PRODUCT QUALITY:

Confused by the Dizzying Array of Supplements and Wild Claims for Miracle Cures?

Unsure if the Nutritional Products You Use are Safe and Even Effective?

One goal of our customized health workshops is to teach people critical criteria for supplements, so they can effectively judge any brand out there in the market place for safety and quality.

This is critical because what you put into your body directly affects your results.

Junk in equals junk out.  It’s as simple as that.  Load your body with fast food, doughnuts, sodas, chips, high fat foods and the end result is not a pretty picture for your body inside or out.

Our workshops are designed to lead and educate people to make healthy decisions.

Healthy and safe supplementation is an extension of the healthy food choices we teach. Responsible supplementation is secondary to food.  It fills in the gaps we simply can’t get from diet alone in today’s world of highly refined, processed foods, full of fat.  Add to that, the fact that over 40% of American’s meals are eaten outside the home and most people realize that even when they try very hard, their diets simply do not fulfill their body’s need for optimal nutrition. Supplementation is so necessary.

Even if that just means having a meal replacement shake instead of skipping breakfast. Most of our clients and workshop guests are aware of the benefits of taking a daily multi-vitamin/mineral supplement (all the major health & medical organizations now recommend it).

But MOST people, and maybe yourself included, don't really know or understand what the differences are between one product and the next. That's where we come in and educate.

Please read for a powerful testimonial by one of our business partners, Andrea Farquharson, R.N., illustrating the importance of ensuring that these criteria are met for products that you use.

Every Manufacturer Says Their Product Is The Best, But How Do You Really Know?

Unfortunately, the burden falls on you, the consumer. The food supplement industry is not held to the same standards as the pharmaceutical industry.  This leads to many ineffective and sometimes even unsafe products. 

We created the following checklist to help consumers cut through all the “hype” and “unfounded claims”.

We encourage you to find the answers to these questions before using any brand of vitamin supplements, including the one we have chosen to market. 

You can go to the manufacturer’s website or call the toll free number often listed on the bottle.  If you’re like us, you will discover very few brands meet these criteria.  When you contact a vendor we recommend that you ask the following question:

Please send me a complete bibliography of all your research that has been done for publication in refereed or peer-reviewed professional medical journals. This should be published research done by scientists employed by you or those on your advisory board concerning work on the actual products you are selling.

After Extensive Research, the Vendor We’ve Chosen to Align Ourselves with is Shaklee Corporation. 

Their products fulfill all of the criteria outlined below and best meet the needs of our clients.

Checklist for High Quality Food Supplements

Are the health and nutrient claims, if any, based on anecdotal information or scientific data?

Always ask the company for peer reviewed research on their products.  The key word here is peer reviewed.  That means it is unbiased, legitimate research. These are like the consumer reports of the food supplement industry and what the FDA recommends consumers look for.

The success and superiority of food and nutritional supplements lays in the scientific approach. All product label claims should be based on documented substantiation, not heresy, testimony, or anecdotal evidence. This is an important test of product efficacy.

What published clinical studies does the company have to prove their products actually work? Ask to see published research.

How much is there?

Is it peer-reviewed, published research?

If so, where has it been published?

Over the years, Shaklee Corporation has conducted numerous clinical studies whose results have undergone the difficult and rigorous process of peer-review. Nearly 110 clinical studies relating to Shaklee products have been published with many of them appearing in prestigious scientific journals such as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, American Journal of Cardiology, Journal of Applied Physiology and Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

But don't just take our word for it. Click here to view the Shaklee published studies.

Are the supplements you are using safe and is what’s on the label actually in each tablet?

Safety:  Researchers at the University of Florida tested 22 calcium products. Eight were contaminated with significant amounts of lead.

Eight of 21 brands tested were found to contain high levels of pesticide. 

Every single raw ingredient in every single Shaklee product is tested for 400 pesticides. We found this to be a huge point of difference compared to other brands.

May 2004 Consumer Reports has an article on the “Dirty Dozen” bad ingredients in nutritional supplements.  Shaklee is the ONLY company that has NEVER sold ANY of these ingredients

Quality Control:  We were shocked to discover that it is not uncommon for the amount in each individual tablet in a bottle of supplements to vary dramatically.  Look for a guarantee on the bottle, stating the amount on the label is the amount in each tablet or capsule.

