How Do I Know Which Brands Of Herbs, Vitamins Or Supplements Are Best?

Jan. 13, 2010 -- Question: How do I know which brands of herbs, vitamins or supplements are best?

Answer: Choosing an herb or a vitamin is quite challenging. There are different standards for herbs and vitamins and supplements than there are for pharmaceuticals. What I recommend to my patients is that when they go to the store, they select a brand that has either the USP, which stands for United States Pharmacopeia or the NSF, the National Sanitation Foundation label right on the bottle. Companies that have the USP and NSF are following good manufacturing practices, and they're doing their best to ensure a very high quality product and therefore getting this third-party certification of their quality.