PEP Step - Nutritional Supplements by Donna F. Smith, C.C.N., C.N.

     In the medical industry, physicians provide medical testing, then based upon the test results, prescribe pharmaceutical grade (potent) medications for their patients. Prescriptions are written and given to the patient who purchases his or her medications from a local pharmacy. Pharmacies also carry over-the-counter (OTC) drugs for minor medical complaints and conditions that do not require medical testing and a written prescription prior to purchase. Prescribed medications from licensed healthcare professionals are more potent and formulated to target the specific "clinical" medical symptom or condition. OTC drugs are less potent and used for non-clinical medical symptoms or conditions. From years of medical clinical practice and drug research, physicians and the public know that OTC drugs are not potent enough to combat abnormal medical test results, nor is it safe to take prescribed medications for minor complaints without professional guidance.
     Similarly, in the nutrition industry, clinical nutritionists' provide nutritional testing, then based upon the test results, recommend clinically-formulated nutritional supplements for their clientele. Clinical formulations are potent and designed to target and then correct the nutritional deficiencies of a specific organ, gland or body system. The rate at which the nutrition industry has grown in the past 20 years, for instance, has continued to increase and yet is not fully established or understood.
     Unlike the medical industry, the nutrition industry does not yet have a system for writing prescriptions so that their clients may obtain their clinical supplements from a local pharmacy. The current system is that nutritional supplements formulated for clinical use are only sold to licensed and certified health care professionals, who must then provide them to their patients and clients themselves, after performing specific nutritional tests. They are not dispensed over-the-counter in stores or through mail order companies without recommendation from a health care professional.
     In the medical industry, OTC drugs are available for lay person use. In the nutrition industry, OTC supplements are available for lay person use. OTC supplements are, like OTC drugs, less potent. They are sold over-the-counter in health food stores, department stores, pharmacies and through mail order (MO) and independent distributorship companies. Like OTC drugs, OTC/MO supplements are not formulated for clinical use. Thus, they are available to the public without first requiring nutrition testing and guidance from nutritional healthcare professionals.
     Using OTC drugs to treat a "clinical" medical symptom or condition may initially provide some relief; however, the effect is short-term because OTC drugs are not potent enough to effect "clinical" conditions. It is the same with OTC/MO supplements in respect to "clinical" nutrition deficiencies.
     Clinically-formulated nutritional supplements generally cost more than OTC/MO supplements just like prescribed medications generally cost more than OTC drugs. However, this is not always the case. The price for any supplement is based upon the direct cost of manufacturing the supplement, i.e, the growing and formulation of the ingredients. Some clinical supplements are not costly in their manufacturing, even though they are potent and formulated for clinical use requiring testing and guidance from a healthcare professional before they may be purchased.
     There are many factors that determine the quality and potency of nutritional supplements and their ability to effectively improve your health. These factors include processing techniques, daily dosage requirements, the quality and source of the ingredients, agricultural conditions, and formulations. By formulations, I mean, the combined metabolic effect of various vitamins and minerals and how they interact with each other when combined in a capsule or tablet. Some companies may provide quality supplements from whole food sources, but their formulations work against, instead of with, the principles of nutritional biochemistry.
     These factors, as well as guidelines on where and how to obtain your supplements will be discussed in this article.

Processing Techniques - Three methods

Nutrition Industry and Research   
     Though the nutrition industry is one of the most rapidly growing industries today and its clinical research has progressed significantly since the early 1900s, our nutritional scientists are still discovering new vitamins/minerals and principles of nutritional biochemistry. Health is best produced when the body receives all the nutrients it requires. Too much or too little of a specific nutrient leads to nutritional deficiencies, then to biochemical imbalances, then to nutrition-related diseases.
     When you choose whole food supplements, you are assured that you are getting the "unknown" vitamins and minerals yet to be discovered which may be vital to the metabolism of all the other nutrients in that particular food. Therefore, your best results will be achieved by choosing whole food supplements whenever they are available to you. We know of only two supplement manufacturing companies in the United States that provide whole food vitamin/minerals supplements: they are Standard Process Laboratories and Mannatech, Inc. There are a variety of OTC/MO whole food herb companies . We have recommended Nature's Sunshine Product Herbs since 1980.

     Advanced Clinical Nutrition also provides whole food extract clinically-formulated supplements from a variety of professional companies which are provided for short-term use to raise nutrient levels, then discontinue them when test results indicate. However, for long-term use, only whole food supplements are recommended.

