A number of my nutrition clients ask about supplement safety. This is an understandable area of concern because when adding any dietary supplement to your routine, you want to be assured that it’s safe to take and also aware of any potential side effects.
Unlike pharmaceuticals, which have stringent testing and analysis regulations before products are released to the public, dietary supplements are not approved by government agencies before they’re sold. This doesn’t mean they’re a safety risk—it just means that consumers should look for proof (on a label or on the brand’s website) that the supplement has been third-party tested.
Discover more about third-party tested supplements like Live it Up Super Greens, including how testing works, why it matters, and what to look for in dietary supplement brands. In this article:
- What Is Third‑Party Testing?
- Why Third‑Party Testing Matters
- Live it Up Is Proudly Third-Party Tested
What Is Third‑Party Testing and How Does It Work?
Third-party testing is an important step before selling dietary supplements to consumers. Independent labs, ideally those that are International Organization for Standardization (ISO) accredited and that have no ties to manufacturers, perform standardized testing of a formula’s raw ingredients and final product to assess identity, purity, potency, and contaminants.
Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires “those who manufacture, package, or hold dietary supplements to follow current good manufacturing practices that help ensure the identity, purity, quality, strength, and composition of dietary supplements,” the agency doesn’t oversee supplement products before they’re marketed (unlike pharmaceuticals). It may only intervene once a supplement is sold. This means that it’s up to brands and manufacturers to facilitate independent testing to ensure that their products are safe and align with the Code of Federal Regulations regarding supplement testing.
The third-party testing process may vary by certification program, but it typically involves the following components:
- Raw materials testing: Labs test raw ingredients to ensure that they meet the FDA’s standards for identity, purity, quality, strength, and composition. If raw materials have already been tested, in the case of sourcing from another supplier, the brand should confirm that the supplier has a Certificate of Analysis.
- Advanced lab analysis: This step verifies that all dietary ingredients are tested and analyzed to ensure that they meet FDA standards and are free of allergens, heavy metals, and contaminants. It likely includes analyses such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to determine vitamin stability as well as mass spectrometry, which helps to confirm the efficacy and safety of botanical supplements (those that contain plants, plant parts, or herbs).
- Sampling across batches: Once batches are formulated, independent labs test them to verify that final-product specifications have been met and that ingredients and their amounts align with what’s listed on the Supplement Facts label.
- Issuance of Certificate of Analysis (COA): Each batch of dietary supplements then receives a COA proving that the batch meets predetermined specifications (under 21 CFR 111.70) for identity, purity, quality, strength, and composition. There may be several elements to a COA, including the product identifier, batch number, manufacturer information, specifications, and analysis methods and results.
Why Third‑Party Testing Matters
The importance of third-party testing lies in helping to increase consumer assurance and brand trust in a loosely regulated industry. Benefits of third-party testing include a reduced safety risk, increased trust and credibility, and brand differentiation.
Safety Assurance
Assuming that a supplement is safe isn’t enough, consumers need to be assured that the ingredients, manufacturing process, and final product have been tested. Knowing that a product has been tested by third-party organizations makes all the difference for someone shopping for a dietary supplement.
Additionally, third-party testing also helps to verify that the Supplement Facts are accurate—basically, that only what’s listed is included in the formula. Major retailers are starting to take on the responsibility of only carrying safe products.
For instance, in 2019, CVS announced that it would only sell supplements that are third-party tested. This meant that manufacturers whose products hadn’t been validated by CVS-approved certification groups had to conduct those tests to remain on shelves. This resulted in 7% of those supplements failing their tests, so they were either removed from CVS shelves or responsible for updating their formulas or labels.
Trust and Credibility
Third-party testing is necessary for the trust and credibility of the dietary supplement and the brand. If a manufacturer only conducts internal testing, the analysis and results could be construed as biased. Independent labs, on the other hand, typically carry specific certifications (for example, NSF Certified for Sport®) or specialize in certain areas of analysis (like kosher, Non-GMO Project, etc.), offering added layers of expertise and credibility to support what the supplement manufacturer claims.
Differentiation From Other Brands
Although the FDA requires pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and foods and beverages to be manufactured, labeled, and packaged in facilities that follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and undergo any associated lab testing, it doesn’t mean that dietary supplement brands have to follow these guidelines to sell their product. Supplement regulation typically only begins once the product is on the market, and the government agency may only intervene and investigate due to consumer complaints.
This is why it’s crucial to incorporate dietary supplements that are transparent with safety, including being made in GMP-certified facilities and undergoing regular third-party testing to confirm the safety and effectiveness of each batch. These quality-control steps put third-party tested supplements brands on a higher pedestal than those that don’t conduct testing or aren’t straightforward with their safety practices.
