Supplements in the United States are not regulated. Anyone could produce a supplement, make whatever claims they want and then put it on the market. This is why I recommend looking for the USP symbol (see above link – stands for United States Pharmacopeia) because this indicates that they have voluntarily tested their product for effectiveness and safety.

Canadians are often confused by this and wonder what their USP equivalent is. I decided to do a bit of researching on Canadian regulations for dietary supplements. It appears that prior to 2004, supplement companies in Canada could do much like American companies in that it was a free market with little to no regulation. But in 2004, the Natural Health Products Regulation was passed which requires all supplements to be licensed before they enter the market. There are rigorous requirements that must be met. So for Canadians looking for a good supplement, safety and effectiveness is one less worry. However, I still would recommend (as outlined in the above link) getting a well known brand and finding one that has a reasonable amount of the nutrients listed.

Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD