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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by iforgotmypassword on May 20, 2005, at 3:44:04
can anyone give me any info on how honest these herbal/nutritive/alt-med manufacturers are, and do their products actually contain exactly what they say they do? i heard that government's are pretty lax about policing them, and i live in canada, and i don't know how they operate? when you buy these products do they contain what they say they do at the amount they say they do? and are there any particularly good reputable companies that are reliable and are there ones to watch out for?
Posted by Declan on May 21, 2005, at 9:24:30
In reply to alt-med manufacturer honesty? any good brands?, posted by iforgotmypassword on May 20, 2005, at 3:44:04
Since you're from North America it'd be easy to get Life Extension Foundation products. I think they're good value. They've got a certain style, but you're from round there, it shouldn't be a problem.
Declan
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 21, 2005, at 19:02:29
In reply to alt-med manufacturer honesty? any good brands?, posted by iforgotmypassword on May 20, 2005, at 3:44:04
> can anyone give me any info on how honest these herbal/nutritive/alt-med manufacturers are, and do their products actually contain exactly what they say they do? i heard that government's are pretty lax about policing them, and i live in canada, and i don't know how they operate? when you buy these products do they contain what they say they do at the amount they say they do? and are there any particularly good reputable companies that are reliable and are there ones to watch out for?
I like Source Naturals. Solgar. Now. There are so many companies. It's intimidating. Like Declan said, Life Extension stuff is pretty much guaranteed. But you pay for that.
Canada has begun the process of regulating all Natural Health Products (that's herbs, vitamins, minerals, aminos, homeopathic....all that stuff), starting in Jan 2004. The regs will phase in over six years.
Products will have to be tested for content, safety, and efficacy (if an approved health claim is made). Each product will bear a license number, called an NPN. They will no longer be foods. They will all be drugs. Vitamins too (by 2010).
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/nhpd-dpsn/faq_consumers_e.html#7
The labels will have to carry some very specific information.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/nhpd-dpsn/product_licensing_8_e.html
There are also some stringent regulations on importing:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/inspectorate/imp_hum_drug_per_use_enf_dir_entire_e.html
The key thing to recognize in all of this is that NHPs will now be governed under the laws that cover prescription drugs. NHPs are no longer food supplements in Canada. They are drugs, by government fiat. (Or will be, as the different categories phase in.)
The phase-in schedule is here, in Table 1:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/nhpd-dpsn/nhp_compliance_policy_e.htmlIt's really complicated. You can buy pure melatonin or phenylalanine, but not pure tryptophan, according to the regs I just read.
If you're importing *anything* that falls into the government definitions of a drug, you may not import more than a three month supply at a time. Period. And, they won't let you bring in any more, for three months. If you try, it will be refused entry.
As for quality products, I think that the stuff on iherb or hi-life meets the definition.
http://www.iherb.com/index.html
http://www.hilife-vitamins.com/Iherb has a wonderful link to encyclopedic information on supps, herbs, etc.
http://www.iherb.com/health.htmlI've dealt with both companies, and I've been very satisfied with their customer service, and the quality of the products. Use your intuition. If something sounds too good to be true, it is.
Freight charges are high, though. So, put together a big order all at once. Your shipping charges are about the same, no matter the size of the order (within reason). You'll have to pay entry fees and GST, as well. I've never had anything refused entry, but maybe I've been lucky. I recently got some stuff that's scheduled as restricted. <shrug>
Lar
Posted by iforgotmypassword on May 24, 2005, at 16:53:30
In reply to Re: alt-med manufacturer honesty? any good brands? » iforgotmypassword, posted by Larry Hoover on May 21, 2005, at 19:02:29
i was just searching the web and i was wondering if NOW Foods is a decent brand. they seem to offer what i want (DMAE) as a vegetarian preparation. this is important to me as i am mostly vegan. are there any ways i can find out if the products companies sell are vegan, or any really good companies for accomodating vegans that i should know about? thankyou sooo much for all that info you gave me btw. i hope the new legislation in canada makes more improvements that just adding general sketchiness. (i guess time will tell?)
Posted by joebob on May 24, 2005, at 21:36:27
In reply to wow, thanx! ...is NOW Foods a decent brand? » Larry Hoover, posted by iforgotmypassword on May 24, 2005, at 16:53:30
fact, after more than 25 years following the industry closely...
you can't go wrong with thembest,
joebob
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 25, 2005, at 22:29:31
In reply to wow, thanx! ...is NOW Foods a decent brand? » Larry Hoover, posted by iforgotmypassword on May 24, 2005, at 16:53:30
> i was just searching the web and i was wondering if NOW Foods is a decent brand. they seem to offer what i want (DMAE) as a vegetarian preparation. this is important to me as i am mostly vegan.
I guess I threw so much stuff at you in the last post that you missed my mention of Now products being ones I trust.
> are there any ways i can find out if the products companies sell are vegan, or any really good companies for accomodating vegans that i should know about?
As I am a faithful carnivore, I've never paid attention to the issue. Sorry. IMHO, if it doesn't say vegan, it isn't. It's too important a selling point to pass up.
> thankyou sooo much for all that info you gave me btw. i hope the new legislation in canada makes more improvements that just adding general sketchiness. (i guess time will tell?)
The whole point is that purity will be about as well regulated as it can be. What it says on the label must be backed up by lab tests, and facility audits are part of the program. There are actually more products legal to sell in Canada than before, because they cleared up some loose ends (e.g. melatonin).
I expect that what will happen is that Canadian products will gain market share in the U.S., because ours will be regulated. A little rough to get things set up, but the only vendors left will be the ones that pass muster.
In the meantime, unless something is specifically listed on one of those Schedules of prohibited substances, you'll be able to import a three month supply without being hassled. We'll have the best of both worlds, IMHO.
Here are the Schedules. What you'll see if you read them closely is a complete unification of drugs and supps. All under one umbrella of legislation. I'm not suprised to see that you can't import oxycodone or LSD. But, for that matter, if a supp *isn't* listed on a Schedule, you can import it. That's how I read it. And I'm testing it this week, with three orders I just placed.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/nhpd-dpsn/nhp_compliance_guide_parta_e.html
Lar
Posted by iforgotmypassword on May 26, 2005, at 16:05:12
In reply to Re: wow, thanx! ...is NOW Foods a decent brand? » iforgotmypassword, posted by Larry Hoover on May 25, 2005, at 22:29:31
i tend to miss a lot when i read things, it's one of the reasons why i'm interested in supplements :p thanx again for everything. i put some NOW Foods DMAE on order. :)
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