Choosing Supplements

Clinically-Formulated Supplements

Using OTC/MO Supplements to Raise Nutrient Levels Initially

     Because of the various discounted supplements provided through mail order, over-the-counter and independent distributorships, or other reasons, some clients may choose to use non-clinical supplements initially to raise their nutrient levels and then switch to clinical-formulations to complete the process of correcting "clinical" deficiencies.
     How does this work? Here is an analogy that may help you to understand. Think of a person who has just returned to civilization after being in the desert without water. A glass or a gallon of water relieves the devastating thirst and can assist in restoring health; however, if the person's body does not become completely "hydrated" again from water alone, he or she will die. Drinking water, at first, begins the restoration, but depending upon the severity of dehydration, either electrolyte replacement beverages or an IV injection is required to completely restore electrolyte balance. Either of these latter methods require professional assistance and clinical formulations, nutritionally or medically or both.
     Similarly, you may choose OTC/MO supplements, if you desire. Updated nutritional test results will keep you informed of their effectiveness. If updated test results show that your selections of OTC/MO supplements are improving your nutrient levels, then you will be advised to continue them until your test results plateau. At that time, your improvement will continue only by switching to clinical formulations.
     If updated nutritional tests show minimal or no improvement, you will be informed so that you may re-evaluate your supplement choices.

Over-the-Counter (OTC) and Mail Order (MO) Supplements

     If you have chosen to use non-clinical supplements to initially raise your clinical deficiencies, please use the following guidelines:

Unethical Supplement Practices
     Manufacturers and distributors of "clinically-formulated" supplements screen the businesses to whom they sell their products. First, by having the healthcare professional submit an application that includes license or certification verification. Then, following up periodically by visiting the healthcare business to assure that their products are not sold over-the-counter, but stocked in a private room or behind the counter where public access is not available, similar to the separation of over-the-counter and prescribed drugs in a pharmacy.
     Because the nutrition industry is a rapidly growing industry, laws are changing and will be changing to assure the public's protection in respect to unethical supplement practices. Though at this time it is not unlawful to violate these two conditions required by clinically-formulated companies to purchase their products for re-sale, it is certainly unethical and unsafe for the consumer.
     Occasionally, we learn of a health food store, pharmacy or mail order company selling clinically-formulated supplements over-the-counter to the public without first receiving recommendations from a healthcare professional who has performed nutritional tests on the individual. Sometimes, these businesses have misrepresented themselves to the manufacturing or distributing company by continuing to sale the products when the licensed or certified healthcare professional is no longer with the business or by not being honest in their intentions for reselling. There may be any number of reasons the business does not follow the rules and conditions for purchasing and selling clinically-formulated products.
     Occasionally, we learn of manufacturers and distributors who sell the same products to both the public and healthcare professionals. They simply change the labels and usually the price - one label and price for the healthcare professional and another label and price for over-the-counter/mail order buyers. Healthcare professionals soon identify these unethical companies because their products are often not potent enough to affect "clinical" nutritional levels as expected.
     Some healthcare professionals sell clinically-formulated supplements to their patients and clients without performing any tests.
     Conversely, we have experienced unethical consumers who obtain the manufacturer's name from clinically-formulated supplement bottles and then misrepresent themselves in order to obtain clinical products at wholesale costs.
     In time, the manufacturer or distributor becomes aware of these unethical health care businesses and consumers and then immediately discontinues future sales of their clinical products to them.
     As a consumer, you need to be aware of these unethical practices, which one day may also be illegal, and protect yourself from the unknowing solicitation of the services of unethical healthcare practitioners or supplement companies.

Consumer Guidelines For Protection Against Unethical Supplement Practices
     When you engage the services of nutritional healthcare professionals, you can be assured you are getting ethical and safe service and products when you observe them following these rules:

Conclusion
     This PEP Step - Nutritional Supplements article has been provided to help you understand the differences between clinical and non-clinical supplements and the factors involved in manufacturing and formulating safe, effective supplements. With this knowledge you can make the right choices in where to purchase your supplements and which type of supplements, clinical or non-clinical, will meet your nutritional needs. Following the guidelines and procedures in this article will assist you in making informed nutritional supplement decisions. We hope that we have accomplished this goal. If any questions arise after reading this PEP Step, please e-mail wsnqas@aol.com.

Copyright 1999 Donna F. Smith