Nature Made Vitamin D3 Review – USP Outweigh Harmful?

|  Marketing  |  Ingredients  |  Side Effects  |  Reviews  |  Pricing  |  Overall  |

According to the Nature Made Vitamin D3 reviews, customers have been very happy with it. Many attested to the fact that this supplement genuinely works when it comes to improving vitamin D blood levels. Others emphasized the fact that the softgels are small and easy to swallow. Whereas others more were thrilled with the USP certification it has.

So, in this Nature Made Vitamin D3 review, we will properly explore and investigate all eight supplements going by this name and uncover every aspect of them.

Hence, the idea is to be no extension of the manufacturer’s marketing or other BS. This is all going to be about what I feel is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And we’ll do that in assessing for marketing, ingredients, side effects (additives), customer feedback, and pricing. We’ll do it the truth-seeking way.

Marketing | These Supplements Are Marketing-Heavy, Alright

According to the manufacturer, the Nature Made Vitamin D3 offers “the body’s preferred form of vitamin D.” Per their words, “Vitamin D3 helps to raise and maintain the vitamin D levels in your body, which helps support your bones, muscles, and immune system.” So, that’s pretty much the promises they make [R, R].

In other words, as far as gains, they claim to offer improvements to the bone, muscle health, and the immune system’s function. There’s also a promise to better Calcium absorption and teeth health.

As for the product pages, each of the eight Nature Made Vitamin D3 gets its own. They’re all very similar, quite straightforward, well-structured. But they are definitely way more marketing-heavy than something like the Bluebonnet Vitamin D3 (review).

So, for marketing tactics, the Nature Made offers free shipping when ordering over $25. They also claim to be the #1 Pharmacist recommended vitamin supplement brand. And, of course, we also get a section filled with unnaturally positive Nature Made Vitamin D3 reviews posted by customers.

Because word of mouth works wonders when it comes to selling.

And then, there’s also such semi-marketing tactics as a FAQ section, you-may-also-like section, and a blog-articles section.

Other than that, the vitamin D supplements of this review are promised to be made Gluten-Free, Color-Free, Artificial-Flavors-Free, and with the gummy options, we get a few other pledges as well.

But are these supplements actually any good?

Ingredients | There Is Not A Thing To Fault For The Nature Made

Some brands offer just one option of standalone vitamin D supplements. That, however, is not the predominant approach. It’s way more often that a brand offers a whole bunch of different dosage options just like we’ve seen with supplements like the NatureWise Vitamin D3 (review). And that is also the case with Nature Made.

So, per serving (one softgel, one tablet, one gummy, or two gummies), the supplement of this review offers 1000 IU (25 mcg), 2000 IU (50 mcg), or 5000 IU (125 mcg) of vitamin D3. Here’s to go a bit more in-depth.

First, as for the core beneficial ingredient for each and every one of these supplements, I believe it’s been discussed long enough now. Many studies are out. And all health specialists seem to unanimously agree that the natural form of vitamin D (the vitamin D3 or Cholecalciferol) is the superior form [R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

It is also the same form our skin creates through exposure to sunlight. Thus, the form of vitamin D2 or Ergocalciferol has been doomed to oblivion and is no longer relevant [R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

The sad thing is, however, that not all supplements actually use the vitamin D3 form. And why would they? If they don’t truly care for their customer’s health, vitamin D2 is the considerably cheaper option to manufacture. But in this regard, the Nature Made Vitamin D does not sin [R, R, R]

The supplement contains the vitamin D3 form (Cholecalciferol). It does not, however, specify of what source it is made. While it might not be as important for people generally, for certain groups of people like Vegans it can make a difference. And I would argue that if they don’t care enough to specify it, it’s highly likely we’re speaking of the cheapest way for creating it.

The cheapest way is to derive it from Lanolin. Which is fine as a source (it can bring all the benefits) but Nature Made could have specified it and been more transparent about it nonetheless [R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

Second, as for the available dosages and choosing the right one, it differs from person to person. It all depends on what your specific needs are.

To illustrate, for children 1000 IU or lower will probably work best. For adults, 2000 IU is the amount what we typically need for the maintenance of healthy vitamin D levels on top of what a proper multivitamin already offers. Whereas when it’s the case of a deficiency, attacking it with 5000 IU or more is the way to go [R, R, R, R, R].

But really, the best thing about this flexibility is that we can also innovate the dose we exactly need depending on our individual circumstances. For example, with a couple of 2000 IU softgels, it’s no problem to adjust for a 4000 IU or 6000 IU dose if that’s what is needed. And that’s really good for the brand overall.

