Know What You’re Buying
How you choose supplements could be as important as what you buy.
1 Avoid supplements with red-flag words like cure, miracle, secret, proven.
Look for more moderate language: may help, suggested uses, provides nutrition support, and not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent.
2 Check for the GMP (Good Management Practices) mark.
The Food and Drug Administration approves prescription and over-the-counter drugs, but not nutritional supplements like vitamins and herbals. GMP certification, however, ensures that each step of production has been verified by an independent authority.
3 Don’t buy containers that show no expiration dates.
4 Beware of products that offer loads of testimonials but cannot cite scientific research using human subjects.
5 Do your research.
Many Internet sites offer reviews of specific supplements. Choose sites with medical credibility (university or government sites, or organizations like the American Heart Association or American Cancer Society). You may also want to get advice from medical professionals.
