Why You Shouldn't Buy Supplements From Amazon (Or Other Big-Chain Stores)

Everyone has favorite brands, but the majority of what retailers sell, are not high quality.

Even if they sell a quality brand's label, most large online retailers have no way to verify the final product. There is no shortage of news stories about reputable retailers selling supplements that don't truthfully list their ingredients, or contain including known allergens, like wheat, corn or soy powders as fillers. At best, these products are a waste of money, at worse, contain contaminants such as heavy metals like lead, which are disastrous for health long term. There are also numerous growth, production, and ecological considerations for herbal products. Naturopathic doctors are trained in these issues, which companies have no requirements to disclose to consumers.

Good research is different from compelling branding and marketing.

There are plenty of processed foods products out there sporting health claims, despite containing a long lists of harmful ingredients. The same is true of nutritional supplements: some of them have great marketing, but they aren't all based upon credible research, or do not contain the proper dosage amounts to be effective.

The retail supplement industry is large, fast-growing and largely driven by fads.

The most popular products on the retail shelves probably don't include the ingredients you need in the amounts you need them. And in almost every case, retail supplements are produced by companies that place profits over quality or effectiveness.

Supplements you receive from healthcare professionals are different. They include carefully-selected ingredients, sourced from high-quality raw materials, and formulated in the appropriate amounts — all based on the best research available. Most importantly, your healthcare professional only provides you with products they trust, and that you need - based on your healthcare professional's experience and their knowledge of your unique needs.

All of my clients receive 25% off retail price off high-quality supplements through my online dispensary, Fullscript. I will often order directly from other specialty companies, which only providers can access, including Professional Formulas and BioMed.

So, what do you think? Are you sold on not buying from online retailers or big-box chains?