Are vitamins/herbal capsules from a health food store any better than those you get at a drugstore

[raccoon]

such as Walgreens, CVS, etc.? They are certainly more expensive.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. is this the age old question of natural vs. synthetic?

:shrug:

if so let me get the

:popcorn:

[raccoon]

2. Is it? I didn't know. nt

[HopeHoops]

3. It depends. There's certainly more diversity in a health food store.

You're also likely to get gel-caps in a pharmacy rather than tablets at a health food store. We don't do gelatin so that limits our sources sometimes.

There's certainly no difference in quality between a brand name and anything else with the same ingredients - other than price. Advertising makes up most of the cost. I buy ibuprofen, not whatever the brand names are (can't think of one).

[RebelOne]

8. I buy the Kroger store brand of ibuprofen.

It is just as effective as the name brands.

[Kali]

4. no

and most all of it is a complete waste of money if you eat a balanced diet

[AngryAmish]

5. No, but most of them can be a waste of money.

[raccoon]

6. You & Kali may be right--Someone said Americans have some expensive tee-tee.

Meaning we buy lots of vitamins, etc., that just comes out.

I take some vitamins & herbs but wonder how much, if any, effect is due to the placebo effect.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Couple of things...

Most chain health food stores have a HUGE mark up in price.
but, OTOH, they tend to sell herbs from Nature's Way and other companies that you can check up on, and often you can get the pure and sandardized herbs.
Drug store chains sell their own brand from god knows where, hard to find out the quality control details.

A great compromise that I have used for years is a reliable online place that describes all the ingredients and carries the more well known reputable brands like NOW, Dctor's Best, Life Extension. At very low prices and free shipping.
PM me if you want the name of the place.
I was able even to talk to one of the lab people at one company over a concern I had with one of their products.

FWIW, I have used herbs for over 30 years when needed and worked in a food coop which sold organic products including bulk herbs.

[CherokeeDem]

7. I just saw a new doctor today...

My health insurance at work is a locally owned (two locations in Kentucky) wellness - center and a patient is assigned a doctor, a nurse, a nutritionist, and an exercisologist. and any visit to them, cost me nothing...only a co-pay if I see a specialist. My doctor, who is a young woman, and I discussed vitamins, I thought that if you ate a balanced diet, they weren't necessary. She said that was true many years ago, but that much of the nutrients that the soil contained have been depleted and our food is not as nutritious as it once was...although she said organic foods did still provide better nutrition. She also said that OTC vitamins were not effective...too many binders and additives and not enough of the good stuff and they were not absorbed as well as they should be. She said if your insurance prescription formulary provides vitamin supplements..they are better absorbed. Fortunately, some are offered at a $10 copay through my insurance. So I think it's worth a try to see how they do. Really cool group and I am looking forward to the services of a nutritionist and the exercise guru...hoping to get back into shape.

[rppper]

10. same for the most part, but....

you want to look for supplements that are water souluble....