Getting the most for your supplement dollar
As the title of blog suggests, the purpose of our blog is to help Savers Lead Outstanding Lives. There’s more to a great life than just money.
Personally, I’m a big believer in exercise, health and nutrition. That’s all part of a great life.
So this quarter, I thought I’d share how we’re using AI in conjunction with proven analtyical research to get the most out of our money with regard to any nutritional supplements we take.
Most of us take supplements from time to time to boost our immunity or general well-being. Maybe it’s a little extra vitamin C when you feel a cold coming on, or vitamin D to make up for the lack of sunshine during the winter months. Others take more specialized supplements for heart health, sleep, or energy.
But how do you actually know which brands are the best — or even if your supplements are doing what they claim? As we came to learn, there is as much as 2800% difference in the active ingredients contained in the supplements we take.
So which brands we buy and put into our bodies makes a huge difference. After all, taking too much of a poor-quality supplement can sometimes do more harm than good. Every capsule or tablet your body absorbs has to be metabolized — and that takes energy. If your body is working overtime to process ingredients that aren’t effective (or even necessary), you may be taxing your system instead of helping it.
Why Independent Testing Matters
One of the tools our team has been using is a third-party certified testing lab called ConsumerLab. It’s been around for decades, offering independent, clinical reviews of everyday products — from vitamins and cold meds to peanut butter, coffee, and even chocolate.
ConsumerLab identifies the active compounds in each product and compares them to what has been clinically proven to benefit your health.
Take chocolate, for example. It’s been praised for centuries for its “medicinal” properties — within reason, of course. The active compounds responsible for those benefits are called flavonoids, and they’re much more abundant in high-quality dark chocolate than in the waxy, mass-produced stuff you find at the dollar store.
When “Expensive” Doesn’t Mean “Better”
ConsumerLab’s testing often reveals dramatic differences between products — sometimes as much as 10 times more of a beneficial compound in one brand versus another. And surprisingly, the higher-priced product isn’t always the winner.
In many cases, a moderately priced option performs just as well (or even better) than the premium brands. That’s why using data from independent testing — not marketing — is the smart way to decide what’s worth paying for.
Supplements: What’s Worth It, and What’s Not
The same principle applies across all supplement categories. According to ConsumerLab and similar services, there’s an enormous difference in the amount and quality of active ingredients among brands.
In some cases, people are literally wasting their money — and over-taxing their digestive system — by taking supplements that deliver negligible results.
That’s why we recommend two steps before adding anything new to your regimen:
- Check a third-party testing database like ConsumerLab to verify quality and potency.
- Use a cost-benefit tool (yes, even ChatGPT works great for this) to analyze whether the “premium” option is really worth the extra cost.
Real-World Example: Boosting Mitochondrial Health
One of our team members recently looked into urolithin A, the active compound in a supplement called Mitopure, often referred to as the gold standard for boosting mitochondrial health.
Mitochondria are your body’s “powerhouses” — the tiny organelles that generate cellular energy and support regeneration. As we age, mitochondrial function declines, leading to fatigue and slower recovery. Boosting mitochondrial health can help restore that energy.
If money were no object, taking Mitopure would be a no-brainer. But at roughly $200 CAD per month, it’s a pricey commitment.
So we checked the latest ConsumerLab reviews and found that while some urolithin A products showed almost no measurable effect, others — such as Neurogen Urolessena — offered a comparable formulation at a much lower cost.
The Bottom Line
Your health is too important to leave to guesswork. Whether it’s vitamins, herbal supplements, or that daily square of dark chocolate, quality varies widely — and price alone isn’t a reliable guide.
Using third-party testing sources like ConsumerLab, combined with your own cost analysis, can help you make smarter, more effective health choices. After all, the best supplement isn’t just the one that looks good on the shelf — it’s the one that genuinely supports your body without draining your wallet or your energy.
Disclaimer: You guessed it. This is not medical advice. Talk to your Doctor before you take anything.
