Standardized supplements

california_artist
california_artist Member Posts: 816 Member
edited October 2011 in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
There was some talk on one of the threads about the unreliability of supplements. Someone mentioned that sawdust was found in a supplement.

When looking for a supplement if you look for the word Standardized extract or standardized, this is what that means:

Standardized extracts are guaranteed to contain a specific quantity of a known marker compound, and are laboratory tested to insure consistent potency.

This sentence is standard for those supplements that meet this criteria. The bottle or jar will also have information on the exact % of the substance in each capsule or tablet.

Then there is this, which I am not as familiar with:
Standardized Full-Potency Herbs

Standardized Full Potency (SFP) Herbs are developed through a unique process that integrates the ideologies of both traditional herbalism and standardized herbal technology. To ensure consistent and reliable phytonutrient levels, a consistent amount of these important active plant compounds are extracted. Then, these enhanced, "standardized" compounds are blended with all the components that occur naturally in the whole herb. The result is a potent, premium-quality standardized herbal extract with all the synergistic and beneficial qualities found in nature.



This will keep the sawdust out of your supplements, if you choose to take any.

Claudia

I personally prefer not to have an extract, because it's hard to tell if there aren't very vital elements that are you not getting, that you would have gotten if you had consumed the item in its natural state. If the whole plant, or leaves or roots are ground than that would most likely be akin to the whole substance. I do take astragalus root extract, as I have no idea where to get the whole root.

Anyone with any other helpful information would be welcome.

Comments

  • kkstef
    kkstef Member Posts: 688 Member
    astragalus root
    Claudia,

    You might want to check starwest botanicals. That is where I got my organic turmeric. I noticed they have astragalus root in lots of formats.. whole root powder, ground root (kind of looks like a little pile of straw) and Sliced root (looks like a dried up ginger root that has been sliced in half lengthwise and appears a bit "chewy") Check it out at:

    http://www.starwest-botanicals.com/product/1-astragalus-root-cs-organic.html

    Good luck! Hope it might work for you.

    Karen
  • california_artist
    california_artist Member Posts: 816 Member
    Karen
    So, I read your comment re astragalus root sometimes looking like straw and wondered if that may have been the thing the person ordered that thought they got sawdust. That would have been pretty ironic.

    Anywho, thanks a heap. Glad we are still around to talk about all this fun stuff.

    Love ya oodles,

    Claudia
  • kkstef
    kkstef Member Posts: 688 Member

    Karen
    So, I read your comment re astragalus root sometimes looking like straw and wondered if that may have been the thing the person ordered that thought they got sawdust. That would have been pretty ironic.

    Anywho, thanks a heap. Glad we are still around to talk about all this fun stuff.

    Love ya oodles,

    Claudia

    Claudia
    Too funny! No, didn't look like sawdust....just chopped up straw! Happy chomping!

    Love ya too...Karen
  • Gracegoi
    Gracegoi Member Posts: 59
    kkstef said:

    Claudia
    Too funny! No, didn't look like sawdust....just chopped up straw! Happy chomping!

    Love ya too...Karen

    Starwest
    Karen ,

    I get my herbs from Starwest. The only herb I am concerned about Is my powdered Astragalus. It has a very strong odor and is darker in color compared to what my local herb store carries . They get herbs from Frontier and Mountain Rose herbs.
    Befor I reorder I'm going to call about the difference.

    Astrag is quite costly and in high demand, maybe they cut it with Cardamon!

    Those herbal dealers, always trying to make a Buck!


    I also use Ashwagandha root,

    In Sanskrit the word ashwagandha means "smell of a horse," meaning the herb bestows the vigor and strength of a stallion on individuals recovering from an illness.

    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/498972-uses-benefits-of-ashwagandha/#ixzz1cE1eCWbW

    I put a heaping tablespoon of each in five cups of water along with my other herbs.

    Grace