Bioavailability refers to a nutrient’s ability to be both absorbed and utilized by your body. When you look at a food label, while there are many nutrients listed, only a fraction of them can really be absorbed by the body. The nutrients that are of poor quality and not bio-available simply pass right through the body or worse, linger in the form of toxins.
The same holds true supplements. Cheap synthetic versions generally pass right through or create toxicities. YOU ARE WAY BETTER OFF TAKING NO SUPPLEMENT THAN A CHEAP ONE!
THE THERAPEUTIC DOSE. High quality brands of vitamins are scientifically designed to provide a dose necessary to correct significant vitamin deficiencies and maintain healthy levels.
Use caution in your purchases. A recent study, conducted by the Government Accountability Office, reviewed the makeup of 40 different herbal supplements. Thirty-seven of the product reviewed were determined to contain various amounts of lead, mercury, arsenic and other dangerous substances. That’s a 92.5 percent rate of failure. Needless to say, picking a quality supplement from a drug store shelf is incredibly difficult.
CITATION: http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-662T