Nearly every day, I am asked my opinion on a variety of nutritional supplements. It can be something to help them stop smoking, lower their cholesterol or lose weight. Often it will be about the various “menopausal products” that are on the market.  One of the things I frequently tell people is that whatever they buy, make sure it comes from a reputable company. Unfortunately, there are not really only standards when it comes to supplements. Or so I thought.

I recently learned that high-quality dietary supplements can be identified by the “USP Verified Mark”. It’s an optional quality standard for nutritional supplements that is set by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). What this mark means is that product has been submitted for testing and it meets the USP standards. In other words, the product has been verified that it contains what it says it does, does not contain harmful contaminates and has undergone proper manufacturing practices.

The USP website has lots of information on how to choose a good supplement in both written format and video.  Visit  USP for further information.