Who Manufactures the Ingredients in Your Supplements?

[MineralMan]

If you really want to know, just Google "{ingredient} manufacturer."

Try this search for what's in your Vitamin C pill, no matter who makes the actual pill.

http://www.google.com/search?aq=f&gcx=c&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=ascorbic+acid+manufacturers

The answer is China.

Or this search for thiamine, one of the B-vitamins:

http://www.google.com/search?aq=f&gcx=c&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=ascorbic+acid+manufacturers

Same answer: China

Lutein for preventing macular degeneration?

http://www.globalsources.com/manufacturers/Lutein.html

China, again...

You can do this all day long, using the actual names of the chemicals that go into your supplements. You'll find the same answers. China and India manufacture the nutrient chemicals that go into virtually every supplement product you take. It doesn't matter what the brand name is on the product - the raw materials that make it up almost certainly came from China or India.

So, don't be deceived by the claims from those who sell supplements. Every ingredient is a chemical of some kind. Look up manufacturers of those chemicals. You'll find the same answers again and again.

[MineralMan]

1. But What about Those "Natural Plant Ingredients?"

Same answer. Here's a Chinese manufacturer that supplies a good portion of those. There are several others in China, too, but this is one of the largest manufacturers of plant extracts and powders. You didn't think your supplement supplier was growing all of those plants on an organic farm in Iowa, did you? See the link. They have 159 different plant extracts you can buy to put in your supplement products.

http://daynatural.manufacturer.globalsources.com/si/6008837486326/Showroom/3000000149681/ALL.htm

[MineralMan]

2. Please Note: I'm not Saying

that these Chinese manufacturers are doing anything wrong. For all I know, they may be using the highest standards in the world to produce these products. I have no way of knowing. Perhaps they're all pure and unadulterated. I certainly hope so. Maybe these factories only produce those chemicals and ingredients in their factories, and don't also produce other chemicals that may not be for the supplement industry. I hope that's the case. It may be that every employee has laboratory training and receives excellent wages. That would be good, too.

I just don't know, and doubt that I can find out.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

45. Even if Flora Glo were made in China... the Kemin site says it is made in an ISO 9001 certified

and inspected facility.

[FreakinDJ]

3. Why do you think my Gallbladder had to be removed

right about the time they had the big Melamine scare.

and YES I was taking protein supplements for the gym

[MineralMan]

4. Well, here's a list of protein supplement manufacturers

http://www.globalsources.com/manufacturers/Protein-Supplement.html

Yup. China again. I'm sorry that you experienced that.

[Ian David]

5. All my vitamin's come from Mom's Old Fashioned Robots and Vitamins Company.

[MineralMan]

6. I don't know about that company.

There is a watch company in China, though, Risun Watch Company, that's big in the nutritional supplement product business, too. Both are precision operations, after all. You know their health products have to be good. Their line of amino acid powders is quite popular, I understand in the protein supplement industry. They also make jewelry, and I'm sure it's cadmium free.

http://risunlai.manufacturer.globalsources.com/si/6008843109714/Showroom/3000000149681/ALL.htm

[Bluenorthwest]

7. You do need to shop carefully.

http://www.earthturns.com/FAQ-a/131.htm

Same goes for all OTC meds too. Where does your aspirin come from?

[MineralMan]

9. Ah...you really need to read that site carefully.

Their products are manufactured in the US. But, when asked about the ingredients that go into them, they hedge. They source a few of them, but leave "other countries" as the source for others. I would pretty much guarantee that some of the ingredients come from the same chemical factories in China that supply the entire world. They may not even know where the ingredients are sourced. There are wholesalers of such chemicals here in the US. They may actually think the ascorbic acid they put in their Vitamin C products comes from the US, since they buy it from a distributor here. It probably has a Chinese origin, though. Write them and ask. They say you can do that.Let me know what they say.

As for aspirin, I'm sure that is sourced in China, too. Most often, you don't find out where the ingredients for OTC products are sourced. However, in most cases, it's China or India. That's where most of the chemical factories are located. Perhaps Bayer, for example, makes everything having to do with their aspirin in a factory in Germany, but I don't know.

