A recent consumer report has brought to light some big issues in the quality of some echinacea and turmeric products in the USA. The supplements tested came up with high levels of lead, bacteria and low levels of active constituents. The brands that were in the report were well known and sold in large retailers such as Walmart and GNC. Consumer reports tested 29 products (13 turmeric and 16 echinacea). Of these 29 products, 12 failed the testing criteria, a disturbingly high number considering these products are still on the shelf and accessible to the general public. However the outcomes depicted in this article highlighted a far bigger issue than the safety of a few turmeric and echinacea products. It has made it clear that the health industry is fundamentally lacking in some basic safety and efficacy regulations. The government bodies do not always have the resources or time to police to the level that will ensure all products are safe 100% of the time, however we would expect a clear majority would meet safety and efficacy standards, this however was not the case according to Consumer Reports.
As a result of the industry failings, it is apparent that it is actually up to the consumer themselves to discern which brands are in integrity and comply with the set regulations. This is not easy in a world where companies are not always trustworthy and often biased in their product ‘testing’. Therefore it is imperative that customers do their research, not only on the products they take, but also on the companies that manufacture them.
Bioclinic Naturals is a company that prides itself on being the best in safety and effectiveness when it comes to their products. How do they ensure this? By literally controlling their products from seed to shelf.
They have over 600 acres of certified organic farmland in Canada’s Okanagan Valley, and whenever possible they grow their own plant-based ingredients. Any raw material they do not produce ourselves is subjected to the highest level of scrutiny to ensure the best quality and purity.
They also have state of the art manufacturing facilities and their standards meet and surpass the Canadian good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Their in-house Quality Control, Quality Assurance, and Research and Development capacity, allows them to verify the purity, potency, and efficacy of each and every product. They have advanced analytical technology and equipment, including HPLC and Mass Spectrometry, and can test for over 400 contaminants down to the molecular level. They adhere strictly to good laboratory practices (GLP) and their products are ISURA Certified. ISURA is an independent, non-profit analytical testing and certification organization. The standards for ISURA’s certification services for NHPs are among the world’s highest. To earn the ISURA ‘Seal of Approval’, products must undergo a battery of laboratory tests that confirm all of our product’s actives and excipients are: non-GMO compliant, contaminant-free, adulterant-free, authenticated and accurately and inclusively labelled. To be ISURA certified is the way of the future in the natural health industry and ensures a quality of product that is second to none.
As part of the Bioclinic Naturals family, the curcumin product CurcuSolvTM must adhere to the standards set by ISURA and therefore is guaranteed to be potent, effective and safe. CurcuSolvTM is a highly bioavailable form of curcumin that is combined with MSM to increase water solubility and therefore absorption in the body. This unique formula is 1.8 times more bioavailable than the leading curcumin on the Australian market, making it one of the most concentrated and therefore potentially therapeutic curcumins available today. As an extremely robust anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, CurcuSolvTM can be used to help manage the symptoms of osteoarthritis effectively and with virtually no side effects. However, what is most appealing about this product, is that it has the strong research team and integrity of Bioclinic Naturals behind it and is therefore already a clear winner in the complex world of natural health.