54 replies to this topic

[GoodFellas]

There are so many brands out there LifeExtension, NOW, Jarrows, Doctor's Best etc. What's the best ones, and which ones should one avoid?

[pycnogenol]

I buy Life Extension, Now Foods, Jarrow Formulas, Doctor's Best, Country Life, Paradise Herbs, etc. I do not buy the Vitacost brand.

[nancyd]

I wouldn't buy Doctor's Best because I think they failed tests done by Consumer Labs. I don't order from Vitacost because the 2 times I did the pills that arrived were missing the lid or covered in a slimey substance. I like buying Jarrows, AOR and NOW. I would buy LEF but they're usually expensive.

Edited by nancyd, 28 April 2009 - 11:26 PM.

[nameless]

Most of the companies mentioned are decent ones. I consider AOR and Jarrow as probably two of the best. Swanson's is a decent alternative to NSI/Vitacost, especially for patented ingredients -- not my first choice, but it's a way to save some money on certain things.

It's probably a good idea to avoid NSI and super cheap brands you never heard of before. You can also write to the companies, ask where they source the supplement ingredients from, ask for COAs (although not every company gives them out) and lookup what sort of testing facilities the company has.

Edited by nameless, 28 April 2009 - 11:33 PM.

[immortali457]

I buy a couple of NSI products. See no reason not to.

[Anthony_Loera]

Hi Guys,

just an FYI. Recently while doing business with Capsugel, we found out that the supplements they are making, are now using the more stringent Pfizer drug development methods and testing for producing supplements using licaps. This includes verification of, and potency testing (as well as testing for metals and micro in materials) for safety of ingredients.

From the information I am getting, I am not sure if they are doing it for every batch for the material they buy from vendors, however... if you bring material to them for encapsulation, you will be tested regardless if you tested the material on your own.

What this means, is that folks like us, who bring our material to Capsugel, will be tested for again by their lab. Needless to say, this simply means companies bringing material to Capsugel should have some of the best tested products on the market.

You simply should have no doubts as to the potency and safety of folks using Licaps capsules.

Cheers
A

[ajnast4r]

As far as I know Dr best has excellent quality control... Failing once doesn't make them a bad company. Both jarrow and lef have failed before but are still excellent companies.

Companies I use and know have excellent quality control:
Natures plus
Natures way
Swanson house brand
Now foods
Enzymatic therapy
Pure encapsulations
Jarrow
Aor
lef
Gaia herbs
Herb pharm
Dr best
Nearly any product can be found from these suppliers and most are reasonably priced, so I see no reason to go elsewhere.

Companies I don't use because of questionable quality control

Nsi
Rainbow light
All drug store brands
Any non branded vitamin Shoppe product
Solgar

[Mike M]

Depends on what type of products you are talking about. Don't forget us small people :D

[Dmitri]

I buy from:

Carlson Laboratories
GNC
Jarrow Formulas
Source Naturals

I know people here don't trust GNC but they're multi powder is the most reasonable I've seen that does not contain mega doses of Vitamin E. Relentless improvement doesn't sell AOR powder multi so I'm stuck with GNC.

[ajnast4r]

Gnc, while using cheap forms of ingredients, has good quality control.

Source naturals is questionable... I don't use them.

[spacetime]

I try to stick with cGMP certified lines so it's usually jarrow or now. If they don't have the product I want then I may look elsewhere. And I always avoid bulk vendors as they only have manufacturer's coas which are worthless. And they will rarely disclose their sources. In fact, one supplement store with it's own house brand just recently recalled some AI products. Turns out they had yohimbe and caffiene in them instead. And these guys claim to do testing, which is an obvious lie or they would have caught this before selling it to consumers.

[BioFactor]

Gnc, while using cheap forms of ingredients, has good quality control.

Source naturals is questionable... I don't use them.

Here are the brands I use:

Bluebonnet Nutrition (ALA, Ubiquinol, Copper, Magnesium, Milk Thisle and Methyl B-12)

Jarrow (NAC, L Glutamine Powder, Gamma E, Ginko, and Quercetin )

Vitamin C Foundation (L Ascorbic Acid Powder)

Carlson (Free Form NAC Powder, Vitamin D3, Vitamin K2, and Cod Liver Oil)

North American Herb and Spice (P-73 Oregano Oil)

Source Naturals (I only use their MSM Powder which contains material from Cardinal Nutrition the makers of OPTIMSM)

Optimum Nutrition (Natural Whey Powder)

Dr Best ( Hyaluronic Acid with Chondroitin Sulfate)

A.C. Grace Company (Unique E Tocotrienol)

Yasoo Health Multi (Prescription only multi-vitamin)

NOW (Amino Acid Complex)

Life Extension Formulas (Vitamin B6 Pyridoxamine)

Theralac (probiotics)

Jigsaw Magnesium (Magnesium)

I also have a couple Solgar brands that I plan to finish but will most likely not buy again. The only Solgar product I will continue to buy is their B-Complex 100 because it is one of the only B-Complexes that does not contain PABA. I am sensitive to PABA.

Edited by BioFactor, 29 April 2009 - 03:53 AM.

[Dmitri]

Gnc, while using cheap forms of ingredients, has good quality control.

Source naturals is questionable... I don't use them.

I was informed about that when I first posted my regimen back in July and what's ironic is that people were bashing them for using Niacinamide, but now on the RSV forums you see people speaking wonders about that form of B-3.

Anyway, I was using Source Naturals K2, but it came in tablets and I read fat soluble supps are better absorbed in gel caps so I bought Jarrow Formulas K2 and plan to use it from now on once I finish SN (I only have about 6 pills left).

I also forgot to mention that I buy all of those brands in Vitamin Shoppe (well except for the GNC powder).

