How to read a supplement label

Three things on a supplement label tell you most of what you need to know.

First, proprietary blends. If a label lists a blend total but not the amount of each ingredient, you cannot know whether the ingredient you care about is present at a useful dose or a trace. There is no legitimate formulation reason to hide it.

Second, CFU counts on probiotics. A count measured at manufacture tells you nothing about what survives to the day you swallow it. Look for a count guaranteed through expiry.

Third, amino spiking in protein. Protein content is usually measured by nitrogen. Adding cheap free-form amino acids such as glycine or taurine raises nitrogen without adding usable protein. A full amino acid profile on the label is the tell.