8 Tips for Choosing Safe & High-Quality Supplements - GoodRx (2024)

Over-the-counter (OTC) supplements seem more popular than ever. They’re available for everything — from hair growth and sleep problems to improving sexual health — and choosing a quality product may seem like a daunting task.

Pharmacists are a great resource for helping you find a quality OTC supplement. Here are a few tips from ours to help you make an informed choice.

1. There are many different types of supplements

The supplement industry has no shortage of terms to describe their products. So, you may be wondering what supplements are. In short, a dietary supplement is any product that’s intended to supplement (or add to) the nutrients you get from the food you eat.

Vitamins are considered supplements. But supplements can also include ingredients other than vitamins. Dietary supplements aren’t meant to treat, prevent, or cure any diseases, making them different from medications. They can help you get important nutrients but can’t fully replace a nutritious diet.

Common types of supplements include:

• Vitamins, such as Vitamin D or multivitamins

• Minerals, such as iron or calcium

• Herbs or other botanicals, such as echinacea or turmeric

• Amino acids (protein building blocks), such as glutamine or lysine

• Probiotics

• Proprietary blends, which are unique blends of different dietary supplement ingredients for a specific purpose (such as a “weight-loss blend”)

2. Find out if you need a supplement before you take one

Most people don’t need to take a daily vitamin supplement, especially if you eat a balanced diet. That being said, certain factors can raise your risk of low vitamin and mineral levels. This includes:

• Vegetarian, vegan, or other restrictive diets

• Pregnancy

• Consuming large amounts of alcohol

• Inflammatory bowel disease

• Certain medications

The best way to know if you have low levels of essential nutrients is to talk to a healthcare professional. They can run blood tests to check for any deficiencies and recommend any vitamins you may need.

When it comes to other types of supplements, be sure to do your own research about their effectiveness. Don’t go by what’s written on the bottle. And remember that all supplements have side effects and drug interactions to consider. So it’s best to talk to a pharmacist or your prescriber to make sure a supplement is safe for you before you take it.

Good to know: Taking extra vitamins may not seem like a big deal, but some vitamins can harm your health if you take too much. So it’s best to only take them if your prescriber recommends it.

3. Supplements aren’t FDA approved

Supplements and prescription medications aren’t regulated the same way. Prescription medications have to go through quality, safety, and efficacy testing before being approved by the FDA.

Dietary supplements don’t go through the same process. They aren’t FDA approved. Instead, they’re regulated under a set of rules known as the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA).

Under DSHEA, makers of supplement products must follow “good manufacturing practices” (GMPs). They also can’t make health claims about supplements unless they have clinical research to back them up.

The FDA can take action if the supplement’s maker makes false claims about them. But they don’t have to approve them before they’re sold. So for supplements, the FDA’s role takes place after a supplement comes to market.

The FDA also doesn’t routinely verify that supplements contain what they claim. Some studies have found that many herbal products contain plants that aren’t even on the label. And many products contain fillers or substitutes that may lower the product’s effectiveness.

The FDA also doesn't check for contamination. OTC supplements may contain small amounts of heavy metals, pesticides, and even bacteria.

4. Look for third-party testing

To take up the gap left by the FDA and DSHEA, several independent organizations have created certification standards for supplements.

There are several certifications available, including:

• National Sanitation Foundation (NSF): The NSF offers product and ingredient certifications for supplements. A searchable list of NSF-certified supplements can be found on their website.

• United States Pharmacopeia (USP): The USP-verified mark means a product has been tested for ingredients and contaminants. USP also has a list of verified supplements.

• Natural Products Association (NPA): An NPA GMP certification is given to supplements adhering to GMPs.

Other certifications may look impressive on a label, but may be misleading:

• USDA Organic: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) doesn’t certify the safety or amount of ingredients in supplements. It only certifies whether the ingredients were from organically grown sources.

• Non-GMO: The Non-GMO Project is an organization that verifies whether a product contains any Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). GMOs are plants, animals, or microorganisms that have been altered by technology.