What types of third-party testing are there? Some of the most popular third-party testing organizations for supplements are:
- NSF Certified
- Informed Choice
- U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP)
- USDA Certified Organic
Live it Up Is Proudly Third-Party Tested
When you’re looking to purchase a dietary supplement that can increase the number of superfoods in your diet, help you get the right amount of certain vitamins and minerals, and offer safety transparency that other brands may not provide, Live it Up is one of the best choices.
We offer our valued customers peace of mind that our powders are safe by:
- Manufacturing products in the USA in GMP-certified facilities, aligning with government regulations
- Conducting comprehensive testing on our raw ingredients for identity, heavy metals, irradiation, and microbials
- Testing every lot for heavy metals and microbes prior to shipping
- Receiving regular third-party verification on finished products
- Testing for vitamin and mineral potency and purity to verify that what’s listed on the label is correct
- Making sure that our product claims are backed by science
- Ensuring that formulas are free from allergens, synthetic or GMO ingredients, preservatives, sugars, fillers, artificial sweeteners, or colors
- Using high-quality ingredients that can lead to your body absorbing nutrients more effectively
Whether you’re interested in enhancing your physical and mental performance with Feel the Beet, supporting relaxation with Golden Hour, or getting comprehensive daily nutrition with Super Greens, you can rest assured that Live it Up superfood powders are third-party tested supplements, formulated and manufactured to the highest quality standards.
Third-Party Testing FAQs
Get more of your questions answered about third-party testing for dietary supplements.
What does “third-party tested” mean for supplements?
If a dietary supplement says “third-party tested,” that means that an unbiased, independent party has evaluated the product for quality, purity, potency, identity, and contaminants. The key words here are “third party,” as this tells consumers that the evaluation is independent of the manufacturer or brand. Testing should be done in an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) accredited lab.
How does third-party testing differ from FDA regulation?
Third-party testing differs from FDA regulation because supplements are not regulated before they are marketed, so manufacturers contract outside accredited labs and organizations for the testing of their dietary supplement products. The agency does not conduct an evaluation of supplements before they’re sold to individuals, but it does play a role in manufacturing facility inspections, investigating complaints, reviewing adverse health events, and more. Third-party tested supplement brands must adhere to Current Good Manufacturing Practices to make sure that their products are safe.
How to check if supplements are third-party tested?
One way that you can check if supplements are third-party tested is by looking for certification programs’ seals or verification marks on the product’s packaging or on the website’s product page. You can look for NSF International, ConsumerLab.com, Informed Sport/NSF Certified for Sport®, or USP verified marks. Another way is to navigate to the product, About, or FAQ page of the supplement’s website, which should state whether products have undergone third-party testing. Live it Up’s superfood powders are all third-party tested, which is clearly stated on our website.
Are third-party tested supplements safe?
To make sure that the third-party tested supplements you want to take are safe and free from heavy metals and certain allergens, check the product label for certifications or seals or the brand’s website for more detailed information. For example, a third-party tested supplement’s website should verify that the product is free from heavy metals, allergens, contaminants, and vitamin and mineral potency, purity, and quality. (Hint: Live it Up superfood powders are evaluated for all of the above!)
What is the cleanest supplement brand?
There are many clean supplement brands to choose from, but it’s important to bear in mind that the best option is the one that aligns with your individual health goals and any medical concerns. That said, Live it Up is not only a clean supplement brand but also one that strives to provide comprehensive nutrition in every serving. Our superfood powders include organic ingredients, vitamins and minerals from natural whole-food sources, and no sugars or additives—plus, they’re third-party tested and manufactured in GMP-certified facilities.
References
- https://www.iso.org/about
- https://www.fda.gov/food/information-consumers-using-dietary-supplements/questions-and-answers-dietary-supplements
- https://www.fda.gov/drugs/pharmaceutical-quality-resources/facts-about-current-good-manufacturing-practice-cgmp
- https://ctlatesting.com/blogs/articles/testing-requirements-for-dietary-supplements
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-111/subpart-E
- https://certified-laboratories.com/blog/fda-dietary-supplement-testing-requirements/
- https://certified-laboratories.com/supplements
- https://www.consumerlab.com/quality-certification-program/
- https://fullscript.com/blog/third-party-certifications
- https://blog.ciklab.com/en/what-is-a-certificate-of-analysis-coa
- https://www.chromatographytoday.com/news/hplc-uhplc/31/scion-instruments-uk-ltd/the-analysis-of-water-and-fat-soluble-vitamins-by-hplc-dad/52162
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7135424
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/BotanicalBackground-Consumer/
- https://www.usp.org/about
- https://www.nsf.org/
- https://sport.wetestyoutrust.com/
- https://www.nsfsport.com/
- https://vitaquest.com/how-to-ensure-your-supplement-manufacturer-is-compliant-with-industry-regulations/
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-111/subpart-E/section-111.70
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-111
- https://time.com/5588807/cvs-vitamins-supplements/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6324457/
- https://rasilabs.com/blogs/news/spotlight-on-potency-how-high-quality-ingredients-enhance-absorption-and-results
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