Advance Physician Formulas, Inc is a nutritional supplement company founded in 2003 with headquarters in Irvine, California, and customer care centers in several locations including Nebraska, Iowa, and California.


Our aim is to provide formulas of the highest quality and effectiveness. All the products under the Advance Physician Formulas label are made in the USA. Our scientific research team is highly specialized to review the latest research on various supplements and herbs. We are proud to carry high quality products from several respected supplement manufacturers and by respected doctors and herbalists. 

Email sent by a customer
"I have used some of your herbal products and found them to be effective - I just wanted to commend you folks for having such complete information on your website - I had questions about proper herbal supplement dosing amounts and interactions - I found my questions answered in a straightforward and honest manner on your site - keep up the good work.
"

An independent lab tests by HPLC raw materials that we purchase to determine accuracy and purity.

    Before you take any nutritional supplements, consultation with physician
    Please consult with your health care provider regarding the use of supplements, particularly if you have a health condition or taking prescription medicines. Even natural remedies can have serious side effects in combination with other drugs or underlying conditions.

    We do not sell supplements which we believe have no merit or are potentially dangerous. For instance we do not sell:

    Human growth hormone products
    High doses of hormones such as DHEA and pregnenolone. We think high doses, anything over 10 mg, have unpleasant and potentially serious side effects.
    Certain weight loss supplements such as carb blockers or supposed cortisol blockers. They either don't work well or have too many side effects.
    We don't sell penis enlargement pills or breast enlargement creams and pills advertised through infomercials or internet spam that have little or no scientific backing.

    We have a list of supplements that are appropriate for vegetarians.

    Although we are not perfect, we make every effort to be reliable and trustworthy, and we try to provide as good customer service as we can. Our phone and email customer representatives are polite, respectful, friendly, and we ask that you communicate with them in a similar way.

    Where are our products made?
    All of our products are made by independent manufacturers located in the USA. Our primary manufacturer is NPA/NSF GMP and ISO 9001:2000 registered custom formulator, contract manufacturer. It operates a state-of-the-art FDA CGMP facility.

    Q. I did see in the FAQ section that all products made by your company are made in the USA. However, I did want clarification on the actual source of ingredients themselves used in making the final products. Are all the ingredients in your products also from the USA, and is there any quality assurance testing done to assure the purity of the ingredients?
    A. Every supplement seller in this country uses herbs from all over the world because most herbs are only grown in sufficient quantities in other countries and therefore there is no way to use only US grown herbs for all supplements. For instance, maca only grows in sufficient quantities in the Andes mountains. Some fruits like acai need a tropical environment to grow in adequate amounts. We use raw materials as much as we can made in the USA. All ingredients, whether grown or made in the USA or overseas are subjected to analysis and testing. This is a FDA requirement.

    Q. If I order a product off of your site can I feel assured that it's manufacturing is done in the USA?
    A. All products with the Advance Physician Formulas label are made in the USA and we have very good reason to believe that all the other products that we buy wholesale to sell retail, from companies such as NOW Foods, Source Naturals, Natrol, and Nature's Way, are also made in the USA. However, this does not mean that the raw material, or the herbal ingredients, are all grown in the USA. There are many herbs that only grow well, or in sufficient quantities,in other parts of the world, such as South America, Africa, and Asia.

    Q. I like your web site very much, but I would like it even more if you listed what kind of medical conditions the different herbs and vitamins and supplements can treat so the consumers can have a better idea what products to buy to naturally remedy their health problems.
    A. The FDA does not allow sellers of dietary supplements to make any claims that their products prevent, treat, or cure any medical illnesses. For instance, we cannot make any claims that a particular herbal product treats or cures anxiety disorders, depression, diabetes, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, menopause, or prostate enlargement.

    Email received regarding our research team
    Q. Are all of your products formulated by physicians? Who is on your scientific research team? We are a non-profit consumer group in Washington DC specializing in food, nutrition, and dietary supplements.
    A. Our products are doctor formulated. We also have a few individuals who we consult with who have a bachelors or masters degree in nutrition or chemistry or physiology. They do Medline searches regarding new research on supplements. These individuals also test different herbal extracts on themselves and we get personal feedback on the effects of these herbs in varying dosages to see what their benefits and side effects would be. The pure raw ingredients are obtained from raw material suppliers usually in 10 gram samples and various amounts are measured and taken on an empty stomach in the morning for several days.

    Q. If I give you a list of my symptoms, can you recommend supplements for me?
    A. Sorry but supplement companies are not allowed by the FDA to diagnose or treat. This is the role of a health care provider who does a full medical history, physical exam, and appropriate studies.

    Quality of products
    Q. With all the information I am reading about the quality and contamination of foods and vitamins made overseas, my family and I are very worried about obtaining a quality source of American Made vitamins and herbal supplements.Can you give me information about your supplying sources?

