Many of you have written in to ask me about which types and brand names of anti-aging nutritional supplements are the best, where to buy them, and how much they cost.

Yes, I am an avid believer of nutritional supplements. Based on my clinical experience, there is no doubt in my mind that they work effectively to deter the aging process and fortify the body against many age related degenerative diseases such as high cholesterol, hypertension, arthrosclerosis, hormonal imbalance, and memory loss.

Unfortunately, selecting and taking the right anti-aging supplement "nutritional cocktail" of over 50 nutrients can be confusing, inconvenient, and sometimes very costly.

You can visit your local health food store. Many brands are usually carried. You need to know what you are buying before you walk in, otherwise you may get quite confused. Be aware that you get what you pay for. Be careful not to be carried away by sales talk and special clearance items. The reason these are on clearance is usually because it is not moving quickly. Watch the expiration date. You don't want to buy anything that is not fresh. Most salespeople in health food stores are knowledgeable, although their job is to sell. So be aware. From time to time, I would visit these stores to see the latest "hype" on the market, but I seldom buy.

National Chain Stores like GNC also are good. They service mostly the general public and are not specifically tailored to anti-aging and function specific. I find that locating a complete cocktail is very difficult. I generally do not visit these stores because I am dealing at a much higher level of optimum dosage than they carry. Also, I find many ingredients specific for anti-aging (such as L-lysine, L-proline, and Ascobyl Palmitate) are not available. For general health and well-being, they are good. If you want the higher standard of anti-aging health, this is probably not the place.

There are also mass merchandisers like Walmart. The prices are low. The quality is also reflective of that. I personally think that Walmart is better value than GNC or your local health food store due to low overhead and high volume for selected items. You have to know what you are buying, and make sure you read the label carefully. Take vitamin E for example, natural vitamin E (d-tocopherol) is much better absorbed than the cheaper synthetic (dl-tocopherol). With this said, do not expect to get high quality and balanced formulas in optimum dosages for anti-aging purposes.

I am very picky on what supplements my family and I take. They are formulated based on my latest research, and manufactured under strict standards using quality ingredients. They are available at SupplementClinic.com, a web-based dietary supplement distributor independently owned and operated by a family member to ensure consistent high quality of service. Royalties received help support this free educational based website.

Important Reminder

As in any consumer goods, you generally get what you pay for.