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Puritan's Pride vs. Swanson vs. Vitacost vs. Life Extension: Which Makes the Best Supplements?

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Puritan's Pride vs. Swanson vs. Vitacost vs. Life Extension: Which Makes the Best Supplements?

While it’s no secret that certain supplements can help improve your health, not all vitamins and minerals are created equal. In fact, some brands are pumped full of fillers, additives, and unhealthy ingredients that can do more harm than good when it comes to your health. It’s important to choose a reputable brand that has undergone third-party testing and is sourced from quality ingredients. Doing so can ensure that you’re getting a supplement that’s pure and potent and that your body can use efficiently. Common dietary supplement brands on the market are Puritan's Pride, Swanson, Vitacost, and Life Extension. But which one is the best? We reviewed these four brands to help you find the best vitamins and supplements for your helath, evaluated quality, customer service, prices, and pros and cons, and determined which one is best for you. Let's check out.

1. Puritan's Pride

Since 1973, Puritan’s Pride has produced more than 1,200 vitamins and supplements targeted for a variety of health and wellness needs. Puritan’s Pride states its mission is to provide the highest-quality nutritional supplements at a great value, and the company offers a wide selection of products across more than a dozen goals.

Puritan’s Pride vitamins and supplements are available as a capsule, softgel, rapid-release softgel, tablet, gummy, liquid, oil, crystal or microlozenge. The products feature several dozen vitamins and minerals, and you can select products with amino acids, cordyceps, magnesium, milk thistle, rhodiola, turmeric and zinc. Puritan’s Pride offers vitamin formulas for specific lifestyles and goals.

Source:puritan.com

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Made in the U.S.	Not FDA-approved.
Rewards program.	Product reviews and information could be more robust and helpful.
A company with a long history in the industry.	Customer service complaints in recent years suggest they could improve.
Wide selection - chances are you’ll find it here.
Their website is very user-friendly.
90-day return policy for full refund.
Quality control, from sourcing to manufacturing and testing of their products.
Free shipping on orders over $25.

Quality and Efficacy

Founded in 1973, Puritan’s Pride has a nearly 50-year history in the supplements industry, something that comforts many longtime customers. The company makes their products in the United States and carefully source their ingredients from over 100 different countries around the world.

They’re committed to rigorous testing during the process of making their products - sometimes testing a product as many as fifteen times - in order to ensure end quality for the customer.

There several brands under the Puritan’s Pride umbrella:

Aromappeal
Biorganic Life
Herbal Authority
Myology
Organic Health
Perfectly Pure
Puritan’s Pride
Puritan’s Pride Fitness
Puritan’s Pride Pets

If you intend to shop on the Puritan’s Pride website, keep in mind that the website sells other brands too. So if you’re concerned about sourcing and manufacturing standards and only want to purchase from the brand you know and trust, you may find the need to do some of your own research for unfamiliar brands as well. Then again, you may in fact discover new, high-quality brands by browsing the extensive selection of products on the website.

All Puritan’s Pride products undergo an extensive development and quality control process, and every product is manufactured in the company’s GMP-certified facility. GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practice.

Products

If you’re looking for something specific, in addition to their handy search function, you can also browse by type of product. For instance:

Vitamins & supplements in general
Herbs
Minerals
Beauty
Sports
Food
Pets

Within these product areas, Puritan’s Pride easily allows you to sort by category, price, brand, rating and more. You can sort based on which products are most popular for instance, or best rated. Here are some examples of current high-selling items to give you a sense for the breadth of selection.

Popular vitamins and supplements

1. CO Q-10 (for cardio health).

2. Vitamin D3, in either 125mg or 50mg dosage (for healthy bones and teeth, as well as immune function).

3. Probiotic 10 (for digestion and gut health as well as immune function).

4. Triple Strength Glucosamine, Chondroitin & MSM Joint Soother (for joint and cartilage health and subsequently improved mobility).

