How to Choose Vitamins and Supplements: 8 Tips for Buying Safely

Why Supplement Quality Matters How to Choose a Trusted Supplement Brand Look for Trusted Brands Look for a Reputable Third-Party Seal on the Label Look for Membership in an Industry Trade Association Visit the Company’s Website Smart Shopping Tips for Supplements Shop at Reputable Stores or Websites Inspect Product Labels Carefully Watch Out for Misleading Ingredient Claims Consider Brand Longevity Managing Expectations with Supplements Final Checklist for Buying Vitamins and Supplements

Taking vitamins and supplements makes prioritizing your long-term health easier, but sifting through all the products out there can be overwhelming. While having options is great, picking out safe and high-quality nutritional supplements from a crowded store shelf or online shopping page is another story.

This guide walks you through all the considerations you might have when choosing the right supplement for you. With tips on identifying trustworthy brands, reading labels, and avoiding low-quality products, our guide makes your supplement decisions easier. If you’re looking for even more support, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a leading industry association, has some helpful tips on making educated, smart choices so that you can feel confident in your supplement regimen.

Why Supplement Quality Matters

Before you pick any supplement off the shelf, you should understand the basics of the supplement market. Supplements are regulated differently from medications, so it’s important to do your research.

Some companies, like Kaneka, pride themselves on their high standards and rigorous testing protocols to develop trustworthy products. Our Kaneka Ubiquinol^® supplement is backed by decades of scientific research and human clinical studies, demonstrating our product’s credibility and validity so buyers can have peace of mind in their purchase.

On the other hand, poor quality supplements might have misleading labels or less effective ingredients. Researching your supplements — and the companies behind them — is an active way you can prioritize your health as an informed shopper.

How to Choose a Trusted Supplement Brand

Because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements differently than drugs, it can be difficult for consumers to identify the top brands. Just doing some quick research can help you find supplement brands you can trust and ease your shopping process. The first steps are knowing what to look for and, just as importantly, what to avoid.

Look for Trusted Brands

There are a few big-name supplement brands out there that you might recognize, and dozens more you might not. If you choose a product from a brand you haven’t heard of, be sure you do your research on the brand’s validity and processes. Reputable supplement brands that are well-known and have industry endorsements have likely undergone extensive testing, are sourced from high-quality ingredients, and have been produced according to manufacturing standards established by the FDA to ensure supplement quality and safety.

Look for a Reputable Third-Party Seal on the Label

One of the simplest ways to verify a product’s validity is by looking for third-party quality seals or certifications. Several certification programs independently review manufacturing processes used by supplement manufacturers and ensure that they meet specific standards. A certifying organization may also test a company’s products to verify that they contain the listed ingredients in the amounts indicated on the label.

When you’re browsing supplement options and looking for certified brands, you can also check out the organization’s website for program details or reach out to the brand holder for information about the certification program. Examples of third-party certifiers include:

NSF International
US Pharmacopeia
Underwriters Laboratory
Consumer Lab

Depending on the supplement you’re looking for, there may be other seals or certifications that ensure you can trust a product. Buying a supplement with the Kaneka Quality Seal on the bottle means the supplement has been made with high-quality, Kaneka Ubiquinol^® (the active antioxidant form of CoQ10 that’s bioidentical to the ubiquinol your body naturally produces).

Over 200 brands of Ubiquinol use the Kaneka Quality Seal on their labels, so you can easily verify the source of ubiquinol in your supplement. In addition to verifying that brands using Kaneka Ubiquinol^® meet strict standards for making quality supplements, Kaneka has initiated an ongoing testing program to identify brands that fraudulently misrepresent their products as containing ubiquinol and do not adhere to required supplement quality standards.

