Supplements are everywhere. They’re being promoted by your favorite podcaster; they’re on shelves in health food stores and major retailers—even gas stations.
Here’s the truth about the supplement industry: It’s not as heavily regulated as the pharmaceutical industry. But there are ways to identify high-quality supplements.
Supplements should be rigorously tested for contaminants.** This includes heavy metals like arsenic and lead, and harmful microbes such as salmonella and E. coli.** But how do you know a supplement has been screened for things you don’t want in your body? How do you know that things like dosage and amounts are what they say on the bottle?
The answer is found in rigorous testing, trusted manufacturing standards, and third-party certifications. Let’s explore these markers of high-quality supplements and how to spot them in your favorite store or online retailer.
We know what you’re thinking: as a supplement brand, of course we’ll say ours are premium. And yes, we take pride in sourcing, testing, and transparency that go far beyond industry standards. But no matter where you get your supplements, we want them to be safe and efficacious. With over 93 years in the industry, we’re not just familiar with the industry—we’ve helped shape it. And we're here to share insights that come from decades of experience.
Certifications
While supplements are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, they don’t need FDA approval to hit the market. That’s why third-party organizations provide such a valuable layer of oversight. These certifications help keep companies accountable for what happens behind the scenes. When earned (and maintained), they allow brands to display an official seal on packaging, signaling that the product meets established standards.
At KAL, best-in-class manufacturing controls are just the beginning. Every product we make is backed by rigorous standards like ISO and cGMP, while certain formulas go further with added certifications—vegan, kosher, or non-GMO—when those apply. It’s our way of proving that quality isn’t just a promise; it’s built into every step. Let’s explore what those certifications mean.
ISO
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is an internationally recognized stamp specifically designed for labs and testing.1 It’s a difficult accreditation to get and just as rigorous to maintain. It shows that everything that takes place in our labs is carefully monitored and documented.
Earning this accreditation in the first place is difficult and can take companies an entire year. Then, to keep it, they have to recertify every year, which involves a three-day review. At KAL, thanks to extensive preparations in our labs, we were able to secure this accreditation in just three months—and we have never failed to recertify.
cGMP
cGMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), a certification from the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation), is one of the most respected quality markers in the supplement industry. It serves as a trusted, unbiased standard for excellence in manufacturing, ensuring products are made safely, consistently, and to the highest quality requirements.2
Dietary Certifications
Brands that want to be more inclusive often go after third-party certifications that prove they meet certain dietary standards, like:
- Kosher
- Vegan
- Made Without Soy
Each one has its own certifying body, and companies have to officially earn—and keep—that approval before they can use the seal.
Sourcing
The vitamins and minerals in supplements come from every corner of the globe, and that makes sourcing both an art and a science. With hundreds of potential suppliers and countless variations in quality, there are just as many opportunities to get it right—or to get it wrong. The difference lies in careful vetting, rigorous testing, and a commitment to only working with partners who meet the highest standards.
At KAL, quality starts long before a product reaches the shelf. We carefully source ingredients from trusted suppliers worldwide and test every batch of raw materials to ensure it’s exactly what we promise, so you can trust what’s on the label is what’s in the bottle.
Testing
Most supplement manufacturers run tests, but not all supplement testing is created equal.
ISO includes extensive oversight for testing, specifically on the lab side, so it’s usually a marker of good testing practices. GMP also ensures regular testing is taking place throughout the manufacturing process.
Skip-lot testing clears entire batches based on only a few samples—a shortcut that risks quality. At KAL, we never skip-lot test our raw materials, and if anything we get doesn’t meet our standards, we reject it immediately.
Production & Formulation
It’s one thing for a supplement to contain research-backed nutrients, like zinc for immune health support.* It’s another for your body to actually absorb them. That’s where bioavailability comes in: how well your body can take in and use a nutrient.
