Daily Archives: February 24, 2023

Finding the best vitamin brands means looking at third-party testing, certifications, ingredients, and brand integrity. We did all the work and found quality options for women, kids, athletes, prenatal, probiotics, and more. Our pick for best overall vitamin brand: Thorne.

If youre unable to meet your nutritional needs through your diet alone, supplements can be a convenient and effective way to do so.

That said, not all vitamin and mineral supplements are created equal.

In fact, some brands are pumped full of fillers, additives, and unhealthy ingredients that can do more harm than good when it comes to your health.

Its important to choose a reputable brand that has undergone extensive testing, ideally by a third-party lab, and is sourced from high quality ingredients. Doing so can ensure that youre getting a supplement thats pure and potent and that your body can use efficiently.

Here are the 15 best vitamin brands to help meet your nutritional needs, as well as the criteria we used to choose them.

When researching the best vitamin brands, we considered the following factors:

Thorne is a supplement company that uses high quality ingredients free of contaminants, fillers, and heavy metals.

All products are manufactured in a facility thats certified by NSF International and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which is the regulatory body in Australia responsible for assessing the safety of supplements.

Plus, Thorne makes more than 30 products that are NSF Certified for Sport.

Thorne offers a variety of products, including protein powders, multivitamins, probiotics, and fish oils. The company also provides supplements designed to support healthy aging, bone and joint health, immune function, and energy levels.

In fact, Thorne Womens Multi 50+ was featured as the best multivitamin for women over age 50 in Healthlines roundup of the best multivitamins for womens health.

Additionally, many supplements also vegan and free of gluten, soy, or dairy, although this may depend on the specific product you select.

Pure Encapsulations is dedicated to providing safe, sustainably sourced supplements formulated to address a long list of health concerns.

All the brands products are free of unnecessary fillers and additives, as well as GMOs and many common allergens.

Plus, each supplement is certified gluten-free and undergoes rigorous third-party testing for contaminants and harmful compounds to guarantee safety.

In addition to single-nutrient supplements, Pure Encapsulations offers products for digestive health, immune support, brain function, hormone balance, and more.

For example, Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Glycinate made Healthlines list of the best supplements for anxiety.

Ritual is a company that specializes in making high quality multivitamins free of artificial colors, flavors, and fillers.

It provides detailed information on the sourcing of each nutrient for full transparency, including the supplier and specific form of each micronutrient.

Ritual offers a variety of products for different life stages, including:

For instance, the Ritual Essential for Men Multivitamin is formulated specifically to meet the needs of men over age 18 and is vegan and non-GMO.

Ritual multivitamins are made without dairy, sugar, nuts, or gluten, and theyre tested by an independent lab for heavy metals, allergens, and microbes.

Whats more, Rituals Essential Multivitamin for Women 18+ is USP-verified to ensure purity and potency, and its protein powders are NSF Certified for Sport.

NOW is a family-owned company that focuses on producing budget-friendly supplements free of GMOs and artificial ingredients.

Each product is thoroughly tested in the companys in-house laboratories for purity and the presence of heavy metals, pesticides, and other contaminants.

NOW supplements are manufactured in facilities certified by UL Solutions, a third-party company that inspects facilities to ensure that they comply with good manufacturing practices.

A wide range of products is available on the companys website, including multivitamins, sports supplements, probiotics, herbs, digestive enzymes, and more.

NOW makes 50+ sports supplements that are Informed Sport certified, which means theyve been tested for the presence of substances that are banned for athletes.

The company also offers a variety of single nutrient supplements, such as its NOW Foods Chewable Vitamin D3 5,000 IU, which was selected as one of Healthlines best vitamin D supplements.

You can also filter supplements to find options that are vegan, vegetarian, organic, or free of gluten and other specific allergens.

Llama Naturals offers a selection of flavored gummy vitamins specifically for children, including multivitamins, prebiotics, probiotics, and supplements featuring ingredients like vitamin D and elderberry.

For example, their Plant-Based Multivitamin contains a blend of 13 vitamins and phytonutrients, which are naturally flavored and made with real fruit.

As registered dietitian and health coach Brenda Peralta points out, gummy supplements could be a good option for young children who may have trouble taking pills. Just make sure to keep the bottle safely out of reach.

Not only is each supplement from Llama Naturals certified organic, but all products are also plant-based and free of added sugar and artificial ingredients.

Furthermore, all products undergo third-party testing for safety and are backed by a money-back guarantee.

Be sure to use products only as directed and talk with your pediatrician before starting supplementation if you have any concerns.

Founded by dietitian and fertility nutrition expert Ayla Barmmer, FullWell specializes in producing prenatal vitamins designed to provide support before, during, and after pregnancy.

