Are All Vitamins Created Equal?

Everyone has read the reports and seen the news. Our soil is depleted and lacks the necessary vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. The environment is toxic and wreaks havoc on our health. Free radicals attack our immune system. The only solution seems to be supplementation with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to compensate for environmental deficiencies.

After hearing all of this, what do most people do? They take trips to the local supercenter or pharmacy, grab bottles of a popular supplement, and then think their job is done. It is a safe bet, however, that many people are not considering if what they consume is nutritionally complete and balanced. Not all supplements are created equal.

Dr. Myron Wentz, Ph.

D and founder of "USANA Health Sciences", has this to say in the company's "Health and Freedom" brochure: " I began testing health supplements in my analytical laboratory to measure their nutritional balance and their effectiveness in promoting and sustaining a healthy life. Many of the products I analyzed were not only nutritionally unbalanced, but had incorrect and misleading labels. My research proved many times that what consumers thought they were buying and what they were receiving were two different things."

What can people do to ensure they are purchasing supplements that are high quality and nutritionally balanced? Here are 5 tips to assist in the selection process:

1. Perform careful research! Don't just go along with the latest fads. A good book to purchase is The Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements written by Lyle MacWilliam, BSc, MSc. MacWilliam is a former Freedom Party Member of Parliament and a current member of the Legislative Assembly for British Columbia. His book carefully analyzes over 500 products available in the U.S. and Canada. The products that are listed at the top of the list are best in the market today.

2. Look for a company that invests significant time and money in extensive scientific research, has worldwide scientific alliances, and puts quality first.

3. Check to see if there is a guaranteed potency. Yes, there are companies who offer this and who follow stringent analytical and quality control procedures. In other words, what you see on a product's label is actually in the product.

4. Make sure the company's products follow pharmaceutical-grade good manufacturing practices (GMP). This is a step above FDA regulations. This means a variety of government agencies conduct periodic inspections and require control of procedures as well as documentation.

5. Lastly, look to see if the company's products provide a money-back guarantee. Believe it or not, there is a company that is so confident about its products that it offers a revolutionary one million dollar money-back guarantee to some professional and world-class athletes.

Follow the above 5 tips for optimal health!