The Truth About Nutrition Supplements

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How Does Your Brand Rate?

ConsumerLab.com is an independent testing service that regularly screens supplements for contaminants. It also tests the accuracy of product labels. Here's a sampling of recent picks and pans in seven popular supplement categories.

Good Women's Multivitamins Choices

Nature Made Essential Woman (now called Nature Made Multi For Her)
Rainbow Light Just Once Naturals Prenatal One
One-A-Day Women's

Poor Women's Multivitamin Choices

Futurebiotics Advanced Women's Formula Multi Vitamin Energy Plus
Reason: Contained less than 80 percent of claimed vitamin A

Avon VitAdvance Women's Complete II
Reason: Contained only three quarters of claimed folic acid

Good Vitamin C Supplements

CVS Vitamin C, 500 mg
NOW Chewable Ester-C, 500 mg (orange flavor)
Member's Mark Vitamin C, 500 mg (Sam's Club)

Poor Vitamin C Supplements

None of the 29 vitamin C products tested by ConsumerLab failed the review. A test in 2003 also came up clean.

Good Vitamin E Supplements

Carlson E-GEMS Natural Vitamin E, 400 IU
Walgreens Vitamin E, 400 IU
Sundown Vitamin E, 400 IU

Poor Vitamin E Supplements

Nature's Best Vitamin E, 400 IU
Reason: Contained only 75 percent of claimed vitamin E

Pure Encapsulations Natural Vitamin E (with mixed tocopherols), 400 IU
Reason: Included some synthetic vitamin E despite label claims indicating only the natural form

Good Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin World Time Release B-100 Ultra B-Complex
Twinlab B-100 Caps Vitamin B-Complex
Enzymatic Therapy Fatigued to Fantastic Daily Energy B Complex

Poor Vitamin B Complex

MegaFood Balanced B Complex DailyFoods
Reason: Folic acid content fell 70 mcg (18 percent) short of the claimed 400 mcg, the amount recommended for adult women.

Good Calcium Supplements

Caltrate 600
GNC Calcimate Plus 800
Viactiv 500 mg Calcium plus Vitamins D & K

Poor Calcium Supplements

Doctor's Best High Absorption Calcium
Reason: Exceeded California standards for lead

Originally published in Fitness magazine, June 2006.

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mauth06 wrote:

dthoma03, do you work for Shaklee? It sounds like you're a little biased. I've never heard of that company or their supplements, but I do know that the govermental regulations in this article or inaccurate. I stick with the facts.

11/9/2009 03:16:25 PM Report Abuse

dthoma03 wrote:

In the 2007 Landmark Study conducted in collaboration with researchers from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, Dr Gladys Block found people who took Shaklee supplements had markedly better health than those who took a mulitvitamin or no supplements at all. Yoru authors should really do their homework before rendering an opinion. Facts are facts and they did not present them.

11/4/2009 11:35:46 AM Report Abuse

dthoma03 wrote:

Shaklee has over 100 scientific papers 90+ published in peer reviewed journals that support the effectiveness of the Shaklee products. Shaklee has invested over 250 million dollars in clinical testing, research,& development.

11/4/2009 11:35:32 AM Report Abuse

dthoma03 wrote:

Shaklee products have no parabens, triclosan, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), 1,4-dioxane or propylene glycol. There are no banned substances, no dyes, no trans fats & no artificial sweetners or flavors. There is no animal testing. The packaging is safe & free of toxins bisphenol-A, phthalates & toxic links. (see further comment)

11/4/2009 11:33:55 AM Report Abuse

dthoma03 wrote:

This article is grossly inaccurate. Shaklee corporation conducts over 350 tests on every single new ingredient for heavy metals, pesticides, or any of hundreds of other harmful contaminants. They conduct over 80,000 quality tests annually to guarantee the purity & safety of each & every product. (see further comment)

11/4/2009 11:33:07 AM Report Abuse