When you go to choose health supplements you may have seen that regulation in this area is limited.
So how do you know if you are getting healthy health supplements? Aside from only checking labels on products for different health supplements, there’s more you need to do.
Keep reading to find out how you can keep your health, and your family’s health, safe.
How To Decide if Health Supplements Are Safe
The best way to decide if health supplements are safe is to inform yourself and learn.
The difference between supplements, vitamins, minerals, and even proprietary blends can get fuzzy for a lot of people.
There are two groups of vitamins to choose from: fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins.
Fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and vitamin K. These dissolve in fats, which is why we obtain them from fatty fish like salmon and sardines.
Water-soluble vitamins are C and B vitamins, which break down in stomach acid. These are not stored by our body and need constant replenishment.
Minerals are inorganic compounds found in nature. Calcium, iron, and others are examples of this, but they aren’t raw elements. These minerals are in a form, combined with other elements, in a way that our bodies are used to processing them.
A proprietary blend is a blend of ingredients that the health supplement manufacturer combined in a specific ratio. This is a very opaque way to hide ingredients and make it difficult to tell what’s actually inside.
Diet is the best way to absorb nutrients like vitamins and minerals, but sometimes people aren’t able to absorb them properly. If this is the case, it’s important to realize that supplements are not replacements.
Try to obtain what you need from healthy food, first.
Where Can I Choose Health Supplements Online?
When you’re choosing where to buy your health supplements from, and what you’re buying, there are important things to pay attention to.
Of course, it’s great if you can find products the FDA has approved. Supplement manufacturers must follow Current Good Manufacturing Processes or CGMP. Also, third-party testing isn’t required by law, but proves that the manufacturer cares more about you than making a quick buck.
To that end, it’s not the safest to buy from eBay and Amazon sellers. If you do, check the reviews of online sellers, and have a lot of patience. Don’t read the labels too quickly — look for issues and be skeptical.
Instead of comparing endless websites, it’s better to buy from a respected and long-running health supplement vendor. It isn’t for everyone, but check out the benefits of joining USANA, for example.
Groups like these control the product they sell and scrutinize ingredients, taking some of the pressure off of you.
Buying Health Supplements: Now You Know
Next time you’re looking to choose health supplements, now you know what to look for and why it’s important. The FDA can’t do it all, we all need to do our part. Thankfully, there are sources you can trust.
Speaking of trusted sources, Vel Illum is here as your trusted source of news and the latest in tech, health, and more. Keep browsing to find out more!