Are You Taking the Right Supplements?

A how-to guide for identifying high-quality and effective supplements

Trying supplements can sometimes feel like a game of whack-a-mole. You keep trying new products and new brands until something works. And with every store and online retailer selling supplements now it can be overwhelming when choosing between brands. In the United States alone, supplement sales are expected to bring in almost $40 billion. 40 BILLION. And not all supplements are created equal so how do you choose? How do you choose the best vitamin or supplement brands and the right products?

The truth is that we are all different and that we all have different needs. Your genetics, lifestyle, diet pattern, and health status should all be taken into consideration when choosing the best vitamins or supplements for you. However, there are some key questions you should ask when researching products or brands so that you know that the product you are taking is reputable, high-quality, and effective. 

In this article, we will walk through the questions you should ask every brand when researching supplements, including us.

 

How to choose the best brands?

These are the key questions we ask ourselves and the values we stand by at Alkaline Labs to ensure that we are delivering the best vitamins and supplements.

Is this brand Third-party tested?

These are the key questions we ask ourselves and the values we stand by at Alkaline Labs to ensure that we are delivering the best vitamins and supplements.

 

Is this brand Third-party tested?

You can determine the quality and trustworthiness of a brand by looking for third-party testing. Third-party testing is a voluntary step in the manufacturing process where a brand sends samples of its product to an independent and unbiased lab for testing. The lab will verify various claims about the product. They will confirm:

• The accuracy of the label with respect to the medical ingredients listed and their amounts
• The lack of potential contaminants including various pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, microbe contamination, and other potentially harmful compounds
• The standardization from batch to batch
• The purity of ingredients

 

Does this brand use non-GMO or organic ingredients where possible?

Non-GMO, organic, and glyphosate-free products are also important. GMO ingredients can induce an immune response, triggering an inflammatory cascade that can result in many unwanted symptoms. Glyphosate, a common herbicide, is often found in many food-based ingredients as it’s applied liberally to a variety of crops. Glyphosate can also trigger sensitivities and may be linked to digestive dysfunction. Look for a brand that uses organic ingredients, and is committed to farming sustainability and purity of ingredients.

 

Does this brand avoid the use of fillers?

Most products will have an “other ingredients” or “non-medical ingredients” section on their label. It is important to scan this section for any fillers and additives that may be detrimental to your health. We have a whole blog post on various fillers that are commonly included in supplements linked here for more information.

 

Does this brand avoid common allergens or dietary restrictions? 

You should also be aware of various vitamins or supplements and their possible links to common allergens or food avoidances. Many brands will use stearic acid and gelatin in their products which are commonly derived from pigs and other animal byproducts. If you are vegetarian or vegan or follow a dietary pattern that excludes various animal byproducts you should look for companies that are 100% vegan.

 

Most high-quality brands will also be free of the most common food allergens including gluten, soy, dairy, and tree nuts. They will also have certificates of analysis that confirm this.

 

Is this brand responsible and ethical with ingredient and packaging sourcing? 

When choosing a brand for your vitamins and supplements look for brands that are committed to sustainability, responsible farming, and ethical ingredient sourcing. Many brands will look to cut costs here. Unfortunately, ethical and sustainable ingredient sourcing costs more money when compared to mass-produced ingredients. Companies will have certificates of analysis stating the sourcing and usually are available upon request. 

 

Beyond the product itself, what is the company doing with its packaging? Is it plastic, glass, paper, or plant-based? If it is plastic, is it recyclable and BPA-free. If it is plastic does the product require heating or is there ever heat applied to the product or package? Any heat applied to the package can release microplastics into the vitamin or supplements. This includes vitamins left in windows, cars, and near cooking appliances.

 

If the packaging is paper or plant-based is it recyclable or compostable? Does the company give instructions for packaging disposal?

 

Is this brand transparent about its products?

This stems from the above, but is the brand you are considering voluntarily submitting to third-party testing? Are they honest about the sourcing of their ingredients? Do they have certificates that verify the sourcing and testing of their ingredients? Are they open and responsive to questions?

 

Our commitment to you at Alkaline Labs

We are committed to formulating our products with only non-GMO, glyphosate residue-free ingredients, without unnecessary filler ingredients and natural or artificial flavors.

We are committed to carefully selecting our products and formulas to avoid nutritional overload; more ingredients do not equal more benefits. We are committed to formulating each product to maximize benefits and avoid overloading your body with more nutrients than it can absorb in one serving. Ensuring that all our ingredients are in clinically effective dosages based on the most up-to-date science to maximize the benefits. 

We are committed to third-party testing with all our products for heavy metals, microbes, allergens, and other contaminants. 

Our products at Alkaline Labs were created to fit into your lifestyle, a simple addition to your routine that makes up-leveling your health simple. Alkaline Labs is a supplement company you can trust because we know how important it is to be able to trust the company you buy your supplements from. 

We care about your results and how you feel. Our aim is to help you glow from the inside out. This is why we created our flagship product A.M Greens. It is designed to be an easy addition to your morning routine that will support your adrenals, gut, mind, and body. You can check out A.M Greens here