Potency of Supplements &
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
(The Following is an excerpt from ‘Healthcare Freedom Revolution: Exposing the Lies, Deceit and Greed of the Medical Profession‘ Revised Edition by Dr. Michelle Kmiec)
Does your supplement brand measure up to standards?
One of the strongest arguments that medical doctors, and pharmaceuticals companies have against supplements is that they aren’t regulated. So, we cannot be certain of the potency of the supplement. The next argument is (of course) that there isn’t enough valid research to prove this or that supplement is indeed effective (valid research is only accepted from pharmaceutical companies…oops).
I will address both of these claims:
The extreme irony of these claims is proven by the “so-called” research done by conventional medicine and pharmaceutical companies, which is less than credible. They all pour money into “pharmaceutical research” that is later recalled, because the research on the drug was not proven to be safe, but in fact was harmful! People are told that they do not need vitamins or supplements, unless of course it is sold as a pharmaceutical drug. For example, NIASPAN®, which is far more expensive than niacin sold as a supplement. Irony a top of irony!
So, how can a pharmaceutical company take a natural and cheap substance such as niacin, and turn it into an expensive drug? The claim, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), is since vitamin companies are not regulated, supplements, or in this case niacin, may “contain widely variable amounts of niacin, from none to much more than the label states”. While the drug NIASPAN® is of pharmaceutical grade. Meaning, the amount of niacin on the label is consistent with the amount in the pill, and from bottle to bottle.
It is true that supplement companies are not regulated. However, it is sad that it is not common knowledge that there are indeed many supplement companies that carry pharmaceutical grade supplements, and have eliminated the inconsistency of potency, inflated cost, and do not require a prescription.
In order to determine which supplement companies adhere to pharmaceutical grade standards, visit GMP Certified Companies, or call the vitamin company and ask for a “third-party assay” with respect to the supplement; being able to supply you with a third-party assay means, that the supplement company has obtained a lab analysis from a non-affiliated party, who tests the quality and quantity of the substance. In other the words, you are buying exactly what the label claims the substance to be.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the FDA required a third party assay with respect to pharmaceutical research? So then the FDA and pharmaceutical companies wouldn’t be sole “judge and jury” on their own products! Where are the checks and balances?
There are other means to be assured the quality of your supplement. One such way is purchasing supplements from companies that comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), which has strict standards, and are certified as science backed quality. This ensures that each supplement is held to a level of quality that the consumer can rely on.
GMP certification is an outstanding marker of quality, and should be looked for in a company when you consider buying their product. These high quality nutritional supplements are manufactured in facilities that are inspected and certified by the following organizations:
National Products Association (NPA, formerly known as the National Nutritional Foods Association or NNFA)
National Sanitation Foundation (NSF International)
Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia (TGA)
You need to be aware of the difference between GMP compliance and GMP certification. GMP compliance refers to a company that in actuality is monitoring itself with respect to adhering to GMP standards, while GMP certification means that outside auditors ensure adherence to GMP standards; in other words, a third party assay that we have already talked about.
Unfortunately, GMP certification is not free, and is a required investment to ensure quality and implementation, which is an ongoing process. It is for this reason that many nutritional manufacturers do not have GMP certifications. However, without the GMP certification, you cannot be sure if they are adhering to GMP requirements; thus, the quality of your supplement.
It is important to note here, that just because there is an added cost to ensure the quality of a supplement, that it does not always mean that the supplement needs to be outrageously expensive. It’s true that many are. I know, being a chiropractor who often purchases supplements not available to the general public, but are sold only to health care professionals; the cost can be quite high. However, after a great deal of research in my search for quality supplements that are also affordable, I have found that there are indeed many such companies!
It is in your benefit to refer to Natural Products Association website and search for the vitamin company that you use, and see if they are in fact a company of quality standards. As you will see, many of the vitamin companies listed, are those which commonly sell their products at local vitamin stores, or can be easily found on online…and without breaking your checking account!
So, with respect to niacin, the pharmaceutical company’s claim that over-the-counter (OTC) supplements are unsafe, while NIASPAN® is safe due to the “lack of regulation” of supplements has just been proven to be false!
Source:
Healthcare Freedom Revolution: Exposing the Lies, Deceit and Greed of the Medical Profession‘ Revised Edition by Dr. Michelle Kmiec
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