Nature's Sunshine quality secrets: 10 technologies that protect your health

In today's world, taking care of our health and well-being is becoming an increasing priority for each of us. Nature's Sunshine Products (NSP) has been a leader in dietary supplements for decades. But what exactly is behind this leadership? Let's take a closer look at what technologies and quality control methods NSP uses to ensure the safety and effectiveness of its products.

Continuous innovation in technology

Since its founding in 1972, Nature's Sunshine Products (NSP) has strived to incorporate cutting-edge technology into its manufacturing processes, especially in the areas of laboratory equipment and analytical techniques. This endeavor has allowed the company to significantly improve the accuracy and sensitivity of its laboratory analyses over time.

1993: NSP was able to move from basic impurity analysis to more detailed analysis, achieving impurity levels as low as parts per million (ppm). This level of sensitivity allows the identification of very small amounts of impurities, which is critical to product quality.

2000: The level of analytical accuracy improved to parts per billion (ppb). This means that NSP was able to detect even smaller traces of impurities in its products, helping to improve quality control to a new level.

2010: The company achieved an analysis capability of one part per trillion (ppt). This level of sensitivity represents a significant technological breakthrough, allowing NSP to detect extremely small amounts of impurities, which is essential to ensuring the highest level of safety and purity in their products.

In 2017, Nature's Sunshine purchased a high performance instrumental thin layer chromatography instrument. Which has improved the accuracy of analyzing phyto ingredients and ensuring their natural origin. Interestingly, the instrument can detect the presence of impurities at the level of one drop in twenty-three Olympic swimming pools. This demonstrates the highest level of investment in product quality.

Strict quality control at every stage

Radiation testing of raw materials

Nature's Sunshine is the only dietary supplement company in the world that tests raw materials for radioactivity. This is so important nowadays in our environmentally dirty environment. Radiological testing is done using a Geiger gamma counter to detect radiation, ensuring product safety even when rare and exotic ingredients are used.

Radiation testing of raw materials helps in preventing radioactively contaminated ingredients from entering the products that people consume. This goes a long way in building consumer confidence by confirming that the company cares about their well-being. It builds trust.

Remember in 2011 the Fukushima nuclear plant accident in Japan in 2011? After radiation leaked into the environment, significant levels of radioactive isotopes were found in foods, including seaweed and fish, which are traditionally used in dietary supplements. Testing products for radiation has helped prevent the spread of contaminated products to international markets and protect consumers from possible radiation exposure.

Testing for the presence of E. coli

Nature's Sunshine conducts gas chromatograph tests. The presence of E. coli and heavy metals is checked. This ensures the high purity of the raw ingredients. An example of using gas chromatography to analyze heavy metals is the determination of lead or mercury in bio-additives. These elements can have toxic effects on the body, causing various diseases and disorders.

Gas chromatography is widely used to analyze the composition of essential oils in supplements. It allows the identification of all the components of the oil, ensuring that it is pure and free from harmful impurities.

Another important aspect of using gas chromatography is the determination of traces of pesticides in the herbs and plants used to produce supplements. Pesticide residues can pose serious health risks and their levels are strictly regulated.

Chemical analysis of raw materials

A quadrupole mass spectrometer is a highly accurate device used to determine the molecular composition of samples. It finds a wide range of applications in chemical analysis, including quantitative and qualitative analysis of phyto ingredients in plant raw materials. The quadrupole mass spectrometer allows the precise identification of chemical compounds present in medicinal and aromatic herbs.

This is especially important for the company, Nature's Sunshine, a manufacturer of dietary supplements, as it helps ensure that the product contains only the claimed ingredients. For example, by analyzing green tea extract, the content of catechins, which are known for their antioxidant properties, can be accurately determined.

Using mass spectrometry, and company can not only verify the composition of existing products, but also develop new ones with an optimized content of active ingredients. This is especially relevant when creating complex supplements, where it is important to precisely observe the proportions of components to achieve maximum effect. An example is the creation of balanced anti-stress complexes, where the exact amount and ratio of adaptogens (e.g. ginseng, eleutherococcus) determine their effectiveness.