[Bluenorthwest]

10. I do read carefully. So Ahhhhh.;....

They do not in fact hedge, they name many sources on the website and invite questions on each and every product and ingredient. They just do. Deal with it.
The aspirin question is applicable to all meds, as I said, if one read carefully. Fact is, most people take all sorts of medications without thinking a bit where any of it comes from, what it is, they just take it. What's in that jab? Who asks? Not many. But they should, about everything that they ingest. So we actually agree here, I just would never suggest applying such standards to only one area of ingested materials. I would also never encourage anything but specific product knowledge, not 'most often, in most cases, perhaps' and that sort of thing. Inform yourself on all that you are taking in. Food as well. The works.
You asked where what I take comes from. I told you. That's one of them. There are others. If you want to ask them if they think distributors manufacture, you'd have no need to write them, this is not 1971, you could email or call. Which is exactly what I encourage everyone to do, with all they ingest. Not just some things, everything.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. I'm adding this for C vitamins for those who want non gmo as well

http://www.quali-c.com/dn_vitamin-C-quality-forms/
Check them out. Order from them if you wish. Excellent products.

[Bluenorthwest]

25. I note you did not respond to the second link...

That is where you should obtain C is you are concerned with quality. Scotland is not in China, as you may know.....

[MedicalAdmin]

28. Eclectic Institute out of Oregon has some very good vitamin C.

It is grown, manufactured, bottled and shipped all in the USA and they have good standards. It is also the only vitamin C we are aware of that is made from sugar beets grown organically.

[MedicalAdmin]

27. There are several reputable american companies that have complete ....

control from source to bottle. Of course almost none of the ones I am aware of that have that depth of control over the process are available OTC. Nordic Naturals is an exception to that rule.

[HuckleB]

40. And none of these supposedly reputable companies are regulated in the manner they should be.

Further, they fight all attempts at basic regulation.

Thus, their reputations are worthless.

[MineralMan]

12. I did some more research on that Earth Turns company.

They're located in Bristol, CT. Their address is 862 Farmington Avenue. That's a Mail Room business location. You know, those places where you rent a mail box. The only other address for them is a P.O. Box. There aren't any names of people listed on their web site. There's no photo of their factory. Why is that? It's because there is no factory. They're just a reseller of products, like most supplement sellers. They order the stuff in bulk, maybe with their own private label, since that's very easy to do. Then, they sell it on a website. Most likely, their real headquarters is a garage or basement at a residence. There's no real way to go there and see their operation, since it's just a number on a mail box at the Mail Room.

Anyone can write anything on a website. This company seems clever enough to hedge most of the things they write so they aren't really claiming that everything they sell is made and the ingredients sourced in the USA. Like most people, you see their "manufactured in the USA" statements and project from that. The reality is that all that means is that something about the product is done here. Maybe it's the packaging. Maybe it's just a label that's printed here. I don't know.

I do know, though, that this is a small company that does business out of a mailbox and has no known physical address other than that. Think about it. I would not be so sure that everything they sell is American made. In fact, I doubt that they actually know the source of the ingredients of most of their products. I saw that they have protein supplements, with long lists of amino acids, etc. China is almost certainly where those were manufactured. They may have been compounded here or mixed together here. They may have been put in bottles here with labels printed here, but it's extremely, extremely unlikely that the chemicals in those protein supplement were manufactured in the United States. Write to them and ask. I know for an absolute certainty that Earth Turns manufactures nothing at all. There's just not room in the Mail Room business to do that.

http://www.superpages.com/bp/Bristol-CT/Mail-Room-L0143838587.htm

[Bluenorthwest]

13. Yes, sir, anyone can write anything on a website...that's not news

You offered no facts at all about that company, just assumptions. I offered another link as well, a much more direct and complete source of information on Ascorbic Acid, the subject at hand. This is where I'd go for it if you want the best.
I assumed you were looking for good sources of non Chinese ingredients in vitamins and medicines. Some of us also think about GMO sourcing and such. So it is maybe more complex than you think at first. C is made out of grains, industrial scale wise, and thus, the grains being used are the first concern. This makes Europe the best choice in that regard, in my opinion. If you can not get enough in one's diet, that is. That would be the actual best choice. If making good choices is the objective here, rather than some daily talking point to grind. People, yourself included, are capable of informing themselves, and they should. Never settle for assumptions, perhaps, probably or for characterizations offered on the internet, by any company or any individual. Settle only for the facts. That's my take on things that go into my body. Anyone selling you anything is in business to make money. Never forget that. That goes for meme sellers as well. If they are selling, they are profiting. So always, always, learn for yourself.

