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The Shaklee Difference: Science behind the Brand

Shaklee's commitment to clinical research is reflected in every product we make. It is a meticulous process of research and development, testing, and refinement. That's why Shaklee continues to invest in clinical research as part of its ongoing commitment to scientific integrity.

Advancing Nutritional Knowledge

Does it matter if you take a vitamin supplement? Shaklee asked the same question 50 years ago and continues to take a leading role in researching the benefits of nutritional supplementation. Our scientific research heritage includes the publication or presentation of more than 100 clinical studies and technical reports to support product safety and performance.

Shaklee collaborates with top researchers to publish clinical research in such prestigious peer-reviewed journals as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Journal of Nutrition, Journal of Applied Physiology, and Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. And this is clearly a corporate strategy, not a coincidence. Our flagship product, Vita-Lea® Multivitamin Dietary Supplement, has been tested in three different decades and found to have significant benefits in improving nutritional status of healthy college-aged women, in maintaining bone density in post-menopausal women and in supporting immune defenses in healthy elderly persons.

Focusing on Science and Safety, Not Trends

We've worked hard to earn consumers' trust by conducting due diligence and emphasizing consumer safety first, avoiding potentially unsafe ingredients, and continuing to offer solid, science-based products rather than risky trends. Shaklee has never added artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives to our nutritional products.

In the May 2004 issue of Consumer Reports magazine, "Dangerous Supplements," 12 ingredients in dietary supplements were targeted as unsafe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Shaklee has never used any of these potentially unsafe ingredients in any of our dietary supplements because we base ingredient selection on the sound scientific scrutiny that our customers have come to expect for more than 50 years.

Products Developed by Scientists to Meet Real Nutritional Needs

Our product philosophy is to identify marketplace needs and to develop products which address those concerns. Shaklee's team of nutritionists, MDs, chemists and food scientists identifies product concepts and conducts a thorough evaluation of scientific literature on a particular ingredient, combination of ingredients or product idea.

The evaluation undergoes critical review by internal and external scientists, including our Scientific Advisory Board members and other experts in our scientific network. Concepts are refined, additional information is collected, and our Research and Development experts create product prototypes that undergo further refinements. Prototypes undergo a testing battery that may include use trials as well as clinical testing to further characterize product safety, performance and attributes.

Unsurpassed Product Standards; Testing the Limits of Testing

The company's product-related testing far exceeds industry standards and common practice. Even before a product is made, raw materials are extensively tested internally and subject to an extensive battery of third-party testing: Each year, approximately 85,000 quality assurance tests are performed on Shaklee nutritional products and their ingredients, including hundreds of tests alone on each Vita-Lea lot.

Our botanical ingredients undergo an even more rigorous quality assurance process. First, we send samples of our botanical raw materials to the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy which conducts qualitative identity tests of the botanical active ingredients. Next, we use cutting edge HPLC technology to characterize the chemical composition and quantify the actual amount of active ingredient present, and finally we conduct exhaustive internal and external safety screens for heavy metals, lead, pesticides, solvents and microbial contaminants.

Advanced Delivery Systems

The right ingredients alone aren't enough. Shaklee continues to develop innovative ingredient delivery systems and nutrient combinations to make sure what's in our products works best when taken by consumers. Shaklee has invested more than $250 million in research and development and clinical research to develop new product delivery innovations. Our achievements include the first sustained release vitamin C product based on natural gums and waxes, the first patented folic acid tablet coating that increased bioavailability of this critical B-vitamin and the first to develop a unique blend of protein and carbohydrates in a post-exercise sports nutrition beverage, Physique®, that actually speeds the recovery rate from exercise.

Unsurpassed Scientific Integrity and Corporate Ethics

Shaklee products consistently measure up higher when compared with the competition. The hundreds of thousands of loyal Shaklee users are testament to our high quality standards. Once again, it's the products that drive the Shaklee difference, and we are proud to stand behind the very best science based products in the business.