Though they recently began offering a supplement to promote mens fertility as well along with fish oil and an herbal supplement to promote relaxation, their signature Prenatal Vitamin is still their most popular product.

This supplement provides many nutrients that are essential for promoting a healthy pregnancy, including folate, vitamin D, and vitamin B12, among others (1).

It also contains choline. According to womens health dietitian Coral Edelson, MS, RD, this micronutrient is important for your babys brain development and is not found in all prenatal supplements.

Whats more, FullWell is manufactured in a UL Solutions certified facility and batch tested to ensure safety. Plus, a certificate of analysis (COA) is available upon request.

Especially if youre pregnant or breastfeeding, always talk with a healthcare professional before taking any new supplements.

HUM Nutrition supplements are formulated with clinically proven nutrients and designed to promote everything from hair and skin health to mood, digestion, immune function, and more.

For example, their HUM Nutrition Fan Club, which contains Siberian rhubarb and mix of probiotics and other herbal ingredients, was selected as one of Healthlines best multivitamins for menopause.

Using a simple online quiz, the company provides personalized product recommendations based on your needs and offers free access to a registered dietitian for additional guidance.

Products are triple-tested for purity and verified by a third-party lab to ensure strength and potency. Plus, all supplements are non-GMO, gluten-free, and made without any artificial colors or sweeteners.

Care/of is a personalized subscription-based supplement company that uses a quick online assessment to create a custom daily supplement regimen just for you.

All products are tested multiple times throughout the manufacturing process, both in-house and by third-party labs, to ensure that youre receiving the highest quality supplements possible.

Care/of offers a wide variety of products, including multivitamins, protein powders, probiotics, and supplement blends formulated for specific health concerns such as sleep, digestion, and stress.

Each product includes detailed information on the ingredients it contains, any potential allergens, and the research that backs its health benefits.

Garden of Life is a supplement manufacturer focused on quality, transparency, and sustainability.

In fact, in addition to being certified carbon neutral, many Garden of Life products undergo third-party testing and are certified organic, vegan, gluten-free, or kosher.

Some have also been certified by NSF International or Informed Choice, which are organizations that test products for substances that are banned for athletes.

With a wide selection of products to choose from, Garden of Life offers more than 150 vegan supplements, including probiotics, vitamins, minerals, herbs, and plant-based protein powders.

For instance, the Garden of Life MyKind Organic Plant Collagen Builder is a vegan biotin supplement that contains a blend of other vitamins, minerals, and botanicals to support collagen synthesis.

You can also filter products to find supplements for specific health concerns or dietary restrictions, based on your needs.

Vital Proteins is a popular brand known for their collagen supplements, which are available in a variety of forms and flavors, including vanilla, matcha, and dark chocolate blackberry.

As the most abundant protein in the body, collagen plays a central role in skin, bone, and joint health (2).

Its particularly popular for its anti-aging benefits, with research showing that collagen supplements could help boost skin hydration and elasticity (3).

One of their most popular products, Vital Proteins Beauty Collagen, contains a blend of collagen, probiotics, and hyaluronic acid to promote the health of the hair, skin, and nails.

Many Vital Proteins products are certified organic and free of GMOs, fillers, binders, and artificial ingredients.

According to their website, Vital Proteins also uses independent labs to test supplements for contaminants and heavy metals.

Although Nordic Naturals produces a variety of vitamins and minerals, the company is perhaps best known for its high quality omega-3 supplements that are tailored to fit a range of nutritional needs.

In fact, their Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega is featured as Healthlines best overall fish oil supplement.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to a long list of benefits and can help promote healthy aging (4).

They may also help reduce inflammation, which can be especially beneficial for those with autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis (5).

In addition to offering plant-based omega-3 supplements, Nordic Naturals has supplements specifically for athletes, children, teens, pregnant people, and even pets.

All Nordic Naturals products are non-GMO and undergo third-party testing for safety. A COA is also available for all supplements on the companys website.

OLLY is a company committed to promoting health with high quality, flavorful supplements made without any GMOs and artificial ingredients.

The company offers many gummies and softgels formulated to promote hair, nails, and skin health, and they include ingredients like collagen, hyaluronic acid, and biotin.

For example, OLLY Undeniable Beauty is made with vitamin C, vitamin E, and keratin and is one of the top vitamins for hair, nails, and skin.

Other products, including multivitamins, omega-3s, probiotics, and herbal supplements, are also available.

A COA is available for each product from OLLY and several products are certified by NSF. Additionally, supplements are produced in facilities audited by the FDA and other third-party agencies.

Bio-Kult is a brand that specializes in producing high quality probiotics.

Probiotics are a type of bacteria found in the gut that have been linked to a long list of health benefits, including improved immune function, enhanced digestion, and lower cholesterol levels (6).

