Safe Supplementation: Know the Facts (page 2 of 2)

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Know What You're Getting

The FDA subjects prescription and over-the-counter drugs to rigorous testing and manufacturing standards, but vitamins, minerals, herbs, and enzymes don't have to be proven safe or effective before they're sold. In fact, there's no guarantee that the supplement you buy even contains what the label says it contains. So one brand of coenzyme Q10, for instance, could have very different properties than another.

To get the facts, rely on ConsumerLab.com, which independently tests supplements and provides information on hundreds of brands on its Web site, www.consumerlab.com. (Some of the information on the site costs money to view.) On product labels look for "USP," which stands for U.S. Pharmacopeia. The USP is a nonprofit organization that promotes public health by establishing standards to ensure the quality of medicines and other health care technologies. If a label says USP it means the product meets the standards for measures such as strength and purity of ingredients and degree of absorption by the body. If a label doesn't say USP, however, it doesn't necessarily mean the product is inferior. For some supplements, there are no USP standards. And some brand-name manufacturers, for whatever reason, choose not to perform the tests necessary to garner USP approval.

Also, look for products produced under good manufacturing practices (GMP). These are regulations that describe the methods, equipment, facilities, and controls required for producing quality products. A trade group called the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) operates a GMP certification program that includes inspections of manufacturing facilities to determine whether products meet GMP standards. Once certified, manufacturers can use the NNFA's GMP seal on their products.

Supplements, Not Cure-Alls
In the next few years you're bound to hear more and more about natural alternatives for lowering cholesterol and protecting the heart. But before you jump on any bandwagons, take heed: No supplement is a substitute for the lifestyle changes, particularly good eating habits. The fact is that scientists will probably never be able to duplicate the complex effects and myriad health benefits of foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with a pill. And of course, lowering your cholesterol with supplements such as guggul while eating steak and ice cream with abandon, or taking hawthorn or CoQ10 to lower your blood pressure while doing nothing to alleviate the stress caused by your nerve-racking job, won't do your heart or your arteries much good in the end.

From Cut Your Cholesterol
 
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