Recent events have had an impact on every individual and business in the United States one way or another. Stock market volatility, sporting events canceled, travel restricted… the list goes on and on. It’s been predicted that small businesses, in particular, are going to take a big hit. Read why that might be a problem if you’re searching for high-quality supplements and why its more important than ever to buy supplements made in the USA.
Understanding where your supplements come from
Most people really don’t think twice about where their supplements come from, but that is a mistake. You’d be surprised to learn that quite a few supplements sold in the United States are actually manufactured in China, yet most consumers have no idea this is the case. Why? Because the United States does not require country-of-origin labels for any of our drugs, foods or supplements, so it’s hard to discern exactly where the vitamin you are taking came from. While people like the “feel good” aspect of buying American, there are three legitimate reasons you should consider only buying supplements made in the USA.
Quality
Any time you get any kind of product outside the U.S. and its body of regulations, the more you’re putting quality at risk. That’s not to say that any product not made in the USA is of poor quality, it simply means control and regulations are different and as a result, quality may suffer. The website healthychild.org states, “Be extra cautious about supplements manufactured outside the United States. Herbal products from some European countries and elsewhere are highly regulated and standardized, but toxic ingredients and prescription drugs have been found in supplements manufactured elsewhere, particularly China, India, and Mexico.”
Safety
The F.D.A. requires that companies verify that every supplement they manufacture is safe and accurately labeled, but the system operates on the honor code. To safeguard against unsafe supplements, look for the Good Manufacturing Practices seal. You can find this seal on Future Pharm’s home page.
Availability
Circling back to today’s issues, including all the restrictions caused by the coronavirus, availability of a product is now becoming an issue for those who depend on their products coming from outside the U.S. With the newly implemented ban on Europe, those companies who either get their manufactured supplements from outside the U.S. or buy their raw ingredients overseas to manufacture here are going to feel the squeeze very quickly. As their supplies run low, the cost will go up, and availability will diminish quickly. Supplements like Future Pharm who source their products locally and manufacture them in the US won’t have that problem.
If you use supplements on a regular basis, take a moment to read that label right now. Where is the product sourced? Where is it manufactured? If the question to either is “outside the United States” you may want to look elsewhere to buy your supplements.
