Independent Lab-Tested Supplement Verification Resources
Disclosure: This page contains no affiliate or sponsored links, and none of the organizations below pay for or endorse their listing. It is for general information only and is not medical advice: talk to a qualified health professional before starting any supplement.
Why third-party testing matters
In the United States, dietary supplements are not approved by the FDA before sale. Independent certification programs buy or receive product samples and check that the label matches what is in the bottle, that the product is free of harmful levels of contaminants such as heavy metals and microbes, and in some programs that it is free of substances banned in sport. Look for the program's seal on the label and confirm the exact product in the program's own public directory.
Testing and certification organizations
USP Verified
The United States Pharmacopeia audits manufacturing facilities and tests products for ingredient identity, strength, purity and proper dissolution. Verified products may carry the USP Verified Mark.
NSF Certified for Sport
NSF tests for label accuracy and contaminants and screens for more than 280 substances prohibited by major athletic organizations. Widely used by professional and collegiate sports teams.
Informed-Choice and Informed-Sport
Run by LGC, these programs test products for prohibited substances, with Informed-Sport also testing every batch before release. Batch certificates can be searched on the program's site.
ConsumerLab
An independent testing company that buys products off the shelf and publishes comparative reviews of quality, label accuracy and contamination. Full results require a subscription.
Labdoor
Tests supplements purchased from retail and publishes rankings based on label accuracy, purity, nutritional value and ingredient safety.
How to use these resources
- Search the certifier's own directory for the exact product name and size; a seal on a different product line does not carry over.
- Check the date of the latest test or certificate; formulas change over time.
- Compare the label's "Other Ingredients" list with the extension's flags to decide which additives matter to you.