Over the last several years, the dietary supplement industry has transformed from a niche market into a multi-billion-dollar powerhouse in the U.S. alone. With media outlets constantly promoting the latest ‘must have’ supplements, it’s as important as ever to keep an open mind and stay informed.
Whether you currently take supplements or are considering taking them, this blog outlines key principles to help guide your decisions.
Quality Concerns:
Quality seals on dietary supplements are voluntary certifications from independent, third-party organizations. These are independent companies that the manufacturers volunteer to pay in order to acquire the quality seal which attests that the product has been tested for the quality, purity, and potency of its raw ingredients or finished products. Only a tiny fraction of supplements on the market have these seals.
These seals, such as USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia), NSF International*, and ConsumerLab, signify three core things:
- Identity: The product contains exactly what is listed on the label in the stated amounts.
- Purity: It was produced in a compliant facility and is free from harmful levels of contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, or microbes.
- Performance: It will dissolve or break down properly in the body so the ingredients can be absorbed.
What These Seals Do Not Mean
- They do not guarantee that a product is effective or that it “works” for a specific health condition.
- They do not imply federal approval.
- They do not state that the product is superior to others in terms of effectiveness.
Quality seals simply confirm that what is in the bottle matches the label. They are a verification that the list of the ingredients and the “cleanliness” of the manufacturing match the marketing claims.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve dietary supplements for safety or effectiveness before they hit the market, so the burden of proof for quality falls on these organizations.
Guide to Supplement Quality Seals
| Organization | Key Focus | Best For | Verification Method |
| USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia) | Identity & Purity | General health and daily vitamins | Annual facility audits and random off-the-shelf product testing. |
| NSF International | GMP** Compliance | General quality assurance | Unannounced facility inspections and testing for contaminants like heavy metals. |
| ConsumerLab.com | Comparative Quality | Value-conscious shoppers | Independent “blind” testing of products bought directly from retail stores. |
**GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practices.
What Does the GMP Seal Signify?
In the U.S., the FDA requires ALL supplement manufacturers to follow GMP regulations. It is a process-focused standard that ensures:
- Sanitation: The facility is clean and free of pests.
- Documentation: Every batch has a “paper trail” from raw material to finished bottle.
- Consistency: Workers are trained so that “Batch A” is made the same way as “Batch B”.
The catch? A generic GMP seal often means the company is simply self-claiming they follow the law. It is the minimum legal baseline for manufacturing practice.
The FDA does not “certify” facilities or issue GMP seals.
Gummies Versus Pills
Testing by independent companies such as ConsumerLab.com has found that some gummy supplements, particularly gummy multivitamins, contain less than, or much more than, their listed amounts of ingredients. This occurrence is more prevalent with supplements such as gummies compared to traditional forms, such as tablets, caplets, and capsules. Manufacturing challenges associated with candy-like products such as gummies help explain the higher incidence of problems. Why?
It is hard to measure the correct amounts of vitamins and minerals that go into a gummy supplement – some are simply sprayed on a candy base. Furthermore, ingredients in a gummy tend to degrade faster, leading manufacturers to put in more than the listed amount. This results in products with too much of a vitamin when first produced, and a range of declining amounts by the time they’re consumed.
“Balance of Nature” Fruits and Veggies Pills and Gummies
In October 2025, Balance of Nature agreed to pay $9.9 million dollars to settle a nationwide class action lawsuit charging the company made false and misleading claims about its products.
Consumers who purchased Balance of Nature Fruits capsules or Balance of Nature Veggies capsules between 3-28-19 and 10-27-25, may submit a claim by March 11, 2026.
One Last Thought
Aim for whole foods first. Supplements are intended to supplement a balanced diet, not replace it.
*While the organization was originally founded in 1944 as the National Sanitation Foundation, it officially dropped the full name in 1990 to become NSF International. This change reflected its move into global markets and its expanded scope beyond simple sanitation to include water, food, and dietary supplement safety.
