Why should I buy vitamins and supplements from IAAM?

Established in 1999, IAAM has extensive experience, knowledge, expertise

and a full background on the industry, science and independent research to

select only the best. We want the most studied, researched and efficacious

products available., That is why we source only from the most highly

reputable companies like:

We choose from an extensive assortment of non-GMO and gluten-free vitamins and supplements providers, offered at affordable prices.

What are quality control standards we look for in the selected suppliers?

We want them to use only premium quality vitamins and other ingredients.

Our dedication to excellence insists that our nutritional supplement

providers meet the highest standards and criteria of their own company but

our needs as well.

That is why we insist on purchasing only the highest quality products from

these sup[pliers with raw materials coming from all over the world,

primarily from leading US, Japanese and European sources without low-

grade Chinese imports. We know that some of the suppliers go one step

further by using advanced analytical methods, such as high-performance

liquid chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, to

ensure our products meet label claims for potency and purity. Most all will

always test their raw materials using US Pharmacopeia and other exacting

pharmaceutical assay standards.

Are the supplements IAAM selects made from synthetics?

All nutrient manufacturers carry a combination of natural and synthetic

vitamins and supplements. Some advertising statements would have us

believe that “natural” is better, but natural supplements in some instances

contain impurities such as pollen and naturally occurring hormones that

can cause problems for some people. Synthetic nutrients are manufactured

to be chemically identical (with the exception of vitamin E) to those

extracted from natural sources, and are the most pure nutrient vitamins.

What does IAAM do to ensure the quality of products that is sells?

We focus on two specific areas with the selected suppliers.

• Raw Materials: Unlike other retail outlet, we are a clinic. We want the

  supplement companies, the ingredients that go into their supplements

  are to be chosen not based on cost. Instead we choose based on purity

  (to ensure contaminants such as microbes and heavy metals comply

  with regulatory and GMPs requirements), potency, and usage in

  successful scientific research.

• Validation of the Efficacy of Ingredients by Scientific Research that is

  out there: We want ingredients and dosages that accurately replicate

  the most successful results obtained in scientific studies for

  maximum efficacy.

Do the labels from suppliers accurately list exactly what’s in the bottle or in the product?

Yes. All active ingredients from patented, scientifically validated raw

materials as well as final, finished products are verified using

advanced analytical methods such as HPLC (high performance liquid

chromatography), MS (mass spectrometry), etc., to ensure each and

every product accurately meets label claims in strict compliance with

our demanding product specifications. All of the companies have

certificates of analysis on every finished product we select and

prescribe to our patients.

When it comes to supplements, is cost an indicator of quality?

Where IAAM is concerned, yes. Patented materials validated in

scientific studies always will cost more — period no different then in

other industries from technology, fashion to medications. In contrast,

many commercial food-grade brands focus on driving up margins by

using the cheapest raw materials available, our chosen suppliers

collaborate with raw material suppliers who invest in scientific

validation of their ingredients, which increases material costs. With

the products here at IAAM, you get the quality you pay for.

Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements, What are They?

• Vitamins are essential nutrients our bodies need for a wide array of health

  functions. If you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, you’re on the right path

  to getting the vitamins you need for optimal health—that’s because plant-

  based foods tend to be great natural sources of vitamins. For example,

  spinach is a great way to get in vitamin A (we rarely see low on lab work ),

  and many whole grains are good sources of B vitamins such as folate. And

  let’s not forget oranges and other citrus fruits, which are a rich in vitamin C.

  Food isn’t the only way to get vitamins, however; most famously, vitamin D

  is nicknamed the “sunshine vitamin” because you get it from sun exposure.

  But even if you spend a lot of time outdoors and follow the most health-

  conscious of diets, you likely will need to take vitamins as supplements to

  achieve optimum wellness. Vitamin brands offer these nutrients as

  capsules, some tablets, fat-soluble softgels, powders, and gummies.

  Vitamins A, D, E and K must be taken with meals that have healthy, while all other vitamins are water-soluble.

• People often mistakenly call minerals “vitamins,” because both are

essential to our health. Popular minerals to take in supplement form

include bone strength must-have calcium, as well as iron specific to

anemia, zinc, magnesium and selenium. Foods are a good natural source

of these minerals, but just as it’s difficult to get enough vitamins from our

diet. We also often need to take a dietary supplement to get adequate

levels of minerals.

