A Supplement Formula Label Checklist: What to Check Before Buying (No Brand Rankings)

What this checklist is, and is not

This is a list of things to look at, not a list of products to buy. It does not name brands, rank anything or say which formula is "best". The sources we read do not describe a method for picking one best product for everyone, and no label can tell you whether a formula is right for you. FDA advises talking to a doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional before deciding to buy or use a dietary supplement. [2] Our companion page lists questions to ask your clinician or pharmacist.

The rules below are US rules, as described by FDA. Other countries differ; see supplement regulation by country.

The checklist at a glance

1. Serving size comes first

In the US, one serving is the maximum amount the label recommends per eating occasion, or one unit if there is no recommendation. [3] A label that lists a serving as three capsules shows amounts for all three. When you compare two labels, compare the same thing: amount per serving, and how many servings the directions call for.

No law limits the serving size or the amount of an ingredient in a serving, other than the maker's duty to meet safety and labeling rules. That decision is made by the manufacturer and does not need FDA approval. [2] So a large number on a label is not evidence that it was checked as appropriate. Our page on serving size and percent Daily Value goes deeper.

2. Is every ingredient named, with an amount?

The Supplement Facts panel must list each dietary ingredient. [2] Look for the form of the nutrient and the unit (mcg, mg, IU), because the same nutrient can appear in different forms and units on different labels. If you cannot tell the amount of something, you cannot compare it with an official upper level or with an amount used in a study.

3. Blends: what you can and cannot see

A proprietary blend must be named as such (or with a descriptive term), show the total weight of the blend, and list its ingredients in descending order by weight. [3] You can tell which ingredient is most abundant, not how much of any one you get. That is a disclosure limit, not proof of a problem. Read more on proprietary blends.

4. Percent Daily Value: a label tool, not a target

The Daily Value (DV) is a label reference amount for a nutrient. FDA describes DVs as recommended amounts to consume or not to exceed each day, and says 5% DV or less per serving is low and 20% DV or more is high. [4] Treat it as "Daily Value on US labels", not as your personal requirement. Some ingredients have no Daily Value, and a high percent is not automatically a good thing. Official intake levels by age and country are explained on RDA, AI, DV and UL.

5. Other ingredients and allergens

"Other ingredients" can include fillers, binders, preservatives, sweeteners and flavorings. [2] If you avoid a food, a sweetener or an animal-derived shell, check this list. Details are on other ingredients. Ask a pharmacist if you are unsure about an allergy.

6. Claims on the front

A product sold as a dietary supplement that is presented as treating, preventing or curing a specific disease meets the definition of a drug. [2] Structure/function claims, such as "supports" wording, must come with a disclaimer that begins "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration." [2] The label cannot claim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent a disease. [5] Be careful with words like "clinically proven", "pharmaceutical grade" or "detox". They are not defined by the sources we read, so ask what they would mean in practice. See structure-function claims and label red flags.

7. Doubling up

Many products contain the same nutrient: a multivitamin, a blend, a fortified food or drink, a separate single supplement. Amounts add up across everything you use. Add them from the labels and compare with the official upper level for your age group, not with the label alone. FDA does not specify any limit on the folic acid content that may be in a US dietary supplement. [1] See doubling up.

8. Check your own situation

NCCIH says supplements may interact with medicines or pose risks with certain medical problems or before surgery, and that many have not been tested in pregnant women, nursing mothers or children. [5] FDA says certain supplements can change how a medicine is absorbed, broken down or cleared. [6] Ask a clinician or pharmacist before you start if any of these apply to you. This includes kidney or liver conditions, because the sources we read give no general safe list. More is on medication interactions.

9. Quality: what a label cannot show

What is on the label may not be what is in the product. NCCIH notes FDA has found prescription drugs in products sold as supplements. [5] FDA does not test dietary supplements before they are sold. [2] A word like "standardized", "verified" or "certified" does not necessarily guarantee quality or consistency. [5] Testing programs are described on quality testing and certifications.

10. Cost per serving, last

Only after the points above does price matter. Compare cost per serving using the same serving definition. See comparing labels and cost per serving.

What no checklist can do

It cannot show that a formula works. A multi-ingredient product is not supported just because each ingredient has been studied. Supplements bought in stores or online may differ in important ways from products tested in studies. [5] For how to weigh evidence for a whole formula, see how to evaluate a supplement formula.