Edited by Dmitri, 29 April 2009 - 04:33 AM.

[ajnast4r]

I also forgot to mention that I buy all of those brands in Vitamin Shoppe (well except for the GNC powder).

you can get all that stuff much cheaper online... also VS will price match their current website prices, which are usually different (and cheaper), if you print it and bring it in

I also have a couple Solgar brands that I plan to finish but will most likely not buy again. The only Solgar product I will continue to buy is their B-Complex 100 because it is one of the only B-Complexes that does not contain PABA. I am sensitive to PABA.

http://www.purecaps....y00.asp?T1=BCP1
http://www.enzymatic...P...43&cid=2429

Edited by ajnast4r, 29 April 2009 - 06:19 AM.

[hamishm00]

If someone could be specific about Solgar - apart from being overpriced, what's the issue with them?

[GoodFellas]

What about Cognitive Nutrition?

[pycnogenol]

Companies I don't use because of questionable quality control

Solgar

ajnast4r,

This is news to me. What specifically is questionable about Solgar?

Edited by pycnogenol, 29 April 2009 - 03:12 PM.

[ajnast4r]

Companies I don't use because of questionable quality control

Solgar

ajnast4r,

This is news to me. What specifically is questionable about Solgar?

solgar recently failed a CL test for lead in their turmeric & recalled a digestive aid b/c of salmonella contamination... thats pretty much an out for me. product potency is a forgivable offence, because a lot of things can effect potency post production... but heavy metal and microbial contamination just means their simply NOT testing their products.

[BioFactor]

I also forgot to mention that I buy all of those brands in Vitamin Shoppe (well except for the GNC powder).

you can get all that stuff much cheaper online... also VS will price match their current website prices, which are usually different (and cheaper), if you print it and bring it in

I also have a couple Solgar brands that I plan to finish but will most likely not buy again. The only Solgar product I will continue to buy is their B-Complex 100 because it is one of the only B-Complexes that does not contain PABA. I am sensitive to PABA.

http://www.purecaps....y00.asp?T1=BCP1
http://www.enzymatic...P...43&cid=2429

Thank you! The information about lead being found in some Solgar products is really troubling. It's even more disheartening when you consider how much they charge for their products. What is your opinion on the other brands I listed in my OP? Thanks again.

[StrangeAeons]

Hmm... my chelated iron is from solgar, but it's made by Albion. I would imagine iron is a lot less likely to be contaminated then a botanical like tumeric...

[ajnast4r]

Hmm... my chelated iron is from solgar, but it's made by Albion. I would imagine iron is a lot less likely to be contaminated then a botanical like tumeric...

yea any branded product will be fine... ive used their iron as well.

[Dmitri]

I also forgot to mention that I buy all of those brands in Vitamin Shoppe (well except for the GNC powder).

you can get all that stuff much cheaper online... also VS will price match their current website prices, which are usually different (and cheaper), if you print it and bring it in

I also have a couple Solgar brands that I plan to finish but will most likely not buy again. The only Solgar product I will continue to buy is their B-Complex 100 because it is one of the only B-Complexes that does not contain PABA. I am sensitive to PABA.

http://www.purecaps....y00.asp?T1=BCP1
http://www.enzymatic...P...43&cid=2429

Oh! thanks for the tip, I had no idea VS did that. Also, I forgot to ask you why you consider Source Naturals questionable?

[mentatpsi]

As far as I know Dr best has excellent quality control... Failing once doesn't make them a bad company. Both jarrow and lef have failed before but are still excellent companies.

Companies I use and know have excellent quality control:
Natures plus
Natures way
Swanson house brand
Now foods
Enzymatic therapy
Pure encapsulations
Jarrow
Aor
lef
Gaia herbs
Herb pharm
Dr best
Nearly any product can be found from these suppliers and most are reasonably priced, so I see no reason to go elsewhere.

Companies I don't use because of questionable quality control

Nsi
Rainbow light
All drug store brands
Any non branded vitamin Shoppe product
Solgar

Solgar has questionable quality control? Didn't it used to be part of a big pharmaceutical company back in the day (might have been Wyeth). Strange to believe that the quality control didn't come along with it.

Edit:
Haha, should have just read further. My apologies.

Edited by mysticpsi, 01 May 2009 - 07:39 AM.

[bran319]

New Chapter is excellent.

[ajnast4r]

Didn't it used to be part of a big pharmaceutical company back in the day (might have been Wyeth). Strange to believe that the quality control didn't come along with it.

used to yes, but since has been sold a few times.

[sdxl]

Solgar is now part of NBTY. Makes me wonder about the QC on their other brands.

[spacetime]

What about Cognitive Nutrition?

Run a search here and you'll see some of the questionable practices surrounding the company. I was interested in their idebenone powder but when I asked for a coa or who the manufacturer was they would not address the inquiry.

I hope Swanson is a good line as I saw their b-complex in another thread and after perusing their line-up they have quite a few products I plan to purchase. I just don't know how they can offer these products for what appears to be an absurddly low price.

[OneScrewLoose]

I just ordered some Solgar methylfolate from iherb because they were the only brand that had it (at least on iherb)...hopefully I won't die from lead poisoning.

[ajnast4r]

I just ordered some Solgar methylfolate from iherb because they were the only brand that had it (at least on iherb)...hopefully I won't die from lead poisoning.

they buy it from merck im sure it will be pure... the issue is mostly with non-branded products.

I hope Swanson is a good line as I saw their b-complex in another thread and after perusing their line-up they have quite a few products I plan to purchase. I just don't know how they can offer these products for what appears to be an absurddly low price.

swanson is good... they are a HUGE company and have been around for a long time, im sure that has a lot to do with their pricing. their house brand quality is excellent.

[woly]

I was just wondering why you Rainbow Light a poor brand?