What To Know Before Buying Any Supplement

The supplement industry can be overwhelming and scary, especially considering that the majority of the items you see on the shelf are unregulated. They’re all saying that they can help you maintain optimal health. Whether that be increased energy, healthy skin, nutrients, multivitamins. Simply put, companies can manipulate their branding to make many positive health claims on their supplements. 

Supplements shouldn’t be viewed as a holy-grail product to provide perfect health. However, they can be very beneficial when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. Let’s take a look at what to look for and know before buying supplements. 

Transparency

One thing to specifically look for, especially when purchasing online, is that the company is completely transparent about their processes, testing, etc. If they’re being honest, they won’t mind putting their products on display… completely. If the company doesn’t do that, mark them off your list. 

Plus, the internet can aid in research for these companies. Typically, you can conduct some research on the background of the company. If you’re unable to locate this, I’d find another product with a reputable company. 

You’ll be able to tell a lot about a company by interacting with their customer service. We recommend contacting their customer service to see how the team responds. Sometimes, you might find that their phone isn’t in operating order. 

Manufactured

At Revital Outdoors, we recommend looking for supplements that constrain ingredients sourced from the United States, the EU, or others with high growing and manufacturing standards. It’s equally as important that you avoid any supplements made in China. There is very little regulation so they’re more likely to have inaccurate labels or contain contaminants. 

At Revital Outdoors, our manufacturing process refines the oil to remove traces of THC from our broad-spectrum oils. THC is the associated drug that comes with getting “high.” This allows our products to match their labels. Additionally, we use third-party testing and give you the lab reports to ensure the honesty of the product. 

Third-Party Testing

This will be a huge sign to figure out if the company that you’re buying from is reputable. If a company is honest about their product, they won’t mind providing the results to their consumers. There is little regulation surrounding the supplement industry and it’s easier for some manufacturers to get away with inaccurate claims. 

As you can imagine, this leads to major discrepancies in the industry. There are many products that don’t contain the ingredients listed on the label. That being said, the best way to ensure honesty is looking for third-party testing verification. This will ensure that you’re not putting harmful ingredients into your body. You can look for brand labels with the US pharmacopeia, Consumer Lab, NSF International, or Underwriters Laboratory seal. These organizations offer testing to ensure that the product contains exactly what the label states. 

At Revital Outdoors, our products come with a QR code on each product that you can scan with your mobile device and instantly access our third-party testing reports on your product. This way, you know exactly what ingredients are within the product.

Bioavailability

You’ve probably heard us talking about bioavailability if you’ve been around for a while. You might be thinking, “why is this such a BIG deal?” Let’s see. When taking a supplement, it’s likely due to a specific reason. You have low iron, you want to lose weight, etc. Therefore, you want to ensure the active ingredients within the product are absorbed into your body. This part of the process is referred to as bioavailability. When you’re on the supplement search, you’ll want to ensure you’re getting the purest, most absorbable form. 

At Revital Outdoors, our CBD softgels go through a process known as nanotechnology that essentially breaks down CBD molecules into smaller particles to be easily absorbed by the body. 

Therefore, other businesses in the vitamin and supplement industry use similar techniques. For example, some omega 3 fish oil supplements are acquired from krill, and the fats are encased with phospholipids, increasing absorption rates.

Looking for more absorbable products? Choose the water soluble product over oil-based ones if you’re given the opportunity. We recommend doing some research over delivery methods and which product would be most effective for you and your lifestyle. You can also ensure higher absorption rate when you find terms like “maximum absorption,” “high bioavailability,” and “nano-emulsified” on the product itself. 

Reviews

Another big indication of a reputable supplement and company is going to be their customer reviews. However, don’t be duped as some companies can also manufacture that. Therefore, head over to Facebook or Instagram and do a quick dive into the company. You should be able to tell very quickly if they’re legit or not. 

A reputable company and supplement will have customer testimonials and reviews about the product. If you can’t find anyone talking about the product, that’s a big red-flag. 

Companies that are concerned with customer satisfaction and providing a clean supplement to their consumers, will showcase their customer reviews on their website and social media. This is because word-of-mouth is the best marketing tactic a company can have. 

Reminder: Not All Supplements Are Created Equally

If you’ve walked into a supplement store and seen the overwhelming amount of products, you are probably aware that not all supplements are created equally. While we hope this blog didn’t scare you, please know that there are plenty of legitimate companies that sell quality supplements. However, don’t be naive to the fact that there are also supplements that may contain contaminants, fillers, and ingredients that aren’t listed on the label. 

Similar to CBD, there is little regulation and oversight in the supplements and vitamins industry. Meaning that supplements aren’t required to go through clinical studies to be proven safe or pure before being sold to consumers. 

So you’re left to wonder who or what you can trust. Therefore, if you’re looking for a high quality supplement – take a look at our tips above before making a purchase. If you have any questions about what good looks like in the CBD industry, please feel free to contact us. We’d love to discuss how we provide our customers with high-quality CBD they can trust.