Supplements are becoming big business and more and more companies are supplying them but are they all equal and why are some more expensive than others and do the cheap supplements do what they say and is it worth spending more or should we just buy more of the cheaper ones?
For men wanting to supplement their diet and keep healthy these are questions worth examining.
When we look at a supplement, it will usually be in a tablet or a capsule form and that is a deciding factor for some, we cannot however see or examine the ingredients, they all look the same. It would be logical to assume that the company who used the better ingredients or the company who filtered their product or who offered the strongest or more absorbable product would charge more but that is simply not the case. Some companies have taken advantage of the demand and some will package their product in a particular way in order to make it more attractive for the consumer and then charge a premium because the consumer thinks they are buying a more upmarket product. That said, some ingredients are more expensive than others and some production methods are too so the cost will vary depending on the type of supplement that you want. Different countries have different standards and supplements have to meet certain regulatory standards in order to be sold. Find out more about your diet and health through Mens Health And Supplements.
Amount of Ingredient Present
First, it is important to look at the ingredients. The pack should list the amount of the active ingredient present, so for example if you were to by magnesium tablets, a tablet containing 300mg would be stronger than a tablet containing 100mg so the expectation would be that the 100mg tablets would be much cheaper, sometimes however that is not the case and the consumer must also decide whether or not they would require 300mg or would the 100mg tablet work just as well for them. Check the DV or Daily value amount at the back of the pack, that will tell you the recommended daily amount required. Using too strong a product can lead to problems so stronger is not always better.
Fillers and Additives
Check also for fillers and additives, some supplements will have more that others and it is not always the case that cheaper ones have more.
Type of Product
If we are looking to supplement with minerals like calcium and magnesium for example, when we buy the tablet, the minerals are bound to another substance. If you look at the pack detail it should tell you whether the mineral is bound to carbonate, citrate, oxide or taurate for example. Each is different and can produce different actions within the body. All of the products are labelled calcium or magnesium so it makes sense to look at the substance that the mineral is bound to and decide on what would work best for you according to budget and need.
Screening
Some manufacturers claim to have very sophisticated screening techniques for their products in order to remove impurities. Again you would think that you would pay more for products like that but in truth, some of the very ethical companies are committed to making quality supplements available to the public at a very competitive price so check the label or ask if you have any questions
How are the Ingredients Sourced?
Imagine we had three companies making sage tablets. Company A has a farm and they grow organic sage which they use to make sage tablets. They carefully pick the correct parts of the plant and the tablets are made using the best of production methods. Company B approaches company A and notices that bits of the plant have been left unused and offers to buy the scraps of sage that are left over. Company A agrees to the deal and company B goes off and produces their tablets with the leftover material. Company C then approaches company B and notices that there are bits of powder left over, Company C buys the leftovers from company B and produces their sage tablets.
All of the tablets are made from sage and the packaging correctly labels them all as sage tablets. Company C is able to charge far less for their tablets and company A should charge the most but again that is not always how it works. Company C could decide to package their product in a way that is more appealing, it looks expensive and they market it well so that they can charge more.
Multivitamins and Minerals
When it comes to multi vitamins or minerals, a reputable and knowledgeable company will know what mix to put together. They understand the needs of teenagers, young men, older women and put their ingredients together appropriately. They have teams of people examining the dietary needs of the population. They then put together their preparation using the correct strength of vitamin and mineral bound to the correct substance to offer maximum absorption. This level of care, detail and work costs money. Compare this process to a company who puts together some ingredients in a random fashion. Check the back of the pack again for the DV amount of each ingredient and make sure that you are happy that you are getting a variety of different ingredients. Again some companies are prepared to take less of a profit to allow more access to their product as they are committed to the health of the population.
Expiry Date
Each product will have an expiry date. Make sure that the date will give you enough time to finish the product as supplements can lose their effectiveness beyond that date.
In order to be safe and to make sure that you are getting a good ingredient that will provide you with a health benefit it is always advisable to buy from a reliable and trusted company. Read the company literature or website information, read their reviews and read the label on the product. Decide on the strength of ingredient you require or look for a multivitamin that has a range of ingredients and check the expiry date on the product.
If men are looking for a supplement to boost their nutrition, it has been shown that expensive is not always best. Cheap supplements can pass all of the quality tests and still provide an excellent product. It is more important to consider the ingredients, consider the company that you are buying from and look for the Daily Value amount of the ingredient.