Third, the Nature Made Vitamin D3 supplements are also third-party tested for purity and potency. This is attested by the USP Certification available with all eight of the supplements. And that’s just proof that the manufacturing quality is really high and that we get what we pay for.

So, in terms of the beneficial ingredients, I couldn’t imagine it any better for the supplements of this review.

Side Effects | Vitamin D With Phethora Of Side Effects Is What This Is

What I could, however, imagine any better is additives. And additives are the ingredients we typically look at when it comes to potential side effects. And the vitamin D3 products of this review have it pretty bad.

But since there are quite a few different options and variations for the additives used, let’s break them down one by one.

Nature Made Vitamin D3 Softgels (Review) – Soybean Oil Is The Mojo Killer

With Nature Made Vitamin D3 Softgels, we have the 1000 IU (25 mcg) version and the 2000 IU (50 mcg) one. Both of these use Soybean Oil, Gelatin, Glycerin, and Water. And while 75% of these are fine, that other 25 % really messes it up, the way I see it.

So, Gelatin is great. It provides a plethora of different amino acids. Which are beneficial. The only real downside to it is that it’s likely sourced from a pig (since they don’t specify otherwise and it’s not Kosher or Halal). And that’s the worst and cheapest sourcing option [R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

Then, we have Glycerin which is a natural substance derived from animal or vegetable fats. Typically a very safe thing. And water is something we drink every day anyway [R, R, R, R, R, R].

Hence, these three are very unlikely to bother us. What can properly bother us and what I have an utmost problem with is the Soybean Oil.

Soybean Oil promotes chronic inflammation, which is the root cause of virtually all chronic diseases. Soybean oil can also cause infertility, cancer, mineral deficiencies, block protein digestion, and has other unpleasant side effects. And it’s just a very cheap way to do things both literally and as far as customer well-being [R, R, R, R, R].

I mean, sure, some people will try to send us a mixed message about it since it can have benefits. Still, the negatives far outweigh any potential gains. So, I wouldn’t even consider them [R, R].

Furthermore, it’s even worse and more hazardous if the oil is of GMO origins. And guess what? It’s extremely likely that it’s the case here because Nature Made Vitamin D3 Softgels don’t claim the supplement to be Non-GMO and no less than 90% of Soybean Oil manufactured worldwide is GMO. Hence, I’m more than certain; it has to be GMO here [R, R, R, R, R].

Nature Made Vitamin D3 Extra Strength Softgels (Review) – Corn Oil Is Also For Inflammation

Like the Soybean Oil wouldn’t be enough, the Nature Made Vitamin D3 Extra Strength Softgels option goes even further astray. It uses Soybean Oil, Gelatin, Glycerin, Water, and Corn Oil for additives.

To that end, while we did already discuss the other ingredients in the previous section, Corn Oil is just another mess.

Corn Oil is another really cheap oil to use when the manufacturer needs one in its product. Yes, quite similarly to Soybean Oil, there are some benefits to its name. However, with the amounts of modern consumption, it is more likely to be of negative health effects such as cancer, liver toxicity, chronic inflammation, obesity, heart disease as well as other adverse effects [R, R, R, R].

But to add to the hazards, this Corn Oil is also likely a GMO product. Because it’s they don’t claim otherwise for the Nature Made Vitamin D3 and about 90% of Corn Oil is GMO-manufactured [R, R].

Thus, no doubt about it, these Extra Strength Softgels would be much better off without the oil. Furthermore, there are so many healthy options in this regard that could work as a better substitute. It’s just such a shame.

Nature Made Vitamin D3 Tablets (Review) – Side Effects Possible Through Maltodextrin

We could say that Nature Made Vitamin D3 Tablets are a tiny bit better than what the Softgel option has to offer. But they are still something rather far from the harmless category.

So, with the Tablets, we have two options. It’s either 1000 IU (25 mcg) or 2000 IU (50 mcg). The additives that these supplements use are Cellulose Gel, Maltodextrin, Croscarmellose Sodium, Stearic Acid, Magnesium Stearate, and Gelatin.

Cellulose Gel is fine. It’s, essentially, what can be found in plants in large quantities. Stearic Acid and Magnesium are although widely misunderstood, they are actually very harmless. Whereas Gelatin we did already discuss [R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

So, the problematic ones are Maltodextrin (common in chips) and potentially also Croscarmellose Sodium.

