ask: Are Usana vitamins better than anyone else's, as they claim?

Personally, I tend to be suspect of vitamins and supplements sold through marketing programs, including those that are supposedly focused only on health products. However, a non-profit research organization, like Consumer Reports, may offer unbiased ratings of vitamins and supplements.

Please see:Multivitamins: Ratings of Sources, Consumer Research, April 2008

Consumerlab.com is a non for profit organization that provides information on supplements to professionals and the public. USANA has been independently tested by NSF International a non profit organization that sets standards for consumer products and then tests them. USANA products are manufactured according to pharmaceutical grade GMP . This means that the consistency, potency and disintegration is tested . It also ensures that the exact ingredients and dosages stated on the label is in the bottle. This is important since food grade supplements aren't regulated or tested and you have to take the manufacturers word for what is in the product. USANA contains only what is on the label , no additives, toxins or fillers. USANA is listed in the PDR ( Physicians Desk Reference) which is a reference for pharmaceutical grade products that health care professionals use. USANA is also the winner of 5 gold stars in NutriSearch Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements. Out of over 1,500 supplements tested in the US and Canada only 4 have received this rating. For a Supplement to be considered it has to be independently tested for ingredients, dosages, bio availability and disintegration . The are also 18 health criteria gleaned from scientific research that need to be met. The four supplements that have been awarded 5 gold star ratings are True Star, Douglas Laboratories, Wellness Alliance and USANA. USANA is trusted by Olypic Athletes and numerous MD's and endorsed by such profile MD's as Christian Northrup , frequent guest on Oprah and NY Times Best selling author on Women's Health and Dr Ray Strand author of What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutritional Medicine May be Killing You. It is also trusted by Olympic Athletes and is the supplement of choice by the WTA . The Founder of USANA is Dr Myron Wentz who is a world renowned microbiologist and immunologist, winner of the Albert Einstein Award For Lifetime Achievements in the Life Sciences. The company itself has been around for 17 years and has been listed on Forbes Top 20 on Forbes 200 Best Small Business list. For more information on supplements I would recommend Dr Ray Strands Book and NutriSearch Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements. www.holisticgirl.com

If you are wondering what the best multivitamin is, check out the www.MultivitaminGuide.org website for a pretty comprehensive comparison of all major vitamin brands.