The Nutritional Supplement Buyer s Guide P 1
Choose The Right Supplement Every Time So, you re thinking about buying some nutritional supplements to improve your health? Good decision, there are many proven ways in which nutritional supplementation can help you to improve your health naturally and effectively. However, deciding on which supplement, which brand and which store to buy from can range from a little bit tricky to downright confusing. When looking to buy nutritional supplements many people quickly become overwhelmed and get a bad case of analysis paralysis. They then proceed to either make a rushed decision and end up with the wrong supplement. Or, simply throw their hands in the air and not buy any supplements at all. Either way, their desired health outcome is not achieved. Now, if you don t want to end up in either of the above scenarios, read on to find out how to empower yourself to make the right decision every time. P 2
Not All Supplements Are Created Equal Let s say you ve been told by your doctor that you should start taking a calcium supplement to strengthen your bones and protect yourself against osteoporosis. Now, attached to your doctor s office is a little drug store. How convenient. You proceed to stroll on into the drug store and head straight to the shelf that says in big shiny letters: CALCIUM. However, your initial enthusiasm quickly begins to turn to uncertainty and then confusion as you realise there are 10 different calcium supplements on the shelf. 10 different brands, 10 different prices, and 10 different items adding to your confusion... P 3
...You pick up the first bottle, all the way to the left, the cheapest one. Because, why not, if calcium is just calcium: why not take the cheapest one? That s a good question. So you pick it up and turn it over and the label says calcium carbonate. Now, just out of curiosity you pick up the highest priced calcium supplement, wondering if there ll be some kind of magic ingredient in there. The label says calcium citrate, vitamin D3 and vitamin K2. So what s the difference? The difference is in which form the calcium is delivered. And when it comes to nutritional supplementation, how much does form matter? Quite a lot actually. P 4
According to a study conducted by Harvey, Kenny, Poindexter (yep, there is literally a researcher with this name) and Pak: It is concluded that calcium is better absorbed from calcium citrate than calcium carbonate when taken on an empty stomach HARVEY, KENNY, POINDEXTER AND PAK Calcium carbonate is cheap and abundant and has been the main source of calcium in nutritional supplements for years. However, just because it s the most widespread does not mean that it is necessarily the best. Some people do reasonably well with calcium carbonate and are able to increase their calcium levels without any noticeable downside. Many others however, have experienced some unwanted side effects when taking calcium carbonate over a long period of time. P 5
Constipation is a fairly common side effect of high dose calcium carbonate. And, in more extreme examples, increased blood pressure and even increased risk factors for a heart attack have emerged in people who take high doses of calcium carbonate over a long period of time. Another side effect of high dose calcium over time is the increased formation of bone spurs and kidney stones due to excess calcium in the blood. So, how do we supplement with enough calcium to protect us against osteoporosis but minimise our chances of any unwanted side effects? This brings us to the second product containing calcium citrate along with vitamins D3 and K2. Calcium citrate is a form of calcium that is much more closely related to the calcium in our food. This means it is much easier for the body to absorb. Which in turn means we can consume less of it and still get the same result because we are absorbing more of every dose we take. P 6
And what about those other guys, Vitamin D3 and vitamin K2? Vitamin D3 is the form of vitamin D that our own body makes when exposed to UV light from the sun. And, among the many roles it plays, it has been shown to help improve the absorption of calcium and therefore improve bone health. As for vitamin K2, it has been shown to help improve the absorption of vitamin D3. So this second calcium product is already easier for us to absorb, but even further enhanced by the presence of vitamin D3 and vitamin K2. With product number two, you can take a lower dose than product number one and achieve a much better result, while also reducing the chances of any side effects. Is it worth a few more bucks? You betcha. P 7
Now, aside from calcium, how can you figure out which form of each ingredient is the best? There are some general guidelines, such as choosing powders and capsules first, and trying to avoid tablets where possible. POWDER CAPSULES TABLETS Powder is easy to absorb because there is no barrier between the ingredients and your stomach. Capsules are fairly easy to break down as they are typically made from gelatin or, in vegetarian capsules: cellulose (plant) fiber. Tablets on the other hand are typically tightly compressed and contain binding agents to make them stick together. This can make them difficult for many people to digest and absorb, especially the elderly and anyone with weak stomach acid. As for the specific forms: carbonate, gluconate, glycinate, oxide etc. P 8
