How To Read A Supplement Facts Panel, Line By Line

Why the panel is worth learning

Every dietary supplement sold in the United States carries a Supplement Facts panel. It is a standardized box, similar in spirit to the Nutrition Facts panel on food, and it is meant to present the same kinds of information in the same order on every product. Once you know the layout, you can pick up any bottle and find what you need in a few seconds.

The panel is also a good habit to build. Reading labels is a calm, simple routine that fits well alongside other everyday habits, and it costs nothing but a little attention.

The top of the panel: serving details

The first lines tell you the serving size and the servings per container. The serving size is what the amounts below refer to, written in practical terms such as 1 gummy, 2 capsules or 1 scoop. Servings per container tells you how many servings the whole package holds.

These two lines matter because everything below depends on them. If a product says the serving is two gummies, then every number on the panel describes two gummies, not one. A LumiVelle bottle holds 30 gummies, and the suggested use is one gummy daily, preferably with a meal, or as the label directs, so the bottle works out to a 30-day supply.

Look also for any statement about the format of the product, such as gummy, capsule or tablet. The format tells you what a serving looks like, which helps you picture how the package will be used day to day.

The middle: nutrients, amounts and percent daily value

Below the serving details is a table with up to three columns. The first names each dietary ingredient. The second gives the amount per serving. The third gives the percent daily value, often written %DV.

The daily value is a reference figure set for labeling so that products can be compared on the same scale. A dash or the words daily value not established means no reference exists for that ingredient, which is common for plant compounds and certain other substances.

• Column one: the ingredient name, sometimes with its source in parentheses.
• Column two: the amount per serving, in a stated unit.
• Column three: the percent of the reference daily value, where one exists.

Understanding the units

Units are the part of the panel that trips people up most often. They are small, and several look alike.

These are the ones you will meet most often:

A handy rule is to compare units before comparing numbers. Four hundred micrograms and four hundred milligrams differ by a factor of one thousand, so the unit is as important as the figure beside it.

• mg, milligrams, one thousandth of a gram.
• mcg, micrograms, one thousandth of a milligram. Biotin, B12 and iodine are typically listed this way.
• mcg DFE, dietary folate equivalents, used for folate.
• mcg RAE, retinol activity equivalents, used for vitamin A.
• IU, international units, an older measure still seen beside some vitamin D or vitamin E amounts.

Forms in parentheses

Many lines carry words in parentheses, such as zinc (as zinc gluconate) or vitamin C (as ascorbic acid). The parentheses tell you which form of the ingredient was used. The same vitamin or mineral may come in several forms, so the wording lets you compare one product with another more precisely.

Plant ingredients and special compounds also use this space. A line may state a source such as salmon-derived or name a part of a plant. If the source matters to you, this is the place to look.

The bottom: other ingredients and footnotes

Beneath the table, a separate line begins with Other ingredients. It lists everything in the product that is not on the main panel, from the largest amount to the smallest. In a gummy this section often includes the gelling ingredient, flavorings, colors and the items that give the gummy its shape and texture.

A footnote usually explains the percent daily value or the dash. Another line may name the manufacturer or distributor. Some bottles also carry a statement about the supplement format, such as a gummy, which is useful when you compare different products.

Allergen statements usually sit just under or beside the panel in a short line that starts with the word contains. Ingredients that come from animal sources, such as gelatin or fish-derived material, are worth checking here if you read labels with a particular eating pattern.

Putting it to use

Now that the layout is familiar, a short routine makes any label easy to read. LumiVelle, a daily gummy dietary supplement, is a convenient example: the label names Korean gelatin, PDRN, resveratrol, vitamin C, vitamins A, D, E, B6 and B12, folate, biotin, pantothenic acid, iodine and zinc. According to the brand, all of that detail is on the Supplement Facts panel printed on the bottle.

Whichever product you hold, try this sequence:

If a word on a label is unfamiliar, the best habit is to look it up from a reliable reference, or ask the brand directly. Companies expect questions about ingredient names, and straight answers are part of good label practice.

• Start at the serving size and servings per container.
• Read the ingredient names and the forms in parentheses.
• Compare units carefully before comparing numbers.
• Finish with the Other ingredients line.