Are you tired of being misled by dietary supplements that don't live up to their promises? Well, get ready for a game-changer! SuppCo, a company born out of frustration with the supplement industry, is taking a stand with their new certification program.
The Truth Behind the Label: Unveiling the Shocking Reality
SuppCo's journey began with a simple yet powerful mission: to help people make informed decisions about supplements. And what they discovered was eye-opening. Through rigorous testing, they found that a staggering half of the top-selling supplements on the market failed to meet basic label accuracy standards.
But here's where it gets controversial...
Steve Martocci, co-founder and CEO of SuppCo, shares his personal experience, highlighting the industry's systemic failure. With their new program, TESTED by SuppCo, they aim to set a clear, independent standard for transparency and accountability.
"We want people to trust what they're buying, and responsible brands to prove it," Martocci emphasizes.
The Power of Certification: Unveiling the Truth
TESTED by SuppCo has partnered with leading brands like Momentous, Thorne, and Metagenics to bring transparency to the forefront. Jordan Glenn, head of science at SuppCo, explains that this certification is a logical step, building on their previous testing initiatives.
"TESTED ensures you know what's actually in the bottle you buy," Glenn says. "It's a closed loop system, where TrustScore identifies potentially trustworthy products, and TESTED confirms their real-world reliability."
And this is the part most people miss...
SuppCo's initial testing rounds targeted popular supplements like creatine and berberine, with shocking results. A whopping 22 out of the tested products contained a mere 0% to 3% of their listed active ingredients!
"These aren't close calls; they're failures at every level of quality control," SuppCo states. "Whether it's manufacturing shortcuts or intentional deception, the result is the same: products that claim confidence but deliver almost nothing."
TESTED by SuppCo submits all products for independent ISO 17025-accredited laboratory testing. Products that meet or exceed 95% of their labeled active ingredient claims earn certification. All results, certified or not, are publicly available on SuppCo's product pages, empowering consumers with knowledge.
"With over 650,000 users tracking their supplements on SuppCo, certification results, including failures, are directly visible to those making purchase decisions," Glenn adds.
Closing the Loophole: A New Standard for Transparency
SuppCo isn't alone in monitoring supplement quality, but their approach is unique. Most certifications rely on manufacturer-submitted samples or production lot tests. TESTED, however, purchases products anonymously, just like a regular consumer would, after normal retail aging.
"This distinction closes a loophole where a product can pass a certification test but underdeliver in the consumer's hands," Glenn explains.
The supplement industry is at a crossroads, with rising consumer expectations and increased regulatory scrutiny. Independent verification is no longer a differentiator but a baseline expectation.
"Transparency is the only durable competitive advantage in this category," says Jeff Byers, CEO of Momentous. "We chose to participate in TESTED by SuppCo because trust and accountability are the future of this industry."
SuppCo joins the ranks of organizations like ConsumerLab and NSF International, dedicated to ensuring supplement label accuracy and quality. But their certification addresses a fundamental structural issue in testing.
"We want to ensure that the product in the consumer's hands meets the same standards as the certified product," Glenn concludes.
So, what do you think? Is this a step towards a more transparent supplement industry? Let's discuss in the comments!
