Consumers have become accustomed to seeing the vague “we use only the purest ingredients” in the promotional materials of almost every dietary supplement company. But how does the average person really know what makes an ingredient “pure?” How is one supplement manufacturer different or “better” than another and how are our professional supplements different from an over-the-counter brand?
Pure Ingredients
Most professional supplement companies use high-grade raw ingredients which are routinely tested for impurities and quality. Many over-the-counter brands do not make the extra effort. For example, at my company we go one giant step further by using non irradiated, non-GMO, certified organic ingredients wherever possible to ensure maximum potency and eliminate any heavy metals and chemical toxins found in conventional ingredients.
Ingredients You Don't Want
Our professional supplements routinely exclude impure additives and are free of excipients which can interfere with absorption and bioavailability. Magnesium Stearate and stearic acid are examples of such excipients. They’re good for speed-hungry encapsulating machines but not necessarily good for you. Excipients are utilized as flowing agents to ensure that maximum productivity is obtained from capsuling and tableting machines. There are documented detrimental effects directly attributed to long chain fatty acids like magnesium stearate that are utilized as manufacturing flowing agents. These lubricants have similar negative properties that reduce dissolution and inhibit absorption. When layers of magnesium stearate encapsulate the nutrients, the digestive system must break down the magnesium stearate before absorption can take place. In people with compromised gut function, this can be another insult to a fragile physiology. Also, nutrients are meant to be absorbed in the small intestine. Nutrients bound with magnesium stearate commonly delivered to less effective absorption sites in the large intestine.
Manufacturing encapsulated dietary supplements isn’t easy. Pure powdered ingredients are difficult to mix because they are either extremely dry, sticky with botanical oils, or attract unwanted moisture. So many manufacturers add magnesium stearate and other agents such as lactose and dextrose to make the powder flow quickly and easily through their high-volume machines. The problem with this is, these additives may compromise the bioavailability of the nutrients in the supplement and could potentially cause allergic reactions.
Every qualified pharmaceutical compounder recognizes that these large fatty acids can interfere with product dissolution and influence absorption. Unfortunately, a large percentage of supplement companies, because of the economic impact, ignore this data. As with most industries, the bottom line dictates the level of quality. The dietary supplement industry has just a few exceptions, companies like ours who are not willing to compromise. If a supplement company cannot manufacture products without using detrimental excipients, perhaps they should not allude to being “hypoallergenic” or “pure.”
Supplements in Tablet Form vs. Capsules
Tablets require binders, lubricants, coatings, and other excipients. Some are even sprayed with shellac (called pharmaceutical glaze) or vegetable protein, frequently derived from corn (which in the U.S. is usually GMO). Many tablets also contain toxic petroleum based coloring and flavoring. Most high-quality supplements are only found in capsule form using hypoallergenic vegetarian capsules to provide the purest supplements possible.
Other Concerns
The body requires conversions of many vitamins from the form in which they’re originally ingested, to the activated form that our bodies utilize most readily. Whenever possible, seek out products with raw ingredients that are active versions of nutrients, like Pyridoxal-5’-phosphate which is the active form of vitamin B6. Other examples include: Riboflavin – as riboflavin 5’-phosphate, B12 -as methylcobalamin and B9 as Calcium Folinate. Why is this important? People who are extremely allergic, chemically sensitive, and immune-compromised often have trouble making these types of biochemical conversions. Other factors such as age and genetic predisposition can also contribute to an inability to absorb nutrients through food or supplements. When activated forms of nutrients are taken, the risk of supplements not being absorbed is minimized.
The Bottom Line
Purchase supplements from a manufacturer that you trust. Particularly if you are extremely allergic, chemically sensitive, or have been told by a physician that your immune system is somewhat compromised.
Purchase supplements from a manufacturer that uses only the highest quality raw organic ingredients, free of any hidden additives, are routinely tested for impurities, quality and aren’t irradiated.
Purchase supplements from a manufacturer that produces products in capsule form vs tablets.
Purchase supplements from a manufacturer that make supplements with raw organic ingredients in their activated forms, the forms that our bodies utilize most readily.
Professional grade products like ours ARE generally more expensive, but considering all the health benefits, it’s a small price to pay for better quality of life and your peace of mind.
**Please note that this information is intended for informational purposes only. Nothing contained herein is intended to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure any illness or medical condition. Consult a doctor before beginning any diet or exercise regimen or before taking vitamins or supplements. Statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
If you want to know more about this opportunity to spread good health to others and HELP PEOPLE while making money, please get in touch with me. I’d love to chat about the business side of it, or if you want to just be a customer, I’d love to chat with you in that case as well!
