chemicals than claimed on their labels. Properly used, echinacea may help reduce the duration of colds.”
This is just one of many examples from ConsumersLab.com.
So, in our opinion, it’s easy to talk quality, but through our extensive research there are only a few manufacturers that actually achieve it! There are of course many reasons for this such as dishonest management and pressure from shareholders to cut corners and improve profitability — just to name a few. However, as consumers, there are a few steps that you can do to help safeguard yourself before purchasing those super supplements promising you the world in regards to their efficacy.
1. Does the company adhere to pharmaceutical GMP compliance, which is among the most rigorous manufacturing standards for dietary supplements in the world?
2. Does the company have a quality control department? Do they also have the equipment and highly trained personnel needed to manage a professional quality control function? This is crucial.
3. Does the company have a COA (Certificate of Analysis) on file for each batch of product produced and, in addition, does the company do a series of crosschecks before purchasing any raw ingredients that guarantees their potency and safety?
Now, let’s move on to ingredients of these so called multi nutrient/multivitamin super supplements that are jam packed with nutrients for optimal health?
Let’s begin with anti-aging ingredients.
You’ve probably heard by now that free radicals cause premature aging and disease if left unchecked and, as such, antioxidants are needed to help fight the continuous onslaught of free radicals. However, it’s important to understand that while there are literally hundreds of antioxidants, they all have varying levels of potency. For example, vitamins A, C and E are all antioxidants, but they are all weak, and although they are necessary for optimal health they don’t hold a ‘candle’ to a really potent antioxidant such as L-Glutathione.
Do your multi-nutrient or multivitamin super supplements contain L-Glutathione and if so, is it in a reduced form?
Why should it be taken in this special ‘reduced’ form? This is because L-Glutathione will not pass through the intestinal walls into the blood stream unless it’s taken in a smaller molecular size. In addition, supplementation with L-Glutathione must be in the form of an enteric coated tablet and the nutrient released in the upper intestine to be effective.
That said, there are some other powerful antioxidants — not as powerful as L-Glutathione — but more potent that the common vitamins nutrients:
- Green tea extract
- Bilberry
- Lutein
- L-Carnosine
- Grape extract
- And others
Final note about antioxidants ….
Antioxidants work synergistically in giving protection against the continuous onslaught of free radicals and, as such, it’s better to take smaller doses of several different types of antioxidants rather than just take a few at higher doses. So, are your super supplements providing you with the best free radical protection?
But wait, free radicals is just one of several causes of aging.
Preventing glycation and the formation of AGEs, as well as reducing chronic inflammation, and balancing methylation for healthy DNA are also important for a successful anti-aging program.
Are your multi-nutrient or multivitamin super supplements formulated to address these other causes of aging, which are every bit as important as reducing free radicals?
Does your multi-nutrient or multivitamin super supplement contain enzymes and amino acids or does it just contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants?
For example,L-Carnosine is an amino acid that is touted as an “anti aging nutrient” because of its favorable effects on inhibiting the formation of age-inducing substances called “advanced glycation end products” (AGEs). Glycosylation is the oxidation of proteins which occur when sugar molecules attach to proteins and block their normal metabolic function resulting in cross-linking of proteins. In other words, AGEs are abnormal, cross-linked and oxidized proteins which are implicated in loss of cell function, genome integrity and accelerated aging. Studies suggest that carnosine protects DNA and proteins from cross-linking. Moreover, it also binds to already formed AGEs and inactivates them.
What about digestive enzymes for digestive health?
What about SAMe?
SAM-e is found in all human cells and is a methyl donor involved in the making of dozens of important compounds in the body. For example, SAMe plays a role in cell maintenance and nerve function. It is also involved in the making of genetic material, known as DNA, and cartilage as well as being instrumental in the detoxification of drugs and harmful compounds. In addition, it helps produce and break down brain chemicals such as serotonin, melatonin, and dopamine.
But wait — there are more SAMe benefits …
SAMe helps to maintain desirable levels of glutathione, a major and really potent antioxidant.
What about Resveratrol?
Resveratrol is a potent nutrient found in the skin of red grapes that harbors anti-cancer properties. In addition, this nutrient may offer protection against cardiovascular disease.
Oftentimes you will NOT see powerful health promoting nutrients like SAMe, L-Glutathione, Carnosine, and resveratrol in supplements because of cost of the raw ingredients and/or be because these nutrients require enteric coating, which is also very expensive.
What about Polysaccharides? Polysaccharides are the most potent immunity enhancer available. Examples of polysaccharides include:
- Aloe Vera Polysaccharides
- Beta 1,3-Glucan (Beta Glucans are polysaccharides)
- Tea Polysaccharides
What about Gender Support Nutrients?
Do your multi-nutrient or multivitamin super supplements contain nutrients specifically for women to help balance hormones naturally?
- Black Cohosh
- Wild Yam
- Dong Quai
- Red Clover
- Isoflavones
- Chaste Berry (Vitex)
Leading support nutrients for MEN are:
- Chrysin
- Beta Sitosterol
- Red Clover
- Lycopene
- Saw Palmetto
- Zinc
Are your multi-nutrient or multivitamin super supplements scientifically formulated for optimal health?
For example, does it contain carefully selected nutrients that work together to cover every aspect of your health and the nutrients you need to obtain it?
In addition to the above recommendations when looking for a professional source for your super supplements, we recommend the following tips.
1. There should be evidence of ingredient effectiveness available for you to view, along with relevant clinical studies.
2. Make sure your super supplements are free from additives and preservatives.
3. Select a product created by someone who is credentialed and qualified to create a supplement with ingredients that work in balance and synergistically to offer the maximum results. For example, is the product formulated by a scientist with absolutely top-notch credentials?
4. Make sure your product contains only standardized herbal extracts. Many manufactures do not use standardized extracts because it’s much cheaper to use low-quality ingredients.
Final note in regards to these so called super supplements …
Keep in mind that over 90% of nutritional supplements on the market today are produced by contract manufacturers and, as such, it makes it impossible for marketers/brand owners to control the quality of the raw ingredients. Therefore, it’s very important that you do your homework because your very health is dependent on the decisions you make.
Does the company provide you with detailed information at their website to give you the peace of mind that if you select their multi-nutrient supplement to serve as a foundation for optimal health it is of top-notch quality?
Wouldn’t you also want the peace of mind that comes from making sure that the supplement you selected has been formulated by someone who is qualified to create a supplement such as a scientist with absolutely top-notch credentials?
Cindy Amorin is the chief editor of Nutritional-Supplement-Educational-Centre.com, an information-rich site that discusses nutritional, dietary, and herbal supplements and their potential therapeutic value.