Different regulations on labels can make shopping for supplements and vitamins confusing. Here we’ll share our tips for what to look for on vitamin labels.
Walking down the vitamin aisle at the drug store can easily induce a headache. With so many different vitamins and supplements to choose from and a million labels littered across their packaging, finding the proper products to boost your health can be stressful. There is a method to the madness, though. We’ll share our top strategies to simplify complicated supplement shopping and discuss what to look for on vitamin labels.
Percent Daily Value
Percent daily value describes the approximate amount of a nutrient or vitamin present in a supplement for one daily dose. This percentage is based on a standard diet of 2,000 calories per day. For example, if a product contains a daily value of 75 percent vitamin D, that means one vitamin will give the average consumer 75 percent of their recommended vitamin D intake for one day.
It is crucial to track the percent daily value of a vitamin or supplement to avoid taking too much of certain nutrients and minerals. If your diet does not meet the standard 2,000 calories per day, you’ll need to adjust your vitamin intake accordingly.
Ingredients
When reading your vitamin label, check for listed fillers, sweeteners, additives, and preservatives. Manufacturers add fillers and additives to increase product shelf life, improve texture, bind ingredients together, and add taste.
However, many vitamins and supplements use excessive amounts of fillers and additives to cut manufacturing costs and add substances to products. Before buying a vitamin or supplement, check the entire list of ingredients to see which products minimize their overall additives and contain more key beneficial nutrients.
Common Additives
- Cellulose
- Gelatin
- Soybean oil
- Potassium sorbate
- Citric acid
- Magnesium stearate
Certificate of Analysis
Another important element to look for on vitamin labels is a certificate of analysis. Supplements and nutraceutical products must provide labels that guarantee certificated safety standards. To meet regulated safety standards, supplement brands must meet the FDA requirements of approved manufacturing processes, packaging, labeling, and storage. Third-party laboratories must test and verify the purity and potency of all vitamin and supplement products. When shopping for a new vitamin or supplement, search for the certificate of analysis label from a certified lab to ensure products are safe for consumption.
Health Claims
You may have come across some supplements or vitamins that claim to cure common conditions such as diabetes or cancer. These labels are not legally authorized to claim cures for these diseases and have no FDA-approved evidence of efficacy. Labels are legally able to announce the reduction of risks for certain conditions; however, these claims are still not FDA supported or approved.
Allergens
Always check vitamins and supplements for allergen labels to ensure they don’t contain any unsafe ingredients for consumption. Some vitamins or supplements may have a specific sticker that claims it as “allergen-free,” but the FDA does not regulate these labels to confirm they are accurate. It is also best for customers with gluten intolerance to check supplements and vitamins for any traces of gluten before consumption. Always cross-check supplement labels with ingredients as an extra safety precaution.
Understanding how to read vitamin and supplement labels will better prepare you to ignore the noise of excessive additives and unsupported claims. Focus your attention on the supplements’ important information to clarify the contents and potency of the nutrients inside each product. Once you are fluent in reading these labels, you’ll be able to walk down the vitamin aisle with ease.
