Dietary supplements: and what to look for when buying them
Over-the-counter supplements are a tricky topic of discussion for me. I think they are great in the sense that they provide additional coverage when it comes to our bodies overall nutritional needs, however, there are a few important things to note when venturing down that supplement aisle. This blog is dedicated to that.
First and foremost, its important to note that the FDA does not have the authority to review the safety and effectiveness of dietary supplements before they are marketed. This means that manufacturers can introduce ANY PRODUCT into the market that they believe is safe, without any FDA approval. ANY PRODUCT. This right here is why I always ask my clients to run the over-the-counter supplements that they are taking by their doctor. Would hate for them to be taking a garbage supplement that provides little-to-no nutritional value!
Okay… if the FDA does not regulate OTC supplements then who does?
To the best of my knowledge not all supplements undergo testing for safety, effectiveness, and quality. Again, a huge reason why I ask my clients to run the supplements that they are taking by their doctor. That being said—if no FDA regulations, how is one supposed to differentiate between high quality and potentially low quality supplements? Look for a USP label. A USP label is a mark that can be found on some over-the-counter supplement bottles. This is a mark that indicates that the dietary supplement has been independently tested and reviewed to meet the quality standards of the United States Pharmacopeia. In other words, these supplements go through the USP Verification Program, which is a program that is open to manufacturers of dietary supplements from around the world.
From my experience, when shopping for OTC supplements, the supplements that go through the USP verification process are typically more expensive than the ones that don’t, however, isn’t it worth it to get a higher-quality supplement? Shown below are some common supplement brands that utilize the USP verification process.
Common Supplement Brands that go through the USP Verification Process:
Nature Made
Kirkland Signature
Member’s Mark
Trunature
Natrol
Nature’s Bounty
Vitafusion
AZO
Estroven
Flomentum
Kirk Humanitarian
Move Free
Nature’s Lab
Pure Alaska Omega
Okay, so now we all know that over-the-counter supplements do not require FDA approval. We now know that there are a lot of supplements out there, available for purchase, that have not had to undergo any testing for safety, quality, and effectiveness. How are we supposed to move forward knowing this information? As a registered dietitian, knowing what I know, I have several tips on the matter… which you can find below.
1) Don’t halt all use of OTC supplements… I actually think OTC supplements can be very beneficial when looking to cover all bases within the body. Especially when concerned about potential nutrient deficiencies and unable to treat those deficiencies through diet. Instead of immediate cessation of OTC supplements, have your PCP look over what you are taking. A lot of times physicians will be able to identify which supplements are worth taking, which ones are unnecessary, and which ones may potentially result in drug-nutrient interactions and/or interact with other medications that the individual is taking.
2) Look for a USP label when purchasing over-the-counter supplements. Again, supplements marked with this label might be more expensive than some of the supplements that aren’t, however, isn’t it worth the peace-of-mind that you are taking a higher quality supplement..?
3) & last but not least… try to get most of your nutrients (both macro and micro) from foods/drinks that you consume rather than relying on a supplement to cover all of those bases. As previously mentioned, not all supplements undergo testing for safety, quality, and effectiveness, so it would be smart to use the food and drinks that we put into our bodies as the primary source of nutrition, while saving the over-the-counter supplements for a secondary source of coverage. And besides, nutrients in their whole form (versus broken down) is best! :)
All in all, I think over-the-counter dietary supplements are great. They help to cover all of one’s nutritional needs within the body when diet alone isn’t cutting it. I just think its extremely important that we all do our research on the matter before choosing which supplements we want to put into our bodies!
& that is all… until next time friends!!!
Are you looking for more tips on how to improve your health? Are you experiencing symptoms that can be improved with diet and exercise? Interested in meeting with a registered dietitian? Nicole Baker Nutrition LLC is here for those in need!