Look further before you plunge in.

You need to investigate the vitamin supplement manufacturers to ensure what you are eating is of highest quality.

Factors to consider when choosing vitamin supplements

Here is a quick checklist for best vitamin supplements manufacturers:

1. Is the product provided in a single dose? (a once-a-day simply can't provide the level of potency needed)

If any product has that claim, look closer. It may not be true.

2. Is the potency level of the ingredients high enough to provide optimal daily nutritional intake without compromising safety?

Most multivitamin provide 100% of the RDI except major minerals like calcium. You need to take calcium supplements separately to meet your RDI.

3. Are the ingredients provided in their most bioavailable form?

Synthetic vitamin C with bioflavonoid improves tremendously the absorption of vitamin C into your body.

Synthetic vitamin E is only 50% bioavailable for absorption.

4. Does the company meet the United States and Canadian pharmaceutical guidelines - for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)?

Be aware that there are two GMPs, one is pharmaceutical GMP and the other is food GMP. The former is more stringent.

5. Is the product formulated to meet pharmaceutical standards for full disintegration and dissolution?

A simple home test can tell if the vitamin tablet can disintegrate.

6. Is the vitamin supplement product independently tested, reviewed and guaranteed for potency and safety?

7. Is the product manufactured in-house (not contracted to the lowest bidder)?

You can tell by reading their manufacturing literature. If none is available, write to them for one.

8. Does the label list all active ingredients and the DV or RDI percentage clearly and readable?

Read the label, if you see more 'extra' ingredients than you need, probably you are paying for such extra ingredients.

9. Is the product potency guaranteed for a specific shelf life?

10. Is the safety profile of each ingredient thoroughly researched and evaluated?

11. Is the product free of ingredients that may have cumulative toxicity?

12. Is the product in harmony with nature (use plant (better still organic) extract as part of their ingredients?

Keep looking if you have not found one.

Do a home test for your vitamin supplement tablets:

I have personally done some disintegration tests on some multivitamin and calcium tablets. Many of them did not disintegrate 30 minutes or longer. I did those test at home. You can also carry it out.

This is how to do a vitamin supplements home test: Immerse the vitamin tablet into a cup of warm water. Wait for 30 minutes. Stir it. Some remain intact, some release the coloring. These are all no good sign of good quality supplements.

A good quality vitamin supplement will disintegrate in warm water in about 30 minutes. It should not release any color.

Read reviews:

Online reviews may publish some test results, typically

- verify the label claim and actual content of the vitamin supplements

- test for presence of toxic content

- test for disintegration test

- issue recall and warnings

Watch out for the warnings and recall news:

Do you know there are many vitamin and herbs supplements being issued warning of use or being recalled? FDA publishes these warning or recall press release at it website.

You also need to find out if you need to take vitamin supplements? And which vitamin to supplement your nutrition gaps. Even if you eat balance diet (only a very small percentage if people do that), you also need to identify what are the vitamin robbers in your lifestyle, diet and environment. Identifying these vitamin robbers can help you to pin-point what you may be lacking and therefore to supplement with the right type vitamin supplements.

With good quality supplements and knowing what you need, this is the best vitamin supplements program you can start with.