Buying good supplements is an important question, since a) you are spending your hard-earned (or stolen or whatever) bucks, and b) you are buying something you are going to put into your body. Both very good reasons to want the best, and also the best value.
I will mention some tips that apply here in Toronto as well as others that apply in all of Canada (and possibly the States, since they sell a lot of stuff that we have and vice-versa.
First off, the brands. My faves (in no particular order) are
I will mention some tips that apply here in Toronto as well as others that apply in all of Canada (and possibly the States, since they sell a lot of stuff that we have and vice-versa.
First off, the brands. My faves (in no particular order) are
- Trophic
- New Roots
- Genuine Health (the Greens + co.)
- Natural Factors
- Organika
- Prairie Naturals
- CanPrev
- NAHS -North American Herb and Spice
The fact that supplements are often actively slandered by the popular media is sad and is also something that myself and other people in the know are correcting with real information. The pharma/medical agenda is to get you to fear vitamin supplements. The truth is they are very safe and very often health-building and generally great! : )
What do I personally like, in terms of individual supplements? Please keep in mind I receive no royalties or fees or anything from any brand. 100% integrity here, no conflict of interest. I sell no supplements.
Anthony's picks;
What do I personally like, in terms of individual supplements? Please keep in mind I receive no royalties or fees or anything from any brand. 100% integrity here, no conflict of interest. I sell no supplements.
Anthony's picks;
- probiotics - DDS (distributed in Canada by Inno-Vite), Bio-K
- enzymes - bromelain by Trophic or Organika, plant enzymes by Enzymedica, Prairie Naturals, Renew Life
- B complex vits - CanPrev, New Roots, AOR (in that order of preference)
- vit C - I generally buy Doctor's best, which is manufactured in Scotland of European material, via mail order.
- vit D - liquid by any brand
- magnesium - PureLab, CanPrev, Trophic, Natural Calm
- vitamin E - vitamin E complex, and also liquid, by Trophic
- calcium - any brand of red marine algae calcium (Lithothamnion calcareum), coral is also good, and any by Trophic, Enerex, or New Roots
- cod liver oil - definitely Green Pasture (not for the faint of heart; it's fermented and fishy-fishy!) or Rosita
- zinc - Trophic
- manganese - Trophic
- selenium - Sisu
- chromium - any that is NOT picolinate (polynicotinate is ok)
- (amazing) energising chaga tonic - Chaganol, by North American Herb and Spice (the oregano people)
- Greens - anything by Schinoussa or Greens +
Where to buy? I really like the help and advice at the Big Carrot. many of the vitamin staff at the Big Carrot are passionate about health and supplements.
Noah's also has some pretty good vitamin aisle help, and they have 5 stores in TO.
Are Noah's and the Big Carrot the cheapest stores? No, but they pay their workers well, and they attract good competent people into their supplement aisles! A shout-out to Ottway as well; they are quite helpful and have some exceptional staffers.
A friend of mine got a job at a discount vitamin store here in Toronto that will remain anonymous and was told point-blank to make up good feedback about products! In other words, if she was approached by a customer asking about a product, she was instructed to tell them it was a good supplement, and that she had good feedback with it, regardless of whether she knew or heard anything about it! To my friend's credit, she soon quit that place (and the pay sucked too).
Noah's also has some pretty good vitamin aisle help, and they have 5 stores in TO.
Are Noah's and the Big Carrot the cheapest stores? No, but they pay their workers well, and they attract good competent people into their supplement aisles! A shout-out to Ottway as well; they are quite helpful and have some exceptional staffers.
A friend of mine got a job at a discount vitamin store here in Toronto that will remain anonymous and was told point-blank to make up good feedback about products! In other words, if she was approached by a customer asking about a product, she was instructed to tell them it was a good supplement, and that she had good feedback with it, regardless of whether she knew or heard anything about it! To my friend's credit, she soon quit that place (and the pay sucked too).
What brands do I avoid? Out of professional respect, to all the good practitioners who recommend Genestra/ Seroyal, I won't state just now my many issues with this over-rated, over-priced mythical-reputation company but I welcome any practitioner to ask me for the sordid details.
Other than Seroyal/ Genestra, I say AOR is an ok brand but I dare say over-rated. As an example, their vitamin C is NO BETTER than Swiss or Life Brand, regardless of their label "corn-free" hysterics. They do have some decent products, eg; their Rhodiola is decent and their Ortho-Adapt is great, but generally I find they are priced above what they are worth. If you work for AOR and are reading this, please contact me so i can get the record straight with you, since previous attempts to do so have not been successful.
My fave brands listed above are better value for most vitamins and nutrients.
Other than Seroyal/ Genestra, I say AOR is an ok brand but I dare say over-rated. As an example, their vitamin C is NO BETTER than Swiss or Life Brand, regardless of their label "corn-free" hysterics. They do have some decent products, eg; their Rhodiola is decent and their Ortho-Adapt is great, but generally I find they are priced above what they are worth. If you work for AOR and are reading this, please contact me so i can get the record straight with you, since previous attempts to do so have not been successful.
My fave brands listed above are better value for most vitamins and nutrients.
