How to Read a Supplement Label
Click any line of an example Supplement Facts panel to see what it means, what to check, and where our data shows how common it is. An illustrated guide to reading a supplement label.
The panel below is an invented example, not a real product, built to show the lines you will see most often. Select any row, or use the tab key and press Enter, to see what it means and what to check. Rules cited here are FDA's labeling rules for dietary supplements (21 CFR 101.36 and 101.93); the numbers come from our analysis of every US label in the NIH DSLD.
| Serving Size 2 Capsules | ||
| Servings Per Container 30 | ||
| Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value | |
| Vitamin D (as D3, cholecalciferol) | 25 mcg (1,000 IU) | 125% |
| Magnesium (as magnesium glycinate) | 200 mg | 48% |
| Folate (as L-methylfolate) | 680 mcg DFE (400 mcg folic acid) | 170% |
| Ashwagandha root extract | 300 mg | † |
| Focus Complex | 450 mg | † |
| L-theanine, bacopa extract, rhodiola extract |
†Daily Value not established.
Other ingredients: hypromellose capsule, rice flour, magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide.
Contains: soy.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
USP Verified · cGMP facility (illustrative seal text)
Select a line
Pick any row of the panel to read what it means.
Before you buy: five checks
- Work out what one capsule holds: divide the amount by the units in a serving.
- Read the form in parentheses, not just the nutrient name.
- Look for a proprietary blend, and ask whether you could tell what you are getting without it.
- Scan the other ingredients for anything you avoid.
- Compare the amount with the studied range and the upper limit on the compound's page.
This page explains how labels are written; it is not medical advice or a recommendation of any product. If you take medicines or have a health condition, ask a pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement.