Reading a supplement label in six points
What the law requires, what it does not, and the six checks that separate a good product from a good-looking box.
1. The recommended daily portion
Everything is read against it. A nutrition table stated “per 3 capsules” is not comparable to one stated “per capsule”. That is the first normalisation to make, and the most often skipped.
Directive 2002/46/EC requires this portion to be stated, together with a warning not to exceed it.
2. The nutrient, not its carrier
“500 mg of magnesium citrate” is not “500 mg of magnesium”. The first figure is the salt weight, of which magnesium is only a fraction — around 16 % for citrate.
A compliant label gives the nutrient content. A label giving only the salt weight is not necessarily unlawful, but it makes comparison impossible: that is information in itself.
The same logic applies to plant extracts: “500 mg of extract standardised to 5 %” is not “500 mg of active compound”.
3. The NRV percentage
The nutrient reference value, defined by Regulation 1169/2011, provides a common comparison point. A product supplying 30 % of the NRV for zinc compares immediately with another supplying 80 %.
That percentage also governs the right to carry a claim: below 15 % per portion, no claim is usable for that nutrient.
Not every substance has an NRV — creatine, melatonin and probiotics have none. An absent percentage is then not a flaw.
4. Claims — and above all their absence
A health claim on a package must appear in the EU register. Its wording is constrained: “contributes to the normal function of…” is a regulatory template, not a stylistic choice.
Conversely, an absence of claims is rich in information. It means one of two things: the dose does not reach the threshold, or no claim exists for that substance. A product compensating for that absence with evocative vocabulary — “energy”, “vitality”, “detox” — is circumventing the framework rather than complying with it.
Authorised claims — register wording
- « Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system. »
- Zinc · ≥ 15 % des VNR (1,5 mg) par portion.
Note · No claim may evoke preventing, treating or curing a disease. That is a matter of principle, set by Regulation 1924/2006, and it admits no marketing exception.
5. The ingredient list and excipients
Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight. On a supplement, that quickly reveals whether the advertised active genuinely dominates the formula or arrives after the bulking agents.
Excipients are not impurities: anti-caking agents, coatings and fillers serve a technical purpose. What deserves attention is their relative share in a formula sold at the price of its active.
Allergens subject to mandatory declaration must be highlighted in the list.
6. Traceability of the responsible operator
A supplement placed on the Belgian market must be notified to the FASFC beforehand, and the label must identify the responsible operator — name and address within the Union.
That mention is the point of contact if something goes wrong. A product bought outside the EU often lacks it, leaving the buyer with no counterpart and no recourse.
Frequently asked
“Proprietary blend”: good sign or bad?
A blend whose proportions are undisclosed makes it impossible to verify whether each component reaches its claim threshold. A patent protects a formula; it says nothing about its dosage.
Does a high price guarantee a better formula?
No. Price also covers packaging, brand and distribution. The only useful comparison is cost per unit of nutrient actually delivered, at equivalent form.
What are labels and certifications worth?
They vary enormously. Some attest to a manufacturing standard verified by a third party, others are trademarks registered by the manufacturer itself. The test is whether an independent, identifiable certifying body exists.
Does a passed best-before date make a product dangerous?
It signals not danger but a guarantee of content that no longer holds: beyond that date the manufacturer no longer guarantees the stated dose. On a product bought for its dose, that alone disqualifies it.
Sources
Only regulatory texts and public registers, checkable by anyone. No bibliographic reference is cited without verification: on a health topic, a false source costs more than none.
- Directive 2002/46/CE
Governs the composition and labelling of food supplements: permitted vitamins and minerals, mandatory statements, warnings.
- Règlement (UE) n° 1169/2011
Sets the reference intakes (NRV) used to express a percentage on a label, and prohibits misleading statements about a food’s properties.
- Règlement (CE) n° 1924/2006
Sets the framework: a health claim is lawful only if authorised. Bans any claim to prevent or treat a disease.
- Commission européenne — EU Register of nutrition and health claims
Searchable database of every authorised and rejected claim. The reference that lets anyone check, word for word, what a product may state.
- Agence fédérale pour la sécurité de la chaîne alimentaire
Controls the placing of food supplements on the Belgian market, including prior product notification.
Our method
No health claim is written by us: every such sentence is taken word for word from the EU register. An active with no authorised claim is presented with none — never with a softened wording.
Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet or a healthy lifestyle. This page is informational and is not medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant or breastfeeding, seek advice from a healthcare professional.
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