Marketers use words such as top rated, best, super, etc. to market their products, but these superlatives might not have any real meaning and truth behind them. To find truly top rated Omega 3 fatty acid supplements, the best decision can only be taken by you - after you gain awareness of the essential facts.

This article shall provide in-depth information that will help you make the right decision to choose the best and top rated Omega 3 fatty acid supplements.

Firstly, if you see that celebrities or doctors are endorsing the products, then it is clear that the supplement brands would be overpriced. This is because the huge celebrity fees have to be paid out through the product sales.

It is not that marketing is wrong, but these expenses do not add any qualitative value to the supplement product, they only make them more expensive and place an additional burden on the pockets of the consumers.

Here are 4 important facts that you should keep in mind while selecting top rated Omega 3 fatty acid supplements –

1) Is it made out of fatty fish? (Fatty fish are the richest source of DHA and omega-3 fatty acids)

2) Does the supplement brand give exact details of the breakup of DHA and EPA omega-3 fats or not? If the product does not give these important details, it means that it does not contain these necessary DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid them.

3) Is the fish oil supplement molecularly distilled? Molecular distillation is the process of purification of the fish oil from hazardous toxins and contaminants such as Mercury, lead, PCBs, etc. that are found in the flesh of fish. This is essential to ensure the highest product safety and effectiveness.

4) Is the supplement product too expensive? The good news is that it should not be expensive. The highest and top rated Omega 3 fatty acid supplements can be purchased online for only dollars 15 to 20 for one month’s supply.

Anything more that you pay for fish oil supplements is only going towards the funding of celebrity endorsements and expensive advertisements done by the companies.

Vijay K Raisinghani is a Natural Healthcare Expert and a passionate advocate of Omega 3 Fish oils for a healthy mind and body. His website http://www.your-omega3-fish-oil-guide.com provides a wealth of information on what works and what doesn’t work in Omega 3 fish oils to achieve a young, vibrant and robust health.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/top-rated-omega3-fatty-acid-supplements-4-easy-steps-to-avoid-being-cheated-1084587.html

 

Although depression can be an life-depleting condition, not all people who experience it choose to use prescription medication. Natural supplements for depression can be an effective strategy for managing the symptoms of depression, plus there is plenty of clinical research to support their use.

Consulting a practitioner of natural medicine may be your best option to assess your alternatives for depression treatment without drugs. That being said, here are a few of the nutritional supplements and herbs that have proven to be effective in clinical studies.

5 HTP

5 HTP is an amino acid complex that is converted by the body into serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in mood, appetite, sleep and sexuality. Although it is found in foods, the amount is very low. Dietary habits and the lack of nutrients in the foods that we eat may have caused 5 HTP deficiencies in many people.

 The mainstream medical community rarely looks for the cause of a disorder. Instead, they try to treat the symptoms. Practitioners of natural treatment for depression, on the other hand, may try to identify a cause by evaluating the patient’s dietary habits and lifestyle.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3s are a group of essential fatty acids. They are necessary for human health, but the body cannot produce them. So, they must be present in the diet. The amount of omega-3s in the typical American diet is very low. Some researchers believe that is why we have become the “Prozac Nation”.

The brain contains a great deal of fat. Of that fat, about 40% is a specific kind of omega-3 called DHA or Docosahexaenoic acid. Low blood levels of DHA are an indicator for depressive disorders.

There are a number of omega-3 natural supplements for depression on the market, but not all of them provide sufficient quantities of DHA. Amounts that have been used in clinical studies approach 500mg per day.

St John’s Wort

St John’s wort is probably the best known alternative medicine for depression. Although is it not regulated as a prescription drug in the US, it is prescribed for depressive disorders in some countries.

St. John’s wort works by stimulating the production of the serotonin in the brain which can help bolster emotional stability and reduce stress. Clinical studies of St. John’s wort have shown that for mild to moderate anxiety and depression symptoms this herb can be just as effective as prescription drugs, but without the side effects. If you are taking any prescription medication, you should not take St John’s wort without consulting your doctor.

SAM-e

SAM-e is a nutrient produced within the body. Because of that, it is not considered essential to the human diet. Research indicates that it is effective for most depressive disorders, but co-supplementation is necessary. It must be taken with vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid. Otherwise, it will be ineffective.