5. Lutein (for eye health and improved night vision).

6. Turmeric Curcumin with Bioperine (potent antioxidants to support overall health and wellness).

Popular beauty products

1. Retinol Cream 100,000 IU Vitamin A per ounce (for smooth and nourished skin).

2. Hyaluronic Acid Beauty Cream (for smooth, firm and youthful skin).

3. Hair, Skin and Nails Formula (containing biotin, MSM, vitamin A and folic acid).

4. Hydrolyzed Collagen 1000mg (for skin, bone and joint health).

Products by goal

Thanks to its large selection and browsing options, Puritan’s Pride does a great job of helping to point you in productive directions, though, if you aren’t sure what you need. Here you can find products based on your interest or goal. What aspect of health are you aiming to improve? You can shop based on these goals, across subjects like:

Active Lifestyle/Vitality
Blood Sugar Support
Bone Health
Brain Health
Diet & Lifestyle
Digestive Health
Energy Support
Eye Health
Heart Health
Holistic Health
Homeopathic Remedies
Immune Support
Joint Support
Men’s Health
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicine
Sexual Health
Sleep & Relaxation
Women’s Health

Prices

The price of Puritan’s Pride vitamins and supplements varies based on the quantity, potency and type. In general, prices for Puritan’s Pride products range from around $5.99 to more than $46. Most products fall within the $16 to $25.99 range. Puritan’s Pride runs specials on its website.

Customer Service

Though they provide a flexible and accommodating return policy, Puritan’s Pride has been the subject of criticism in recent years for its customer service. It’s possible that the company has taken steps to address these concerns, because they had no difficulty in ordering, receiving shipments or interacting with the company.

The service representatives who spoke to their testers communicated clearly and were helpful. In the past, customers have complained about difficulties communicating with service representatives, but that was not their experience. They do, however, recommend that everybody take careful note of expiration dates that are displayed on product pages when a sale item is nearing its expiration. This can help to reduce complications and frustration after purchasing.

Return Policy

The return policy at Puritan’s Pride is very customer-friendly. If you are not satisfied by your product within 90 days, you can return it for a refund. It doesn’t even matter if you’ve opened the product. The company will accept your return for a full refund, for any reason, as long as you return it within the 90-day window.

Where to buy Puritan's Pride?

You can go Puritan's Pride official website to buy Vitamins & Supplements, and don't forget to sign up at Extrabux (What is Extrabux?) , then you can get 4% super cashback from Extrabux! Sign-Up Bonus: Free to join it & get $20 welcome bonus!

Promotions

1. Sign up at Puritan’s Pride for 15% off your 1st purchase;

2. Free Shipping on orders over $25;

3. Save up to 40% on Super Sale;

4. Puritan’s Pride offers a free membership/rewards program called Puritan’s Perks. WIth three different tiers based on the amount of money you spend each year, you can enjoy various rewards. Everyone in the program gets $5 off for every $100 spent. Click here to find more details.

2. Swanson Health

Swanson Health Products has been in business since 1969. It was founded by Leland Swanson — a man who was always striving to find help for his arthritis. He ended up starting Swanson Health Products, a small family-run business that sold vitamins.

The company grew very rapidly and was recently bought by a private equity firm, Swander Pace Capital. It has grown to become one of the largest online retailers in the world, offering its services not only to the United States but also to many other countries.

Over 50 years, Swanson Health continues to innovate quality-backed vitamins and supplements, healthy home, pantry and self-care products, delivering wellness solutions for mind, body & home. Trusted for safety, quality, and value, we offer everything you need for your Immune, Heart and Cardiovascular Health, Brain and Mental Health, Your Favorite Health Food and Grocery items, and have the largest selection of everyday Multivitamins for overall health.

Source:swansonvitamins.com

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Large Selection on Health Products	Shipping Cost
Compare Box Tool	Pop-up Issues
Customer Service
Promotions and Discounts
Giving Back
Free shipping on orders over $50

Quality and Efficacy

Swanson Health does get products from all over the world, including China. Regardless of the country of origin, they do stipulate that all manufacturers must be compliant with GMP standards and practices. They require a Certificate of Analysis from their manufacturers with each lot of product verifying that product: meets label claims.

Products

Swanson Health Products offers a wide selection of vitamins and supplements in the following categories:

Food and Beverage
Beauty
CoQ10
Heart
Sports Nutrition
Joint
Herbs
Digestive
EFAs
Bone
and Immune.

Each section is then broken down into subcategories for easy browsing.

Being one of the leaders in the industry, Swanson Health Products has what most people are looking for with vitamins, supplements, and minerals. Since all of its items come from good manufacturing companies, all of its products are known to be safe and well tested.

Among its products, you will find almost anything you're looking for:

natural health products
dietary supplements
organic foods
health and wellness products
nutritional supplements

and women's health products as well as hundreds of other products that are all available through its online store. Among the most popular are its new weight loss products such as keto-related products, apple cider vinegar, weight loss teas and coffees, etc.

The products that this company offers range from the very best and most expensive to the cheap but useful. This company wants all of its customers to have access to all of its products; it does this by offering high-quality products to those looking to have the best name-brand vitamins. It also offers thousands of products that promote wellness and health at a price that almost anyone can afford.

Swanson's Real Food vitamin line is a new collection of real food-focused supplements that helps fill those nutrient gaps. The line includes multivitamins for men and women, along with biotin, B-complex, niacin and folic acid supplements that contain no synthetics or yeast fermentation.

Customer Service

Swanson offers thorough information about each product, including dosages, ingredients, suggestions for use, warnings, and a description of how the product works in your body. Each product page also includes an image of the full product label, so you have as much information as possible before purchasing.

If you need assistance while shopping, Swanson's customer service phone number is featured prominently in the site header — or you can choose a live chat option. This company's personal care of its products and customers throughout the process of ordering their vitamins is among the best in the industry.

Swanson ships both domestically and internationally. Domestic shipping starts at $4.99 and will arrive 7–10 business days from the ship date. International shipping also starts at $4.99 but will incur an additional freight cost based upon the weight of the order and the destination, which will be calculated during your checkout process. The average shipping time for international orders is 15 business days. But the company offers free shipping on orders over $50.

Prices

The price of Swanson Health vitamins and supplements varies based on the quantity, potency and type. In general, prices for Swanson Health products range from around $2.13 to more than $200.

Return Policy

Swanson Health products reflect their commitment to giving you the best quality and service at the best price. They guarantee that every product you purchase is made from the purest, freshest nutrients and meets the highest quality standards. If you aren’t completely satisfied with any product(s) purchased within the last 30 days, simply return the unused portion to them for a full refund. Please note that all returns valued at $500 or more are subject to a 20% restocking fee.

Where to buy Swanson Health?

You can go Swanson Health official website to buy Vitamins & Supplements thruogh Extrabux, then you can get 3% super cashback.

Promotions

1. Sign up at Swanson Health for 20% off & free shipping;

2. Free shipping on orders over $50;

3. 15% Off Swanson Brand + Free Shipping $50+ w/ Code SWANSON15 Exclusions Apply;

4. The homepage features several current promotions on customer favorites, which helps to streamline the shopping experience by making it easy to find discounted and popular items.

3. Life Extension

Life Extension develops and supplies nutritional supplements with a focus on high-quality, pure, and potent ingredients.

With over 40 years in the business, Life Extension has earned a reputation for diligently vetting the purity of ingredients, ensuring the right clinical dosages, offering personalized health advice, and delivering supplements directly to consumers at prices significantly lower than those of your local pharmacy.

Their product categories are broken down into three groups: Vitamins & Supplements, Diet & Lifestyle, and Beauty & Personal Care.

Science and research are at the core of the Life Extension brand, and it’s what sets them apart from the competition. The research team is composed of industry-leading scientists, pharmacists, physicians, clinical researchers, statisticians, and data managers. Life Extension develops and supplies nutritional supplements with a focus on high-quality, pure, and potent ingredients.

Life Extension has earned a reputation for diligently vetting the purity of ingredients, ensuring the right clinical dosages, offering personalized health advice, and delivering supplements directly to consumers at prices significantly lower than those of your local pharmacy.

