Selecting Quality Vitamins & Supplements
- MBS
- Jan 17, 2021
- 11 min read

What a challenge trying to find a line of vitamins and supplements that are high quality and made by a reputable company! Then you have the recommended doses according to the FDA, supplement companies, doctors, etc. After much research I've come-up with a game plan for my family that I'm comfortable with. With winter upon us it's important to add certain supplements to your selection to help fight off colds and flus, but remember food is your most important medicine; great quality, organic food with produce ranking number one. Keep in mind that vitamins are not a substitute for a balanced diet.
Showing Their True Colors
Sadly I found that many companies that make our supplements are only out for the bottomline; money. They add fillers to their supplements to stretch the profit and these fillers are dangerous to your health, so reading the labels and knowing what the ingredients actually are should be our #1 priority. Do your research.
Some supplement companies have lovely and pure sounding names such as Garden of Life which makes you want to run right out and buy them. While researching this company who was founded by Jordan Rubin, cofounder of Ancient Nutrition partnering with Dr. Josh Axe, I found some disturbing information; Garden of Life was sold and it is now a subsidiary company of the Swiss multinational company, Nestle. Finding out this information saddens me and makes me a little less of a fan of Jordan Rubin.
Nestle has a reputation that is quite tainted and I wouldn't knowingly buy any of their products. Nestle makes toxic food products and rapes our land of water to sell for a large profit and they also use nutritional science in their marketing schemes. See this article Although they proclaim their baby formulas (Gerber) as premium products marketed in a responsible way with science-based evidence; many of their formulas contain preservatives and GMOs.
For a more in-depth look at the evils of this company; Nestle/Gerber, click this link and take a look at their Gerber infant formula ingredients; some of which you can't even pronounce let alone know what they are. Half the ingredients in their baby formula/products are questionable yet a mother is suppose to give this to their newborn. Certainly doesn't sound right to me. My theory is if there are more than five ingredients, don't buy it and if you don't know what the ingredients are or can't pronounce them, don't buy it. Research ingredients.
Another supplement company, Pure Encapsulations sold out to Nestle in December of 2017 for a whopping 2.3billion dollars: Pure Encapsulations along with their complete parent company-Atrium Innovations.
Atrium Innovation’s other lines to stay away from:
Wobenzym®
Douglas Laboratories®
Genestra Brands™
Orthica®
AOV®
Minami®
Klean Athlete®
Pharmax
Trophic
Although Pure Synergy is made with organic ingredients, non-GMO, and gluten-free, vegetarian and dairy-free, unfortunately it contains maltodextrin which creates MSG during processing.
"Maltodextrin is a white powder made from corn, rice, potato starch, or wheat. Even though it comes from plants, it’s highly processed. To make it, first the starches are cooked, and then acids or enzymes such as heat-stable bacterial alpha-amylase are added to break it down further. The resulting white powder is water-soluble and has a neutral taste. Maltodextrin's are closely related to corn syrup solids." Excerpt taken from this article by healthline.com. .
Although the FDA has approved it as a safe food additive; it is still an additive and PRESERVATIVE and according to Ashley Koff, RD, among other doctors and scientists; as maltodextrin is being processed it becomes MSG.

Above is from the ingredients label for Pure Synerzgy.
Another company that I had high hopes for was Puritan Pride organic supplements. I'm not sure how you feel about reputations or backgrounds of companies, but I want my supplements coming from a company I admire. I had to dig deep to find information out about them, but I found that Puritan Pride is owned by Natures Bounty, Inc.( once know as NBTY). Check the chart below and see the connection with KKR The Carlyle Group. Their President and Chief Executive Officer is Paul L. Sturman. If you look at his background he has been responsible for the development and marketing of major household brands such as Advil and worked for Johnson & Johnson where he was responsible for the brands Rogaine, Listerine, etc. Well just the mention of J & J makes me think....NO.
The Bad Guy List
This is my list compiled after doing my own research. I won't go into details, but suggest you do your own research and use the chart below that shows the mega-corporations that own your supplement brands. I'm sure there a many, many more to add to this list.
I read a comment from a orthomolecular nutritionist who believes "if they can't poison those of us with food; the supplements will be targeted instead." Most of us know that if a pharmaceutical company is involved; it's most likely poison.

Some of the Bad Guys:
Garden of Life
Pure Snyergy
Puritan Pride
Solgar (owned by Monsanto)
Solaray
One A Day
Dr. Mercola (Douglas Laboratories)
etc.

PDF for above chart click here and scroll to Vitamin Parent Companies.
Unfortunately many of our local "health" stores carry brands that have been bought by large unethical corporations. After writing to one of my local health stores regarding my concerns I was basically told that most people were not as concerned as I was and it wasn't profitable to discontinue carrying these items. Quote: "I don't think it would be economically viable to operate without them". It goes to show us that no matter who is selling supplements whether an online health product retailer; doctor affiliated or not, or at your local trusted health store you need to do your research.
Something that I find disturbing; companies that mainly sell unhealthy and toxic products that have the nerve to have an organic line. To me this says two things; first they want a piece of the pie (it's all about money and greed), and secondly they have no morals. I try to buy my organic products from companies that have dedicated themselves to organics only. I want to support them for their efforts and dedication to making good, healthy foods and products for the world.
Also, the fact that many large corporations get away with touting how good their product is when that is a boldfaced lie.
Types of Certifications
Biodynamic Association-Biodynamics is a spiritual-ethical-ecological approach to agriculture, food production and nutrition, and a potent force for change worldwide.
FDA-Food and Drug Administration. Personally I feel FDA certification really doesn't hold a lot of merit and the FDA is a crooked agency that is bought and paid for by many large companies.
USDA Organic-USDA Organic Certification is offered for products with 95 percent or more organic ingredients. It ensures product ingredients are grown and processed according to federal standards on soil quality, weed and pest control, and additive use, among other things.
Natural Food Certifiers (NFC)-Natural Food Certifiers exclusively certifies the natural and organic products industry and works to ensure that their certification is given to products that meet the highest standards.
Non GMO Project-Labels foods and supplements that have not been genetically engineered. GMOs stands for Genetically Modified Organisms and are plants, animals, microorganisms and other ingredients that have been manipulated by scientists to allegedly assist in their production, preparation or use as a food. Scientists manipulate or modify genes in ways not previously possible in nature or through crossbreeding.
GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice)-GMP certification is a system which design to ensure the products are consistently produced follow the quality standards. Therefore, manufacturers, processors, and packagers are encouraging proactively adopt this system as a result ensure their products are safe and pure. Besides, GMP regulations require a quality approach to manufacturing, enabling companies to minimize or eliminate instances of contamination, mix-up, and errors.
QAI (Quality Assurance International)-QAI is a global leader in organic certification. When a manufacturing facility is QAI certified, it has been verified as abiding by the the National Organic Program guidelines, and fit to handle or process organic products that are sold, labeled, or represented as “100% Organic,” “Organic,” or “Made with Organic Ingredients.”
Who are the Good Guys?
Ok so you probably are thinking...who are the good guys!? Well through my research at this time I am inclined to believe that the following makers of vitamins and supplements deserve to be put on my list of "good guys". Please let me know if there are any I should add or take off the list.

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