Table of Contents

Introduction..........................................................................................................................................................1

Multivitamins: The Most Popular Dietary Supplements....................................................................2

4 Steps for Buying the Best Dietary Supplements for You...............................................................7

Dietary Supplement Evaluation Form....................................................................................................11

Next Steps..........................................................................................................................................................12

References..........................................................................................................................................................13
Copyright © 2022 · Supplements Revealed

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The information and statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended
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Are you taking a multivitamin?

Many people think multivitamins are healthy… and they can be…

But only if you really understand what to look for when choosing a multivitamin.

This free guide provides you with some useful information and resources to help you choose the best multi
for you and your family.

But this is only the beginning…

If you really want to dive deep and learn the supplement “secrets” that only industry insiders know… make
sure you tune in to watch Supplements Revealed.

In it you’ll learn:

How to spot low-quality “contaminated” supplements (both online and at the store)

The Truth about Multivitamins, Vitamin D, Fish Oil, and more…

The dirty “buzzwords” advertisers use to convince you to buy products you don’t need

Which supplements work for which health problems

Why 93% of supplements don’t work (and how to only buy ones that will work for you)

Enjoy your free report and we can’t wait to hear your insights and “aha” moments from watching Supplements
Revealed.

To your health,
The Supplements Revealed Team

Supplements Cheat Sheet: 4 Steps for Finding High-Quality Supplements | SUPPLEMENTS REVEALED 1
 Multivitamins: The Most
Popular Dietary Supplements
According to the 2020 Council for Responsible Nutrition Consumer Survey of Dietary Supplements, 77% of
women and 68% of men take one or more dietary supplements. The higher the income level and level of
education, the more likely someone is to take one or more supplements.

Who Takes Dietary Supplements?

77% 81% 77%

74% 74% 75%
68% 68% 70%
61%

Male Female Aged Aged Aged HHI Under HHI HHI No College College
18-34 35-54 55+ $50K $50K-$100K $100K+ Degree Degree

Source: www.crnusa.org/sites/default/files/images/2020-survey/CRN-2020-Prelim-Who.png

Of these supplement users, the vast majority (98%) take vitamins/minerals (most typically a multivitamin).
Specialty supplements and herbal & botanicals are the next most popular supplements at 46% and 44%
respectively.

Dietary Supplement Usage By Categories

19% Vitamins & Minerals

30% Specialty Supplements

98%
Herbals & Botanicals
44%

Sports Nutrition

46%
Weight Management

Source: https:/www.crnusa.org/sites/default/files/images/2020-survey/CRN-2020-Prelim-Categories.png

Supplements Cheat Sheet: 4 Steps for Finding High-Quality Supplements | SUPPLEMENTS REVEALED 2
Considering how common it is to take a vitamin and mineral supplement, do you know the difference
between vitamins and minerals, where they come from, and which ones your body needs?

Let’s quickly review…

What Are Vitamins?

As defined in the Food & Nutrition Encyclopedia, 2nd Ed., “Vitamins are organic substances that are essential
in small amounts for the health, growth, reproduction, and maintenance of one or more animal species,
which must be included in the diet since they cannot be synthesized at all or in sufficient quantity in the
body. Each vitamin performs a specific function, hence one cannot replace another. Vitamins originate
primarily in plant tissues.” 1

There are 13 essential vitamins – “essential” meaning that each vitamin has an important role and is both
required and necessary for your body to function optimally. Vitamins are either fat soluble or water soluble.

Fat-soluble vitamins are dissolved in fat and can be stored in the body (liver, fatty tissue, and
skeletal muscle) for long periods of time. These vitamins are:

 Vitamin A
 Vitamin D
 Vitamin E
 Vitamin K

Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water, are not stored in the body, and must be replenished
daily. Water-soluble vitamins are:

 Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
 Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
 Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
 Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
 Biotin
 Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
 Vitamin B9 (Folate)
 Vitamin B12
 Vitamin C

Supplements Cheat Sheet: 4 Steps for Finding High-Quality Supplements | SUPPLEMENTS REVEALED 3
What Are Minerals?

Minerals are inorganic nutrients that occur naturally in nonliving things, such as rocks and metal ores. You
get them naturally in your diet through consuming plants that take up minerals through the soil they’re
grown in. (Although if the soil is depleted of minerals, they can’t be present in the plant.) Minerals don’t
dissolve in fat or water and are a vital part of a healthy diet.

Essential minerals can be divided into two categories: major (macro) minerals and trace minerals
(microminerals).