Source:lifeextension.com

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Offers one of the best selections online for nutritional supplements.	Some products are more expensive than those of other companies - but you pay for quality.
Rigorously tests all products sold, ensuring customers get the most effective, potent, and pure products-with no exceptions.	Some customers report that shipping can be slow.
Significant discounts and incentives for bulk orders and repeat purchases.	Not a huge selection of mushrooms.
A wide array of products to browse on the site. Free access to wellness specialists.
Supplement quiz to help customers find the right supplements for their needs.
100% satisfaction guarantee for one year.
Free shipping on orders over $50.

Quality and Efficacy

Life Extension focuses on two specific areas.

1. Raw Materials: Unlike other supplement companies, the ingredients that go into their supplements are not chosen based on cost. Instead they are chosen based on purity (to ensure contaminants such as microbes and heavy metals comply with regulatory and GMPs requirements), potency, and usage in successful scientific research.

2. Validation of the Efficacy of Ingredients by Scientific Research: They use ingredients and dosages that accurately replicate the most successful results obtained in scientific studies for maximum efficacy.

Their commitment to quality and safety has earned them GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) registration from NSF International, an organization that independently registers manufacturers as meeting GMP requirements. Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) are guidelines that provide a system of processes, procedures and documentation to assure a product has the identity, strength, composition, quality and purity that appear on its label. These GMP requirements are listed in Section 8 of NSF/ANSI 173 the American National Standard in the dietary supplement industry developed in accordance with the FDA’s 21 CFR part 111. NSF GMP registration verifies that the facility is audited twice annually for quality and safety in compliance with Federal Regulations for dietary supplements good manufacturing practices, including:

Audits of all production facilities that manufacture, package, warehouse or distribute dietary supplements or functional foods
Review of quality control testing procedures for raw materials and finished products
Review of maintenance, housekeeping, cleaning and sanitization procedures
Review of sourcing and traceability procedures
Review of training and qualification programs
Review of internal SOPs
Product Recall Procedures

Products

Life Extension carries a range of over 200 vitamin and mineral products. These include the essential nutrients your body needs based on Recommended Dietary Allowances.

Popular Life Extension multivitamins

If you want to drill down to more specific vitamins, Life Extension offers over 100 variants. Perhaps you need more Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Methylcobalamin, or Tocotrienols? Life Extension has gels, capsules, lozenges, and drops to suit you.

Popular minerals

Customer Service

They have a 24-7 toll-free customer service center, which operates seven days a week. Any questions or concerns you have, you can reach out to the team at any time.

Additionally, Life Extension has its own Wellness Specialist team available from Monday – Friday between 8 AM to 1 AM and on weekends between 9 AM and 1 AM (ET). This is a team of medical and nutritional experts that can help customers with all their health and wellness needs.

It’s also worth noting that the customer has an incredible 100% satisfaction guarantee. Customers have a full year to return products they’re not happy with and will receive a full refund.

On top of this, there’s a Nutrition Center call center that can go into detail about the supplements available through Life Extension.

Prices

The price of Swanson Health vitamins and supplements varies based on the quantity, potency and type. In general, prices for Life Extension products starting from $3.

Return Policy

Life Extension will accept returns from our wholesale customers and issue a credit to your account for the following reasons only:

1. Product damaged in shipping.

2. Product is defective.

3. Product returned by your customer to you in an unsellable condition, within one year of the date of purchase from them for the following reasons only. (All customer returns must be made to you and not Life Extension.)

Customer allergic or could not take product.
Doctor advised customer not to take the product.

4. Products shipped to you in error by Life Extension.

5. Products you ordered in error. You must return within 30 days of the date of purchase.

6. To allow you to try various products from their line, Life Extension allows you 45 days from the date of purchase to return any product that you had not previously ordered, for a full refund.

7. For all returns, you must include a letter with the name of the product, number of bottles returned, lot number from back of bottle, and reason for the return. Without all of this information, credit will not be issued. A copy of your invoice from them would also be helpful for proper credit.

