How to read a food supplement label: practical guide in six steps

A supplement's label contains six blocks of information, and it is best to read them in a different order from how they are printed. The decisive block is the table of contents per daily dose: this is where you can read how much you are actually taking each day. It is also the only part that makes two products comparable.

Surrounding this are the front of the pack with the legal name and the list of ingredients in descending order of weight. Then there are the highlighted allergens along with the warnings, and the directions for use with the responsible business operator. The batch number and best-before date are almost always printed separately.

1. 1. Front of pack
2. 2. Amounts per dose
3. 3. List of ingredients
4. 4. Allergens and warnings
5. 5. Responsible operator
6. 6. Batch and expiry

Step 1 — The front of the pack: legal name, form and quantity

On the front of the pack, two pieces of information are mandatory and should be looked for first. The legal name is the wording "food supplement" (or the synonyms "dietary supplement" or "nutritional supplement"), as required by Article 6 of Legislative Decree 169/2004: this is what declares the product's category, and it is different from the trade name, which is unrestricted. A product can be called anything, but if it is a supplement, the legal name must appear.

Next to it, you will find the form in which the product is presented — capsules, tablets, softgels, powder — the number of units it contains and the net weight. These are the three pieces of information that allow you to understand how much product you are buying. Together with the daily dose indicated on the back, they also tell you how many days a pack will last for.

Everything else you see on the front — graphics, seals, highlighted wording — is commercial communication, which has a different status from the mandatory information. The front tells you what you are holding; what it contains is written on the back.

Step 2 — The table of contents per daily dose

This is the most important section of the entire label. Legislative Decree 169/2004 stipulates that the substances present in the product must be declared in numerical form and refer to the recommended daily dose, not to a single capsule and not per 100 grams as is the case for other foods. From this follow three things to look at, in this order.

1. How many units the dose refers to. This is the check that makes two products comparable, and it must be done before looking at any numbers. If one label declares the values for one tablet and another for four, the numbers are not comparable until they are adjusted to the same dose. On our labels, the daily dose is indicated explicitly: 4 tablets per day for Potassium Citrate, 1 tablet for Sublingual Melatonin, 3 capsules for Bromelain. The question to ask yourself in front of any table is always the same: is this number per unit or per dose?

2. The NRV%. NRV stands for Nutrient Reference Value: it is the daily reference intake set by law in Annex XIII of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, and it serves to give an idea of the magnitude of the number that precedes it. On the Potassium Citrate, for example, the daily dose provides 730 mg of potassium, equal to 36.5% of the NRV. Two useful clarifications:

• the NRV only exists for the vitamins and minerals for which it has been established. Next to a botanical extract you will not find any percentage, because a reference value has never been set for those substances;
• a four-figure percentage is correct. A tablet of sublingual vitamin B12 that provides 1000 mcg of methylcobalamin declares 40,000% of the NRV, because the reference value for B12 is just a few micrograms. The percentage only measures the ratio to that reference. We explain why the dose is so high in Vitamin B12: what it's for and when it's lacking.

3. The two-level rows. These are the most informative in the entire table. When you read "potassium citrate 2000 mg, of which potassium 730 mg", the first number is the salt and the second is the elemental mineral derived from it. They are two different quantities, and the second one is what matters for comparison.

The same structure is found with botanicals: in Vitamin C + Bioflavonoids, "citrus bioflavonoids 100 mg, of which total flavonoids as hesperidin 50 mg" tells you how much extract there is and how much of the declared fraction. This also applies to an oily raw material: on the Organic Astaxanthin Oil you can read "oleoresin derived from the alga Haematococcus pluvialis 160 mg, of which astaxanthin 8 mg". 160 is the weight of the raw material, 8 is the weight of the component for which it is used.

When the two-level row relates to a botanical extract, standardisation comes into play, which is the guaranteed percentage of the reference component; if you want to understand how to read that part, we have explained it in detail in what 'standardised extract' means.

	Per 1 tablet	Per daily dose	% NRV
Potassium citrate	500 mg	2000 mg	—
of which potassium	182.5 mg	730 mg	36.5%
Plant extract 50 mg	50 mg	100 mg	—

• daily dose columnCompare the amount per dose
• 36.5%An NRV exists only for vitamins and minerals
• —The dash does not indicate missing information

Step 3 — The list of ingredients is read from top to bottom

Article 18 of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 requires that ingredients be listed in descending order of weight, calculated at the time of their use in the manufacture of the product. The practical consequence is immediate: the first name on the list is the one present in the largest quantity. The position of the subsequent ingredients is also a piece of information.

