Support Quality Vitamins and Dietary Supplements: Make Sure it’s “USP Verified"

Thank you for supporting quality vitamins and dietary supplements. On this page you will find timely and practical information on choosing the best dietary supplements for you and your family.

You may rely on supplements to enhance your health, or to meet a specific dietary need based on a vitamin deficiency or situation such as pregnancy. However, you may not be aware that some dietary supplements may not actually contain the ingredients represented on their product labels.

As recent FDA actions and news reports have shown, some vitamins that are widely available on store shelves may not be what they claim to be—either because they don’t contain the ingredients claimed on the label (or in the declared amounts) or they contain ingredients that aren’t listed anywhere on the product. Both scenarios are problematic. For people who require a certain amount of a vitamin or mineral to meet a specific dietary need, not getting the proper amount can be a serious health concern. For instance, a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed many prenatal vitamins do not contain the levels of iodine claimed on the product’s label. Pregnant women taking vitamin supplements want to ensure that the appropriate level of iodine is present to help prevent neurocognitive delays in their babies. This is just one example of why this is important. On the flip side, supplements that contain an undeclared ingredient could cause potential problems such as an allergic reaction or adverse interaction with a prescription medication. Additionally, some vitamins have been found to contain potentially harmful levels of contaminants such as lead or mercury.

With the multitude of choices available in this $22 billion industry in the U.S., identifying quality supplements from those of unknown quality and purity can be challenging. An important step is to look for a mark on product labels that indicates the supplement product has been “verified” by an independent, third party. Equally important is knowing the organization behind a quality seal or mark. The USP Verified Mark is awarded by the U.S. Pharmacopeia (www.usp.org), a nearly 200-year old scientific nonprofit organization that sets standards for the quality, purity, and strength of medicines in the U.S., which are enforced by FDA. It is the only such organization that also offers dietary supplement verification. Remember to also consult your physician before beginning a supplement program, and to research a supplement and its brand from objective and neutral resources such as Consumer Reports (www.consumerreportshealth.org), Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database for consumers (www.naturaldatabaseconsumer.com), or Pogo Health (www.pogohealth.com).

1. Over half of Americans take a dietary supplement regularly, including multivitamins, minerals such as calcium or iron, and herbals like Echinacea

2. Consumers need to be confident that vitamins/supplements they purchase for themselves/their families are in fact what they claim to be on their labels

3. Recent FDA actions and news reports have indicated a number of instances where supplements are not what they claim to be, posing potential hazards

4. VERIFY the quality of your dietary supplements – look for the USP Verified Mark, a quality seal issued by a reputable organization

5. The USP Verified Mark indicates that a product contains the ingredients listed on the label and doesn't have harmful levels of specified contaminants