• The term “supplements” refers to vitamins and mineral supplements, as

  well as amino acids such as L-carnitine, antioxidants such as coenzyme

  CoQ10 aka Ubiquinol, and also herbals like ginkgo biloba, curcumin or

  ashwagandha. You may also find supplement formulas called

  multivitamins which contain both vitamins and other nutrients necessary

  for wellness. We never recommend multivitamins (MVI) combos as they

  are like 30-day marketing ploys and cookie cutter approaches. They either

  contain too much of something we do not need, too little of needed items

  or it completely misses the ‘boat.’

Why take vitamins and supplements?

Taking vitamins and supplements is a good “insurance policy” to fill in any

dietary gaps. Even if your diet chock full of superfoods that are brimming

with nutrition, it’s likely that you’re missing out on some important

nutrients. For example, unless you eat fatty fish regularly, you will need to

supplement with omega-3 to get the heart and brain health benefits of fish

oil. Beyond that, you can also supplement as part of your pursuit of a

specific health goal—whether it’s vitamin C for immune support, collagen

for healthy skin and joints, lutein and astaxanthin for eye health, sports

supplements, or a specific health formula to support your healthy weight

journey.

What are the most important supplements and vitamins?

To avoid a deficiency, you should take a high-quality vitamins that includes

at a minimum vitamin B-complex (consisting of vitamin B12, folic acid,

biotin and other B vitamins), vitamin C, vitamin D3, and vitamin E, as well

magnesium, zinc, iodine and an anti-oxidant like n-acetyl cysteine.

Curcumin is a great option for heart health, brain function, comfortable

joints and more; prebiotics and probiotics support optimal digestive health

(and who doesn’t want that?). If you follow a plant-based diet, you can

obtain most of these vitamins and supplements from vegetarian capsules,

including vegan vitamin D3.

What are the “Other Ingredients” on the label, and why are they important?

They are inactive ingredients (excipients) that play a number of critical, essential roles in the manufacturing process including:

• Achieving uniform density for accurate dosing

• Dispersing the active ingredients evenly throughout a solid tablet, capsule, and softgel

• Protecting active ingredients from rapid inactivation due to heat and moisture

• Promoting tablet disintegration, as well as capsule and softgel dissolution

• Sustaining the release of active ingredients into the body over time

Why do some companies refer to these excipients as a threat to your health?

• Claiming any product is “pure and free of excipients” can be

  deceptive advertising, too frequently used to draw attention away

  from inferior active ingredients! The right inactive ingredients used in

  the right way do important things … like ensuring that a tablet

  disintegrates in your GI tract rather than just passing through your

  system without benefit, or keeping a product from breaking down and

  being susceptible to microbes.

• All of the excipients used by our suppliers have earned GRAS

  (“Generally Recognized As Safe”) status … and are used sparingly. In

  many cases not using them would compromise final product quality!

  Excipients are used in nutritional supplements to ensure uniform

  density of complex active materials, to achieve even dispersion of active ingredients, and to promote appropriate disintegration and/or

  dissolution of active ingredients inside your body…to name but a few

  of the critical roles played by excipients.

What is IAAM Position on GMO?

In response to inquiries regarding GMO, we have chosen many

companies to affirm the non-GMO status of its products. Expensive

GMO testing is also usually done by all of the companies. You are

always welcome to contact us if you have a question on the GMO

status of a specific product.

How do you define “vegetarian” when describing your products?

Products that are labeled “vegetarian” do not contain any ingredients

that are products or by-products of harvested animals. However,

vegetarian products may include ingredients derived from live

animals or their work byproduct, such as eggs, dairy, beeswax, etc.

How does IAAM select nutrients specifically for me?

1. We select and prescribe these based on your lab results as we test

   for many biomarkers, nutrients, vitamins, minerals and health

   indicators to implement a foundational plan.

2. We then examine what medications a patient is prescribed, medical

   conditions, and ailments to provide support nutrients.

3. Finally, we take into account family, genetic predisposition to provide

   additional protection to ward off risk. Now, protection is not

   guaranteed in any way shape or form without necessary changes to

   one’s lifestyle, behavior modification, dietary intake and

   implementation of physical activity.