Have you ever looked at the Supplement Facts on the back of your herbs, multivitamins, or probiotics and wondered what it all means? You’re not alone. The Supplement Facts section is an essential part of any dietary supplement label and provides insight into what you are putting into your body, helping you stay informed about the products you’re using.
Let’s go through the Supplement Facts section together so you can fully understand what’s in your supplement.
1. Recommendation
Here’s where you’ll find important directions for how to take the product. This is where usage and dosage instructions will be, including who the product is for (adults, children) and how many servings to take daily. You may be advised to take your supplement with food, a full glass of water, or at a certain time of day, but this varies by supplement. The Recommendation tells you how many (gummies, capsules, etc.) to take as well as how often to take them (daily, once daily, twice daily, etc.).
2. Serving Size
The serving size refers to the amount someone is recommended to take at a time, such as 2 gummies. If the Recommendation shows a range (e.g. 2-3 capsules), the serving size will show the highest amount (3 capsules) in the Supplement Facts box. The nutritional information below the serving size is what is contained in that serving size.
The recommended serving size can vary depending on age. For example, the serving size for consumers aged 4-17 could be one gummy, while the serving size for adults could be two gummies.
3. Servings per Container
The other piece of information is servings per container, which refers to how many servings are in one container of your product. This can help you determine how long the product will last depending on the recommended servings per day as well as the price per serving. This information is not present on the supplement facts panel if the serving size is just one unit.
4. Amount per Serving
The amount per serving area of the Supplement Facts section is where the supplement’s nutritional information and functional ingredients are listed, and their amounts per serving. The top portion tells you the nutritional content, like the amount of carbohydrates or essential vitamins and minerals. The lower portion lists the functional ingredients, like botanicals or probiotics found in the product. Not all supplements will have both sections. The amount per serving of each nutrient or ingredient is listed to its right and usually listed in grams (g), milligrams (mg), or micrograms (mcg).
5. Daily Value
To the right of the amount per serving, the percent Daily Value (%DV) is listed. The Daily Dalue (DV) is the reference amount of a nutrient to consume each day. The %DV is how much a single serving of a dietary supplement contributes of this nutrient towards to your daily diet. For example, if the %DV is 30%, that means by consuming one serving of the product you have met 30% of the daily recommendation for that nutrient. The remaining 70% should come from other foods or supplements. Note that DVs are a reference value based on a 2,000 calorie diet and used for labeling purposes. These values are not personalized recommendations that account for gender, age, level of physical activity, etc.
Sometimes, the %DV will be over 100%, which is why it is important to follow usage instructions stated in the label Recommendations. In some cases, the DV of a dietary ingredient, such as Black Elderberry Extract, is not established, in which case you’ll see a symbol like “**” in place of a percentage, with a correlated footnote at the bottom of the panel.
6. Other Ingredients
The “other ingredients” section of the Supplement Facts section is located below the panel section. This is where excipient ingredients present in the supplement are listed. Excipient ingredients are ingredients like flavorings, preservatives, colorants, or binders, to name a few. Essentially, they’re the ingredients that can help with things like the stability, manufacturing, taste, appearance, and absorption of the supplement. This section varies between supplement forms (gummies, powders, liquids, syrups, oils, capsules, and tablets).
Other important information to look for:
Cautions and Warnings
As the name suggests, this is where any relevant warnings or cautionary notes can be found that highlight how to safely use the product. A usual warning on adult supplements is “not formulated for children,” while other common warnings are in regard to pregnancy or nursing. Another common statement seen in this section is to consult a healthcare professional before use if you’re taking any medications. Sometimes, individuals with specific health concerns are advised against using the supplements.
Free From/Does Not Contain
This section is where dietary supplement companies can provide dietary suitability information. Some common ingredients that can be listed under the “contains” or “does not contain” section are gluten, corn, dairy, wheat, soy, and others. This section is also where companies can highlight that their product does not contain artificial colors or flavors. This section is optional for companies.
Stay informed about your supplements
It’s important to read the Supplement Facts section and understand what’s in your supplements. For in-depth information on the Supplement Facts section, visit the FDA website here. Explore Nature’s Way popular supplements today and feel good knowing what’s in yours.