Look for Membership in an Industry Trade Association

As the supplement industry continues to grow rapidly, finding brands with industry involvement in trade associations is one clear way to identify credibility. A trade association is a collection of organizations or groups that lead industry excellence by setting standards, protecting the public, and fostering collaboration. While trade associations cooperate differently depending on the industry, brand membership in supplement trade associations (such as the CRN) demonstrates a company’s long-term commitment to product quality, ethics, and fair trade in the marketplace.

Visit the Company’s Website

If you’re looking for an easy checklist of indicators to look for during your supplement search, don’t overlook these four product quality elements on a brand website:

Manufacturing practices
Testing methods
Credible certifications
Ingredient transparency

While these are guiding indicators of quality, be wary of effective marketing; a slick website doesn’t guarantee product safety or quality, just like a high price tag and attractive packaging don’t ensure that the supplement meets any quality standards. On the other hand, a lack of a website or a poorly designed website with very little information might indicate the company is not reputable and hasn’t appropriately researched or tested its products. Investigating a brand’s website, including information regarding its manufacturing processes, is a key way to check the company’s reliability.

Smart Shopping Tips for Supplements

Where and how you shop informs your supplement choices, too. Whether you’re shopping online or navigating the supplement aisle in-store, follow these simple tips to help ensure you’re buying a high-quality supplement

Shop at Reputable Stores or Websites

Shopping online might be convenient, but it can be a trap if you aren’t wary of red flags. If you’re shopping in person or online for supplements, consider these elements:

If buying online, don’t shop from unknown websites or buy products from brands you haven’t researched.
Consider purchasing from sites and stores with a U.S.-based address or phone number, as this indicates their products likely adhere to U.S. supplement regulations and that you can reach a company representative with questions or concerns.

Purchasing a supplement from an untrusted seller whose address or phone number cannot be verified means you might be buying a low-quality, falsely advertised product.

Inspect Product Labels Carefully

If you’re feeling overwhelmed when looking for the right supplement, there are simple ways to gain confidence in certain brands. When choosing a supplement, read product labels and ensure the label includes a “Supplemental Facts” panel that identifies the product’s vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other dietary ingredients.

That’s not all, though. Supplement labels should also list any added excipients, including colors, preservatives, and processing aids (such as anti-caking or binding agents). If a product label does not include this information, the company may not be reputable.

Watch Out for Misleading Ingredient Claims

An informative product label is a good sign, but general label terminology and ingredient claims can also be misleading while you do your supplement research. If you come across a product that uses terms like “natural” or “100% natural,” be wary that this might be misleading information. Research supplements using various trustworthy sources, and read ingredient lists and labels with a keen eye for attractive claims that sound almost too good to be true.

Consider Brand Longevity

Longevity of a brand doesn’t guarantee quality, but it can offer confidence that the company has been around long enough to stand behind the products it sells — and develop a strong customer base. It’s important to visit the brand website, educate yourself on the brand’s history, and read independent reviews.

Managing Expectations with Supplements

The purpose of dietary supplements is just what it sounds like: they are meant to supplement a healthy lifestyle and promote well-being. They don’t serve as magic solutions to health conditions, so any brand that claims its supplement cures, or even impacts, a disease condition should trigger your “spidey senses.”

If you’re considering taking a supplement, be sure to ask your doctor if the product is right for you. If you experience an unpleasant effect or surprising symptoms after you start taking a supplement, stop taking the product and promptly seek medical attention.

Final Checklist for Buying Vitamins and Supplements

When picking a supplement to add to your regimen, we know there’s a lot to consider. To make sure you buy from a high-quality, trustworthy brand, look for the following elements when you’re shopping, either online or in person:

Third-party certification and/or quality seals
Membership in trade associations
Transparent and informative brand website
Presence of a “Supplement Facts” panel with a full ingredients list
Sold by a reputable seller, even if through a well-known retailer

While following these steps may take some extra time, it’s essential for your health to purchase high-quality, properly labeled dietary supplements. Your body will thank you today and tomorrow when you take trusted supplements.

Want more tips for choosing the right supplement? Download our free Healthy Diet & Supplement Guide!