The best tips from supplement experts for buying safe products that are right for you

• Dietary supplements are not FDA-approved like medications.
• The leading nutritional supplement expert in the US recommended purchasing certified third-party products.
• Health experts can help you decide which supplements are right for you, said Stefan Pasiakos.

From colostrum and creatine to lion’s mane, it seems like every few months there’s a new supplement and a debate about whether it works. But another equally important question – the quality and content of the product you choose – is often given less attention. The leading nutritional supplement expert in the US told Business Insider.

Dietary supplements are not subject to FDA regulations like pharmaceuticals, and it is the responsibility of manufacturers to ensure that their products are safe and accurately labeled. The FDA may remove a dietary supplement from the market if it determines that it is adulterated or misbranded.

Therefore, dietary supplements are not uniform, said Stefan Pasiakos, the director of the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health. For example, one multivitamin might contain some essential vitamins and minerals, while another might contain: a huge amount of micronutrients mixed with various unneeded nutrients, he said.

Studies show this can lead to quality control issues, including contamination and inaccurate labeling. For example, a 2023 research letter published in JAMA Network Open that looked at performance-enhancing herbal ingredients found that 89% of 57 supplements tested did not accurately list their ingredients, while 12% contained at least one FDA-banned ingredient.

Meanwhile, an editorial published in Annals of Pharmacotherapy in 2020 highlighted “major quality issues” in dietary supplements, including contamination with microbes or heavy metals, unapproved ingredients, lower than stated dosages, and products that do not contain an ingredient listed on the label.

Pasiakos therefore encourages people to do their “homework” before taking a supplement: “I would just say that people make sure they educate themselves about these products, understand what’s in them and know that “The industry is not keen on buying them.” But there are certainly aspects of certain supplements that can be considered unsafe.”

He shared three tips for sourcing quality supplements and assessing whether they are right for you.

Look for supplements with third-party verification

If you’re concerned about what’s in a supplement, buy a product that’s been verified by a third-party organization, Pasiakos said.

There are several trusted organizations that thoroughly test supplements to ensure they contain what they say on the label and do not contain contaminants, he said. They also help companies ensure they are compliant with government guidelines. However, such organizations do not test how effective supplements are or endorse the company’s health claims.

Pasiakos highlighted the NSF certification and the US Pharmacopeia Verification Program.

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If a product has been reviewed by a third party, this will usually be stated on the packaging or on the company’s website.

Ask your doctor for individual recommendations

Pasiakos recommends speaking to a doctor or healthcare provider before trying a new supplement.

They may be able to refer you to a nutritionist or pharmacist who is knowledgeable about supplements and can advise you based on your specific needs, he said. For example, if you already take supplements or prescription medications, they know about possible interactions.

A nutritionist will also assess your diet as a whole and give you nutritional recommendations, which is important because supplements should complement, not replace, a healthy diet, he said.

Do your research based on reputable sources

If you can’t get advice from a doctor, it’s important to get information from a reputable source, Pasiakos said.

“Information is everywhere. “You just enter a specific supplement online and everyone gets an opinion on whether a supplement works or not,” said Pasiakos.

The ODS has a wealth of information on its website, including supplement fact sheets, which are current, evidence-based reviews of the information available, he said. Most existing supplement ingredients have a fact sheet that explains what it is, how it works, and what evidence exists for or against the claimed health benefits.

Pasiakos also pointed to the National Center for Complementary Integrative Health, part of the NIH, and the FDA website as good sources of information about dietary supplements.