How to determine if a vitamin/supplement company is legit?

[Guest]

So I have a question. As i was searching for supplements online, i noticed that there are millions of nutrition/vitamin companies. So many that it is actually hard to choose which brand you want. This brought me to think with all the companies out there now, which ones are actually legit? There are brands called amermed, source naturals, centrum, quest, animal pak, natrol source, webbers naturals, prairie naturals, usana, vitabase, and the list keeps going on and on. How do we know that what we are buying is actually the product and not just a sugar pill in a different packaging/label?

I've searched the companies online, but i figure that anyone out there can make a website seem legit. Has anyone out there actually encountered companies who actually just sell junk?

 

[Tdevil]

Futurbiotics makes a good multi (men & women's versions). http://www.futurebiotics.com/product.php?pid=1&cid=1&fb_en=ffc167a9bf504cbb6f42891324ec531d

I suppose you do have to watch what you buy, as some companies might skimp on the quality (using scrap parts of the plants, etc.) but I think you should just avoid buying the cheap crap. Say you see 2 bottles of the same vitamin side by side on the store shelf. Both have 60 pills but one is $8.99 and the other is $20. The cheap one is most likely made with poorer quality ingredients, whereas the $20 might be extracts. Basically, you get what you pay for.

 

[ali777]

Why don't you go to your local supermarket and buy generic supplements? They are cheap enough, I don't think you can find cheaper products on the internet.

If you are looking for something more specialised try high street shops that specialise in health foods. For example Holland and Barrett in the UK sells pretty much anything at a reasonable price. I bought some silica from them, I think I paid £4 for 120 tablets.

 

[Guest]

My question isn't about which vitamins are the most affordable, I'm trying to figure out how to determine if a company is legit or not....like how u know if what you are buying is actually that. Even if i went for more expensive vitamins, how do i know that it isn't just a more expensive sugar pill?

 

[Tdevil]

I think they are legally required to disclose the ingredients. If their product does NOT contain the ingredients specified on the bottle, they are breaking the law.

You might have to familiarize yourself with alternate/latin names for stuff, because some shady companies will use tactics like that to fool you without doing anything illegal.

 

[ali777]

Well... Because I buy the products from a reputable supermarket, I presume they are legit.

My assumption is that there are rules and regulations on the subject, and the supermarkets have a legitimate supply chain. Besides, the label clearly states what's in the bottle and any store would be in big trouble if what they sell is something different.

 

[Tdevil]

I'm sure most of the vitamin companies are legit. What you really have to be worried about is the outrageous claims and flashy advertising some use. I can go to my local CVS or GNC and pick up a bottle of saw palmetto extract for let's say $15. OR, I can go get the exact same thing from this wonderfully expensive company called Pr0cerin (I don't even know what they charge). You just have to watch for devious advertising and outrageous claims.

 

[Cassin]

Well... Because I buy the products from a reputable supermarket, I presume they are legit.

There is a method to that madness and pretty much what I go by. If its name brand then I trust it...if its obscure with wild claims I don't give it a thought.

I take this stuff

 

[squeegee]

I go on a thrustable website store like Vitacost for example...

 

[treadstone]

Thrustable? :agree:

 

[Cassin]

Thrustable? :agree:

:devil:

 

[squeegee]

yeah LOL like a website that selling the sh*t for a long time and know the manufacturers and their stuff..... that you can trust lol and BTW you guys knew the meaning of thrustable lol :freak:

 

[Guest]

See for example, vitacost has a house brand called NSI.....wtf is up with that sh*t.....i did a search on NSI and alot of people would not recommend their stuff....see sh*t like that makes it hard to buy vitamins/supplements

 

[squeegee]

NSI stuff is just another brand name with their name on it. Like their Tocotrienols..same exact thing as Toco-Sorb but different bottle and price...

 

[Guest]

I know but are they reliable, if you had a choice would you rather go with something trustable like NOW foods or jarrow or would you buy NSI because it is cheaper?

 

[squeegee]

Compare them.. I know a lot of NSI products are just bulk product from China probably, put in a capsule or just brand name borrowed from other companies ... I always go half and half... Pick and choose and be wise about it.. I never buy only NSI crap.. and watch for the serving size and potency.. They like to f*** people around with that... If I want to buy cheap China bulk stuff I will go with purebulk.com for example... Yeah I know.. it is a pain in the arse!!

Fred

 

[Tdevil]

I have switched over to Centrum a couple of times, usually when I get sick of paying the premium on GNC labels. In reality, the only way you could lose your hair from malnourishment is if you are on the brink of starvation.

In the meantime, I will continue using the GNC brands because I payed for the membership. There is absolutely no harm in taking a vitamin, but I see no sense in going balls-out with them. Has anyone ever heard of "Vitamin Code" by Garden of Life? Now THERE is one I would call over-the-top!

$40/bottle.......check them out...they claim their vitamins are the best because they throw in raw, uncooked fruits & veggies into the capsules. http://www.thevitamincode.com/default.aspx?utm_source=healinglifestyles&utm_medium=banner

 

[the Last Fight]

New Chapter is a really good vitamin comp .. and SISU is reall good Canadian comp.

 

[Guest]

Has anyone heard of Life extension and source naturals? does anyone know about the quality of these supplements?

Life extension is super expensive and source naturals is super cheap in price