• Standardized: A “standardized” designation on the label means that the supplement has a consistent amount of the active ingredient in every batch. But there isn’t an organization that oversees the use of this term or ensures that it’s accurate.

These certifications can help you choose a quality supplement. But they don't guarantee it will actually work for its intended purpose. Nor do they promise that it will be safe for you to take.

5. Know what to look for on the supplement label

There are different forms of supplements and different certifications. So, what does this all mean, and how do you choose which product is best for you?

The supplement label is often your best source of information. First, look for the USP, NSF, or other third-party certification seal to see if the product has been tested.

Supplement makers also need to include the following information on their label:

• Product name

• A statement that says “dietary supplement”

• Name and location of the manufacturer

• A “Supplement Facts” panel that lists names and quantities of all active ingredients, serving size, and number of servings per container

• An ingredients statement that lists all inactive ingredients

• An address or phone number to report serious side effects

If any of this information is missing, you should avoid the product.

There may be other information on the label to consider, such as whether the product is gluten-free or vegan. Reading the label closely can help you decide which product is right for you.

If you’re having trouble reading the label yourself, the Office of Dietary Supplements offers a free Dietary Supplement Database. You can view product labels here and get information about what’s inside the supplement.

Good to know: Proprietary blends are only required to list the active ingredients included in the blend — not how much of each ingredient is included. This helps protect the manufacturer from having their formula copied. But it can also make it difficult to know exactly what you’re taking. So you should use caution when purchasing products containing proprietary blends.

6. Shop at trusted retailers and use caution when buying supplements online

There are different ways to buy supplements — but don’t let this fool you. Just because a supplement is harder to buy doesn’t mean it’s better quality.

Some different ways to purchase supplements include:

• From a healthcare professional: Practitioner brand supplements — sometimes called “medical grade supplements” — can only be sold by a healthcare professional. They may get a profit from these sales. This doesn’t mean they are better (or worse) than other supplement types.

• From a retail store: Consumer brand supplements usually sell through the regular retail market in pharmacies, grocery stores, or online. They’re often available as both brand-name and store brand products.

• Online-only: Some OTC supplements may only be available through online retailers. These are often third-party online sellers rather than the actual manufacturer. Online supplement products have a higher chance of being harmful or fraudulent. This may mean you’re getting counterfeit, expired, or stolen products.

No matter how you purchase supplements, it’s best to research the brand or manufacturer of the supplement you’re buying. This can help you look for products with the proper certification and labeling as we’ve previously reviewed.

Your best bet is to buy supplements in person so you can verify expiration dates and look for certification seals. Do your research and buy from reputable companies whenever possible. Review the labels and websites to see if they follow GMPs recommended by the FDA. Don’t forget you can always ask your pharmacist for help.

7. Be wary of big promises and meaningless claims

Some “warning signs” that a supplement isn’t one you should be taking include:

• Claims to cure a disease.

• Personal success stories. While encouraging, these can be easily made up and aren’t the same as clinical evidence

• Claims of a quick fix, such as “lose 30 lbs in 2 weeks”

• Claims using the words “100% pure” or “all-natural”

• Claims to be a miracle, new discovery, or scientific breakthrough

• “FDA approved”, “pharmaceutical grade”, or “tested by an "FDA Approved Laboratory"

Be wary of “too good to be true” claims or pricing. This may be a marketing tactic to move products that are nearing expiration or don’t meet quality standards.

If you’re concerned about fraudulent products, you can search the FDA’s Health Fraud Database to see if the product is already listed there. If you’d like to report a possibly fraudulent product, visit the Department of Health and Human Services safety reporting portal.

8. Talk to your prescriber or pharmacist before starting a new supplement

Remember that “natural” doesn't mean better, safer, or healthier. Just like prescription medications, OTC supplements can have side effects and drug interactions. And you may have health conditions that make certain ones unsafe to take.

It’s a good idea to keep a medication list that includes all prescription and OTC medications you’re taking. Your healthcare team can review it before you start any new OTC supplements.