Well, think again! If your supplements/vitamins are not “pharmaceutical grade” then you may be wasting your money and not helping your health. Because the production of supplements is NOT regulated by the FDA, quality control is a huge issue. In general, most over the counter supplements are “food grade” or “medical grade”. Only pharmaceutical grade items are tested by their manufacturer for potency and purity. They are usually more expensive because their ingredients are pure and higher in cost. Ingredients that do not meet quality standards are rejected. They are therefore more “bio-available” which means that your body can actually use them more efficiently. The product label will match the product contents (if it says 5000 units of vitamin D that is what it will have.) “Regular” supplements are known (and allowed!)  to have huge discrepancies between product labeling and actual product contents. Only pharmaceutical grade brands are independently tested by a third party for this purpose. If your vitamin is relatively inexpensive and sold over the counter at most drug stores, chances are you are doing yourself an disservice!  How to tell? Check the label for the “USP”  (US Pharmacopeia) quality seal. Consumerlabs.com is also a great website that can tell you about companies and their products.