[MineralMan]

14. Yes, It's always best to learn for yourself.

That's something I've been doing for a very long time. I'm glad you hear that you do that, too.

Sadly, too few people bother, and just accept what is written somewhere, without really investigating it. And, today, it's so easy to do so. It's a pity more people don't look into things.

[jberryhill]

17. "You offered no facts at all about that company, just assumptions"

Where is their factory located?

[MineralMan]

20. Yes. Where indeed? That was my point, as you noticed.

They have no factory. They have a mailbox at a mail drop store. The name of the owner isn't on the website, just someone named "Joshua." There's no address for anything, except that mail drop. So, nobody know any more than that. I posted everything I could find about the company. Those are all the facts that are available.

[jberryhill]

22. They even use a WHOIS privacy service for their domain registration

Never a good sign.

[MineralMan]

23. There you go. Deception. They don't want you to know who

owns the company, so they conceal it. They don't have an actual physical address. Why would anyone trust them about anything, including the origins of their products?

"But it's alternative health care! They wouldn't lie!"

Lots of folks out there who don't care, I guess.

[beam me up scottie]

8. I'm ecstatic when I can find ones without animal products in them.

They put #*@$%*& gelatin in everything now...

K&R and a spelling error, oops. :dunce:

[Kablooie]

15. Why do you think it's call vitamin "C"? -- C for China. -- duh.

[TroubleMan]

16. Creapure still makes their creatine in Germany

I only get creatine with the Creapure label. It's hard to find anything else not made in China. It takes a lot of digging.

[MineralMan]

19. It's important to check sources, but it can be very difficult.

That's especially true with products that combine multiple ingredients. The source of the individual ingredients doesn't have to appear on the packaging.

These days, most such chemicals are made in China. It's just that simple. If the product doesn't specifically name the sourcing for the ingredients on an individual basis, then there's no way to know where they came from, and it may vary from batch to batch of the product.

I'm just pointing out that most manufacturing of these ingredients takes place in China. When it's not, you usually get that information to go with the higher price of the product. As you pointed out, your creatine comes from a company that's proud that its made in Germany. So they tell you. China's not a source of pride, so you won't hear about products with ingredients made there. If you don't ask, they won't tell you. They'd rather not advertise that fact.

[trotsky]

32. Are you a vegan or vegetarian? n/t

[LaurenG]

18. Thats upsetting. Some of us are on MD prescribed OTC vitamins

melamine (or worse) yay! :sarcasm: :eyes



























:

[MineralMan]

21. The manufacturer of the products you take can tell you

the source of the ingredients. You have to specifically ask them, though. They're not required to put it on the packaging, though. Call the company and ask.

[MedicalAdmin]

29. Generally speaking if you are prescribed vitamins ....

... OTC is NOT the way to go. Sadly too few medical practices know anything or bother to learn anything about this topic.

And yes, it is important. I can't speak much to OTC brands because we just won't use them. The only companies we use can and will release every detail about the sources, processing procedures, testing procedures (and we only use the ones that have independent 3rd party random inspection as well as in house testing).

But OTC can be the wild west.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

46. "Supplements are bad, supplements are bad... etc unless they happen to be that one

and only fish oil that can be prescribed and I can just about guess who owns the facility that produces it.

[Trillo]

24. In some respects it seems that national borders are merely localized monopolies,

similar to how cable TV works. Corporations are allowed to routinely purchase across borders, and utilize borders for tax avoidance schemes, but citizens largely are prevented from similar sourcing, using a variety of mechanisms including wholesale-retail constructs.

[sam11111]

26. "ask the company"...good but i put LOTS more trust in gov regulators as an info source

Actually I put zero trust in greedhead companies. With regulators asleep, tho, I understand why one has to resort to asking companies....and asking them is far better than accepting scanty label info.


Consumer Reports is good.

MM, great thread...Thank you!

Epistemology is so important. Viva R. Descartes.

Again thank you MM for reminding us of the need for skepticism.

[Tumbulu]

30. this is one reason that I take Pycnogenol® as it is

an extract of bark from organic Pine trees in France.

I take an extract made in Oregon from Lion's Mane mushrooms grown there organically.

Cod liver oil from Norway.

One big reason to eat the best quality food one can get and if you use supplements, then know where they came from.

[Celebration]

31. most pharmaceuticals are not made in USA

Many are made in China.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-08-03-recall03_ST_N.htm

[MineralMan]

33. Absolutely correct. However, this post was not about pharmaceuticals.

It was about supplements.

[Celebration]

34. True

But we do need context. Most of the frozen fish comes from China too. I agree it is pretty ridiculous though. However, it is unsurprising, given the broad range of items made in China.

[MineralMan]

35. The difference between prescription pharmaceuticals and

supplements is the FDA oversight. A lot of generic prescription drugs are made in China, it's true. However, the FDA oversight offers some assurance of quality and quick response in case of a problem. With supplements, no such oversight exists. That's why I didn't include a discussion of prescription pharmaceuticals in this post.

I really try to keep my posts as narrow as possible, to prevent confusion and drift of the discussion.

[Celebration]

36. fair enough

I'll start a thread on pharmaceuticals made in China.

[MineralMan]

37. I'll give you an example:

One of the prescriptions I take is generic atenolol. Looking at my prescription bottle, I see that it is manufactured by Mylan. A quick Google search takes me to their website. If I click the About link on that website's home page, I can learn about the manufacturer, which is located in the US. There's a very interesting video on that page that explains the entire process of manufacturing pharmaceuticals at that company.

Odds are high that the active ingredient of that pharmaceutical is manufactured in China. It is what happens to that raw ingredient here in the US that assures me that what I'm getting is exactly what was prescribed. The FDA has very strict batch testing requirements for all active and inactive ingredients of medications sold in this country. You can see how Mylan, one of the largest generic pharmaceutical manufacturers does that in the video.

The difference, as I said before, is FDA regulation and oversight.

Here's that about page:

http://www.mylan.com/about_us.aspx

[Celebration]

38. FDA oversight did not help discover a problem with Heparin

And that is the point, really. The risks that were inherent then are now as well.

[MineralMan]

39. Yes, I'm aware of that. So, don't take any generic prescriptions.

Me? I'll keep taking mine.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

41. The lutein in my multi is made by these people....

http://www.kemin.com/about/history

Our First Success

Spurred by a robust agricultural climate in the U.S. during the 1970s, Kemin Industries enjoyed an era of rapid expansion. As ag commodities skyrocketed and cattle prices set all-time records, the distribution of Kemin crop preservatives experienced phenomenal growth. In response to the times, our sales force increased dramatically to cover the whole of the United States. The Des Moines manufacturing facility underwent two expansions. A new plant was built in Texas. Kemin also entered the global market.


Global Growth

Entering into international business expanded the line of Kemin products in response to the needs of production agriculture around the world. Building on its early success in the U.S., Kemin Industries had embarked on its first export sale of products during the late 1960s. The company's earliest overseas markets were the United Kingdom and Spain where Kemin products were sold through European distributors. By 1973 product demand necessitated a European sales and production site which was built in Herentals, Belgium.



A second major overseas manufacturing plant was built in Singapore in 1988.


Focus on Research and Development

The early eighties brought changes as well. A second generation of the Nelson family was to bring a renewed focus to science.



Dr. Chris Nelson entered the scene as R&D director at Kemin Europa, introducing the new science of biochemistry. There, Chris built the Kemin research program and oversaw the construction of a new R&D facility. He also developed a mold inhibitor still marketed by Kemin today.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

42. My minerals are made at Albion Labs, the bioperine prolly comes from the Sabinsa corporation

and they have nothing but dolts working there..... not.

http://www.sabinsa.com/our-people.html
Our People

Muhammed Majeed, Ph.D., Founder
N. Kalyanam, Ph.D., President - R&D
Reza Kamarei, Ph.D., Vice President - Science & Technology
Enkhmart (Michelle) Dudleenamjil, M.D., Ph.D., Manager - Technical Services
Jeff Lind, Chief Executive Officer - North America
Shaheen Majeed, Marketing Director
Madhu Subramanian, Executive Vice President - Global Operations
Hame K Persaud, Sr. Vice President - Sales & Marketing
Asha Ramesh, Vice President - Business Development

[MineralMan]

43. And what do you take bioperine for?

It's an extract of black pepper, for those who do not know. Personally, I enjoy black pepper as a seasoning, and use it fairly liberally. Is there a recognized minimum quantity of black pepper for good health? Why do you take it as a supplement, pray tell.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

44. Bioperine greatly increases absorption of the supplements you take, allowing you to take

less (smaller capsules) overall.

Hey, you have google, why not use it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_pepper
Pepper is known to cause sneezing. Some sources say that piperine, a substance present in black pepper, irritates the nostrils, causing the sneezing;<31> Few, if any, controlled studies have been carried out to answer the question. It has been shown that piperine can dramatically increase absorption of selenium, vitamin B, beta-carotene and curcumin as well as other nutrients.<32>

As a medicine, pepper appears in the Buddhist Samaññaphala Sutta, chapter five, as one of the few medicines allowed to be carried by a monk.<33>

Pepper contains small amounts of safrole, a mildly carcinogenic compound.<32> Also, it is eliminated from the diet of patients having abdominal surgery and ulcers because of its irritating effect upon the intestines,<34> being replaced by what is referred to as a bland diet. However, extracts from black pepper have been found to have antioxidant properties<35> and anti-carcinogenic effects, especially when compared to chili.<36>

Piperine present in black pepper acts as a thermogenic compound. Piperine enhances the thermogenesis of lipid and accelerates<37> energy metabolism in the body and also increases the serotonin and beta-endorphin production in the brain.

Piperine and other components from black pepper may also be helpful in treating vitiligo,<38> although when combined with UV radiation should be staggered due to the effect of light on the compound.<39>

[trotsky]

48. Wait, you have to take ANOTHER supplement to help your other supplements work?

Oh PT Barnum, will you ever be remembered for your role as history's greatest sage?

[MineralMan]

50. Well, it MAY help other supplements work.

Maybe. It might. It could. Possibly. So, it's a good idea to take it, I guess...:shrug:

[HuckleB]

51. Yep. As long as one believes the small selected preliminary studies one wants to believe.

:(

[HysteryDiagnosis]

55. Some people suffer from leaky gut syndrome in which large and partially digested food

particles, parasites, and other things that aren't supposed to enter the blood stream do. Others suffer from irritable bowel, ulcerative colitis, etc in which the villi are swollen and the effective areas for absorption are greatly reduced. Further still there are the elderly who don't absorb nutrients well just because they are that, old.

Bioperine is in my multi, it is for 50+ years of age. Not only does it help people who may be older or who have these digestive concerns it enables the supplement manufacturer to use less material since it will be absorbed better. It makes sense to me but I'm no biochemist as are the people who make this stuff.

[REP]

60. Intestinal hyperpermeability doesn't work the way you think it does

[MineralMan]

61. True, that.

If your gut was leaking chunks like that, you'd have peritonitis in no time. Oh, well. It was picturesque, anyhow.

[HuckleB]

62. +1

.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

63. Apparrently you weren't in class that day. Perhaps I am reading too much into it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19112401

Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2008 Dec;29(6):902-10.
Normalization of leaky gut in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is accompanied by a clinical improvement: effects of age, duration of illness and the translocation of LPS from gram-negative bacteria.
Maes M, Leunis JC.
Source

MCare4U Outpatient Clinics, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:

There is now evidence that an increased translocation of LPS from gram negative bacteria with subsequent gut-derived inflammation, i.e. induction of systemic inflammation and oxidative & nitrosative stress (IO&NS), is a new pathway in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
METHODS:

The present study examines the serum concentrations of IgA and IgM to LPS of gram-negative enterobacteria, i.e. Hafnia Alvei; Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Morganella Morganii, Pseudomonas Putida, Citrobacter Koseri, and Klebsielle Pneumoniae in CFS patients both before and after intake of natural anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative substances (NAIOSs), such as glutamine, N-acetyl cysteine and zinc, in conjunction with a leaky gut diet during 10-14 months. We measured the above immune variables as well as the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Rating Scale in 41 patients with CFS before and 10-14 months after intake of NAIOSs.
RESULTS:

Subchronic intake of those NAIOSs significantly attenuates the initially increased IgA and IgM responses to LPS of gram negative bacteria. Up to 24 patients showed a significant clinical improvement or remission 10-14 months after intake of NAIOSs. A good clinical response is significantly predicted by attenuated IgA and IgM responses to LPS, the younger age of the patients, and a shorter duration of illness (< 5 years).
DISCUSSION:

The results show that normalization of the IgA and IgM responses to translocated LPS may predict clinical outcome in CFS. The results support the view that a weakened tight junction barrier with subsequent gut-derived inflammation is a novel pathway in CFS and that it is a new target for drug development in CFS. Meanwhile, CFS patients with leaky gut can be treated with specific NAIOSs and a leaky gut diet.

PMID:
19112401

[REP]

64. Says nothing about "large particles of undigested food" surprise surprise

Duh. Intestinal hyperpermeability means that flora normally found in the gut can permeate the intestine. But "large particles of undigested food" aren't mentioned in the article you cite for some reason. Oh yeah. Because that's crazy talk.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

66. Well they found a cheeseburger in my aorta so there. n/t

[HuckleB]

65. It's a small, preliminary study.

So, if you're reading much into at all, then you're reading too much into it.

[trotsky]

47. Click on the link for their manufacturing facilities. n/t

[MineralMan]

49. Stuff's made in India.

Again...see my original post.

[Celebration]

52. India

My personal preference would be India over China (understatement).

Most of the serious problems have come out of China, not India. Ironically, about the one thing that so far has not been a problem in China is supplements. Not the case with the OTC drugstore drugs, pharmaceuticals, dogfood, toothpaste, etc.

I would personally prefer that supplements and everything else I ingest not be made in China. Aspirin and Vitamin C are cheap enough to make, though, that I doubt that corners can be cut to make it more profitable.

[REP]

53. Is this true for Rx ergocalciferol (high dose Vit D for hypoparathyroidism)?

(note - hypoPARAthyroidism, not hypothyroidism)

Who only knows where the 5,000 IU pills I must take daily come from (allegedly made in the US), but I hope the Rx 50,000 IU ones I must take weekly are doing something ...

(I did not diagnose myself with hypoparathyroidism; my doctor did - I have severe kidney disease and am nephrotic, and it's common in such patients)

[MineralMan]

56. I don't know, to tell you the truth.

It looks like there's just one company making that for generic use, Sigmapharm Laboratories, LLC. If yours is a green capsule, they're likely the manufacturer. They have a facility in Pennsylvania, but I believe it's just for producing the finished capsule. There are no photos of chemical facilities on their website. A further search shows manufacturers of the active ingredient in China.

[REP]

59. Thanks for the info

And crap.

I try to avoid most Chinese-made products (there are exceptions, such as a small tea company that I actually know the owners of, for example - awesome teas, too) because of the labor practices and food-safety issues. It isn't always possible, but I try.

[mzmolly]

54. Yikes.

:scared:

[MineralMan]

57. I wasn't trying to make people anxious about this.

My point is that it's important to know where the stuff you're taking comes from. People take countless millions of supplements every day, with no ill effects. So, the odds are yours are fine, wherever the ingredients come from. There have been cases of contamination, but they're rare and make the news. All the millions of pills taken that don't cause any problem do not make the news. Stuff gets contaminated in the United States, too.

[mzmolly]

58. It's a valid

point. I am not overly concerned for myself, but pushing supplements on children, without good reason, merits caution.

For example, I found out that a B vitamin I was giving my child, was made from a corn derivative in China and placed in capsules in the US. Technically they claim their vitamins are "made" in the US, but the ingredients are not. Since when do we need to turn to China for corn? I dunno ... didn't make sense to me. ;)

Chinese regulations differ from our own, and given supplements are not regulated, I think caution is merited, period.