Supplements come in many shapes and sizes. The choice in the supplement market is truly enormous, and every provider praises the benefits of their own products. Therefore, it can sometimes be difficult to assess which supplements are the best choice for you.
An important criterion for the effectiveness of a supplement is the quality of the ingredients used. But there are also various other factors that are important for distinguishing good supplements from bad ones. Below, you'll find everything you need to know!
Buying Supplements: 7 tips to consider
Supplements have long interested me. Due to setting up my own supplement line, I have done even more research in recent years. I was truly shocked by the low-quality standards many manufacturers maintain. Many products do not meet the following 7 quality requirements that I set for myself when choosing supplements:
1). The supplement must contain organic compounds
Organic (body-identical) compounds are more absorbable by your cells than inorganic (foreign) compounds. For example, in a magnesium supplement, organic compounds like taurate, malate, or bisglycinate are better absorbed than inorganic variants like oxide, hydroxide, nitrate, phosphate, and carbonate. Due to poorer absorption, these can also have a laxative effect. If the packaging of a supplement does not state a specific compound form, assume that the supplement contains an inorganic form.
2). The supplement must be extensively tested and further developed
Compiling and producing a good supplement is more than just coming up with a nice product formula. Without extensive testing rounds, the efficacy can never be 100% certain, and a product cannot be further developed and improved. However, this testing process is very costly and time-consuming, which is why some manufacturers devote little time and attention to it. These are often the supplements that are sold at low prices on supermarket shelves.
3). The supplement must be in the correct capsule
A supplement can be produced in the form of a capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid, among others. The choice of one of these variants is not only based on personal preference or convenience, but also affects efficacy. For example, the good bacteria in a probiotic supplement only reach your intestines if they are in a stomach acid-resistant capsule. It is therefore a bad sign if a supplement brand has not taken such matters into account.
4). The supplement must be free of harmful substances
Naturally, a supplement must be manufactured in a hygienic environment that meets the strictest quality criteria. The origin of the ingredients must also be clear, so you can be sure that you are not ingesting any contaminants. The packaging is often overlooked in this context. Many supplements are packaged in plastic, which can expose you to toxic substances such as Bisphenol A (BPA). The products in my own supplement line are therefore packaged in dark glass, to avoid exposure to BPA and to optimally preserve the ingredients.
5). The supplement must contain the correct forms of ingredients
The ingredients in a supplement can be natural or synthetic. Natural ingredients occur in nature, while synthetic variants are manufactured in a laboratory. Although natural substances are almost always better for your health, supplements incidentally form an exception to this rule. Some ingredients are more easily absorbed by your body in synthetic form. For example, Vitamin C is more absorbable in synthetic form and Vitamin E in natural form.
6). The supplement must contain supportive cofactors
This is not a strict requirement, but it does show whether a supplement brand has carefully considered the optimal efficacy of the formula. Cofactors are supportive substances that improve the absorption of the main ingredient. Their addition can mean that a supplement is somewhat more expensive, but in some cases, the efficacy is then extremely much better! Zinc is a good example of a cofactor that is regularly added to supplements to improve the absorption of other substances.
7). The supplement must contain natural sweeteners and fillers
A supplement contains not only main ingredients and cofactors, but also so-called excipients. These include sweeteners to improve taste or fillers needed to make the supplement. Some sweeteners are harmful to health, while others are an excellent addition. A sweetener like erythritol, for example, is even suitable for diabetics. Examples of good fillers include microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), a natural polysaccharide from plants, and Nu-FLOW®, a natural ingredient from rice extract.
Are there a lot of excipients in a supplement? Then there is often less of the active substance present. For example, a supplement with 1 milligram of curcumin can already be sold as a curcumin supplement. The remaining 99 milligrams can then consist of fillers. Therefore, always read the label carefully!
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