8. Life Extension will not accept returns for the following reasons:

Products you ordered and then decided you did not want, with the exception of item #6 above.
Products that are not selling or are out-of-date.
Products returned by your customer more than one year from date of your purchase from us.
Products returned to Life Extension by your customer. See item #3 above for credit procedures.

Where to buy Life Extension?

You can go Life Extension official website to buy Vitamins & Supplements thruogh Extrabux, then you can get 6% super cashback.

Promotions

1. Free shipping on orders $50+;

2. Join Life Extension Premier Rewards for free shipping & 4% LE Dollars back on every Life Extension purchase;

3. Choose AutoShip & Save and save an average of 16%;

4. Sign up at Life Extension for $10 off + free shipping.

4. Vitacost

Vitacost.com is an online vitamin and supplement retailer that offers a wide selection of discounted vitamins, supplements, whole foods, health foods, pet essentials, and sports nutrition. Customers can shop from many different top brands or browse the Vitacost store brands. The company sells vitamins, supplements and specialty diet food products that allow those with dietary restrictions to enjoy many different types of food.

At Vitacost.com, they believe in health for all, no matter who or where you are. That’s at the heart of their commitment to provide the very best natural, organic and eco-friendly products at the very best prices, with the best service to boot.

Source:vitacost.com

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Great Selection of Products	Return restrictions
Live Chat Feature
Promotional Deals and Discounts
Price comparison
Free shipping on orders over $49

Quality and Efficacy

The quality of the Vitacost branded items is on par with top brands in the respective fields while the pricing is excellent. Vitacost's line of vitamins and supplements has been commended by ConsumerLab and named the #1 Online Supplement Merchant in multiple years.

Products

Vitacost offers healthy foods and recipes in addition to vitamins and supplements for customers looking for a complete health plan. If you can't find a specific product, you can send a request to Vitacost and the company will make an effort to make it available. Products are split into the following browsing categories:

Vitacost Brands
Vitamins & Supplements
Sports & Fitness
Beauty & Personal Care
Babies & Kids
Diet Products
Food & Beverages
Non-GMO Products
Natural Home
Pet Health
and Herbs & Botanicals.

Popular wellness products include protein powders, supplements, vitamins, minerals, and a variety of nutrition products for healthier living.

Each of these categories contains several sub-categories to help you narrow down your search results. Each product has its own product page with sections containing product details such as what the item should be used for, dosage instructions, ingredients, warnings, disclaimers and customer reviews. You also have the option to email the product information to a friend. Vitacost also features a price comparison that shows the retail price of each product versus the Vitacost price.

Customer Service

Chat live with a representative directly from Vitacost at any time. Any customer may use this feature to get help with shipping, questions about products, and general feedback. In addition to a Live Chat feature, Vitacost has a Help page under the Customer Service section. The Help page offers assistance for tracking packages, refunding items, and a search function of FAQs.

Prices

The price of Vitacost vitamins and supplements varies based on the quantity, potency and type. In general, prices for Vitacost products starting from $3.36.

Return Policy

For all domestic orders, if an item is missing, damaged or you are not satisfied with it, you may visit their Online Service Center to request a refund or replacement item within 60 days of your purchase.

If you want to return a product, you can only return one opened package per order - although you will have the option to request either a refund or a replacement item. You must send back your unwanted merchandise within 60 days of purchase. If located outside of the United States customers will have 90 days to request a refund. Replacement items and returns are not accepted for international orders due to the high cost of shipping.

Where to buy Vitacost?

You can go Vitacost official website to buy Vitamins & Supplements thruogh Extrabux, then you can get 2% super cashback.

Promotions

1. 10% OFF SELECT SIMPLE TRUTH WITH CODE SELECTSIMPLE;

2. Up to 59% off clearance items;

3. 25% off Vega plant-based protein products with code: VEGA25ALL;

4. $5 off $15 select healthy living essentials with code: SELECTUNI;

5. FREE standard shipping is available for orders totaling $49 or more (or $25 or more of Vitacost brand or other select brand products) after any discounts have been applied. This offer also applies to APO/FPO addresses.