As many as 83,000 laboratory tests for quality are performed on Shaklee Nutritional Products and their ingredients in a single year, and as many as 176 separate tests for purity, freshness, potency, and safety are performed on the raw ingredients for a single product. Shaklee products also undergo as many as 349 separate quality assurance tests throughout the manufacturing process.  The company guarantees that the amount on the label is the amount in each tablet. 

Is there balance in the formulation?
Balance is critical to a well formulated supplement.  Many nutrients do not work effectively unless in a certain balance.

For example, the B vitamin Biotin is extremely expensive.  It should offer at least 100% of the daily value.  If it is less than 100%, that is a sign to you of a poorly formulated vitamin, so read your labels.

Shaklee’s B-Complex provides 100% of the DV for each of the eight essential B vitamins, including 100% of the U.S. RDA for biotin and folic acid.

Are sugars, artificial colorings or sweeteners used?
This is very common.   Check out how common it is to see sugar and food coloring in children’s vitamins!  Read the labels to determine their presence.

Shaklee products contain no artificial ingredients, coloring agents, or sweeteners. 

In order to ensure our clients get the best results, the products we recommend must meet the highest standards of safety and quality. If the product is poor quality, the results are poor quality. We don't have time to waste on anything less than the best.

Do you?

Click Below To View Detailed Information On

Shaklee's Sports Nutrition Quality Control

Shaklee's Production Quality and GMP (Good Manufacturing Standards) Adherence

Shaklee's Quality Assurance Standards Program

FDA proposed GMP’s for dietary supplement industry

In March 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a proposed regulation that wouldestablish “current good manufacturing practices” (cGMPs) for dietary ingredients and dietary supplements. FDA intends to publish the final ruling after a lengthy public comment period.  The rule is intended to reduce adulteration and misbranding of dietary ingredients and dietary supplements.

Similar regulations already exist for foods (food cGMPs) and drugs (pharmaceutical cGMPs).  The dietary supplement industry has been required to only meet food cGMPs that address food safety concerns such as equipment cleaning, worker hygiene, and plant sanitation.  Pharmaceutical cGMPs incorporate food cGMPs and require proof of product identity, strength, quality, and purity—data achieved through testing, controlled manufacturing, and detailed documentation.

Many consumers of Shaklee dietary supplements and food products are familiar with the more stringent of these regulations, pharmaceutical cGMPs, because many aspects of these manufacturing practices have been part of Shaklee for years. Both raw materials and finished products are tested to ensure their purity, freshness, and safety. Raw materials are assayed for potency and stability to assure that the finished product contains 100% of the bioactive nutrients stated on the label throughout its shelf life.  Extensive documentation is maintained to satisfy regulatory requirements, such as in the case that a product has to be recalled.  Our documentation meets the highest standards, ensuring that our products contain exactly what the label claims (not misbranded) and do not contain potentially harmful substances (not adulterated).

The Shaklee manufacturing plant in Norman, Oklahoma is already operating at or above the proposed dietary supplement/ingredient cGMP level.  Part of this control is in the form of documented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that address the main components of the proposed cGMPs:

Personnel  •Training  •Personal hygiene

Physical Plant  •Construction  •Sanitation & ease of cleaning •Cleanliness of production & storage

Equipment & Utensils •Proper design and selection •Process controls (temperature, calibration)

Production & Process Controls •QA unit (laboratory assays, inspections, raw materials and finished products testing.  •In-process controls to monitor adherence to specifications and SOP’s.	Holding & Distribution •Warehousing •Storage conditions to prevent contamination and ensure product stability •Maintaining production records to ensure batch-to-batch consistency.
Consumer Complaints  •Adverse event monitoring	Records and Record Keeping •Maintenance of records open to FDA inspection

Consider that the proposed cGMPs do not mandate the use of written SOPs, yet it is doubtful that any company could consistently achieve our high level of product quality without them.  Also, Shaklee’s dietary ingredient vendor qualification program far exceeds what is proposed, and only the very best suppliers are able to meet our high standards.