An investigation by NY State attorney general’s office into store brand supplements (GNC, Target, Walmart, Walgreens) do NOT contain the herbs shown on their labels and many included potential allergens not identified on the ingredient list. For someone with a gluten allergy, taking a daily vitamin that is contaminated with gluten can be detrimental to their health.
“Contamination, substitution and falsely labeling herbal products constitute deceptive business practices and, more importantly, present considerable health risks for consumers,” - New York Times
GNC Herbal Plus brand:
Gingko Biloba: No gingko biloboa found, detected allium (garlic), rice, spruce and asparagus
St. John’s Wort: No St. John’s Wort found, did detect allium, rice, and dracaena (plant)
Ginseng: No ginseng found, did detect rice, dracaena, pine, wheat/grass and citrus
Echinacea: No echinacea found, did detect rice in some samples
Saw Palmetto: One sample found palmetto, other detections were rice, asparagus, primrose
Target Up & Up brand
Gingko Biloba: No gingko biloba found, detected rice, garlic, and mung bean
St. John’s Wort: No St. John’s Wort found, detected rice, garlic, and dracaena
Valerian Root: No valerian root found, detected allium, bean, asparagus, pea family, rice, wild carrot, saw palmetto
Garlic: Contained garlic, one test identified no plant DNA
Echinacea: Most but not all tests detected Echinacea, one detected rice
Saw Palmetto: Most tests detected saw palmetto, some tests found no plant DNA
Walgreens Finest Nutrition Brand
Gingko Biloba: No gingko biloba found, detected rice
St. John’s Wort: No St. John’s Wort found, detected rice, garlic, and dracaena
Ginseng: No ginseng found, did detect rice and garlic
Garlic: No garlic found, detected palm, dracaena, wheat, rice
Echinacea: No echinacea found, detected garlic, rice, daisy
Walmart Spring Valley Brand
Gingko Biloba: No gingko biloba found, detected rice, dracaena, mustard, wheat, and radish
St Johns Wort: No St Johns Wort found, detected garlic, rice, cassava
Ginseng: No ginseng found, detected rice, dracaena, pine, wheat/grass, and citrus
Garlic: One sample showed small amounts of garlic, detected rice, pine, palm, dracaena, and wheat
Echinacea: No echinacea or plant material found
Choosing poor quality vitamins from super stores or from amazon is never a good idea. As a practitioner, my license gives me access to herbs and supplements that are high quality, high potency, and laboratory tested. It is important to get your supplements from a qualified practitioner who can accurately diagnose your health concerns, test you for vitamin deficiencies, and put you on an appropriate regimen tailored to what your body actually needs. In my office, I do this through nutrition counseling, herbs and supplements, and vitamin injections.
I have listed some of my favorite products on my Fullscript account, which gives you access to my dispensary of practitioner-grade supplements. Some items will require an appointment or consultation with me. Click the FullScript link at the bottom of the page to purchase.
Resources:
With Love,
Charlotte Morgan, M.S. L.Ac.
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