Professional-grade supplements are reliable to the consumer and deliver the purpose intended with minimal side effects. Meanwhile, consumer-grade (over the counter) supplements often contain additives and chemicals that limit their effectiveness and can slow down overall recovery. Manufacturers of professional-grade supplements are few, reliable, and easily distinguishable. Whereas, the consumer-grade supplements manufacturers are widespread, however do not cater significantly to the one's nutritional needs.

Why professional-grade supplements ARE worth it

Unless individuals are educated, they generally do not know or care about the differences between professional-grade and consumer-grade supplements, and even with professional-grade supplements, the ingredients used may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. However, professional-grade supplements stand uniform under the following parameters and thus should be prioritized for purchasing and consumption.

Increased purity, potency and quality

1. People can have allergies and sensitivities:

No government body or regulatory agency has yet taken the responsibility to directly regulate consumer-grade or professional-grade supplements, at least not to the degree pharmaceuticals are regulated. The FDA is not authorized to review dietary supplement products for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed. The manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements are responsible for making sure their products are safe BEFORE they go to market. Manufacturers of professional-grade supplements do however adhere to much higher standards. With consumer-grade, there's an increased likelihood and prevalence of the usage of ingredients that cause cross-contamination, evidence of additives and fillers which aggravate allergies, genetically modified products, pesticides, and various other toxins.

It is obviously better to obtain supplements that are made with superior quality control procedures. Professional-grade supplement manufacturers not only test their products in-house using more rigorous standards but also typically send them out for external screening to prove the quality independently. Professional-grade supplements are clearly a better choice for those with allergies and known to be hypoallergenic. The rule established states: no nutritional supplement should contain any kind of toxins, harmful lubricants, additives, and allergic elements.

2. The ability of absorption:

One of problems with consumer-grade supplements is that they have lubricants which prevent the proper absorption of active nutrients into the body. Professional-grade supplements are chemically proven to be free from all such lubricants. Lubricants help the equipment to manufacture medicinal supplements easily. However, they do not support the body in any way.

These lubricants can be classified under the heading of large fatty acid additives, and they harm the body in the same way as the other oils of the same family do. The other lubricants include calcium stearate and magnesium stearate. Magnesium stearate irritates the mucosal lining of the bowels, causing spasms and triggering painful bowel movements. All these lubricants distort the cycle of absorption and reduce dissolution.

3. The overall quality of the supplements:

Professional-grade supplements are tested for quality and freshness by specialist agencies and can be trusted. The ingredients used and the chemical composition are carefully evaluated to provide superior quality to the consumer. The consumption of various supplements has implications on the bowels and should be controlled. Professional-grade supplements cover all these aspects. While nobody should claim that they cannot have a side effect, the side effects when they occur are generally minimal, not harmful, and extremely short-lived.

Professional-grade supplements are typically not available in large stores and big retail chains. They are usually provided by healthcare providers or other healthcare specialist including nutritionists.

If you see the merits of using professional-grade supplements, you can seek referrals for specific supplements from trusted healthcare providers. If he/she provides the supplements within their practice you should consider purchasing from them. If not there are reputable providers online.

Since 2010 SupplementRelief.com has provided NuMedica professional-grade supplements online supported by practical wellness educational content focussed on healthy living, risk reduction, and chronic disease elimination.

Why NuMedica?

Supplements by NuMedica are certified Good Manufacturing Practice, GMP. This system ascertains that the supplements are consistently produced and meet the superior quality standards they are tested against. This minimizes the risks involved in the production processes and works to insure an error-free final product. GMP covers various aspects of production which include material, labor, equipment, and the premises. All the mentioned aspects aid in providing the best quality final product and are of considerable importance to any business.

NuMedica supplements have NSF Supplement Certification

NSF certifies products against NSF/ANSI 173, the only American National Standard that establishes requirements for the ingredients in dietary and nutritional supplements. There are three main components of the NSF dietary supplements certification program:

1. Label claim review to certify that what's on the label is in the bottle
2. Toxicology review to certify product formulation (note: does NOT test for efficacy)
3. Contaminant review to ensure the product contains no undeclared ingredients or unacceptable levels of contaminants

NuMedica is a member of the AHPA

The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is the only national trade association that is focused primarily on products containing herbs, which includes dietary supplements, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and other related natural products. All of the AHPA's activities are focused on its mission: to promote the responsible commerce of herbal products, to maintain and improve market opportunities for companies that sell products that contain herbs, and to ensure that consumers continue to enjoy informed access to a wide choice of goods.

Some Notes on the FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It consists of the Office of the Commissioner and four directorates overseeing the core functions of the agency: Medical Products and Tobacco, Foods and Veterinary Medicine, Global Regulatory Operations and Policy, and Operations.

FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, quality, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products, and medical devices. The FDA is also responsible for the safety and security of most of our nation's food supply, all cosmetics, dietary supplements and products that give off radiation.

Please note - NOT ALL SUPPLEMENTS ARE EQUAL! You get what you pay for.