An abridged edition of the NutriSearch Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements, 4th edition, was released earlier this year. This “Consumer Edition,” is meant for individuals that don’t need all the technical scientific information contained in the full report. As an overview, this guide contains:

• Ratings for over 1500 US and Canadian supplements

• Discussion of 18 critical Health Support Criteria

• Graphical results for top-rated 4- and 5-star products

• NutriSearch’s Gold Medal of Achievement recipients

In this guide, Lyle McWilliam begins with the case for supplementation. Even though the American Medical Association (AMA) has now acknowledged that all adults need a supplemental daily multiple vitamin, many are unaware of this fact and the many additional scientific reports that support the case. There is also a growing concern among nutrition experts that the Recommended Dietary Allowances, established during World War II, are now too low.

The case for supplementation begins with an understanding of the root cause of most major disease. Dr. McWilliam discusses this root cause being oxidative damage and resulting inflammatory events and documents how this can lead to major disease such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and many (if not mostly all) other degenerative conditions.

With this in mind, then a framework to evaluate commercially available supplements is established. Dr. McWilliam assembled a panel of 12 authorities, who have published one or more works on specific daily nutritional intakes and devised a “blended standard” of daily adult requirements to use in evaluating the many products on the market. In addition, 18 critical Health Support Criteria including Completeness, Potency, Mineral Form, Bioactivity of Vitamin E, Gamma Tocopherol, Antioxidant Support, Bone Health, Heart Health, Liver Health (detoxification), Metabolic Health (glucose control), Ocular Health, Methylation Support, Lipotropic Factors, Inflammation Control, Glycation Control, Bioflavonoid Profile, Phenolic Compounds Profile, and Potential Toxicities are discussed at high level.

Top rated products are highleted in two categories: Single Product and Combination Product. A single product includes a multi-vitamin and mineral, whereas combination product may include additional support such as bioflavonoid or phenolic compounds.

The top rated Single Products were:

• USANA Health Sciences (Essentials) – Editor’s Choice

• Creating Wellness Alliance (Vitalize Men’s, Women’s and Senior Women’s Gold)

• Douglas Laboratories (Ultra Preventive IX, IX with vitamin K, X)

• TrueStar Health (TrueBASIC Solo)

The top rated Combination Products were:

• USANA Health Sciences (HealthPak 100 US and CA) – Editor’s Choice

• Douglas Laboratories (Daily Essentials and Longevity Support Pack)

• TrueStar Health (TruBASICS Plus for Men and Women)

We highly recommend this guide for consumers who recognize the increasing dangers in our environment and who are seeking the best formulated products on the market. The full edition is recommended for those who need all the scientific details and evidence backing up this report. A children’s multi-vitaman evaluation is also available in the Comparative Guide to Children’s Nutritionals, which compares over 160 US and CA products.

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