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You should be aware that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not analyze the content of dietary supplements. At this time, supplement manufacturers must meet the requirements of the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) for foods. GMPs describe conditions under which products must be prepared, packed, and stored. Food GMPs do not always cover all issues of supplement quality. Some manufacturers voluntarily follow the FDA's GMPs for drugs, which are stricter.

Some manufacturers use the term "standardized" to describe efforts to make their products consistent. However, U.S. law does not define standardization. Therefore, the use of this term (or similar terms such as "verified" or "certified") does not guarantee product quality or consistency.

If you have questions about a specific brand of dietary supplements, you can contact the manufacturer for more information. Ask to speak to someone who can address your questions, some of which may include:

1. What information does the firm have to substantiate the claims made for the product? Be aware that sometimes firms supply so-called "proof" of their claims by citing undocumented reports from satisfied consumers, or graphs and charts that could be mistaken for well conducted scientific research.
2. Does the firm have information to share about tests it has conducted on the safety or efficacy of the ingredients in the product?
3. Does the firm follow good manufacturing practices and have a quality control system in place to determine if the product actually contains what is stated on the label and is free of contaminants?
4. Has the firm received any adverse events reports from consumers using their products?

In addition, there are a few independent organizations that offer “seals of approval” that may be displayed on certain dietary supplement products. These indicate that the product has passed the organization’s quality tests for things such as potency and contaminants. These “seals of approval” do not mean that the product is safe or effective; they provide assurance that the product was properly manufactured, that it contains the ingredients listed on the label and that it does not contain harmful levels of contaminants.

The following is a list of several organizations offering these programs:

• Consumerlab.com approved quality product seal: http://www.consumerlab.com/seal.asp
• NSF International dietary supplement certification: http://www.nsf.org/business/dietary_supplements/index.asp?program=DietarySups
• U.S. Pharmacopeia dietary supplement verification program: http://www.usp.org/USPVerified/dietarySupplements/

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