Once ingested, supplements travel a long road. They’re broken down in the stomach, absorbed in the gut, processed in the liver, and finally delivered through the bloodstream to organs and cells.2 The nutrient must survive that journey for you to reap the benefits.
Bioavailability often depends on how a supplement is made. For example, chelation is a process in supplement manufacturing that causes a chemical reaction in a nutrient using a catalyst like water, creating a form that’s easier for your body to absorb. Liposomal supplements wrap nutrients in a layer of lipids (liposomes), protecting them until they reach the small intestine, where absorption is more efficient.
Chelated and liposomal supplements are a few examples of production methods that are designed to increase the viability of nutrients for our bodies.
Finally, dosage matters just as much as the nutrient itself. Too little, and the supplement can’t deliver the benefit it promises. Too much, and you risk waste—or even harm. That’s why you should always keep your licensed healthcare practitioner informed when you take supplements. Don’t exceed recommended doses and always use as directed.
At KAL, every formula is built on extensive research. Our in-house regulatory team featuring degreed professionals with advanced master’s and Ph.D. training carefully reviews every product claim to ensure that everything we say on a label, product web page, or even marketing asset is backed by real nutritive science.
New vs Established Brands
Since supplements aren’t FDA approved before they hit the market, the barrier to entry is low. That’s why new brands can appear overnight and use flashy marketing to sell products without the accountability or certifications trusted companies earn.
These companies are usually web-based. Buying supplements on the internet can be perfectly safe, but be cautious of products from new companies that don’t have much history online.1 Favor established brands that have a large online presence, including product reviews and social media accounts that are at least a few years old.
Scientific Backing
Some companies will often fall short in product transparency, even failing to show product labels and ingredient lists. That information shouldn’t be hard to find, and any company that doesn’t have it readily available on their websites may be trying to hide something.1
For trusted supplements, the details should be straightforward—as they should for anything you plant to ingest.
To Good to Be True
You should also be wary of supplements that aggressively overpromise miraculous benefits, particularly when it comes to sexual enhancement, weight loss, and muscle building.1 Quality supplements can be highly beneficial, but they aren’t quick fixes for those problems.
You should also favor nutrients that have been heavily studied. This includes most major vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B12. You can even verify research yourself—the National Institute of Health’s database has many articles that explore the veracity of nutrient claims, including the results of clinical trials. (As always, be careful where you do your research and only use reliable and peer-reviewed sources.)
Ultimately, the word supplement, taken literally, is something that completes or enhances something else when added to it. For nutrition, that thing is food. Diet is always the place to start, but with the shortcomings of modern food production like soil nutrient depletion and food processing, supplements can be a crucial way to support getting the nutrition you need. That’s where we come in.
Our Promise
KAL was the first brand to bring mineral supplements to market in 1932. We take our legacy seriously, and that’s why we won’t let anything get into the hands of our customers that isn’t exactly what they hope for—and what we promise it is.
That’s reflected everywhere in our manufacturing process. Our record-keeping and labelling are so detailed, we can pull any KAL product off a store shelf and determine not only when it was manufactured, but who was operating on our production line that day. It really is the details that count, especially when it comes to empowering personal wellness.
If you have any questions about our sourcing, testing, or manufacturing, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. But wherever you buy your supplements, we hope this inspires you to expect more from the companies that make them.
For more tips on nutrition, mindful wellness practices, and how to fuel good feelings for the long run, follow us on Instagram at @kalvitamins!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
**Tested up to 10 parts per billion.
Resources
1. Tips for Consumers Selecting Supplements. The Council for Responsible Nutrition, https://www.crnusa.org/resources/tips-consumers-selecting-supplements.
- As about longevity. New companies can make quality supplements, but you want to have confidence that a company will be around long enough to stand behind its product. SOme companies even regularly change their name, which is a major red flag.
2. Shetty, M. Considerations When Choosing Supplements. Stanford Lifestyle Medicine, 2024. https://longevity.stanford.edu/lifestyle/2024/03/11/considerations-when-choosing-supplements/