How can you find out which one is the best? It does vary for each supplement type e.g. vitamin or mineral, and for each ingredient e.g. calcium, zinc, magnesium etc. Unfortunately there are no shortcuts and each supplement will require you to do your homework. But a little homework can go a long way. I recommend you always stick to claims proven by science rather than opinion. A great way to find studies on any ingredient is to visit Google Scholar: https://www.scholar.google.com The US National Library of Medicine & National Institute of Health is an excellent resource too: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed ADD TO YOUR SUPPLEMENT CHECKLIST Is each ingredient of the product in a high quality form? P 9
Same, Same, But Different? Now that we ve covered forms e.g. carbonate vs. citrate, what other factors influence the quality of the nutritional supplements you are taking? What if you saw two products on the shelf with identical ingredients, yet there was quite a big difference in price? If you were to check the source of their ingredients, it s likely that they are vastly different. Getting an ingredient from China vs. getting it from the pristine, glacier filled and green grassy mountainous areas of New Zealand or Iceland typically has a huge influence on the quality of the ingredient. It also plays a big part in preventing (or contributing to) the contamination of the ingredient. Ask the company you are buying from for more details about their sources. P 10
Now, adding even further to the confusion: A supplement that is made in a certain country does not have to use ingredients only found in that country. Your vitamin product may have a big proud Made in the USA logo stamped on it and still be filled with cheap ingredients from China and India. So what can you do to protect yourself against potentially cheap, nasty and ineffective ingredients? You can pay close attention to the next point. ADD TO YOUR SUPPLEMENT CHECKLIST Check the product label for the source of its ingredients If the ingredients sources are not listed, ask the company about the quality standard of their factory P 11
Who Makes The Rules? A nutrition company is allowed to have supplements made anywhere they like. God bless capitalism and international trade relations. However, where these products can be sold is another thing. For example, a nutritional supplement made in New Zealand or Australia can be sold anywhere due to these two countries having the strictest and highest standards of nutritional supplementation manufacturing on the planet. A nutritional supplement made in China or India however, is not allowed to be sold in many places outside of China and India. So, if you want to guarantee by law that the supplement you are buying actually contains what it says it does on the label, it is best to choose supplements made in countries with the highest standards. ADD TO YOUR SUPPLEMENT CHECKLIST Check the label or contact the manufacturer to find out which country the supplement is made in Does that country have high or low standards for supplement manufacturing? P 12
YOUR SUPPLEMENT BUYING CHECKLIST Is each ingredient of the product in a high quality form? Check the product label for the source of its ingredients If the ingredients sources are not listed, ask the company about the quality standard of their factory Check the label or contact the manufacturer to find out which country the supplement is made in Does that country have high or low standards for supplement manufacturing? NOT ALL SUPPLEMENTS ARE CREATED EQUAL Check the form or type of ingredient you are buying, is it the best kind? SAME, SAME,BUT DIFFERENT Can you find out the source of the ingredients, if so, where are they from? If not, can you get an answer to the next question? WHO MAKES THE RULES? Who makes the Rules? Which country is the supplement made in? Does that country have high standards or low standards when it comes to the manufacturing of supplements?
Things To Keep In Mind The world of nutritional supplements can be a confusing and intimidating one. After reading this ebook, I hope you no longer feel confused, but instead feel empowered to go out and choose the right supplements to take (and not to take). And bear in mind, the world of nutritional supplementation is ever changing and evolving, with new information released daily. The rules change, so we highly recommend you keep your finger on the pulse when it comes to nutritional supplements. A great place to start is our blog, which you ve already visited (it s where you downloaded this ebook). If you have any questions at any time, please don t hesitate to reach out to us at: support@athleticgreens.com I wish you all the best in your health journey. Best regards, Chris The Kiwi Ashenden & The Athletic Greens Team P 14