In addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, supplements can help support healthy bone density. Supplements can help fill nutritional gaps, ensuring your bones get the nutrients they need for optimal health. Sadly, some supplement labels misrepresent what’s inside, so it is important to understand your supplement label, to make sure you are getting optimal support.
Important Information to Look For
You have made the decision to add some essential support to your bone health routine. But with so many options out there, how can you be sure of which supplement to pick?
Having the right information will help you make good purchasing decisions and ensure you use your supplement effectively and safely. Your bone health supplement label is the place to start to get the information you need.
Suggested use: Supplements are regulated as food, so every label must provide information about suggested use or servings. It is important to take only the recommended amount for effective and safe results.
Cautions or warnings: It is vital that cautions and warnings be clearly printed on labels to advise if you should avoid or take precautions when taking certain products. Some ingredients may interact with medications or other supplements or may need to be avoided for certain medical conditions.
Storage: Every quality supplement should provide storage information to help preserve the quality and potency of the supplement to maintain its effectiveness and freshness for optimal health results. It also provides safety information.
1MD Nutrition’s OsteoMD® features each of these on the box and right side of the bottle label:
Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, adults take three (3) capsules, once (1x) daily, with a meal, or as recommended by a healthcare practitioner.
WARNING: Consult a healthcare practitioner if you are pregnant or nursing, have a serious medical condition or use any medications (especially blood thinners such as warfarin, coumarin, heparin, and aspirin).
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. DO NOT USE IF SAFETY SEAL IS DAMAGED OR MISSING. STORE IN A COOL, DRY PLACE. COLOR MAY VARY.
Expiration date: In addition to storage information, there should always be an expiration date listed. This assures you that your supplement will contain the claimed potency until the date provided.
Dietary seals: While the format in which this is displayed may vary, it is essential for all dietary restrictions to be addressed clearly on the label.
Quality standards: Look for a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) logo for assurance that your supplement was made according to the current FDA good manufacturing practices (cGMPs).
Manufacturer information: A quality supplement will provide the manufacturer's information, including phone number, email, and website so that you can reach out to them with any questions or concerns about their product.
Ingredient sources: Just as important as the ingredients themselves is where they came from. Check your label for information on where ingredients come from, how they are sourced, and if practices are sustainable and responsible.
FDA compliance: Including a statement like the one below shows that the manufacturer is compliant with FDA regulations and is an assurance that the company has integrity for their products and the statements that they make.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease
Failure to include this statement would be a red flag that the company is not following basic regulations to ensure their product is safe and effective.
Bone Health Supplements
Now that you have all the important general information, you can take a deeper dive into the supplement. What ingredients are included, and what can this supplement do for you?
You’re looking for a high-quality bone health supplement from a trustworthy manufacturer. To ensure you get what you want from the supplement, these are the key features you want to focus on as you look over the label:
Functional description: This will provide you with a summary of the supplement, including the benefits it claims to provide. This description can vary in length and, for OsteoMD, is located on the box.
OsteoMD® combines a potent dosage of Calzbone® and clinically-studied MenaQ7®, two patented ingredients for optimal bone health support with vitamin D3, required for normal calcium absorption, and bioactive calcium hydroxyapatite to enhance bone mineralization, which is linked to reduced risk of osteoporosis.*
Health function category: This should be labeled clearly and in bold, so you can quickly identify the main health attribute and which part of your body will benefit.
Highlighted function claims: These will be listed clearly, so you can easily identify benefits to your health at a glance.
When looking at OsteoMD®, you can immediately identify the main health attribute, and the key health benefits, both of which are included on the box and bottle label.
SCIENTIFICALLY-FORMULATED BONE SUPPORT*
Promotes Healthy Bone Density*
Supports Bone Strength*
Aids Calcium Absorption*
After identifying the benefits, you should look over the ingredients. Some may have been mentioned in the product description, but you need a little more information on what exactly is in your supplement.
Every supplement should include a supplement facts table that includes every ingredient with its amount per serving and the %DV (the percentage of the daily recommended value, this amount of a given ingredient is).
Don’t panic if you don’t see anything listed under the percentage daily value column. This is normal for supplements and simply means that the FDA has not made an official recommendation for how much of this nutrient you should have.
♦ Vitamin D3 daily recommended dose is 600IU for adults up to age 70 and 800IU for those over 70. As part of your daily routine, vitamin D3 helps promote the absorption of calcium and phosphorus for bone mineralization and bone density support.
♦ Calcium Hydroxyapatite is the substance on which bone cells build bone and is considered safe when taken up to 1500 mg per day. When paired with vitamin D3, this mineral supports proper bone mineralization.
♦ MenaQ7® is an optimal form of vitamin K2, which supports bone cell activity by binding calcium to the bone matrix for healthy bone mineralization. At the dose of 180 mcg, MenaQ7® is considered safe for consumption.
♦ Calzbone® is a patented standardized extract of Cissus quadrangularis formula, which supports osteoblast function and enzyme activity that is important to bone metabolism for the support of skeletal health. Calzbone® is considered safe for adult supplementation when taken as recommended.
When it comes to choosing a high-quality bone health supplement, always watch out for unnecessary fillers or additives. You can find these additions in your label's ‘other ingredients’ section. Some help bind the ingredients together or make up the capsule, like vegetable cellulose or silica, but others are unnecessary and should be avoided.
Common additives to watch for and avoid include:
♦ Artificial colors
♦ Magnesium stearate
♦ Artificial sweeteners
♦ Preservatives such as sodium benzoate
Final Thoughts
I have a strong appreciation for the benefits that naturally-sourced supplements have for supporting bone health. But, you want a supplement you can trust. 1MD Nutrition® understands this and ensures that their product labels help you make the right choice. It’s as easy as looking at your OsteoMD® label — all the information you need and all the ingredients your bones want!
Dr. Adam Kreitenberg
Dr. Adam Kreitenberg is dual board-certified in both rheumatology and internal medicine. He completed his internal medicine internship, residency, and rheumatology fellowship at the University of Southern California and Los Angeles County Medical Center.