Macro minerals your body needs are: Trace minerals are needed just as much
by your body as macro minerals, but in
 Sodium much smaller amounts (i.e., you only need
 Chloride a “trace” of them). Trace minerals include:

 Potassium
 Iron
 Calcium
 Zinc
 Phosphorus
 Iodine
 Magnesium
 Selenium
 Sulfur
 Copper
 Manganese
 Chromium
 Molybdenum

Other trace nutrients known to be essential in tiny amounts include nickel, silicon, vanadium, and cobalt.2

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7 Good Reasons to Take a Multivitamin

In a perfect world, a balanced diet would provide all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your body
needs. But for most of us, the world our food is produced in is far from perfect. Here are 7 reasons why
getting all the nutrients you need from food is difficult, if not downright impossible.

Loss of Topsoil.

1 Topsoil erosion is a major environmental problem worldwide.3 As topsoil is lost, farmers

resort to ever more intensive farming practices to maintain their same yield. If minerals
aren’t restored to the earth, they won’t be in the produce grown in it.

Diminishing Nutrients in the Food Supply Overall.

2 Contamination of vegetables, fruits, and meat with pesticides, hormones, heavy metals,
antibiotics, and food additives diminishes the nutrients you’ll gain from your food.

Transportation & Storage of Food.

3 Produce is often picked early and transported long distances before arriving in your local
grocery store. Exposure to air, light, and heat all contribute to nutrient loss.

Food Preparation & Cooking.

4 Overcooking and microwaving food contributes to a loss of enzymes, vitamins, and

minerals.

Depleted Minerals in Water.

5 Filtration systems can remove important minerals from water, such as magnesium.

Low-Calorie & Restrictive Diets.

6 Unless you’re paying close attention to nutrient density, consuming fewer calories overall
and cutting out categories of certain foods usually means taking in fewer nutrients.

Most Popular Ready-to-Eat Foods Are Nutrition-Poor.

7 Many processed and refined foods are laden with sugar, preservatives, salt, and fat, and
lacking in the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs.

Supplements Cheat Sheet: 4 Steps for Finding High-Quality Supplements | SUPPLEMENTS REVEALED 5
Vitamins Were Only Discovered Just Over a Century Ago!

Up until the early 1900s, people were not aware of the existence of vitamins and minerals contained within
their food.

Then in 1912, a Polish American microbiologist named Casimir In a 1912 scientific paper,
Funk discovered that vitamins B1, B2, C, and D were necessary Polish American biochemist
to human health and contributed to the normal functioning of Casimir Funk (1884-1967)
the hormonal system. Funk’s revolutionary idea that nutrients coined the term “vitamine” that
could cure disease led to the prevention of nutrient deficiency later became “vitamin.”
disease such as beriberi, rickets, and scurvy.4

Funk’s vitamin research also led to discoveries by other scientists and the introduction of early types of
supplements, including cod liver oil. Up until the late 1930s, these vitamins were extracted from food. But
then methods started being developed to synthesize vitamins in a lab, which lowered costs and set the
stage for mass production of vitamins.5

The first One-a-Day vitamin was marketed in 1943 by Miles Laboratories6 and the popularity of multivitamins
exploded over the next several decades.

Supplements Revealed will shatter everything you know about

supplements. And not just multivitamins — it also talks about Fish
Oil, Omega 3’s, Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium, and more. Tune in
to watch the 9-part series during the free viewing period.

Supplements Cheat Sheet: 4 Steps for Finding High-Quality Supplements | SUPPLEMENTS REVEALED 6
 4 Steps for Buying the Best
Dietary Supplements for You
As a consumer you have what can seem like endless choices when it comes to buying supplements. So how
do you actually pick a good one?

Here are 4 “rules” for buying a great-quality supplement that will enhance your health… not harm it.

Step 1: Avoid Dangerous Ingredients

Be Extra Cautious With the 3 Most “Dangerous” Categories of Supplements

A 2018 review published on the Journal of American Medicine (JAMA) website7 studied FDA statistics from
2007 to 2016 and found that the greatest risk of adulterated supplements (ones containing unapproved
pharmaceutical ingredients) came from 3 categories of supplements:

 Sexual enhancement
 Weight loss
 Muscle building

What are the risks of adulterated supplements? According to the study authors, “the potential to cause
serious adverse health effects owing to accidental misuse, overuse, or interaction with other medications,
underlying health conditions, or other pharmaceuticals within the supplement.”8

Look for a Supplement Facts Label

Here’s an example of a legitimate supplement label
with all required information provided.
Athletes or anyone who undergoes drug testing for work
(e.g., military personnel & law enforcement) need to be
extra cautious with this one. Performance-enhancing
drugs may appear to be dietary supplements but will
lack the supplement facts panel which is required on all
dietary supplements. Beware of anything labeled “for
research only”, “research chemical”, or similar which
can be a way for unscrupulous manufacturers to try
and skirt FDA rules while selling illegal drugs in the
supplement sphere.

