Standards

How I read a supplement label

The front of the bottle is marketing. The back is the truth. A physician's 60-second label check.

By Dr. Elizabeth Isalguez, MD
· 1 min read
Reading glasses and a pen resting on a blank sheet of paper on a pale desk

Most supplement disappointment is decided at the shelf, not in the capsule. The front of a bottle is marketing; the supplement facts panel is the truth. Here is the sixty-second check I teach patients.

Dose, form, evidence

First: does the dose match what studies actually used? Second: is it the absorbable form — magnesium glycinate rather than oxide, methylated B vitamins rather than the cheap forms? Third: would I recognize the ingredient list from the research?

Proof beats promises

A third-party certificate of analysis tells you a batch was tested for purity and potency by someone with no stake in the sale. Every formula in this store publishes one. If a brand cannot show you that, keep walking.

If the dose is not clinical, the price does not matter.

Common questions

Short answers to what patients ask most often.

How do you read a supplement label?
Ignore the front. On the supplement facts panel, check three things: does the dose match what studies actually used, is it the absorbable form, and would you recognise the ingredient list from the research.
Which nutrient forms are better absorbed?
Magnesium glycinate rather than oxide, and methylated B vitamins rather than the cheapest available forms.
What is a certificate of analysis?
A third-party document showing that a specific batch was tested for purity and potency by a lab with no stake in the sale. Every formula in this store publishes one.

Formulas that fit this

Physician-selected, GMP-made in the USA, clinically meaningful doses.

L-Citrulline & L-Arginine Stack
L-Citrulline & L-Arginine Stack
Take your training and performance to the next level with a targeted...
$44.95
NMN
NMN
NMN Capsules provide 500 mg of ß-Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (purity 99.9%), a compound...
$55.00
Nitric Oxide
Nitric Oxide
Nitric Oxide is designed to support healthy circulation and muscle growth, making...
$47.20

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This article is educational and is not medical advice. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Consult your physician before starting any supplement.
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