Top 10

Top 10 Things to Look For When Selecting Nutritional Supplements, Including Trans-Resveratrol

 

 

10.  Check to make sure the manufacture puts an expiration date on the supplement. Products become less potent over time. Look for an expiration date and make sure the product is fresh. Almost all supplement manufacturers list them on the packaging. The Council for Responsible Nutrition just recently released new procedures for establishing expiration dates for multivitamins and supplements.

9. Make sure the supplement is addressing a particular health problem and that it has the scientific research to back it up. A good rule to follow for taking supplements is to take those that have the research behind it that shows some advantage to taking it and addresses safety concerns. Another factor to pay attention to is whether studies demonstrate that a significant part of the population is deficient in a certain nutrient or that amounts above the Recommended Daily Allowance offer health benefits.

8. Check to make sure the supplement contains cofactors. Co-factors (helper nutrients) are essential for building a high-quality supplement. This means that nutrient ingredients are paired with other ingredients to provide optimal benefits. Some examples of cofactors are amino acids, enzymes, essential fatty acids, carotenoids, antioxidants, flavanoids, minerals and trace components. The broader the variety of micro-nutrients, the more synergistic the product will be.

7. Make sure the supplement supplies more nutrients than the recommended RDA. The
RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) was developed in the 1930s as the minimum needed to avoid malnutrition; not amounts needed to fight degenerative disease. The soil at that time contained many more vitamins and minerals than it contains at the present time; so today, we must get the necessary nutrients from supplements. Choose products with amounts closer to the numbers that the current mainstream medical literature recommends for combating degenerative disease.

6. Look for supplements that contain only the purest excipients, where necessary. Excipients are substances that are used to hold a vitamin together, but add no nutritive value.  Some examples of these are stearates, palmitates, polyethylene glycol, titanium dioxide, and other potentially unsafe manufacturing additives. In some inferior supplements, excipients can make up the majority of the supplement. Additives in supplements can cause allergic reactions, hinder absorption, and have adverse side effects.

5. Look for vitamin supplements that contain organic ingredients. Look for supplements that are made from plants grown on certified organic soil.  Non-organic farms may use pesticides and synthetic chemicals, which the body then has to break down in the liver.  These unwanted chemicals may do more harm than good.  In selecting a good plant-based supplement, it should include a wide range of concentrated plants, fruits, and vegetables.

4. Make sure the manufacturer has high standards for manufacturing procedures. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so the amount of the nutrients stated on the label might be different than what is actually in the product. Contact the manufacturer to confirm that the supplements are third-party certified, from an outside lab. Also check to see that the company adheres to pharmaceutical manufacturing standards, by confirming that the vitamin doesn’t contain harmful contaminants such as lead and mercury, that it will actually break down and be released into the body, and that the manufacturer uses good quality control practices during production.

3. Look for vitamins that contain nutrients that the body can absorb in their raw form. Some examples of these are gluconates, citrates, glycinates, and amino acid chelates.  These are much better utilized in the body and bioavailable at the cellular level, which means that they are delivered in a way that the cell can use them for maximum benefit. Nutrients our bodies have a much tougher time absorbing include forms such as chlorides and oxides. The oxide form of any nutritional supplement is the least expensive form of that mineral, usually supplied as magnesium, zinc and/or copper.

2.  Look for natural, plant-based forms of the vitamin, instead of synthetic versions. Many supplements contain synthetic, chemically derived vitamins and minerals which may not be well absorbed by the body. Plant-based supplements provide an entire set of nutrients, not just the ones that are recognized to be beneficial.  Additionally, synthetic nutrients may have some negative side effects that food-based nutrients do not have. Scientists are still not entirely sure how synthetic supplements interact in the body. Studies show the body is able to utilize less than 10 percent of the synthetic minerals included in the most popular multivitamins. However, the body is able to absorb 80 percent to 100 percent of the minerals derived from plants.

1. Make sure the product does not contain any artificial or synthetic ingredients.  Vitamins should not contain any preservatives, additives, artificial flavors or food colors. These have been known to cause health problems, such as hyperactivity, rashes and headaches in the same people who may be sensitive to certain chemicals. The majority of artificial flavorings are derived from petroleum, and artificial flavors consist of many chemical ingredients, not just one.

 

"You have my promise that Reziva® meets the most stringent requirements for quality nutritional supplements."