People are buying more products online now than ever before. Plenty of people are used to buying clothing and electronics online, but now more people than ever are getting used to ordering everyday items like groceries and medications over the internet.
Vitamins and supplements are very popular among consumers right now. Plenty of health-conscious shoppers are wondering where they should buy from. Being able to buy vitamins safely is a big concern for most.
It’s important to make sure that you’re not just buying vitamins that are safe, you also want to make sure that you’re working with a reputable seller.
If you want to learn how to buy items online the right way, you’re in luck! Consider this your online vitamin buying guide. Keep reading to learn why you should buy vitamins online and the best to buy them safely.
Why Should I Buy Vitamins Online?
If you walk into any grocery store or pharmacy you can easily see a wide selection of vitamins and supplements. When you can walk into a store, why would you want to buy vitamins online?
There are actually quite a few good reasons for buying vitamins online that you may not know if. If you’re still going to the store to buy vitamins, you may change your mind after you see why some people choose to buy online.
Better Selection/Variety
When you walk into a store, what you see is what you get. If you don’t see your favorite vitamin on the shelf they’ve either sold out of it or have never carried it to begin with.
People that shop for vitamins online can find nearly anything they want. If they can’t find it at one store, all they have to do is open a new tab in their browser to see if someone else has it.
Also, you can shop at stores that are completely devoted to selling vitamins. You’ll have a better chance of finding what you want and may even find products that are hard to find in brick and mortar stores.
Better Value
If you’re strict about taking vitamins and supplements each day, it’s safe to assume that you go through your supply pretty quickly. Running the store just to get vitamins when you don’t need anything else can seem like a waste of time, gas, and money.
When you buy online, you can have the option to buy products in bulk. Buying in bulk may not make much sense for perishable products, but it can for items you use daily and don’t go bad.
Reliability
Despite being careful about making sure you have enough of your favorite vitamin, you’ve run out! It’s time to head to the store, but once you get there you find that they’re completely out of your brand.
That scenario has the potential to ruin your day. Luckily, if you choose to buy online, you can reduce the chances of that happening.
You can easily time your orders to make sure that you never run out of your favorite vitamin. Some sites will even let you set auto reorders to make sure that you never run out of what you love!
Our Top 5 Tips on How to Buy Vitamins Safely
Now that you know about the benefits of buying vitamins online, it’s time to teach you the right way to buy them!
Buying supplements and vitamins online shouldn’t be as simple as clicking on the first site that comes up in search. You shouldn’t buy anything, even if it’s as simple as sleep gummies, before you do some work on your end.
If you’re serious about buying your vitamins online make sure you follow these tips when you’re starting out.
1. Check for Safety Certifications
If you’re concerned about safety, this is by far the most important step in the vitamin buying process.
The world of online shopping has given people the ability to access countless vitamins and supplements. Unfortunately, this means that it’s also possible for a lot of sellers to market their product regardless of if it’s safe to ingest.
Reviews from other satisfied customers and endorsements from doctors are nice, but that doesn’t mean what you’re taking is safe. If you want to ensure that the vitamin you’re interested in buying is safe to take, look no further than the label.
There are a lot of different organizations that claim they check the safety of products. Some may look reputable, but they’re really just marketing fronts to encourage people to buy.
When you’re looking for safe vitamins, there are only two organizations you should care about:
- NSF International
- United States Pharmacopeia (USP)
These are nationally recognized and respected organizations that specialize in regulation and safety. A vitamin with a certification from just one of these organizations should let you know that what you’re taking is safe.
2. Talk to a Doctor
Regardless of if you’re going to buy vitamins online or in a store, it’s always important to talk to your doctor before you start to take anything.
Since vitamins have become such a casual and accepted part of our daily routine, people rarely think twice about taking them. There are plenty of vitamins and supplements available, but that doesn’t mean that you should be taking them.
Some vitamins can interact with other medications you’re taking and cause negative side effects. It’s possible that you could be allergic to a certain vitamin or supplement. Doctors can also recommend certain vitamins for you and give you valuable insight into how you can use supplements to improve your health.
If you want to make sure that you cover all of your bases during your visit, make sure you ask your doctor these essential questions:
- What vitamins or supplements do you recommend that I take?
- How often should I take them and what dosage do I need?
- Does this have any side effects I should know about?
Those simple 3 questions can tell you almost everything you need to know!
3. Do Your Own Research
Did you know that vitamin B is the new wonder supplement? It can give you tons of energy, improve your skin and nails, and even help with digestion! All of that sounds good on the surface. However, if you did a little research on those previous claims, you’d learn they aren’t 100% true.
You’d learn that the term “vitamin B” doesn’t truly exist and that there are a lot of different B vitamins you can take. You’d also know that in order to get all of those benefits you’d have to take B vitamin complex, a vitamin that’s made from different B vitamins.
This is why we recommend that you do your own research before you decide if you want to take a new vitamin. Look for different sources to confirm what you’ve heard and question certain claims. A little research on types of vitamins and how they can help you can go a long way.
4. Scan Labels
You may not be able to pick up a product and read the label when you’re shopping online, but any reputable retailer should have easy access to a list of ingredients for vitamins you’re interested in buying.
It’s rare to get a vitamin that is solely made from the vitamin you’re taking. It’s very common for companies to use filler agents in their products. Some use them to cut down on manufacturing costs and others use them to make vitamins easier to take.
Reading the labels can help ensure that you’re getting the product you truly want. Vitamins that have a lot of hydrogenated oils or bulking agents may not be the best for you. It’s also possible that some of the fillers could interact with other medications or cause problems.
5. Take Reviews With a Grain of Salt
Your favorite influencer on Instagram has been talking about how a certain vitamin has changed their lives. It’s helped them lose weight, strengthen their hair and nails, and even gives them more energy. As luck would have it, they even have a discount code you can use to purchase it right now!
If this seems all too good to be true, that’s because it is.
Online influencers make up a surprisingly large part of vitamin advertisements. Executives have noticed that people are more willing to take advice and product recommendations from friends. That’s why there are so many popular stars pushing miracle vitamins.
It’s easy to get taken in by flashy advertisements. This is why it’s important to talk to your doctor, do your own research, and look for proper certifications before you buy anything.
Start Your Wellness Journey
Knowing that you can buy vitamins safely online can open up an entire world of new health possibilities for you! Now is the time to start taking your health seriously and think of all of the ways you can live your best and healthiest life.
Are you interested in finally starting an exercise routine you can stick to? Do you want to learn how to eat better and make healthy recipes?
We have tons of content on our site that’s perfect for health-conscious people. Pick a few more of our posts to read so you can start living your healthiest life.