Discount Natural Vitamins: Things You Were Not Aware Of

Natural vitamins usually are vitamins produced from a natural source, without sweeteners, preservatives or artificial colors while synthetic vitamins are man-made and are often less expensive to produce. In the debate between which kind of vitamin is best, even some experts don’t agree. Experts at the Mayo Clinic contend that synthetic and natural vitamins are usually the same when it comes to how well they work. The contents of either kind may be verified by testing organization United States Pharmacopeia and if so, will have the letters USP on the label. Discount natural vitamins are widely available; Many stores have their own brands, which can be 25 percent cheaper than the name brands. You can also find deals on name brands and store brands online. In either case, be sure to compare prices and look for coupons to help you save even more.

Basic Definitions

Natural vitamins are often described as a concentrated nutrient derived from a quality natural source, without artificial colors, sweeteners, or preservatives. Synthetic vitamins, which dominate the market, are made in laboratories, and are often cheaper to produce than natural vitamins.

Synthetic Vs. Natural Vitamins

Many experts contend that the molecular structures of synthetic and natural vitamins are the same, so both work as effectively. According to the Mayo Clinic, synthetic and natural vitamins are usually the same, but the natural vitamins tend to cost more.
The advantages of cooking up vitamins in a lab include control over quality, purity and dose consistency. Both synthetic and natural vitamins may carry the USP marking on their labels, indicating the product met the standards of the United States Pharmacopeia, a testing organization. A natural source retains co-factors that come with the vitamin in nature. For example, vitamin C is usually found with bioflavonoids, which increase your body’s absorption of the vitamin.

Where to Find Discount Natural Vitamins

Discount natural vitamins are widely available through major store brands and some brand name products. For example, the Walgreen Co. drug store chain sells its own brand of vitamins. It sells a natural vitamin A product for about 3 cents each in a bottle of 100 soft gels. It also sells a bottle of 100 natural vitamin A soft gels from by Nature Made for about 4 cents per capsule. The contents of both products are USP verified. Other vitamins in the Walgreen brand are synthetic and natural. You can also go to the USP website for lists of natural vitamin products the agency has verified. If you shop online, you can use sites such as the Yahoo! Shopping search engine to compare products and prices side-by-side. You can save more money check your local newspaper for sales and coupons. Some online merchants also offer coupons and in some cases, will beat other advertised prices.