There’s no doubt in my mind that natural supplements for depression work. I’ve experienced the results myself. If you would like to avoid the side effects that sometimes come with prescription medications and are looking for a long term solution for depression symptoms, the nutritional supplements and herbs mentioned here have proven to be effective in clinical studies.

 

Max Wardlow is an independent natural health researcher and helps manage a website about natural remedies. Visit today to find out more about the natural supplements for depression he uses and recommends.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/natural-supplements-for-depression-for-effective-symptom-relief-1083005.html

A common ingredient in many protein blends, and increasingly now seen more often as a stand alone supplement, glutamine is an amino acid with a wide range of benefits. Glutamine is what is known as a conditionally essential amino. This means that although it can be produced by the body in moderate quantities, under certain conditions - in this case conditions of injury, illness, and stress, it cannot be produced in high enough levels to meet physiological demand and must be acquired from diet. However, although a common nutrient found in many foods, it is unfortunately fairly sensitive to heat and much is destroyed when food is cooked, making additional glutamine supplementation extremely beneficial.

Glutamine plays a role in many physiological functions including support of intestinal health, as fuel for the immune system, an alternative to carbohydrates for glycogen replenishment, a regulator of acid-base balance, a constituent of new muscle growth and as an intermediate in many reactions within the body. It also serves as a building block for the manufacture of other non essential amino acids and to synthesise neurotransmitters in the brain. Also playing a vital role in wound healing and recovery, glutamine has recently been considered by the medical community as a nutraceutical – a nutrient derived from food with definite medical benefit.

Glutamines versatility comes from the fact that it is a small, relatively simple protein, containing an extra nitrogen atom – this allows it to be easily utilised by many of the body’s protein dependent systems, especially anti catabolic and hypertrophic processes leading to muscle growth. It is this versatility that makes it especially useful for anyone undertaking vigorous, intense exercise and looking to increase lean mass.

Available in two forms, L-Glutamine and Glutamine Peptides, glutamine is relatively inexpensive and easy to use. Dosing depends upon the type of glutamine taken-  L-Glutamine can be used in amounts of up to 20g per day, best split into four doses of 5g taken every three to four hours, or in a more conservative dose of just 5g taken either around training or when convenient. Glutamine peptides are theorised to be more easily absorbed and dosing is suggested at a more modest 3-10g per day.

To summarise, glutamine is a non essential amino acid important to many physiological functions and its addition to diet, particularly in states of stress or exercise, is vital for optimum health and functioning.

Bulk Supplements Direct are Europe’s fastest growing nutritional and sports supplement provider. With a product range encompassing whey proteins,amino acids,creatines and lots more

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/glutamine-powder-the-ultimate-sports-nutritional-supplements-for-muscle-gain-1080659.html

Please don’t be fooled into thinking that the best vitamin supplements are always the most expensive ones. Sure, I don’t disagree with that old adage that says you get what you pay for, but not in this case.

With nutrition pills there are next to little or no benchmarks the shopper can use, in which to compare products. How do you begin to compare like for like?

The only way it seems is to take the time and trouble in looking or researching the subject in order to become better informed. Once that has been done you should feel empowered to make a better buying decision.

In addition, most of the times fancy advertising fools us into making choices, but these are not always the best ones. Just because some famous celebrity has added their endorsement shouldn’t sway us into reaching for our wallet or purse.

What we require is proper, unbiased information about the best vitamin supplements.

These are the pros and cons of what is for many something that’s important to their well being. Otherwise why would we keep popping these pills into our bodies?

Having spent some time looking further into what should and shouldn’t be included in a supplement and more importantly why, my search has narrowed down the choice of which product to choose quite considerably.

If you really are concerned about choosing the best vitamin supplements, please take a look at what my research has uncovered. There’s a lot to consider but, you too could start to benefit, knowing that this time you have made the right choices.

Peter Foremski is an avid researcher of nutritional supplements. He adds his findings and opinions on the best quality products to keep healthy. Share that knowledge at his Natural-Nutritional-Supplement.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/do-you-need-help-in-choosing-the-best-vitamin-supplements-1079578.html

Fact… 45% of all supplements you buy are defective in some way.  Will the GMP change that?

