 |
 |
This article below gives some good advice on buying dietary supplements - like co-enzyme Q10. I find myself agreeing with both Delores and Dan on this. I also read the research article and it seems convincing even if it was a small number of subjects. My neuro also advised me to start taking 1000 mg a day. BUT it is very expensive - $200 a month is a big chunk of income for most of us. And not being able to know for sure that we're actually getting what we are paying for in some of these brands, makes it diificult to justify the expense. I ended up buying one bottle of the Doctor's TRust brand - which comes to about $100/month, but it didn't have either the USP or the Consumer's Lab seal mentioned below. I'm also concerned that capsules had no imprint or other identifying mark on them. I found that Consumer's Lab lists some COQ10 brands that passsed their test, but not all of them, and not th ones that failed.. If i decide to buy it again, i'd buy one of the tested brands instead. Cooperative buying to bring down the price seems like a good idea. Linda The following is from http://www.lifetimetv.com/reallife/health/features/supplements.html What's Really in That Supplement You're Taking? Here, the inside scoop on your pillpopping needs. by Karen Cicero "Last year, Americans spent $14 billion on vitamins, minerals and herbal products — purchases that were pretty much based on blind faith. "That's because the U.S. government doesn't verify that supplements contain the dosage listed on the label or even whether they are formulated so that your body can absorb them," points out Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at Tufts University. It's not altogether surprising, then, that many supplements don't deliver on what they promise, according to Tod Cooperman, M.D., president and founder of Consumer Lab, a White Plains, New York–based firm that tests the contents of products purchased off the shelf at supermarkets, health food stores and other retailers. His company recently analyzed 13 brands of the wildly popular SAM-e supplement, an amino acid used to treat depression. Six of them failed simply because they didn't contain the amount of the active ingredient listed on the label. And researchers at the University of Maryland discovered that in six of nine brands of prenatal vitamins, folic acid — the nutrient that helps prevent birth defects — was available in a form that couldn't be absorbed by a woman's body. "Not only are these products a waste of money, but they may also be putting patients' health in danger, especially if people are relying on them to treat conditions such as depression," says Dr. Cooperman. Short of cracking open that capsule and analyzing it on the spot, how can you avoid popping a lemon? Look for these clues to be sure you're buying the best brands available: The USP seal. It stands for United States Pharmacopoeia, a nonprofit health organization in Rockville, Maryland, which offers manufacturers the opportunity to use its proven recipes for common vitamins and minerals. USP standards for the 20 most popular herbal products, including valerian and ginkgo, are in the works. Online kudos. All of the supplements that pass Consumer Lab's rigorous testing are listed on its Web site, consumerlab.com. You can view results for chondroitin, ginkgo biloba, glucosamine, SAM-e and saw palmetto, to name a few. By the end of the year, the site will post information on calcium, creatine, echinacea, multivitamins, Saint-John's-wort, Coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E. (Look for Consumer Lab's seal on products that have passed its test.) A brand you recognize. Supplements from popular manufacturers generally fare better in tests than do obscure brands. "That's because long-established companies have a reputation to uphold," explains Dr. Blumberg. Your physician's recommendation. Your doctor can find out about past clinical trials that pinpoint the most effective supplement brands and dosages. Plumb her knowledge." "Surfing for Supplements Dozens of companies sell supplements on the Web. Here's where to steer your browser and your bucks: www.enutrition.com: This site nixes supplements that don't pass Consumer Lab's tests and highlights ones that receive a passing grade. It also lists products that meet USP standards. www.healthshop.com: Click here to find out if the product in question conforms to USP standards. www.altmedicine.com: This is the place for sound, scientific recommendations about supplements, dished out by Tufts University nutrition experts. My NOTE: I haven't checked these three sites out yet - if anyone else has - please let us know if there's anything useful on them. Thanks, Linda ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn