The
Leader in Quality Assurance
Q: What prompted you to start Vital Nutrients?
A: I wanted to make consistent, high quality clean products I could count on clinically. In my practice, I observed that some of my patients did not respond to what I prescribed. I wondered if product quality was an issue. I thoroughly investigated the guidelines needed to make a high quality natural product. Then I asked several well-known professional companies I’d purchased from for years if they followed these guidelines to assure the quality and purity of their products. Almost all did not. I was very surprised. I learned that the industry at large is not held accountable, by anyone or any agency, to a high standard of quality assurance. The same scenario still exists today.
Q: Vital Nutrients is known for very high quality. You assert that you are “The Leader in Quality Assurance.” What makes your products so different?
A:
We lead the industry in quality assurance because of our comprehensive
testing of raw materials and finished products. We exclusively use labs
that employ scientifically valid test methods and follow rigorous procedures
for producing consistent results. Every batch of raw material is tested
for identity, potency and purity (contamination). Every batch of finished
product is tested and we do stability testing to ensure the label claim
through the expiration period. This level of testing is uncommon among
retail or professional brands. We feel it is the right thing to do for
the customer.
Q:
Vital Nutrients does an enormous amount of contamination testing. Why?
A: Contamination in natural products is a huge issue, whether the material comes from China, India, Europe or the US. It is not where it comes from that matters but how thoroughly it was tested for purity before it gets made and sold. This is what really counts. We want our customers consuming pure products and not contaminants.
Q: Which contaminants do you test for?
A:
Vital Nutrients tests for bacteria, yeast and mold, identity (authenticity),
potency, 22 chemical solvents, 136 herbicides, pesticides and fungicides,
4 aflatoxins, and 5 heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and
aluminum). A recent example: We just rejected 880 lbs. of Green Tea
Extract because it contained 7500 ppm of Ethyl Acetate. It came from
a high quality US company. The certificate of analysis said it had less
than 50 ppm of this solvent. Without this testing our customers would
be consuming product with high levels of
Ethyl Acetate, which is a chemical contaminant. All Fish Oil products
are tested for rancidity, heavy metals, Dioxins and PCB’s.
Q:
What about irradiation of botanical ingredients?
A:
Currently, the FDA does not allow dietary ingredients to be irradiated.
It is illegal to do so but is a common practice with botanicals coming
from China, India and other parts of the world. We are extremely vigilant
about not accepting botanical raw materials that have been irradiated.
Continued…
Q: Vital Nutrients states that its products are “clinically effective.” Please explain.
A: Our comprehensive testing program weeds out materials that are fake, subpotent, super potent or contaminated. We make products that are consistently safe, authentic, the right potency and have maximum freedom from contamination. This consistency increases the likelihood of clinical success and credibility as a health care practitioner. A company that does little or no testing will have wide variations in potency, purity and authenticity from lot to lot. This decreases clinical effectiveness.
Q: How does Vital Nutrients quality assurance testing compare with the industry?
A: In my experience a large percentage of the natural products industry “never” tests raw materials or finished products. Some do spotty or minimal testing. We always do comprehensive quality assurance testing and we have the proof to back it up.
Q: You assert that your products are “scientific and evidence-based.” Please explain what you mean.
A: When we develop a new formula, we hire a medical professional to review the available human and animal research that supports the formula concept. We make the product with ingredients that have the strongest scientific evidence behind them. Also, we go to great lengths to find scientifically valid testing methodology to ensure the quality of the ingredients in the new product.
Q:
Your testing is done by outside labs. How do you ensure that the results
are scientifically valid and accurate vs. false or misleading?
A:
We strictly adhere to employing labs that use scientifically valid test
methods and standards. In addition, our quality manager personally audits
our labs to verify their quality practices and procedures. We use the
cream of the crop in natural product testing facilities.
Q: You said the FDA GMPs will allow low quality products to exist. Why is that allowed?
A:
The new FDA GMPs allows the manufacturer to set quality specifications
for their ingredients. As long as they meet those specs, they comply
with FDA GMPs. That means that Manufacturer A can have a low quality
spec and Manufacturer B can have a high quality spec. Consider this
example using a Ginseng product. The label says 500 mg/capsule.
Manufacturer A sets their potency spec at 0.5% ginsenosides and B set
theirs at 10%. Clearly a huge difference but each complies. The FDA
GMPs only serve to further muddy the waters of quality.
Q:
Why use Vital Nutrients when there are so many other brands available?
A: Proven comprehensive quality assurance and consistency you can always count on. The vast majority of available brands, both retail and professional, provide little or no quality assurance. Just ask for proof and see what you get.
Q: What makes Vital Nutrients products unique?
A:
Vital Nutrients products are consistent, potent and pure. They have
a high degree of clinical effectiveness and are made and tested with
adherence to scientifically valid methodology. Health care professionals
can feel safe, confident and very good using Vital Nutrients products.
Rick Liva RPh, ND is CEO, Chief Medical Officer and Quality Assurance Director at Vital Nutrients, one of the premier lines of practitioner supplements offered to health care professionals by Emerson Ecologics. We recently asked Dr. Liva to offer insight into why he founded Vital Nutrients and what makes Vital Nutrients and its products unique.
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