Recommended Vitamin Manufacturers?

Which companies make high quality supplements like Vitamin C, B-complex, etc? I have always bought from these companies in the past, any comments? Twinlab, Solgar, Solaray, Schiff, Country Life. Is any of these companies more or less reputable than another? The reason I ask is because I see Twinlab is making some wacky shit like “Amino Fuel” liquid protein, that lists gelatin as it’s first ingredient. Which does not inspire confidence. Also, the woman who is the buyer at one place I shop at, hinted that Twinlab is not always as consistent as they should be. I don’t want to buy stuff just because “I always buy this brand”… loyalty is stupid when it’s not a two-way street. Comments?

To be honest, all companies, including the ones that you’ve listed, have been inconsistant at one point or another with their products. By inconsistant, I assume you mean the quality of the product as well as the steady shipping supply. Everyone’s got their bad apples on occasion. Take for instance, Twinlabs. They are in the process of moving out to Utah as well as producing brand new labels for their entire product line. For these reasons, their shipment of product has been slow and even in certain cases, with certain products, discontinued them. Another good example is that just about every company that you’ve mentioned has at one point or another demanded a recall of their products due to some sort of defection. In short, I don’t think it’s really a big deal to get all worked up over. If you go to any reputable store it’s bound to be a difficult task to actually find any real low quality vitamins because it’s so cheap to make and there is so much competition out there. Top that with the fact that it’s quite often the same companies who manufacture products for all your Twinlabs, Solgar, Solary. etc. So in other words, I wouldn’t be loyal to just one company. Quite literally, if you can understand what I’m talking about, all the products are actually the same or quite similar. In general, just make sure to read the labels and decide whether or not that is the product that you want regardless of who it is that labels it. Hopefully this will be of some help to you.

Thank you for your comments. I suppose if all things are relatively equal then, I would ultimately shop for things like Vitamin C based on price. That’s what I tend to do anyway, I just wanted to know if I was buying any “bunk” or if there was some manufacturers I should avoid. Thanks again.

Vitamin Research Products

Life Extension Foundation

USANA vitamins are the most potent supplement I have ever experienced…just ask coach King. They are that amazing.

Do you know why Twinlab is moving to Utah? Did they get bought out? Did Steve Blechman become a Mormon?

I would feel better about Usana if it wasn’t one of those multi-level marketing (pyramid scheme) companies. Makes me distrust all those who make such great claims for it. 9 out of 10 times they’re selling it and want you to sign up under them so they can profit from you. Brings back bad memories of Amway people, who used to annoy me to death.

In all honesty, I don’t know the true reason why they are moving to Utah. I’ve heard that perhaps it may have been too expensive to stay in NY, but I think that’s total bullshit to think that’s the sole reason. I mean come on now, Twinlabs isn’t exactly a failing company, but we’ll never truly know. Another reason could be a marketing move to be able to save on certain funds that wouldn’t have to be spent (ie. shipping products from the manufacturing plant to NY, etc.). This probably makes more sense since the other two subsidaries (Nature’s Herbs and Alvita) of Twinlab are out in Utah. It’s all just a guess now. Perhaps one day we’ll know, but for now these are the guesses that I’ve been hearing. However, your guess at the company being bought is a good one. Nowadays I’m hearing of more and more companies being sold to groups of investors since the economy isn’t doing so well. As for the Morman thing… lol. Well, hope this’ll help you some.

A few things:

  1. Utah is a major supplement manufacturing state, and is the home of some of the “big players” including Weider Nutrition.


    2)Utah is a “Right To Work” state with very little, if any, Unionized work forces. The workforce is also large, young,(it’s the youngest state in the Union), motivated, and educated.


    So, Blechman gets a young, motivated, educated and CHEAP workforce.


    3)Orrin Hatch, the Senior Senator from Utah, is VERY Pro-Supplement, and fights every Bill that attempts to either make supplements prescription or tries to place them under govermental control (i.e. the FDA). He is VERY powerful, so any supplement manufacturer would benefit from either supporting him and/or being one of his constituents.

  2. Capital outlay would also be less because of the presence of numerous manufacturing facilities that TWINLAB would most likely only need to retro-fit.


    5)The tax and regulatory base in Utah is favorable to buisness. There are also limits in place for Punitive Damage awards in liablity cases.


    Ummmm…sounds like a good move to me!

Oh…


Life Extension Foundation (LEF)

Well, I do like the Twinlab vitamins, since they come in capsules and inside the capsules the vitamins are powder. I can definitley tell a difference when I take them compared with other products. I don’t like the gel coated vitamins, they just seem like they don’t digest or break down too well.

Eventually when my finances improve I’ll switch to powdered vitamins, but those seem to be more expensive. Anyone have any recommendations on powedered vitamins?

(I think adding a serving of powdered vitamins to a smoothie would be the best solution, as it would probably be digested and assimilated the best).

Thanks Mufasa! Life Extensions is another good company too. I actually use their multi-vitamin, which is awesome. For those who would consider using it though, it is 9 tablets a day, 14 capsules a day, or 3 rounded teaspoons for the powder per day. Sounds like a lot, but then again you probably won’t have to end up buying extra vitamins that your multi-vitamin doesn’t give you or doesn’t give you enough of.