The importance of using natural supplements has increased in the last several years. People accept the fact that supplements are essential for achieving optimal health and maintaining proper body and brain function.
There are a lot of different natural supplements, including vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, detox supplements, prebiotics, probiotics, fiber, and so on. Although there are many products on the market, you cannot buy whichever you find first. Since not all supplements are equally made, you need to know how to find the best ones. Here are 6 tips to help you choose quality natural supplements.
Know Your Needs
Before you even go shopping for natural supplements, you need to know which one(s) you need. In order to find that out, you can consult with your doctor or nutritionist. They will examine you by doing a few analyses to determine which nutrient you lack.
Additionally, they will consider several relevant parameters, including age, diet, and current health (medical) condition. Namely, if you are older, you might need to take vitamin d to strengthen your bones because they start weakening with the years. That’s why a big percentage of people over 50 suffer from osteoporosis.
Another example, pregnant women have to take folic acid for proper fetus’ development. And, if you don’t eat certain foods, e.g. Fish, you may lack nutrients such as omega-3 essential oils. As you can see, there are few factors which determine your nutrient deficiency and needs.
Check the Manufacturer
Who stands behind the product plays great importance in determining the quality and safety of a product. Knowing who is the manufacturer can tell you more about the product’s value. If a product is manufactured from a well-known and established company, it’s most probably of good quality and safe to use. However, if you haven’t heard of the company, you should do a research to find out more about it.
The best way to find out more about a company is to check online, google the name of the company and visit their website, social media profiles, and their shops on the online retailers such as Amazon. There you will find plenty of relevant information, especially when it comes to customer reviews. Having in mind that the reviews posted on Amazon and similar sites are verified, they are reliable.
Read the Label
The next thing is to read the label because it lists all the contents of the product. Thus, you will be able to see all the things the product contains and if any of them is bad for you (e.g. You are allergic to it or can’t consume it due to taking other medications). When reading the label, apart from simply skimming the ingredients, check their concentration, dosage, precautions, expiration date, full disclosure, as well as the other ingredients such as colors, flavors, and binders.
Look for a Certificate of Analysis
Apart from reading the label, you should also look for a Certificate of Analysis. It’s a document provided by an independent company that has tested the product to confirm its contents. If the product doesn’t have this document, don’t buy it. If this is the case, no one can guarantee if what is written on the label is accurate.
Look for Seals
The certificate of analysis isn’t the only thing that proves the quality and safety of a product. There are also seals by recognized organizations that testify this. So, look for the following seals:
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- Certified B corporation
- USDA organic
- Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) facility
- Non-GMO project verified
- Gluten-free certification organization (GFCO)
Consider the Price
You have probably heard that the price does not always define the quality of a product. Sometimes you can find quality products by lower prices. But that depends on the manufacturer and country of origin. Some products are manufactured in the eastern countries, such as China, Vietnam, India, and similar. Due to the low-paid labor force, the price of the product is also low.
Although this can happen, the price does define the quality of a product. Prominent companies use high-end technology and invest a lot in testing, so they put higher prices on their products. However, before you make your final decision, consider all the things mentioned above and don’t rely only on one or two of them.
Additional Tips
Avoid natural supplements that are sold as “private label brands”. Those are generic supplements that can be sold by any company if the company has bought the rights to sell it.
Avoid natural supplements that “help with everything” because there’s no supplement that can do that. Instead, choose a supplement with one purpose. Choose supplements that are in their active form to ensure your body will completely absorb them.
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