For any supplements that you’re considering buying

online, if you can’t see the supplement label or
ingredient list, that’s a red flag and it’s best to steer
clear completely.

Supplements Cheat Sheet: 4 Steps for Finding High-Quality Supplements | SUPPLEMENTS REVEALED 7
Check the “Other Ingredients” Panel for Ingredients You Don’t Want or Need

Is there a long list of “other ingredients” that includes things like artificial colors, titanium dioxide, flavorings,
fillers, preservatives, added sugar, sodium, MSG, etc.?

More and more companies are realizing that consumers don’t want these harmful compounds in their
supplements and will note key points such as “doesn’t contain artificial colors or flavors” or “preservative-
free.” However, it’s still up to you to read the label closely to ensure they aren’t distracting your attention
away from other unwanted ingredients.

Step 2: Watch Out for Shady Marketing

Beware of Over-the-Top Claims

That old adage of “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” is certainly true when it comes to dietary
supplements. Companies that make big promises or claim that a supplement will treat, prevent, cure, or
mitigate a disease are breaking the law and are likely fly-by-night operations that are putting profits ahead
of your health and safety.

You Get What You Pay For

Just about everyone loves a bargain, but if a particular supplement brand is way cheaper than its
competitors… you should be suspicious and do a little digging to find out why.

Sourcing quality ingredients and adhering to good manufacturing practices takes time, effort, and resources
which should be reflected in the final price. There are lots of places where cheap may serve your needs just
fine. The supplements you’re taking to enhance your health likely isn’t one of them.

Are the Ingredients Organic and Non-GMO?

If you’re someone who sees the value in buying organic food, you very likely want that same freedom from
pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in your supplements.

There’s a strong case for organic supplement ingredients being even more important than organic food.
After all, a whole food supplement is plant material that’s been greatly condensed. If the plants were
sprayed with poison… those poisons will be condensed along with the plants into the supplements.

Supplements Cheat Sheet: 4 Steps for Finding High-Quality Supplements | SUPPLEMENTS REVEALED 8
The most recognized organic symbol is USDA Organic certification. In order for a supplement to be
permitted to display this seal, it must be at least 95% organic by weight. (Note: Most capsule supplements
won’t be marked as USDA Organic as the capsule itself isn’t organic. Check the individual ingredients and
see if they’re listed as organic).

Be aware too that not every supplement ingredient is available in organic or even eligible to be classified as
organic. For example, minerals and digestive enzymes can’t be certified organic as they don’t grow from a
seed in the ground.

Step 3: Select Quality Companies

Is Anyone There to Help You?

Is there a company website behind that product you’re considering? Do they provide at least one (and ideally
more than one) way to contact them? If you do contact the company and ask a question… does anyone get
back to you with an answer? If the answer to any of the above is “no,” then it’s best to leave that bottle on the
shelf or in your online cart and purchase from a company that will be there to support you post-purchase.

Big Is Not Always Better… but You Want Big Enough

The bigger the company, the more diligent they need to be

with following all FDA and FTA rules. However, the mass-
market supplement brands which can be found lining
grocery and drug store shelves are also more likely to be
produced from low-cost synthetic ingredients instead of
ingredients made from more expensive whole foods and
botanicals.

One the other end of the spectrum is tiny, fly-by-night

companies which pop up on the internet with a one-page
website selling the latest “wonder” product. Then there’s
those supplements imported from overseas and sold in tiny
shops with packaging that doesn’t meet FDA guidelines.
There’s no guarantee that what’s contained in any of these
products is legal or safe.

Your best bet lies in a company that falls somewhere in

between. One that makes products with ingredients that
come from nature; the company is big enough that they’re
following all mandated health and safety guidelines (plus
going above & beyond), with a demonstrated commitment
to quality, 3rd-party testing, and customer satisfaction.

Are They a Good Corporate Citizen?

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This one isn’t important to everyone, but it speaks to a company’s corporate values and how committed they
are to doing good in the world. Is the brand you’re supporting with your hard-earned dollars helping others
in some way? Companies that give back to charitable organizations such as Vitamin Angels demonstrate
that they’re not just about the bottom line.

Step 4: Get a Guarantee and Listen to Your Gut

Is Your Satisfaction Guaranteed?

Does the company stand behind the products they’re selling? Are they willing to give you your money back
if the supplement doesn’t work as intended? If they don’t believe in the quality and efficacy of their own
products, then why should you?

Who’s Checking Their Work?

Third-party seals and certifications are one way that companies demonstrate a commitment to producing
quality products. It’s an added cost to the supplement company to undergo this third-party scrutiny of their
manufacturing process and/or to have the end product tested for purity.

