4 major retailers accused of selling fake supplements (medicine, prescription, iron)
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Tums are not supplements but I used to see them marketed as a calcium supplement on tv. They won't work very well because their form of calcium is not well absorbed. A person could probably get a little bit of calcium from them if the person takes it with a meal, thus producing adequate stomach acid. However, since older people usually do not produce adequate stomach acid, it's not a good idea to rely on Tums for calcium.
If a woman is past menopause she should not be taking Tums for her calcium. I consider their marketing to be false advertising when it comes to being a calcium supplement.
Looks like maybe someone got after them and told them to stop pushing their product as a calcium supplement. It says they are NO LONGER LABELLED as such.
That's why I said they're marketed and sold as an antacid. They are not a supplement. They're not sold as one, they're not marketed as one, they're not advertised as one. They might have been at one time, but I'm not talking about what they used to be like once upon a time. I'm talking about what's happening in the present. Presently, they are not advertised as, sold as, marketed as supplements. They ARE calcium by definition, but they're not sold that way. Some people (like myself) take them instead of buying supplements for a variety of reasons. My #1 reason is I can't swallow big pills and I hate those nasty gummy and chocolate chewies. They do whatever it is they're supposed to do, because my calcium levels are perfect.
Try Andrew Lessman Vitamins on HSN and they are even protecting our environment by using solar energy!!! Customers review their products which are even made here in the USA!!! These supplements, unless on special, are expensive but within the large containers there are generally enough capsules for two years worth of doses for 1 person or one year for 2 people which does help to lower the overall cost of the supplement. I do use these supplements with great success!!!
Last edited by Dazzled70; 07-19-2015 at 02:34 AM..
Reason: Forgot important point
USP tests some supplements so that's a label to look for.
In general, I think you get what you pay for though. Not always, but often. Usually you're not going to find quality supplements in a drug store or a mart store.
Many supplements and herbs tremendously help people who have been inflicted with Lyme Disease. Often antibiotics wreak more havoc on the immune system than help, plus many people cant take antibiotics long term. I thank God for the nutritional value of supplements, vitamins and herbs. Without these supplements, so many lyme patients would be much worse. Granted, supplements should be researched, as some are much better than others.
USP tests some supplements so that's a label to look for.
In general, I think you get what you pay for though. Not always, but often. Usually you're not going to find quality supplements in a drug store or a mart store.
That's kind of a contradiction, since usually, most supplements sold outside brick and mortar stores don't carry the USP label.
Yes, it is. And most of those USP-labelled supplements can be found in drug stores and "mart" stores. Especially drug stores, which usually have an entire aisle dedicated to them.
You will know what you're getting if it has the USP mark but make sure you know what you want.
For instance, you can get zinc oxide in our drug store and it really will be zinc oxide. Trouble is, zinc oxide is practically worthless. At least you get to know you could be buying something almost worthless.
Same with their magnesium. You want mag glycinate, taurate, citrate, or a few others that the body absorbs well.
I have no problem with drug store cal/mag because it's calcium citrate and a good form of magnesium. But since I need extra magnesium to avoid leg cramps, I'll pay more to get magnesium that works rather than buying cheap, useless bottle of magnesium in the drug store. Same for the zinc for my husband's restless leg syndrome. That drug store zinc oxide did nothing for him but the form that we buy in the health food store really works.
There is a wonderful link that someone provided on the different forms of magnesium and it tells which ones work best--and for what.
Magnesium oxide...... "it has poor bioavailability and readily causes loose stools; therefore it is considered the least optimal form to use as a supplement." It's fine in Milk of Magnesia but not good as a supplement. But with the USP you DO know that's what you'd be getting.
Last edited by in_newengland; 08-18-2015 at 11:28 AM..
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