Swanson Quality?

Just wondering if anyone knows what level of quality Swanson supplements would be considered. The reason I ask is that they seem like a private label brand (one company that I've never seen in a health food store can't have that many original formulas), and that they are about 1/4 the price of other more mainstream brands. They say they are GMP, which is great, but ISO 9001 and 17025 certification is just as important when considering toxins, nutritional bioavailability, etc. Who knows if the companies that actually make their supplements follow these guidelines?

In the past, the only thing I've taken from Swanson is 7HMR and Sensoril, which I didn't have any results from (not sure if it was their brand or just the substances themselves). Their supplements are definitely attractive because they're so cheap, but if the optimum nutrition can't be derived, then the value is nil to me. Thoughts? Results? Studies?

They get if from a reputable source in the Netherlands. The same place other Mag oil suppliers get it from, but charge way too much for it.

http://www.zechsteininside.com/indexeng.html

NewReg wrote:Just wondering if anyone knows what level of quality Swanson supplements would be considered. The reason I ask is that they seem like a private label brand (one company that I've never seen in a health food store can't have that many original formulas), and that they are about 1/4 the price of other more mainstream brands. They say they are GMP, which is great, but ISO 9001 and 17025 certification is just as important when considering toxins, nutritional bioavailability, etc. Who knows if the companies that actually make their supplements follow these guidelines?

In the past, the only thing I've taken from Swanson is 7HMR and Sensoril, which I didn't have any results from (not sure if it was their brand or just the substances themselves). Their supplements are definitely attractive because they're so cheap, but if the optimum nutrition can't be derived, then the value is nil to me. Thoughts? Results? Studies?

I asked this question when I was a newbie on these boards and never got an answer. But now I have had plenty of experience and can offer one.

Generally, Swansons is a brand you can trust. I think they take pride in their name and seek a genuine relationship with their customers. They also are unique in their ability to pass along value with their own branded stuff, in that they cut out the middle man (straight from source to retail with no brick and mortar store).

Another way they pass along value is that they don't spend much on marketing. You'll note that their bottles look shabby, with labels that seem printed from some shabby ink jet printer more akin to makeshift operation. You should actually be happy about this. Yes, it is nice to get a product in a fancy package, but don't be fooled, that package isn't free: you, the consumer, PAID FOR IT. Any investment in marketing gets passed directly to the consumer through an inflated price.

It's best to research source or standards for products. In other words Keneka Ubiquinol should be the same regardless of label. It gets a little trickier with some of their other stuff. For instance, I think their Astaxanthin is excellent and a great value. Their Deer Antler Velvet, I wasn't as thrilled with and prefer to pay a bit more and get elsewhere. So it may be a matter of sampling stuff, but they do offer a satisfaction guarantee which is the best in the business.

I've been pretty happy with Swanson's. The damiana, sarsaparilla, maca, GH stimulants, DIM that I buy of them seems to have the desired hormonal effect. DIM from them and any other place seems to oestrogenise me so I'll discontinue it. Kudzu Recovery seems to lessen the appetite for alcohol.

So all in all their products that produce a quick effect seem to work. Harder to tell if their GSE, Vitamin C, E etc. work, but they seem to as I don't get colds since I started taking vitamins years ago.