The latter is the least problematic one. It’s only problematic if it’s GMO. Which it could be here because Nature Made Vitamin D3 Tablets don’t bother to assert the opposite. As far as side effects, it can cause intestinal blockage and damage the nutrient absorption [R, R, R, R, R].

Maltodextrin is a form of sugar more predatory than regular sugar. It’s used in a plethora of different ways in supplements. It’s capable enough to cause diarrhea, sudden headaches, breathing difficulties, bloating, and just, in general, mess with our immune system’s capacity. Moreover, it can also be used to cover up other even more harmful additives like sweeteners or flavor enhancers [R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

So, the way I see it, the Nature Made Vitamin D3 Tablets are not a good look either. And the fact that they also add a bit of Calcium for the beneficial ingredients it doesn’t make it any better. In fact, Calcium Carbonate as a nutrient form is such a poor one. It absorbs poorly and it’s cheap to make. And it can bring side effects, too [R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

Nature Made Vitamin D3 Gummies (Review) – Glucose Syrup & Palm Oil Are Cheap To Use

With the Nature Made Vitamin D3 Gummies, we have three different supplements. We have the 1000 IU (25 mcg) version for kids. We have the 2000 IU (50 mcg) gummies version for adults. And we have the 5000 IU (125 mcg) Gummies for deficient people.

In terms of additives, all three use the same. It’s Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Water, Gelatin, Citric Acid, Palm Oil, Natural Flavors, Malic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Carnauba Wax, and Colors Added. A couple of problems, the way I see it. Here are the three most predominant ones.

First, Glucose Syrup and Sugar. People typically already have too much of it in their diets. And it can contribute to heart disease, depression, obesity, weight gain, aggressive behavior, eating disorders, diabetes, learning difficulties, hyperactivity, stupidity, cancer, and more [R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

Plus, Glucose Syrup is also recognized as a cover-up name for an ingredient which might as well be High Fructose Corn Syrup (yes, yes, Nature Made claims to be free of it but what if it’s not like it was with General Mills’ Vanilla Chex; General Mills claimed to not contain it when they actually did) [R, R, R, R, R, R].

Second, Palm Oil. Yes, in the grand scheme of additives, Palm Oil isn’t that bad. But still, it’s a vegetable oil and a source of unhealthy fat. Furthermore, it can create plenty of inflammation. Plus, to make it, a ton of rainforests are just flat-out ruined and deforested leaving a lot of negative effects on the wildlife and environment in general [R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

And it’s also cheap to use which is probably why they use it in the Nature Made Vitamin D3 Gummies in the first place.

Third, Colors Added. I mean, just because they claim that its Color from natural sources won’t mean that it can’t have side effects. For example, Annatto (a natural color) can be violently detrimental to some people. It can cause strong allergic and irritable-bowel-syndrome-type reactions, and more [R, R, R, R, R].

The way I see it, Nature Made should be more transparent specify what they are using as those colors. Only then can we be sure.

Plus, there are dangers with Citric Acid as well, especially if it’s either GMO, way too much in the diet already (many processed foods use it), Aluminum absorption, or all three [R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

Reviews | Customer Reviews Hide Well The Suboptimal Additives

I kind of did already touch upon this but the product pages are absolutely full of unnaturally positive Nature Made Vitamin D3 reviews. I mean, there we can find a plethora of four-star and five-star comments. Whereas across all 8 pages, there were only two negative ratings.

And that’s way too good to be true. I mean, no matter how good a product is, it doesn’t get such great feedback. Ever. And we can find many examples out there that attest to this same point.

Hence, I took it to all third-party sellers and retailers that I could find. Here are the numbers.

So, for Nature Made Vitamin D3 Softgels (1000 IU and 2000 IU), I managed to come across a total of 5,272 ratings. Of these, 5,029 were positive (three-star, four-star, five-star) and 243 were negative (one-star, two-star). Hence, with these, we’re at 95.4% which is big. This was the most abundantly reviewed category.

If we look at the Nature Made Vitamin D3 Extra Strength Softgels (5000 IU), I managed to find 2,134 Nature Made Vitamin D3 reviews. Of these, 2,058 were positive and 76 were negative. Thus, a global success rate of 96.4%. Which is the highest among all.

Then, we’ve got the Tablets version (1000 IU and 2000 IU). Here it was a total of 2,903 customer comments total. Of these, 2,691 were good and 212 were bad. In other words, a success rate of 92.7%.

Lastly, there were also the Nature Made Vitamin D3 Gummies (1000 IU, 2000 IU, 5000 IU). For these, I found 1,712 total. Of these, 1,575 were positive and 137 were negative. That gives us a success percentage of 92.0%. Which is the lowest success percentage of all the categories.