This also tells you where to find the technical ingredients, those needed for the tablet or capsule to exist. They are normally at the bottom of the list, and you can recognise them because the name is preceded by the declared function: bulking agent, anti-caking agent, flow agent, coating agent, thickener, emulsifier.

On the label of Black Maca, for example, you can read "anti-caking agent: bamboo extract, standardised in silica; flow agent: L-leucine": the function always precedes the name, and that is how to distinguish them from the active ingredients even without knowing them. These are the solutions we have chosen for our formulas. We have explained the role of each one and the criteria by which we chose them in Excipients in supplements: what they're for and which ones matter.

The most information-dense line in the list is that of a botanical extract, which can contain up to six pieces of information in a row: common name, botanical name, part of the plant used, type of preparation, extraction ratio and any standardisation, plus the quantity when it is reported in the same line. "Dry extract of griffonia seeds [Griffonia simplicifolia (DC.) Baill.] standardised to 20% in 5-hydroxytryptophan", which you can read on our 5-HTP label, includes them all except for the quantity, which is in the table of amounts. How to read the ratio and standardisation is the topic of the pillar page on standardised extracts.

Step 4 — Allergens and warnings

The allergens listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 must be graphically highlighted in relation to the rest of the ingredients list (Article 21): on the label you will find them in capital letters, in bold or in a different font. Two examples from our formulas: "glucosamine sulphate 2KCl (from CRUSTACEANS)" on the Glucosamine + Chondroitin + MSM and "contains SOY (soy lecithin)" on the Ubiquinol with Kaneka QH®. In both cases, the allergen comes from the origin of the raw material, not from an addition.

The absence of a highlighted allergen means that that allergen is not an ingredient of the product, and nothing more. Anyone with a known sensitivity must also check for any information on accidental presence, when declared, and in case of doubt, ask the responsible operator — who is listed on the label, and this is step 5.

Warnings are divided into two groups. The mandatory ones, provided for by D.Lgs. 169/2004, are the same on all labels: do not exceed the recommended daily dose; supplements are not intended as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle; keep out of the reach of children under three years of age.

Then there are those related to the individual product, which are the most informative precisely because they are not standard. The most telling example in our catalogue is the Organic Astaxanthin Oil, whose label carries two warnings not found elsewhere: "the product is not suitable for consumption by infants, children and adolescents under 14 years of age" and "the product should not be consumed if other food supplements containing astaxanthin esters are consumed on the same day". These are lines that say something specific about the substance and its use.

Other examples: the advice to seek a doctor's opinion in case of pregnancy, breastfeeding, medical conditions or use of medication that appears on the 5-HTP, or the warning "contains polyols: excessive consumption may have laxative effects" on sublingual tablets sweetened with mannitol and xylitol.

One last reading note: a formula may turn out to be unsuitable for those following a vegan diet because of a technical ingredient and not the active one. Beeswax (E 901) used as a coating agent in ubiquinol softgels is exactly this case, and it can only be found by reading the list to the very end.

The most useful note for buyers: warnings should be read before purchase. A well-made label already contains the information needed to understand if that product is suitable for the person looking at it.

Step 5 — Directions for use, responsible operator, storage

The directions for use indicate the quantity, time of day and method of intake, and in some cases are an integral part of the conditions of use for an authorised claim. Melatonin is the clearest example: the permitted claim is valid upon intake of 1 mg shortly before bedtime, so "1 tablet shortly before bedtime" is the very condition to which the claim refers.

The responsible operator is the name or business name and address, established in the European Union, of the party under whose name the product is marketed. It is one of the most useful items on the label: it is the party to contact to request a certificate of analysis, a technical data sheet or a clarification. For a product purchased outside the Union, that possibility may simply not exist. If you find a label convincing but want confirmation, this is the name to write to.

The storage conditions complete the picture: they indicate how to maintain the validity of the declared characteristics — usually in a cool, dry place, away from light, heat and moisture — and are the implicit premise of everything the label states. Where to keep them at home, and what happens when that premise is not met, is what we covered in How to store supplements: where, how and for how long.

Step 6 — Batch and best-before date

They are almost always printed separately: on the bottom of the jar, on the flap of the carton, on the fold of the pouch. They are applied during the packaging stage, when the rest of the label has already been printed, and it is normal not to find them in the information panel.

The batch number identifies the production run: it is the code that makes the product traceable and that must be provided when making a request to the responsible operator.

The best before date is expressed with the phrase "best before end" followed by the month and year. It is the date up to which the product retains its characteristics, if stored under the indicated conditions; the label makes no statement about what happens afterwards.

