18 Jul How To Spot A Poor Quality Supplement
While it would be nice to think we could consume optimal amounts of vital nutrients from food alone, unfortunately, we can’t. Even if our diets were perfect (and most of our population’s diet is far from perfect), over-farmed soils mean that even whole foods contain less nutrients than they used to. Meanwhile, environmental toxins, lack of sunlight, and chronic stress increase our nutrient needs. In short, our nutrient needs are higher than ever while our intake has declined significantly. Enter nutritional supplements. As a team of nutritionists, we recommend supplements to the majority of our clients, but finding genuinely high quality supplements can be challenging in a crowded marketplace. So how do you spot a bad supplement? And which brands do we recommend? Read on to find out.
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ADDITIVES IN SUPPLEMENTS
There are a number of things to look out for when it comes to identifying poor quality supplements. But to illustrate how hard it is to tell the good from the bad, let’s start with an anecdote.
Recently I saw a client who shared with us an iron supplement her doctor had recommended for her. It was an American brand and a product we hadn’t come across before. I checked the supplement facts and here’s what I found.
The supplement contained ferrous sulphate, a form of iron that we do not recommend because it often causes gut issues.
A list of 14 other ingredients that read like an ultra-processed food label. It included three food colourings: red 40 lake, yellow 6 lake, blue 1 lake. These food colourings are derived from petroleum and carry warnings of adverse effects on activity and attention in children in the EU. Red 40 and Yellow 6 contain benzidine, a human and animal carcinogen permitted in low levels in dyes. These additives have no place in our food, let alone a nutritional supplement.
Not only was this product providing a poor quality nutrient form along with a list of other undesirable additives. It was also ‘slow release’. The use of delayed-release capsules is not recommended as the body needs to absorb iron earlier in the digestive process.
This product looked like something you’d find in a high street chemist or supermarket. A mass market, affordably priced product. But paying more money for a ‘premium’ brand doesn’t necessarily guarantee a better quality product.
PREMIUM PACKAGING DOES NOT NECESSARILY = A PREMIUM SUPPLEMENT
When it comes to supplements the ingredients and manufacturing processes are infinitely more important than the packaging. I was recently gifted a beautifully packaged supplement designed for sleep. The branding and packaging looked as though it had taken inspiration from designer beauty brands, and was £60 for a one month supply. But the ingredient list was less than impressive. In addition to containing low levels of beneficial nutrients, the supplement contained synthetic forms of some vitamins, including folic acid instead of natural folate. We would always recommend supplementing folate over folic acid – here’s a good article on why.
In most cases where supplements have beautiful packaging, you’re paying more for the packaging than you are for the pill or powder.
SO, HOW DO YOU AVOID POOR QUALITY SUPPLEMENTS?
I recently spoke to Ben Law, owner of Love Life Supplements, for an article on supplements I wrote for L’Officiel. He shared that: “Unfortunately, the supplement industry is not well-regulated, which opens the door to anyone being able to put almost anything they want into a capsule and selling it to the public.”
“You really need to do the homework on the company you are buying from and the supplements they produce before making a purchasing decision” said Ben. “Look for third party verified reviews and ensure they can provide rigorous testing documentation. Demand to see a Certificate Of Analysis (COA) for each supplement and make sure the batch number on the certificate matches the batch number on the bottle/tub. Make sure the COA contains heavy metal and microbiology test results at a minimum.”
WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON SUPPLEMENTS INGREDIENTS LISTS
High quality, well absorbed forms of nutrients. When it comes to vitamin D, for example, vitamin D3 is better absorbed and utilised in the body compared to vitamin D2.
An optimal dose of the nutrient you’re supplementing. You want to ensure you’re getting enough to provide a therapeutic benefit. This can be different depending on the indication. For example, vitamin D comes in a wide range of doses. I might recommend a client anywhere from 2000ius daily to maintain optimal levels to 50,000ius once a week to correct deficiency, depending on their individual need.
WHAT YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE
A list of undesirable, unnecessary additives. Scrutinise the ingredient list and if you’re not sure what something is, Google it.
Poor quality forms of nutrients. ‘Oxide’ forms of minerals are common but not well absorbed, for example.
Low levels of beneficial nutrients. Again, you can research online and find reputable sources of information to guide you around how much of a specific nutrient you need.
WHERE TO FIND HIGH QUALITY SUPPLEMENTS
If you don’t wish to spend your time contacting supplement manufacturers for certificates of analysis, the key is to find trustworthy brands so that you can feel confident you’re purchasing high quality products. But how do you know which brands to trust? You can read this article on some of the supplement brands that my team and I regularly recommend.
If you’re looking to create a high quality supplements protocol that’s tailored to your individual nutritional needs, consider working with a nutritionist. Qualified nutritionists are trained in creating effective supplement protocols, tailored to individual needs, using the best quality products. Working with an expert you can feel confident that what you’re taking is right for you.
SUPPLEMENT DISCOUNT CODES
If you feel confident you know what you need and are simply on the lookout for reputable brands, I recommend shopping at Natural Dispensary. Here you can feel confident that products listed are all from high quality manufacturers. Natural Dispensary is trusted by many nutritionists and is a one-stop-shop for great supplements and natural skincare products. You can use our clinic’s Natural Dispensary discount code PEARSON10 for 10% off at the checkout.
I also highly recommend Ben’s company, Love Life Supplements. Use discount code: PEARSON10, for 10% off.
Finally, Nutri Advanced has a wide range of high quality products. You can register as our client with the code: C000435799 for a range of benefits, including £10 off your first order. Nutri are our go-to for multivitamins as they have a range of products to suit different stages of life. We also recommend their Nutri Advanced Superfoods.
INVEST WISELY
With supplements, you typically get what you pay for up to a point. When you buy brands like Love Life Supplements and Nutri Advanced, you’re paying for a high quality, well formulated supplement. But when the price seems excessively high, you’re likely paying more for the Dior-like bag or solid glass caddy than you are for what’s inside.
WORK WITH US
We know that navigating supplements, as well as many other aspects of health and nutrition, can be a minefield. We are a team of qualified, experienced nutritionists who specialise in weight loss. If you believe that you could benefit from personalised, expert health and nutrition advice, we can help. You can use this link to book in for a complimentary call today. This is an opportunity to talk through your challenges with a member of our team and decide together whether one of our Intelligent Weight Loss programmes is right for you. Or contact us to request a copy of our brochure and we will get back to you soon.
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