How to Choose Your Supplement Brand & Product

You have done your supplement research and have talked to your health care provider about what supplements you should be taking. The next important question is which Brand & Product combination should you choose? Answering this question could be challenging if you want to ensure that you are taking safe and effective supplements. For example, from the 31,214 products containing Vitamin D that are currently available in the market, which product will ensure that you get the benefits of Vitamin D that you are seeking?  

We recommend that you consider the following 4 steps to pick safe and effective supplement Brand/Product for you.

1. Check Quality Certifications: Understand the quality certifications of the brand and its manufacturing location. Look for proof of at least one of the following certifications: Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP), National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) or U.S. Pharmacopeia's USP Mark. In general, these standards ensure that:
   1. Supplement was impartially reviewed and found to be manufactured with safe, sanitary, well-controlled, and well-documented manufacturing & monitoring processes.
   2. Supplement manufacturer is quality-conscious, and that the supplement is manufactured with consistent quality from batch to batch.
   3. Supplement contains the ingredients listed on the label, in the declared potency and amounts.
   4. The USP mark additionally ensures that the supplement will break down and release into the body within a specified amount of time.
2. Check Dosage: After you have found high quality brands, it is now time to focus on the product. You should check that the product you are picking has the right dosage level of the supplement, herb or botanical linked to the condition or benefit you are seeking. You can find that by checking the label on the product which is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and must follow a consistent format to make it easier for consumers to understand supplements. Our independent observation shows that many products in the market lack the therapeutic dosage of the ingredient necessary for the wellness benefit. The supplement bottles will usually advertise the name of the ingredient (like Turmeric or Ashwagandha) in large font, but when you check the ingredient label, you may find that the dosage of the primary ingredient is far below the therapeutic levels backed by research or recommended by trained integrative or functional medicine doctors. Usually, these products are much cheaper as well vs. a high-quality supplement with therapeutic dosing levels.
3. Ensure “Clean” Ingredients: Just like the ingredients label on a food product, be wary of a long list of ingredients, especially if you haven’t heard of those ingredients. You do not want unnecessary ingredients, fillers, artificial preservatives, dyes, or chemicals in your supplement. In addition, based on your individual preferences, look for the right combination of the following:
   •  Gluten-free (e.g., Certified Gluten-Free), Non-GMO (e.g., Non-GMO Project Verified), Organic (e.g., USDA Organic, Canada Organic), Vegan (e.g., Certified Vegan), Artificial preservative-free, and Shellfish-free.
4. Select your supplement store: Before your pick that probiotic “on sale” from the local grocery store or get it “Prime” delivered, ask the following questions:
   1. How long was this supplement sitting before it went on sale?
   2. How long was it stored before it was put on the shelf?
   3. How was it stored? In safe, climate & controlled environment as recommended by the manufacturer or in a 120-degree hot warehouse/garage in Phoenix AZ?

Where possible, consider buying from sellers who buy directly from the manufacturers/brands, store and ship the products to manufacturer recommendations.

Wellkasa has an 6-step vetting process that takes out the guess work and saves you time when you are seeking high quality, safe and effective supplements. The In addition to the recommendations above, Wellkasa Seal of Trust goes above and beyond to ensure validation of manufacturer certifications, form-factor of the supplement that is easier to consume and cost effectiveness of the supplements we curate.

Learn about the Wellkasa Seal of Trust and our 6-step supplement vetting process.