Unlike the majority of supplements and skin care products sold in health food stores, Ultra Botanicals’ products are completely additive-free. Additives include binders, which are glue-like substances used to form powdered nutrients into tablets; flowing agents and lubricants, which are used to assist the flow of nutrients through the manufacturing process; fillers, which are additives possessing a “fluffy” quality that make capsules look uniformly full; as well as coloring agents, coats, glazes and flavors. Additives generally have little or no nutritive value. The simple truth is additives help save manufacturers money, yet do nothing to improve the efficacy of dietary supplements. Because tablets are much cheaper to manufacture than capsules, manufacturers may compromise the purity and effectiveness of their products by coating herbs and nutrients with glue-like binders and then running the mixture through a tableting press. Since the tableting process requires placing herbs and nutrients under literally tons of pressure, the contents of your nutritional supplement are exposed to heat and subject to damage in the same way overcooked foods can lose their nutritional value. Conscientious manufacturers will try to use nutritive substances, like amino acids. The objective of taking a dietary supplement is for the herbs or nutrients to break down and be utilized by our bodies.

Additives do not facilitate this process. In fact, they can do the opposite. The best supplements promote the quick uptake by the body of the nutrients they possess. They do this by being in a form that the body can easily assimilate so it can access the herb or nutrient and expose it to processes that will ultimately lead to the nutrient taking part in cellular metabolism.  While some people are sensitive and may react to some of the additives used by many supplement manufacturers, the most unfortunate fact regarding additives is that they may inhibit the body’s absorption of the herbs or nutrients.  Additives place an unnecessary burden upon the body; the burden of excreting a substance that never had any nutritive value in the first place.