![[Nutritional Supplement Precautions Episode 3] There are criteria for choosing nutritional supplements | Dr. Esther Yeo](http://esther-mall.com/cdn/shop/articles/57_a60d9d9f-12d8-4561-b242-c6c15158528f.jpg?v=1734118491&width=480)
Needless to say, the quality of nutritional supplements varies widely. Some products are clinically tested with hygienic GMP facilities, while others are crappy products that are made from cottage factories mixed with a few grassroots ingredients and steroids. Let's take a look at some of the guidelines from Consumer Lab, Nutrition Business Journal, and others to determine which supplements are best.
The idea is to consider whether it is close to the nutrients that are actually present in the food. For example, there are two main types of vitamin supplements. One is a synthetic vitamin supplement that is organically chemically produced from raw materials such as coal tar. The other is a natural vitamin supplement that extracts vitamins directly from vegetables and fruits and encapsulates them. Natural vitamins are much more advantageous in terms of absorption and bioavailability in the body.
Unnecessary ingredients should be included as little as possible. Let's take a look at the omega-3 formulations. A good product should be at least 50% pure. For example, if a single omega-3 tablet weighs 500 mg, it should contain at least 250 mg of DHA+EPA. If a 500 mg capsule contains 100 mg of DHA+EPA, the remaining 400 mg is an emulsifier, which is an unnecessary oil. Depending on the manufacturer's technology, the heavy metal content also varies. Recently, in order to completely eliminate heavy metals such as mercury in fish, so-called plant-based omega-3 preparations that extract omega-3 from microalgae have also been marketed.
Phytochemicals are phytochemicals that affect the color, taste, and aroma of plants and have various health benefits. Examples include beta-carotene from oranges and carrots and resveratrol from grapes and blueberries. Phytochemicals have a unique antioxidant activity that protects them from sunlight, ultraviolet rays, as well as pests, bacteria, and viruses. One of the most important criteria for determining a good nutritional supplement is how rich phytochemicals are packed into the capsules.
In recent years, there have been a number of products that have undergone clinical trials, such as nutritional supplements and drugs. If the results of clinical trials published in papers are even more credible. I believe that one of the most important criteria for measuring the quality of nutritional supplements in the future will be whether or not they are being tested in clinical trials.Simply high content of certain nutrients or high levels of certain values, such as ORAC, is not enough to build consumer trust. In particular, health functional foods that target specific diseases must be supported by reliable clinical trial results on efficacy such as symptom improvement.
Nutritional supplements are legally food, not drugs, so anyone can easily buy them in supermarkets. However, in developed countries such as the United States, there are exclusive products that are sold only by healthcare practitioners such as doctors, pharmacists, and nutritionists. Nutritional supplements are also prescribed by a specialist according to the patient's condition. In fact, many of the products that have been rated by Dr. McWilliams and other major rating agencies such as Consumer Lab and Nutrition Business Journal have in common a lot of products that come from manufacturers of professional nutritional supplements.
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