HealthNotes

When it comes to dietary supplements, there are many reputable manufacturers. But not all products and companies are of equal quality. So how do you distinguish a superior supplement from an inferior one and have confidence that what’s on the label is actually in the bottle? According to a recent article on the website, NewHope360, there are several ways to determine whether the production process for a supplement is trustworthy. Most importantly, the manufacturer should follow the FDA’s legally required Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for supplements, including:

• Testing ingredients at multiple stages throughout the manufacturing process, as well as testing finished products for identity, purity, and strength.
• Establishing a rigorous quality control system that covers all aspects of the production process.
• Keeping records of its activities and maintaining written procedures for various part of the production process.

But how do you know whether a supplement manufacturer follows GMPs in the first place? One way is to check whether a third-party has certified the manufacturer as meeting GMP requirements. There are only a handful of third-party certifying organizations, including: NSF International (NSF), US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), and the Natural Products Association (NPA). However, certifications from these organizations may not show up on the bottle label, so you might have to dig a little deeper by contacting the manufacturer or visiting the manufacturer’s website.

Source: NewHope360