Health claims: what you will never find on a compliant label

A legally compliant label does not feature promises of healing or references to diseases. The reason is regulatory: Article 6 of Legislative Decree 169/2004 states that the labelling of supplements cannot attribute therapeutic properties or the ability to prevent or cure human diseases, and Regulation (EC) 1924/2006 only permits health claims if they are authorised and in the approved wording. For botanical substances and preparations, however, the physiological effects from the Ministry of Health's guidelines are used.

Labels therefore speak in a cautious and circumscribed way: that is the permitted text, and the wording cannot be rewritten. Two examples quoted verbatim:

• melatonin: "contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep", with the condition of use of 1 mg shortly before bedtime; on how this claim relates to the dose and timing, and on what studies say about tolerance and discontinuation, we have written Does melatonin cause dependency? What the research says;
• vitamin C: "contributes to the normal function of the immune system".

On a compliant label, the difference between two products lies in the numbers, and that is where it is worth looking.

Supplement label: mandatory by law or declared by choice

Some of what you read on a label must be there. Another part is there because the manufacturer has decided to include it, and it generally adds detail to information that is already present, making it more readable. Distinguishing between the two columns is useful because it changes the type of comparison you can make between two products.

It is worth dwelling on one item in the right-hand column. The enzymatic activity per dose is the type of optional data that really changes the interpretation: two products can declare the same milligrams and provide a different activity, and without that number, the comparison cannot be made. This is the case we described in detail regarding the enzymatic activity declared per dose.

Required by law

• Legal name
• Amounts per daily dose
• List of ingredients
• Allergens and warnings
• Batch and date of minimum durability

Declared by choice

• Extract standardisation
• Enzyme activity
• Amount per individual unit
• Extraction ratio
• Certificate of analysis on request

Frequently asked questions

What must be written by law on a supplement label?

The legal name "food supplement", the name of the categories of substances present, the quantity of each referred to the recommended daily dose with the percentage of the nutrient reference value where one exists, the list of ingredients in descending order of weight, highlighted allergens, mandatory warnings, directions for use, the responsible operator, the batch and the minimum storage life.

What does NRV mean on a supplement label?

NRV is the Nutrient Reference Value: the reference daily amount for vitamins and minerals set out in Annex XIII of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011. The percentage next to a nutrient indicates the ratio between the amount provided by the daily dose and that value. It does not exist for plant extracts, because no reference value has been established for them.

In what order are the ingredients listed?

In descending order of weight, calculated at the time of their use in the manufacture of the product: this is provided for by Article 18 of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011. The first name in the list is therefore the one present in the greatest quantity. Technical ingredients are generally found at the end and are recognisable because the name is preceded by the declared function.

Why do some supplements indicate 2 or 3 capsules a day instead of one?

Because the quantity of substances intended for the daily dose does not fit into a single unit, or because the formula is designed to be taken at different times of the day. It is a formulation choice, and it is the reason why the declared values should always be read per daily dose and never per capsule, if you want to compare two products.

How are allergens identified on the label?

The allergens in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 are graphically highlighted within the list of ingredients, in uppercase, in bold or with a different font. They are indicated by the name of the substance — for example CRUSTACEANS or SOY — next to the ingredient from which they are derived.

Where can the batch and expiry date be found?

Almost always outside the information panel: on the bottom of the jar, on the flap of the carton or on the fold of the packaging, because they are applied during the packaging stage. The date is presented in the form "best before end" followed by the month and year.

Why does the label not say what the product is for?

Because the labelling of food supplements cannot attribute therapeutic properties or the ability to prevent or treat diseases (Legislative Decree 169/2004), and health claims are only permitted if they are authorised and in the approved wording (Regulation (EC) 1924/2006). What you read is the permitted text, reproduced in the exact form in which it was approved.

Also read

• What titrated extract means: titration, extraction ratio and standardisation
• Excipients in supplements: what they are for and which ones matter
• How to choose a quality supplement
• Bromelain 5000 GDU: complete guide, myths and gastro-resistance

Regulatory references

1. Legislative Decree 21 May 2004, n. 169 — Implementation of Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements. Article 6: sales denomination, prohibition of attributing therapeutic or preventative properties, mandatory indications on the label, numerical declaration of substances per recommended daily dose and percentage of reference values.
2. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 — Provision of food information to consumers. Article 18 and Annex VII: list of ingredients in descending order of weight. Article 21 and Annex II: indication of substances or products causing allergies or intolerances. Annex XIII: nutrient reference values for vitamins and minerals.
3. Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 — Nutrition and health claims made on foods.
4. Ministry of Health — Guidelines on food supplements: labelling and physiological effects of substances and plant preparations.