According to Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D., director of Functional Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, “we no longer eat foods that contain the nutrient levels required for optimal health for many reasons. Crops are raised in soil where nutrients have been depleted. Plants are treated with pesticides and other chemicals, so they no longer have to fight to live, which further diminishes their nutrient levels and phytonutrient content. Animals are raised in pens or giant feedlots eating food they weren’t designed to eat instead of roaming free, eating the nutrient-rich wild grains and grasses they once consumed.” Combine these factors with our current environment of high stress, lack of sleep and inconsistent exercise, and the result is a society of overly taxed bodily systems in serious need of assistance. The warning signs are there, but we are often too busy to notice that our health is failing until a system is already in crisis.
The biggest question we get asked is, “Are all supplements the same”? The quick answer is no. Almost all supplements claim they are high-quality, based on science and clinically tested. This may be true, but if you research carefully, you will find very few supplements that undergo regular, multiple, third-party testing and grading by independent consumer laboratories such as NSF.
Most consumers do not realize that the FDA regulates and approves the formulation of nutritional supplements only, NOT the production or authenticity of the actual final supplements themselves. In other words, they approve the recipes, not the finished product. This means a company can get an FDA approval on a formulation, then produce it with cheaper or inferior ingredients from countries like India or China. What is listed on the label is not guaranteed to be in the product. Low-quality supplements that are not “pharmaceutical grade” are often contaminated with fillers, preservatives and chemicals that can compromise your health.
Needless to say, when it comes to supplements, true quality matters. We recommend you use only supplements that have been tested and verified by independent third-party analysis, and have an identifying label or seal guaranteeing 100% potency.
Mpact offers several lines of ultra-high-quality supplements to our patients. Every product we carry has earned NSF International Certification Seal and contain no unsafe or undeclared ingredients. If you would like more information on supplements or have other nutritional questions, we can arrange a personal in-depth consultation with leading nutritional experts at your convenience.