5 Tips for Avoiding Fake Supplements
You’ve just left the doctor’s office, where they’ve recommended a daily supplement to optimize your health.
Now, adding to your long list of things to do, you have to stop by the store to pick up your supplements.
You jet over to your neighborhood pharmacy or grocery store, and as you walk up to the supplement aisle you see 100 different brand names.
Bogged down by the other errands you have to do, you quickly grab the nearest supplement and throw it in your shopping cart to check out.
But, what did you just buy?
Who has the time to sift through every brand of supplement?
Who has the time to do the research?
Aren’t supplements supposed to be good for you regardless of the brand?
Surprisingly, not so much.
And, you’re going to want to do the research when you realize how many fake supplements and hidden ingredients are looming on those shelves.
A Shocking Fake Supplement Study
In 2016, the dietary supplement market was valued at $133 billion and is steadily increasing. That means a lot of people have their hand in the supplement cookie jar.
Unbeknownst to most, the FDA doesn’t regulate this so called “cookie jar”– leaving it open to serious risk.
Essentially, companies can sell supplements with harmful ingredients in them without the buyer being aware of these hidden substances. Usually, these substances are allergen fillers that aren’t reported or are flat out mislabeled.
In fact, the New York attorney general’s office sent “cease and desist” letters to four major retailers in 2015 for selling fake and potentially dangerous supplements.
These weren’t small retailers either – Target, Walmart, GNC, and Walgreens were all under scrutiny when authorities found that 4 out of 5 of their products did not contain any of the herbs on their labels.
Using DNA coding, the agency was able to test 78 bottles of the leading brands in stores all across New York state.
The test showed that the fake supplements contained mostly cheap fillers like powdered rice, powdered legumes, asparagus, peanuts, soybeans and houseplants.
These hidden ingredients can be deadly to customers with specific allergies.
Even if you’re not allergic to these additives you aren’t really getting the health benefits you’re paying for.
The supplement industry runs on an honor code with their products; however, we are now realizing they aren’t really honoring this system.
So, it is up to us to be our own advocate in the supplement world.
5 Steps to Avoiding Fake Supplements
- Look for the seal of approval on supplement bottles.
Although supplements do not have FDA regulations, they do have certifications they can acquire to prove their legitimacy. When companies take the effort and money to get these stamps of approval it helps provide trust and assurance to their customers.
The seals below are organizations known for certifying supplements. These organizations don’t verify the therapeutic effects of the supplements nor do they test every batch the company produces.
However, the seal indicates that the supplement contains the amount of ingredients it advertises and that it doesn’t contain any dangerous substances— such as arsenic, bacteria, and lead.
6 seals of approval you can trust:
- USP verified (United States Pharmacopeia)
- NSF approved (National Sanitation Foundation)
- ConsumerLab.com
- UL certified (Underwriters Laboratories)
- Canadian NNHPD approved (Natural and Non-Prescription Health Products Directorate of Health Canada)
- cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Process)
- Go for quality supplements over quantity.
Here’s a good rule of thumb when it comes to purchasing supplements – If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.
If a dietary supplement brand promises to cure a disease or if the price is super low compared to its competition, it might be a red flag!
- Check for fake supplement brands and choose a reputable company.
The FDA has an ongoing list of fake supplement brands and their hidden ingredients.
It’s the black list for the supplement world— fortunately, we have easy access to it. Although this list is only a fraction of the hazardous products and hidden ingredients out there, it’s a good place to start when choosing quality supplements.
Small, independent stores normally have a good reputation for buying supplements. The staff is more knowledgeable and can lead you in the direction of reputable brands.
- Be aware of the manufacture location.
Although some United States brands have been proven to produce fake supplements, those coming from different countries have been found to contain toxic ingredients, such as prescription drugs, and heavy metals.
Other countries like China, Mexico, and India define the term “dietary supplements” differently from the United States, making it legal to add prescription drugs to supplements. Therefore, finding exactly where your supplements are manufactured can be a sign of its quality.
- Read the research.
Good supplement brands have studies to prove their effectiveness on patients. There was a reason why the company produced their product— to help people.
If supplements have scientific proof that what they are selling benefits human health then you can have more confidence in your supplement brand.
Atrantil— A Brand You Can Trust
You are what you eat— this saying stands true with supplements too! Atrantil has obtained multiple seals of approval, including two evidence-based research studies proving its effectiveness.
Plus, Atrantil is even manufactured right here in the United States.
To prove that their formula for Atrantil is effective for patients Dr. Kenneth Brown and researcher Brandi Scott-Hoy conducted for this quality supplement:
- Double-Blind Study – In this test, 88% of patients found relief from bloating, constipation, and abdominal comfort. The results of this double-blind study were published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research.
- Open Label Study – This study targeted patients who were the most difficult to treat from their symptoms. These patients had to fail at least four other therapies before using Atrantil. The study showed that 80% of these patients found relief after using Atrantil. The results of this open-label study were published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Atrantil is the best organic supplement for bloating, abdominal discomfort and change in bowel habits. You aren’t putting more harmful things in your body when you take this supplement.
Atrantil is made from the purest ingredients— peppermint leaf, horse chestnut, and quebracho extract (flavonoid).
Having the NSF Certified Sport mark means Atrantil has gone through stringent testing and approved for use by professional athletes.
The rigorous process to obtain a Canadian NNHPD label means Atrantil went through a thorough investigation about their product including the manufacturing site, scientific research studies, and ingredients used.
To keep this certification, Atrantil is subject to random quality control checks. Atrantil is manufactured according to both UL and cGMP certifications.
This is why those who take Atrantil can be sure that it contains all the ingredients listed on the label, and there are no possible contaminations.
You can feel confident and assured that you will be taking pure, natural botanical ingredients with Atrantil.
We have the research to back our product and multiple certifications that have went through rigorous test to keep our patients safe.
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/dietary-supplements-market
https://burdockgroup.com/dietary-supplements-in-the-u-s-and-abroad-similarities-and-differences/