And then, if we had to combine all the reviews together, we’ve got a total of 12,021. That’s 11,353 of good ones and 668 of the bad. And a success rate of 94.4% for the this Nature Made brand overall.

So, yes, a lot of numbers. What all of them are basically saying is that the supplements of this review are very well-received by customers.  Customers like them, and per the feedback, these do help to improve the vitamin D blood levels.

But still, that’s not everyone happy. What are the flaws they mention?

With all softgels, probably the most predominant problem was that they smelled terrible and people are getting fewer softgels than promised. Clumping up of the pills of the entire package is also a huge problem (Amazon).

With the Nature Made Vitamin D3 Tablets, the most predominant problem seems to be the lack of a protective seal and the advertized ingredients not corresponding to the claimed ones. And there were also a lot of problems with shipping (Amazon).

Lastly, with Gummies, the most common issue is either lack of the protective seal or all of the gummies have melted together. Others also mentioned that these did nothing for their blood work. Others said that these were difficult or impossible to chew, or that they taste horrible (Amazon).

Other than that, there were side effects reported with every category of the Nature Made vitamins.

Pricing | It Doesn’t Compare Well With The Competition At All

When it comes to the negative feedback for the supplements of this review, I did not really encounter anyone complaining about the price. Would that suggest that the pricing is actually very good? Not necessarily. But let’s look at that.

So, we’ve got Nature Made Vitamin D3 Softgels (2000 IU) which typically cost $10.59 for a container of 90 softgels. Then, we have the Tablet version (2000 IU) which typically comes for $9.99 for a container of 100 tablets. And then, the Gummy version (2000 IU) which typically is $10.29 for a count of 90 gummies.

Or to make these numbers easy to compare, we have prices of 11.8 cents (softgels), 10.0 cents (tablets), and 11.4 cents (gummies) for every unit of 2000 IU of vitamin D3. So, here’s how it compares.

Not very favorably overall. I mean, to drop it against something like the NOW Foods Vitamin D3 (review), it’s bad.

The NOW Foods option typically costs 3.4 cents for every 2000 IU of vitamin D3. Which is basically at least 3 times less. And, yes, NOW Foods doesn’t offer third-party testing but the difference in additives is beyond ridiculous. Nature Made is no match.

Similarly, Nature Made doesn’t do well against something like the Sports Research Vitamin D3. These come for a total price of 4.7 cents for every 2000 IU of vitamin D3. It also comes with third-party testing and great additives. In other words, it’s better than the Nature Made options in every aspect.

And there are plenty of other options that emphasize this same point. And that’s true also when it comes to the tasty options (check out the Bluebonnet Vitamin D3 review).

Overall | USP Can’t Fix The Negatives, Do Avoid This

I know that Nature Made supposedly is a great brand. After all, it’s the #1 Pharmacist recommended vitamin supplement brand. Plus, many people say good things about it. But I don’t like the Nature Made Vitamin D3s at all.

I mean, for positives, sure, it offers various dosage forms and vitamin D3 amounts per unit for every taste. The brand has great customer reviews overall. And their biggest advantage is arguably its third-party testing by USP. That sounds great.

And these are probably the reasons why many people choose to buy them. But the negatives far, far, far outweigh the positives. And I can’t stress this enough.

First, the additives come in all kinds of terrible. Thus, side effects I would say are very likely. Furthermore, there is nothing that a USP certification helps against inherently bad ingredient choices. USP only affirms purity and potency; nothing else. Soybean Oil, Corn Oil, etc. are still hazardous stuff to consume even with a USP certification.

Second, the fact that pricing is pretty crap is actually surprising. Because time and time again we saw throughout this review that Nature Made chooses the cheapest ways and options to do things. And given that the supplements are still costly, Nature Made probably enjoys some very high profit margins.

Which, the way I see it, is absolutely at the expense of the customer’s well-being and health.

And so, (out of avoid it, consider it, shortlist it, buy it) I don’t think that the Nature Made Vitamin D3 supplements are worth the buy at all. Personally, I would avoid them. I mean, there are just so many better options out there. It’s absolutely not worth it.

That said, if you are interested in something truly capable and helpful while also being reasonably priced, I would highly recommend the NOW Foods approach. Here’s my full take on them.

Other than that, I hope this Nature Made Vitamin D3 review helped you find the information you were looking for. What was your biggest takeaway? Let me know your thoughts below. And do feel free to leave your own personal reviews on the products as well.