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Adults and children all around the United States take vitamins and multivitamin supplements. Many of these vitamin and multivitamin supplements contain a range of ingredients, some of which are less than beneficial. While our bodies do rely on vitamins and minerals for essential functions and nutrition, it's important to take a closer look at what some of these store-bought vitamins can really offer — along with the potential risks cheap supplements can carry.

A number of store-bought vitamin and supplement brands claim to offer health benefits like disease prevention, restorative properties, and more. This guide takes a deeper look into the reality of store-bought vitamins and offers some insight into the pharmaceutical-grade alternatives that the biostation provides.

What Exactly Is a Vitamin?

Your body relies on 13 vitamins and around 16 minerals for optimum health. Your body needs these vitamins and minerals for a variety of functions, including aiding enzyme reaction and regulating your body's maintenance and growth processes. Normally, you get these vitamins and minerals from your diet. However, in cases of poor diet and nutrition, many individuals may rely on these dietary supplements to receive the nutrients they need.

That being said, the vitamins your body requires come in two forms: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins are easily absorbed in the body and are quickly expelled, requiring you to replenish them frequently. Vitamins B and C are water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins are those that are stored in your fat and tissues for a long time. Your body doesn't easily expel fat-soluble vitamins, and if you accumulate excess amounts of these types of vitamins, it could lead to an overload of them in your system. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble.

What Kind of Ingredients Do Store-Bought Vitamins Actually Contain?

Vitamin supplements can contain a variety of ingredients, some naturally derived and some that are synthesized in laboratories. While many of these supplements may contain the necessary vitamins and minerals, they may only do so in varying amounts and in different forms. There may also be additional ingredients in some of these supplements, including fatty acids, amino acids, and even herbs.

Additionally, dietary supplements aren't completely regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, making it more likely that cheap, store-bought brands end up with higher or lower levels of the nutrients their labels list. It's also important to note that because these types of supplements don't fall under the FDA's authority, they can contain harmful ingredients like fillers, synthetic dyes, unregulated additives, binders, and more.

However, just because many store-bought and cheap brands of vitamins and supplements can skirt around FDA regulations doesn't mean there aren't reputable brands and types of vitamin supplements out there. Pharmaceutical-grade supplements are available, and many contain only superior quality ingredients.

What Are Good Vitamins to Take?

Essentially, it's important to maintain a healthy diet so that you're receiving optimum nutrition the natural way. Typically, with a healthy diet that focuses on nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, your body may not always need additional supplements. However, with growing deficiencies in many essential vitamins and nutrients, there are several supplements that are beneficial to take, including:

  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin B12
  • Vitamin B3
  • Vitamin B9 (folate and folic acid)
  • Magnesium
  • Calcium
  • Zinc
  • Iron

Many store-bought brands may claim to include only the highest quality of these necessary nutrients; however, because of the lack of regulation on these dietary supplements, it's challenging to distinguish reputable supplements from the ones that are not. That's why the biostation recommends only pharmaceutical-grade vitamins and supplements should you ever need to support your optimum health.

Pharmaceutical-grade supplements provide superior quality vitamins that are easily absorbed by the body to deliver maximum nutrient content in support of optimum health and wellness. If you're considering vitamins or supplements to support your diet, pharmaceutical-grade supplements may be beneficial for you.

What to Look for When Buying Vitamins

When looking for reputable vitamins and supplements, the biostation recommends looking for pharmaceutical-grade supplements. Pharmaceutical-grade refers to the way in which the supplement is produced in order to get the purest form of the nutrient for the most efficient absorption in the body. Because there are some additions in the production process, no supplement is ever 100% pure. However, pharmaceutical-grade ingredients are required to exceed 99% purity, meaning when you take a pharmaceutical-grade supplement, you're only getting the best in quality. Further, pharmaceutical-grade vitamins and supplements don't contain any fillers, binders, dyes, or other unknown additives.

Another factor to keep in mind when looking for supplements is that many store-bought vitamins aren't naturally derived. These common brands may be synthesized from petrochemicals, leading to concern regarding the body's reaction to natural vitamins versus chemically-derived vitamins. This being said, pharmaceutical-grade supplements don't contain synthetic barriers to your body's natural ability to absorb nutrients.

It's also important to look for the form that the vitamin or mineral is in. The form of the vitamin will tell you how easily your body will absorb the nutrient and put it towards essential functions. Vitamin B12 is a great example of how the different forms of vitamins absorb in the body. This vitamin comes in four forms, two of which your body can absorb, store, and use. So when you purchase vitamins and supplements, it's important to be aware of the forms of the nutrients to make sure your body can actually use them.

The biostation also recommends looking for the company or brand that produces the supplement. Look for what's known as c-GMP, a signifier that the brand follows the Good Manufacturing Practices. Over-the-counter vitamins and supplements should feature the USP-verified stamp that shows the products have been tested for purity.

If you're looking for pure, superior quality vitamins and supplements, the biostation carries a selection that covers all your nutrition needs. With the biostation's formulas and only the purest pharmaceutical-grade ingredients, you can feel confident in a supplement knowing it's safe and effective. You'll find supplements for immune support, hormonal support, energy boost, sleep support, anxiety and stress relief, and more. Get in touch with the professionals at the biostation if you have any questions about your vitamin or supplement needs.