To Your Health

A vitamin a day may do more harm than good
ConsumerLab.com report finds unexpected nutrient levels, contamination
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16655168/
By Jacqueline Stenson
Contributing editor
MSNBC

Vitamins and other dietary supplements aren’t required to undergo the same testing as medicines,
so it’s buyer beware. But there are some steps you can take to help you pick a better product,
says David Schardt, a senior nutritionist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit
consumer advocacy group in Washington, D.C. He recommends:

— Choosing well-known mainstream brands by companies that have a lot at stake.

— Buying from large, trusted retailers, not unknown sellers on the Internet.

— Looking on the bottle for a stamp from USP, NSF or http://www.ConsumerLab.com
While the stamp doesn’t guarantee the product is safe and effective, it does indicate
 that the manufacturer has submitted the product for testing to show that it contains
 what is stated on the label.

— Not spending a fortune on vitamins. Pricey products toting all sorts of "extras" aren’t
 necessary and may be trouble.

MSNBC.com
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A vitamin a day may do more harm than good
ConsumerLab.com report finds unexpected nutrient levels, contamination
By Jacqueline Stenson
Contributing editor
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16655168/

If you’re banking on a daily vitamin to make up for any deficiencies in your diet,
you may be getting a whole lot more — or less — than you bargained for.

Of 21 brands of multivitamins on the market in the United States and Canada selected
by ConsumerLab.com and tested by independent laboratories, just 10 met the stated
claims on their labels or satisfied other quality standards.

READ FULL ARTICLE: URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16655168/