The brand offers products with a variety of unique strains, each of which is intended to support different conditions. Some are also formulated with ingredients to support other aspects of health, such as garlic, grapefruit extract, or cranberry extract.

For example, Bio-Kult Mind is designed to support brain function and gut health using a blend of probiotics, zinc, and grape and blueberry extracts.

All Bio-Kult products are shelf-stable, non-GMO, and made without gluten, nuts, and eggs. Many are also vegetarian-friendly and have been approved by the Vegetarian Society.

As one of the leading probiotic manufacturers on the market, Culturelle is a top-notch brand trusted by consumers and healthcare professionals alike.

The brand provides probiotics specifically for children, infants, and adults, along with supplements that combine probiotics with other nutrients, such as fiber, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids.

One of their best-selling supplements, Culturelle Digestive Daily Probiotic, is shelf-stable and packs 10 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) into each serving.

Culturelle products are manufactured in a facility thats certified by NSF International, and each product lot is carefully inspected prior to packaging.

Most Culturelle supplements are also free of common allergens like dairy, soy, and gluten, making them great options for those with food allergies.

Klean Athlete is a high quality supplement brand that was founded by athletes for athletes.

The company manufactures a range of products, including multivitamins, probiotics, and omega-3 fatty acid supplements.

It also has a wide selection of supplements designed to optimize athletic performance, such as creatine, whey protein, collagen, and branched-chain amino acids.

Klean Creatine, one of their most popular products, was even featured as one of Healthlines best creatine supplements for 2022.

All products are NSF Certified for Sport, meaning that they have been tested to ensure that theyre free of substances banned for athletes.

This is especially important for competitive athletes. According to Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN, hidden substances can show up in urine or blood tests and may prevent athletes from competing in their sport.

Klean Athlete products are also non-GMO and undergo testing in-house and in accredited laboratories to verify safety.

Read more:

15 Best Vitamin Brands of 2022: A Dietitians Picks

Dietary supplements for weight loss

Melt away fat. Lose weight naturally. Tempting claims, but do the products deliver?

The promise of fast weight loss is hard to resist. But do weight-loss supplements lighten anything but your wallet? And are they safe?

Dietary supplements are sold as health aids. They're taken by mouth. Common ingredients are vitamins, minerals, fiber, caffeine, herbs and other plants.

Some of the most popular supplements claim to improve nutrition, boost energy, build muscle or burn fat.

Dietary supplements are not medicines. They aren't meant to treat or cure disease.

Companies that make supplements are responsible for the safety of their products. They must ensure that their products are free of contaminants and that they're accurately labeled.

Dietary supplements don't require approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But if a supplement is found to be unsafe, the FDA can issue warnings or ask that it be withdrawn from the market.

The FDA can also take action against companies that make false or unsupported claims to sell their supplements.

You might be surprised to learn that makers of dietary supplements rarely carry out clinical trials. That's part of the reason why there's little scientific evidence to show that weight-loss supplements work.

For example, raspberry ketone is marketed as a clinically proven weight-loss product. That claim is supported by one clinical trial.

The trial included 70 adults with obesity. All were placed on a restricted diet and exercise program. They were then randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or a supplement containing raspberry ketone, caffeine, bitter orange, ginger and garlic root extract.

The 45 people who completed the trial all lost weight:

While these results are intriguing, the fact that the trial was small and lasted only eight weeks means the results can't be reliably generalized to real-world situations. And importantly, a short trial like this may miss side effects that only become apparent with long-term use.

In addition, the trial used a supplement that contained multiple ingredients. So it's impossible to tell which ingredient was responsible for the weight loss.

Ideally these initial results would be tested in a much longer trial involving hundreds of participants with careful monitoring for side effects. Results from such a trial would allow for an informed decision about the safety and effectiveness of such a product.

Until such trial data is more readily available, claims regarding dietary supplements and weight loss should be treated with caution.

A product isn't necessarily safe simply because it's natural. Though rare, some dietary supplements have been linked to serious problems, such as liver damage.

Supplements can have strong effects. Ephedra (ma-huang) is an herb once used for weight loss. It's now banned by the FDA because it was associated with adverse effects, such as mood changes, high blood pressure, irregular heart rate, stroke, seizures and heart attacks.

Some weight-loss supplements have been found to contain hidden ingredients, such as prescription drugs, that may be harmful.

It's important to do your homework if you're thinking about trying a weight-loss supplement. Check credible websites, such as those run by the U.S. Office of Dietary Supplements and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

Also be sure to talk with your doctor before taking any supplement. This is especially important if you have health problems, take prescription drugs, or are pregnant or breast-feeding.

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Dietary supplements for weight loss - Mayo Clinic