How to read a supplement label before you buy
You can learn a lot about a weight-loss supplement in two minutes by reading the label and the sales page carefully. Here is what to check.
1. Find the Supplement Facts panel
Every dietary supplement sold in the U.S. should list its ingredients and amounts. If you can't find the full label on the product's website before buying, treat that as a warning sign.
2. Watch for "proprietary blends"
A proprietary blend lists ingredients under one total weight without saying how much of each is inside. That makes it impossible to compare the doses with the amounts used in research. Products that list each ingredient's amount are easier to judge.
3. Add up the stimulants
Caffeine can appear under other names, including guarana, green coffee bean, green tea extract, yerba mate and kola nut. Some labels don't state the caffeine content at all. If you also drink coffee or energy drinks, the total can add up quickly.
4. Check the dose against the research
An ingredient that showed a small effect in studies may be included at a much lower dose. Compare the amounts with independent sources such as the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet.
5. Read the warnings
Look for advice about pregnancy, medication, heart conditions and age limits. A product with no warnings at all is not necessarily safer.
6. Check price, subscription and refund terms
- Is the "trial" or discount actually a recurring subscription?
- How long is the money-back guarantee, and do you have to return opened or unopened bottles?
- Who pays return shipping?
7. Spot red-flag claims
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission warns that some weight-loss claims are almost certainly false. Be wary of products that claim to:
- cause big weight loss without diet or exercise
- work no matter what or how much you eat
- cause permanent weight loss even after you stop taking them
- block fat or calories so you lose a lot of weight
- work for everyone