Quality Manufacturing: Own It

The most important trait of a quality manufacturer of dietary supplements is to own as much of the process as possible: farms to grow plants, laboratories to test all components of the supplements, scientists to base formulations on the latest research, manufacturing facilities for the products, and elements of the distribution process. As I said, no company can process every nutrient that may go into a supplement but the more they control, the better the oversight.

The problem will always be the lack of control. As control decreases, the probability of tainted supplements increases. Anyone, and I really mean anyone with the money, can put together a formula for supplements and find a manufacturer that will make it. The ingredients can be organic and natural or they can be the cheapest available. That person can also find a warehouse to store it and another company to distribute it, especially in these days of Internet shopping. Anyone can start selling his own formulations for supplements within a week to a month.

Lack of ownership isn’t necessarily a bad thing; we can’t begin with the premise that everyone is out to cheat everyone by cutting corners. But while someone might be an excellent nutritionist with a great idea for a supplement of some sort, they’re not necessarily an expert in the entire process of manufacturing. That could result in problems with the finished product that were unseen due to a lack of expertise.

In this week’s Memos, I’ve covered a simple way to assess the manufacturers of supplements. The only thing you have to do is ask the right questions before you buy. That protects you and your family.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet