The evidence continues to accumulate. Our soil has been depleted of the nutrients and minerals that our bodies need. Our health is compromised by an environment contaminated with toxins. Free radicals attack our immune system. Supplementation with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants seems necessary to compensate for these environmental deficiencies.

After making this decision, what do most people do? They head over to the local supercenter or pharmacy, grab a few bottles of a popular supplement, and then think their job is done. It is a safe bet, however, that the majority of purchasers are not considering whether those products are nutritionally complete and balanced. Not all supplements are created equal.

Dr. Myron Wentz, Ph.D and founder of USANA Health Sciences has this to say in the company's "Health and Freedom" brochure: " I began testing health supplements in my analytical laboratory to measure their nutritional balance and their effectiveness in promoting and sustaining a healthy life. Many of the products I analyzed were not only nutritionally unbalanced, but had incorrect and misleading labels. My research proved many times that what consumers thought they were buying and what they were receiving were two different things."

What can people do to ensure they are purchasing supplements that are high quality and nutritionally balanced? Here are 5 tips to assist in this process:

1. Perform careful research. Don't just go along with the latest fads. A good book to purchase is "The Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements" by Lyle MacWilliam, BSc, MSc. MacWilliam is a former Canadian Member of Parliament and a current member of the Legislative Assembly for British Columbia. His book carefully analyzes over 500 products available in the US and Canada. The products that are listed at the top are best in the market today.

2. Look for a company who invests significant time and money in extensive scientific research, has worldwide scientific alliances, and who puts quality first.

3. Check to see if there is a guaranteed potency. Yes, there are companies who offer this and who follow stringent analytical and quality control procedures. In other words, what you see on a product's label is actually in the product.

4. Make sure the company's products follow pharmaceutical-grade good manufacturing practices (GMP). This is a step above FDA regulations. This means a variety of government agencies conduct periodic inspections and require control of procedures, as well as documentation.

5. Finally, look to see if the company's products provide a money-back guarantee. If the manufacturer has no confidence in their product, why should you?

Following the five tips above can help insure that whatever you pay for vitamins and other supplements is money well spent.