Supplements

Before You Buy

3.1

Before You Buy: Supplements help, but not the way you think.

4 sections, about 5 minutes in total

No

The FDA does not approve supplements before they are sold.

3

Three third-party seals are worth trusting. They are USP, NSF and Informed Sport.

Food first

Food first is the rule that has outlasted every supplement trend.

Section 1 of 4:

How regulation really works

How supplements are regulated.

Supplements are regulated as food, not medicine. The FDA does not check them before sale. It steps in after a problem is reported.

What most people assume

  • If it is on the shelf, someone tested it. Someone approved it.
  • The label has been checked. What is listed is what is inside.
  • Natural means safe.

What the FDA does

  • Supplements are regulated as food, not medicine. Nothing is approved for effectiveness before sale. The FDA steps in after a problem is reported.
  • The manufacturer is responsible for the label. Nobody else checks it by default. A USP, NSF or Informed Sport seal means an outside lab did.
  • “Natural” has no regulatory definition. Natural products can still interact with medications.

This does not make supplements useless. It means the checking is up to you.

Section 2 of 4:

Label checks

What to check on the label.

Six label signs tell you a lot before you buy. Cure claims, hidden doses and urgency pricing are the ones to watch most.

On the label“Cures, reverses, heals, detoxes”
What it meansSupplements are not allowed to claim they cure or treat disease. A label that does is breaking that rule.
On the label“Balances hormones” or “resets metabolism”
What it meansThese phrases have no testable meaning. There is no way to check whether the product does what it says.
On the labelA “proprietary blend”
What it meansA proprietary blend hides the dose of each ingredient. Without doses, you cannot compare it to the research.
On the labelTestimonials and influencers as the only evidence
What it meansEvidence means published trials. Photos and endorsements do not show whether a product works.
On the labelDoses at 1,000%+ of daily values
What it meansMore than the daily value is not more effective. Fat-soluble vitamins and minerals can build up. Stacking several products makes that worse.
On the labelCountdown timers and “last chance” pricing
What it meansTimers and limited-time pricing are sales tools. A product that helps will still be available next week.

A label with none of these is a good start. Next, check for a USP, NSF or Informed Sport seal. Then read the ask-first list below.

Section 3 of 4:

The evidence ladder

Where the evidence stands.

A few supplements have strong evidence, each for a specific situation. The rest sit on modest, early or thin evidence. Tap a tier to see what sits there.

Tap a tab to open it. The detail lands here.

The ladder is a coaching summary, not a full review. It will change as the research changes.

Section 4 of 4:

When to check before you buy

Four cases where you check first.

Pregnancy, medications, iron and kidney or liver conditions change what is safe to take. In these cases, check before you buy.

  • If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive, check first before taking anything. Doses and safety change. Some supplements are ruled out.

  • If you take any medication, check for interactions first. Many supplements interact with medicines. St John's wort is a common example. So are high doses of common nutrients and grapefruit-related botanicals. A pharmacist is the right person to ask.

  • If you are considering iron or any high-dose single nutrient, get tested first. Iron needs a test before you take it. Its lab explains why.

  • If you have a kidney or liver condition, check first before supplementing. Most supplement safety problems involve these two organs.

Bring the bottle or a photo of the label to the appointment. A specific product gives a pharmacist more to work with.

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