Until now there has been no law requiring the label to accurately tell you what is actually in your bottle of vitamins or supplements.  So the government has begun requiring certification programs that must be verified by an independent lab on all supplements and vitamins.  Starting this year is the GMP or Good Manufacturing Practice.  This verifies quality control, cleanliness, checking the identity and potency of ingredients, and testing of the final products for potency, purity and authenticity.  

There will be plant inspections to observe cleanliness.  This was implemented due to truly filthy conditions observed in equipment used to process and bottle supplements.  I saw a picture of one that was processing a powder with cob webs actually inside the machine’s duct work and powder everywhere, on the floor, handles and knobs.  If the powder could get out so easily and spiders could get in, then what insects etc were actually in the powder?

Testing will be done on raw materials coming into the plant.  This is due to so many instances of product coming from overseas that were not what they were supposed to be.  In order to make more money the products were “cut” with other less expensive ingredients.  In one instance China added Melamine to baby formula.  Melamine is used to make the plastic place settings sold in department stores.  13,000 children were hospitalized after drinking the tainted baby formula.  22 companies were involved and the contaminated formula was sold all over the world.   Chinese parents were in a panic not knowing what was safe to feed their infants.  Other examples include heavy metals in 25% of products coming from both India and China.  What is happening currently is that manufacturers are buying “boat loads”, literally, of product and just putting them into capsules without any testing to verify the product.

Then there will be testing of the final product for potency, purity, and authenticity.  Potency just means that the amount listed on the label is actually the amount in the bottle.  For example is there really 500 mg of Vitamin C in each pill?  Many times the making of the finished product uses heat which destroys some of the potency, but the label lists the original potency in the raw product.  Let me give you an example, whey comes from milk.  One way it is taken out of the milk keeps just about all the whey protein.  Another way to remove whey involves heat which is cheaper, but destroys the protein.   Labels will be required to reflect this difference in potency.   

Purity means that the final product contains no contaminants, like heavy metals, insect parts or melamine.  

Authenticity means that the final product is what it says it is, that a bottle of calcium really is calcium. Until now 10% of what you buy on the shelf doesn’t even have the main, active, ingredient in it.  Sometimes it is just a powder or pill that looks like the real thing.  One of the articles I read said some company’s product was not what it was supposed to be.  It turned out the independent lab that was doing the testing for the manufacturer was using “visual testing” to tell if the product was pure or not.   It entailed putting some type of light on the powder and if the product glowed then it was considered pure.   What they didn’t take into consideration was that other powders also glow under that same light and this was not a good test of purity for this particular product, while chemical testing easily showed it had been “cut” with something else.

The upside to all this is obvious, that we will “really” get what we are paying for.  It will provide the health benefit we bought it for and it won’t make us sick from contaminates, but there is a down side. Foreign suppliers will have to send the real thing or we won’t buy it.  With all the super cheap products no longer available, the demand and the price for the real thing will go up.  Manufacturers will have to replace outdated equipment, set up quality controls and in-house testing or hire independent labs. Some will not be able to afford the updates and will go out of business.  Even if they are able to upgrade, they will still have to pass government testing in order to be certified and some will not pass.  Those manufacturers that do survive will see a higher demand for their products, but most likely will still pass the increased cost along to us, making our supplements cost more.   

The silver lining is that there are manufactures out there that already do all this and won’t be effected, and have always given us the best possible products.  Now everyone will know who they are, sometime in 2009 you will start to see symbols on the certified products testifying to their quality.  Look for the GMP stamp of approval.

My site http://thebestproteinshakes.com compares 12 different protein suppliments.  It discusses how to read and understand the labels on protein bottles.  Then helps you to find the best protein shake to fit your needs and meet your goals.

The most common <a target=”_blank” href=”http://thebestproteinshakes.com/numbers-dont-tell-it-all >Certification Symbol </a> can also be found there.

References
Dr Richard Kones  at Texas Medical Center for Health Management
Dr Hubbard on NewsMax Health
Suppliment Quality.com
Will Burgin at PureBody Nutrition

I started learning about nutrition right after I got out of college and realized my physics degree did not teach me everything I needed to know. I taught school for 12 years and wrote a text book for McGraw-Hill. But I never stopped learning about Nutrition.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/does-gmp-compliance-mean-a-quality-assurance-process-providing-high-quality-supplements-1069254.html

Next Page →