In September we offered a list of supplement companies recommended by the experts. Our readers responded with their suggestions, and after further research we have expanded our list. If readers have further thoughts and suggestions, please continue sending them in!
All companies listed are high quality supplement producers and known for their manufacturing standards, testing, and nutrient potency. Their products are often, although not always, derived from whole foods (such as taking vitamin C from acerola). In our listing, we also note whether the supplement company’s products are certified organic or in a few cases contain mostly complete vitamins. These terms are defined as follows:
Certified Organic supplements are those that use USDA Certified Organic source ingredients. The USDA’s organic certification is the only official set of criteria for organic products. To be labeled organic, 95% of the supplement must meet the following standards:
- All produce grown in soil free of synthetic pesticide and fertilizer
- No synthetics at all, unless on a USDA-certified list
- No GMOs
- No antibiotics or growth hormones
To be fully organic, a food or supplement must say both “USDA Certified” and “100% Organic.”
Organic ingredients are particularly important for some whole food-based nutrients to avoid too many harmful chemicals. Supplements using green tea, for instance, may contain residues from pesticides unless the tea has been Certified Organic. Some mainstream, non-organic tea companies were independently tested and found to have harmful pesticide chemicals in nearly 100% of their products.
Mostly complete vitamin companies offer exclusively or almost exclusively whole foods vitamins that are made from whole food sources and don’t contain fractionated or isolated nutrients. For instance, a product listing vitamin C on its ingredients label would offer a whole foods source ingredient like papaya. A fractionated vitamin C would be listed as “ascorbic acid,” since the nutrient is synthetic, isolated, or both. A complete vitamin is not necessarily superior or inferior to a fractionated vitamin. It depends on which supplements and how they are being used. For example, mostly complete vitamins are rarely high potency.
Here, then, is our updated list of supplement makers recommended by leading integrative doctors with whom we have consulted:
Advanced Bionutritionals (Drs. Nan Fuchs, Robert Rowen, and Frank Shallenberger)
Allergy Research Group
Ayush Herbs
Beehive Botanicals
Bio-Alternatives
Bio Innovations
Bio-Tech Pharmacal
Biotics Research
Bronson Laboratories
Carlson Laboratories
CHI Health Products
Country Life
Craig Nutraceuticals
Designs for Health
Douglas Laboratories
Eclectic Institute
Ecological Formulas
EcoNugenics
Enzymatic Therapy
Essential Formulas
Fungi Perfecti: Certified Organic
Gaia Herbs: Certified Organic
Garden of Life: Certified Organic, mostly complete vitamin company
Green Medicine (Dr. Jonathan V. Wright)
Herb Pharm
Innate Response Formulas mostly complete vitamin company
Invision International Health Solutions
Jarrow Formulas
Klaire
Life Extension
LivOn Labs
Living Fuel
MegaFood: Certified Organic, mostly complete vitamin company
Dr. Mercola Premium Supplements (Dr. Joseph A. Mercola)
Metagenics
Moss Nutrition
Natural Immunogenics
Nordic Naturals
NOW Foods
Nutraceutical Corporation
- allOne
- AllVia
- bioAllers
- Emerita
- Health from the Sun
- Herbs for Kids
- Kal
- Life-flo
- LifeTIME
- Montana Big Sky
- NatraBio
- Natural Sport
- Nature’s Life
- Nutra BioGenesis
- Oakmont Labs
- Organix South
- Pioneer
- Premier One
- Solaray
- Sunny Green
- Thompson
- Vaxa
- VegLife
- VitaLogic
- Zand
Nutramedix
Nutricology
Olympian Labs
Optimox
Optimum Health International
Ortho Molecular Products
Perricone MD Nutraceuticals (Dr. Nick Perricone)
Primal Force (Dr. Al Sears)
Pro-Caps
Pure Encapsulations
Pure Synergy: Certified Organic, mostly complete vitamin company
Purest Colloids
Ronald Hoffman, MD, CNS (Dr. Ronald Hoffman)
Dr. Sinatra (Dr. Steven Sinatra)
Source Naturals
Standard Process: Certified Organic
Thorne
Touchstone Essentials
Tropical Traditions: Certified Organic
Dr. Whitaker (Dr. Julian Whitaker)
Dr. David Williams (Dr. David Williams)
Wakunaga of America
Xymogen
Peaceful Mountain, inc for sure.
Where is Shaklee on this list? I heard a ton of great stuff of their vitamins!
Yes, I would like to know that too. Especially when I know Shaklee does 250 more contaminate tests (total 350 tests), than the “USP” U.S. Pharmacopeia does, only 80 contaminate tests. This is where the real “Organic” is!
I’m curious — does the absence of a company from this list mean that it does not meet these criteria, or was it simply not included in your evaluation? In order for this list to have value, readers need to know which companies were evaluated (if any) beyond the list you have provided. Thanks.
I have had problems with products from some of the vendors on this list. They add stuff that is bordering on commercial junk-food ingredients. These filler ingredients can be particularly problematic for glutamate sensitive people. For example: maltodextrin, aspartate, yeast extract, and gelatin.
Gelatin contains very high levels of free unbound natural glutamate, that MSG sufferers react strongly to. One large omega 3 capsule is enough to cause a full fledged MSG episode. Dear vendors, please get rid of the gelatin in the capsules.
I have been buying all my supplements from Life Extension for over 10 years….they have never let me down! Their prices are reasonable and they have a huge selection. The also have make-up, skin anti-aging cremes that work like crazy! THE BEST PRODUCTS!
I’ve been buying supplements for years ,and trying to educate myself. There is a wealth of information and recommendations..I’ve been offer extra free products for a glowing review ,but garbage at any price is no bargain.After all it goes into our bodies..so it’s been hit or miss for me..and when you miss your organs suffer your Liver and Kidneys for sure..It’s hard to trust..wish i could talk with someone like myself,those reward or interest is just to help people and allow the creator to reward me!!
Could you possible update this page? It’s dated 2015 and I am sure some have come and gone… Thanks for the valuable info…..
I have used UK based truly-natural fir years and don’t understand why they not been included.
Wow, quite a huge list. Hi JewelChick, I hope not. But as the subject of the post says, recommended which is kind of safe to use. Appreciate this long list.
I have never heard of any of these companies
If you only shop at regular drug stores or large retail versus a knowledgeable compounding pharmacy or health food store,that is likely why you do not recognize these high quality brands. Many years ago, I did my own independent research as to the potency and quality of Dr. Andrew Lessman vitamins before I ordered them. (Pro Caps is by Dr. Andrew Lessman) You may have seen his products on HSN as well…
Designs for Health is popular with natural doctors and is a popular brand at Town Center Compounding Pharmacy in Palm Desert California.
I was happy to find this list as I have seen many of these brands but have not had the time to reasearch each of the companies on my own.
Pure Synergy is my favorite company along with Garden of Life. I would never even think of ingesting the garbage they sell at retailers. But, I guess from an affordability standpoint it’s better than nothing? You need to do your research and find what works best for you. For me I’d rather spend my money on prevention instead of care.