    A. Our products are made by a GMP certified and a FDA visited laboratory. The raw ingredients that we obtain are from high quality sources. We check the certificates of analysis. All raw materials purchased are being HPLC tested. You will not be able to find any company that can honestly guarantee their products to be 100 pure and accurate at all times. This is just not humanly possible. Even major pharmaceutical companies cannot guarantee that their products are pure 100 percent of the time. There is always the possibility of an error occurring, not just in the dietary supplement industry, but in any industry.


    Q. I am interested in purchasing your tongkat ali, horny goat weed, and tribulus products. I know I can purchase these just about anywhere with a wide variety of prices. But, I am interested in the purest high quality that will produce results. How do your products rank in quality versus other products?
    A. Our products are made by a FDA reviewed and GMP certified facility located in Orange County, California. We have no idea how others do it. The only 100 percent sure way for a consumer to know the quality of a product they buy is by sending it themselves to an independent lab, but hardly any consumer has the interest or the funds to do this with every product they buy.

    Product storage
    Q. I was wondering if your herbal products (in particular Passion Rx) are sensitive to their storage environment after opening. Generally I keep them in cool dry places but occasionally they are subject to room temperature increases when the a/c shuts off.
    A. In general, herbs are hardy and can last for several years in varying room temperatures without any problems. Vitamins are more sensitive and have a shorter shelf life of a couple of years and they are better stored in a cool and dry place. Minerals can last for a very, very long time without much changes. Fish oils and probiotics should be refrigerated.

    Advance Physician Formulas has no association with any company named Physician Formula or Physicians Formulas. We also have no association with any web site named Physician Formula or Physicians Formulas. Physician Formula dot com is not a site associated with us, nor is Physician Formula dot net. This also applies to Physicians Formulas dot com and Physicians Formulas dot net.

    Capsules, gelcaps, softgels, tablets and tablet pills
    Q. My brother said that he read that supplements, herbal, vitamin, etc. combinations (like many of your products) are more potent with softgels than in capsule or tablet form. He says capsule and tablet forms are way less potent than softgels. Is this true?

    A. Stomach acid can break down the gelatin of capsules and breakdown other components of tablets or other pill forms. Therefore, for practical purposes, and unless someone has very poor stomach and intestinal function, there should not be a major difference in absorption between different forms. It is possible to open a capsule and mix the contents in water, juice, or a tiny amount of alcohol such as wine for a slightly quicker absorption, especially on an empty stomach.

    Feedback from customers
    We receive daily feedback from customers by email and phone and almost all are positive. Here is one example.

    "Your products, in my opinion are one of, if not the best quality and most reasonably priced supplements on the market! I have dedicated thousands of hours of my personal time researching supplements since day one of the inception of the world wide web. Scams is abundant in cyberspace! One has to do their home work prior to purchasing any supplements, along with their protocol of prescribed medications and health history. You have my utmost trust! Dr. Sahelian is a man and a doctor of integrity, honesty and a genuine concern for all people!"

    "Thanks for your honesty and responsible behavior on your website and in your newsletters. Very rare indeed especially when the comments are coming from a company that sells the products they are discussing. I can honestly say that I don't think I have ever read anything from a supplements related company that wasn't somewhat cluttered with their bias and desire to sell their products. You would be the exception. Thank You."

    "Hi, just wanted to say thanks for great service, and feel free to use this note as a testimonial. Good advice and no 'hard-sell' = A+ !"

    Q. I am fully aware of the fact that the FDA prevents you from recommending any given product to a person seeking a medical or pseudo-medical solution for their own personal physical problem and that one must consult with a physician to question the benefits of taking any supplement, especially if a person is currently taking prescription medicines. Many firms produce informational research articles about products that contain certain herbal components or derivatives, my example would be the effects of pomegranate or blueberry. They do not prescribe their use, but they do cite research that has been or is being conducted by universities / medical schools or other medical research institutes (e.g. NIH). Does your company do the same? I realize I am in charge of my body and its state of health. This is a complex issue. I do, however, look for research articles and/or warnings about which herbs interact with organs of the body and their potential to affect the operation of the complex biological system called a human. A good personal example would be the fact that I take Lipitor and Plavix. I would want to be aware of any herbal component that might act with a synergistic effect in either case. I would at least expect a warning more than the generic "Ask your medical doctor before taking this item." Surely there is some research that points to the dangers of certain herbal components with prescription medicines. Perhaps, you (a generic you) could provide websites that provide that type of research data for the use of your customers. Even doctors (Primary Care Physicians or specialist) do not know all of the inherent risks involved. Some doctors do not even recognize the effectiveness of herbal medicines. I have run into this attitude for more than 20 years. I do like your website and do see the value in your products. I, too, look for quality and/or a pharmaceutical grade product.
    A. There are many good sites on the internet that review research done with natural supplements, herbs, vitamins, and hormones. One such site is maintained by Dr. Ray Sahelian, M.D. There are several academic centers that have natural health information, along with several government maintained sites. Some of these are listed at the bottom of each page of our site.

    Advance Physician Formulas is not affiliated with Physicians Formula Cosmetics and does not sell cosmetics.