Don’t Expect Quick Fixes

Dietary supplements aren’t drugs and taking something only a couple of times and expecting an immediate
or dramatic response isn’t giving it a fair chance to work. Remember
that supplements are meant to supplement other healthy lifestyle
choices.

Take your supplement as directed and give it a chance to work before

tossing it or sticking it in a cupboard and moving on to something
else. (Of course, if you experience a negative reaction, discontinue
use immediately and consult your healthcare provider.) Sometimes
you’ll only realize how well a supplement has been working if you stop
taking it after a while and feel the difference.

Do You Trust the Choice You’ve Made?

At the end of the day, you are responsible for making the decision about what goes in your body. Do you feel
good about the supplement you’ve chosen (or that a healthcare practitioner recommended for you)?

If you’re wary about the company or the product, don’t really understand why you’re taking it, or something
just feels “off,” then there’s a good chance this isn’t the right supplement for you.

Maybe you just need to do a little more homework or seek guidance from your healthcare provider so you
have more information, but you are the ultimate authority on your own body… so trust your instincts.

Supplements Cheat Sheet: 4 Steps for Finding High-Quality Supplements | SUPPLEMENTS REVEALED 10
 Dietary Supplement Evaluation Form
If you’re someone who likes to do their homework, here’s a handy checklist you can use when evaluating
any new supplement that you’re considering taking. While this checklist isn’t exhaustive, it can help you
keep track during your supplement research process. (Feel free to print off or make copies so you have as
many sheets as you need!)

Supplement (Product) Name: Contains Common Allergens?

Milk Wheat

Eggs Peanuts
Company/Brand Name:

Soybeans
Fish

Other
Shellfish
Format:

Tree Nuts None

Capsule Powder

Tablet Chewable Contains Other (Personal) Allergens?

Gelcap Gummie Yes No

If yes, what ingredients?

Liquid Other:

Country of Manufacture:
Other Concerns (if applicable):

Certified Kosher Yes No n/a

Certified Halal Yes No n/a
USDA Certified Organic?
Gluten-Free Yes No n/a

Yes No Tested for Athletes Yes No n/a

Certified Vegan Yes No n/a

Certified Organic Ingredients? 3rd-Party Tested for Heavy Yes No n/a

Metals, Pesticides, GMOs
Yes No
“Other Ingredients” Section Contains
Items of Concern?
Provides a Supplement Label?
Fillers, additives, artificial flavors, colors, preservatives,
Yes No yeast, soy, added sodium, sugar or starch:

Yes No
Company Donates to Charity? Ingredients of concern:

Yes No Don’t Know

Supplements Cheat Sheet: 4 Steps for Finding High-Quality Supplements | SUPPLEMENTS REVEALED 11
We hope you enjoyed this complimentary report – Supplements Cheat Sheet: 4 Steps for Finding
High-Quality Supplements. You are now armed with actionable information you can use when
shopping for multivitamins and other supplements.

To get the most value from the supplement shopping “Rules” on pages 7-10 and the “Dietary
Supplement Evaluation Form” on page 11, however, we strongly recommend watching all 9
episodes of the Supplements Revealed docuseries.

In this groundbreaking series, Dr. Patrick Gentempo – together with over 30 of the industry’s
top experts and whistleblowers – will pull back the curtain on supplements. They’ll reveal…

How to spot low-quality “contaminated” supplements (both online and at the store)

The Truth about Multivitamins, Vitamin D, Fish Oil, and more…

The dirty “buzzwords” advertisers use to convince you to buy products you don’t need

Which supplements work for which health problems

Why 93% of supplements don’t work (and how to only buy ones that will work for you)

And so much more!

You should already be signed up for the series if you downloaded this free report. If so, keep a
close eye on your email for the dates each episode will air.

However, if a friend or family member shared this report with you, it means you might not be
registered. In this case, go to www.supplementsrevealed.com to sign up so you don’t miss an
episode during the limited free viewing period.

There is a ton of misinformation out there about supplements. Learn what supplements to
take and how to only choose the best brands during Supplements Revealed.

To your health,
The Supplements Revealed Team

Supplements Cheat Sheet: 4 Steps for Finding High-Quality Supplements | SUPPLEMENTS REVEALED 12
References
1. https://www.elsevier.com/books/encyclopedia-of-food-sciences-and-nutrition/caballero/978-0-08-091791-7
2. https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/ta3912
3. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/using-dietary-supplements-wisely
4. https://biography.yourdictionary.com/casimir-funk
5. https://www.betternutrition.com/supplements/history-of-vitamins
6. https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/miles-laboratories
7. https://www.fda.gov/food/dietary-supplements/how-report-problem-dietary-supplements
8. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2706496

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