If you take vitamins or other nutrition supplements, you’ve probably spent time comparing different options. Besides ingredients, label messaging, and price, you may wonder if products vary in quality or have undergone third-party supplement testing.
Read on to learn who tests supplements, whether there’s a vitamin quality assurance program, and how to know if supplements are safe.
Who Needs Vitamins and Supplements?
As their name suggests, nutrition supplements can supplement or add certain nutrients you may not get from your diet. Some, like vitamins and minerals, are essential and backed by significant research. Others, like herbs or probiotics, may have some research behind them but need more studies to prove they’re helpful.
Supplements can include:
- Vitamins and minerals.
- Fiber.
- Fish oil or other fats like medium chain triglycerides (MCTs).
- Herbs or other plant-based ingredients like echinacea, ashwagandha, or turmeric.
- Melatonin.
- Probiotics or prebiotics.
- Protein or amino acids.
Some supplements have a blend of these ingredients and may address specific health or wellness concerns. These can include stress or sleep support.
You can buy nutrition supplements over the counter without a doctor’s prescription. Pharmacy aisles are overflowing with options.
However, not everyone needs supplements. A healthy diet provides plenty of the nutrients your body needs in most cases.
Still, you might benefit from taking certain nutrition supplements if you:
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding — Getting enough nutrients for you and your baby from diet alone is hard. This makes prenatal vitamins important.
- Follow a restricted diet to manage a health condition — For instance, if you have lactose intolerance or a dairy allergy, you may need extra calcium or vitamin D.
- Follow a vegan diet — You may need extra vitamin B12 or fish oil.
- Have a health condition like inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease — Health issues like these make absorbing nutrients from food harder.
- Take certain medications — Some drugs can cause low levels of certain nutrients.
Talking to your health care provider about supplement use is always wise. They can tell you which supplements are helpful (or harmful) and how much to take.
Are Supplements Safe?
Most supplements are safe as long as you follow the label instructions. Some supplements are unsafe in high amounts.
Some supplements can also interact with medications or cause problems if you take them before surgery or a medical procedure. Supplements may contain harmful ingredients in rare instances.
Some supplements can affect your health. The FDA does not monitor these for:
- Effectiveness — Supplements don’t need to show the FDA that they provide a specific effect. This is because treating, preventing, or curing disease isn’t their purpose.
- Quality — The FDA doesn’t ensure supplements are free from unwanted ingredients. Companies manufacturing supplements also don’t have to guarantee consistent amounts of active ingredients in each batch.
- Safety — The FDA doesn’t test supplements for side effects before they hit the market.
Instead, under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), companies that make and sell supplements are responsible for monitoring their safety. The act also requires that supplement manufacturers follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP). These are rules for ensuring quality and safety.
The FDA inspects and checks manufacturing practices, but it only does this every few years. It also investigates reports of bad reactions to supplements.
It can recall those containing harmful or illegal ingredients in those cases. However, the FDA can only act when there’s evidence of harm.
Look for Third-Party Supplement Testing
Not all supplement brands have the same quality standards.
Reputable supplement companies take steps to ensure their products are safe and effective. They often have in-house scientists and use high-quality, research-backed ingredients. They also have quality control procedures so they can make sure each batch has the same ingredients and no contaminants.
Many companies also use voluntary third-party supplement testing services. These can provide extra supplement and vitamin quality assurance. Third-party testing programs are outside organizations that:
- Check for contaminants or impurities.
- Further study test products to certify that what’s on the label is in the bottle.
- Regularly audit manufacturers to verify that they follow CGMP.
Some respected third-party testing programs include:
- ConsumerLab.
- National Sanitation Foundation (NSF).
- UL Solutions (part of Underwriters Laboratories).
- United States Pharmacopeia (USP).
Many supplement brands, including Centrum, Nature’s Bounty, and Nature Made®, are third-party tested. Companies using these outside testing programs can put the program’s certification mark on their labels.
If you’re wondering which brands are USP or third-party tested, check a testing program’s website for a list. You can also look at specific products to see if their label includes a testing program’s verification symbol.
Tips for Choosing Safe Supplements
Always do your research before using supplements to avoid any that might waste your money or cause harm. These tips can help:
- Ask your doctor or dietitian whether you need a supplement and which formula to use. Ask about health conditions or medications you take that may interact with certain supplements.
- Avoid supplements with health claims that seem too good to be true.
- Check reputable websites like the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements or MedlinePlus. They have current research and recommendations on nutrition supplements.
- Examine the product label to make sure it lists the ingredients. It should also list how much you should take. Look for the manufacturer’s name and phone number if you need to report side effects.
- Look for a symbol on the label indicating the product has undergone third-party testing.
- Purchase from reputable sources like a pharmacy, doctor’s office, or directly from the manufacturer.
Nutrition supplements can play a role in health and wellness if you choose and use them wisely. Talk to your doctor and do your research to ensure you’re using safe and effective supplements.