Authentication of phyto ingredients

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is a powerful tool for the identification and quantitative analysis of chemical compounds in a variety of materials, including plant materials. The application of this technique in the analysis of phyto-ingredients allows to confirm their authenticity and quantify their content, which is critical to guarantee the quality and efficacy of dietary supplements.

Using FTIR to analyze vegetable oils such as olive oil or coconut oil can help determine the presence of impurities or counterfeits. For example, olive oil is often found to have impurities of cheaper oils such as sunflower oil or corn oil. FTIR spectroscopy can identify characteristic peaks that correspond to the unique chemical properties of olive oil, thereby confirming its purity and quality.

Flavonoids are a class of plant compounds known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. FTIR can be used to analyze the presence and concentration of flavonoids in various herbs and supplements. This is important for a company that manufactures dietary supplements. Nature's Sunshine is committed to ensuring that its products contain the stated amounts of active ingredients.

Testing of finished products

Nature's Sunshine does not test its products on animals. Analyzing the effects of a product on biological processes is done using molecular biology. FlexMap 3D is a basic molecular biology instrument. It is an advanced molecular biology tool that is used for multiplexed analysis of biological samples. This device allows the simultaneous analysis of many different biomarkers (e.g. proteins, antibodies, genes) in a single sample, which significantly speeds up research and improves efficiency.

NSP has a research clinic where volunteers undergo a comprehensive examination. This includes analysis of urine, blood and other biomaterials to determine the effectiveness and safety of the products to rule out possible side effects. Research is conducted on how the products affect biological processes in the human body. A single drop of blood can be used to perform 500 different tests.

Certification and compliance with international standards

NSP strives to meet international quality standards, which is confirmed by various certificates:

1. GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice). Ensures good manufacturing practices and guarantees high product quality: GMP certification confirms that all manufacturing processes at NSP comply with international standards, ensuring high quality and product safety.
2. NSF International. An independent GMP certification organization: NSP undergoes regular inspections by NSF International, confirming that all manufacturing processes meet strict quality standards.
3. ISO 9001:2015. Quality management standard for manufacturing: NSP is certified according to ISO 9001:2015, which confirms the effectiveness of the quality management system at all stages of production.
4. TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration)/ Australian standard recognized in the European market: NSP products also meet TGA standards, which confirms their high quality and safety for consumers in Europe and Australia.
5. Organic certifications/ Products contain at least 95% natural ingredients and are rigorously tested: NSP Organic certification confirms that NSP products meet strict organic farming and production standards.
6. Certificate of product compliance with KOSHER kashrut requirements and WADA anti-doping agency. Guarantee that the products meet kosher requirements and can be safely used by athletes: NSP guarantees that their products meet kosher requirements and are free of banned substances, making them safe for use by professional athletes.

Synergy in action: not just the sum of the ingredients

Synergy in dietary supplements is when the interaction of components results in an effect that is greater than the sum of their individual actions. This phenomenon is particularly important because it increases the overall effectiveness of a product, making it more appealing to consumers who are looking for reliable and powerful solutions to support their health.
For example, in immune support supplements, the synergy between vitamins, minerals and antioxidants can enhance the overall strengthening effect on the immune system, making each component more effective than if used separately.

Control of each batch: a guarantee of safety and quality

Nature's Sunshine's rigorous quality control is an integral part of the supplement manufacturing process. Each batch of products is thoroughly tested not only at the initial production stage, but also retained for follow-up testing for 5-6 years. This ensures that the product can be retested if there are any questions about its synergy or ingredient activity.

This approach allows the company to ensure that all products meet established quality standards at the time they are made available for sale. If tests show that a product does not meet the standards, it will not be released to the market. This not only protects end consumers, but also maintains the manufacturer's reputation as a reliable supplier of quality products.

Synergy and quality control are more than technical aspects of dietary supplement manufacturing. It is a philosophy that underpins the creation of products that promote health and well-being. Taking responsibility for every stage of production ensures that every product that reaches the market carries the promise of quality and reliability.