Supplement Certification: Why It Matters for Your Health
Whether you’re walking through the vitamin aisle or shopping online, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by supplement options. They all promise quality. They all claim to support your health. And many look nearly identical on the surface.
So how do you actually know which vitamin brands you can trust?
Unlike prescription drugs, dietary supplements don’t require pre‑market approval by the FDA. That makes it harder to distinguish between brands that simply meet minimum requirements and those that truly prioritize quality, testing, and transparency.
Some supplement brands don't fully test their products, and most don’t go as far as we do. In addition to our internal triple-testing protocol which screens every ingredient for potency, purity, and contaminants, some of our top sellers have earned an additional certification from TESTED by SuppCo.
TESTED by SuppCo is a third‑party supplement certification program that provides an extra layer of verification by independently confirming that what’s on the label is actually what’s in the bottle. These certifications cut through the noise and can help give you confidence in the quality of your supplement routine.
Keep reading to learn why supplement certification matters, how third-party certifications compliment rigorous internal testing standards, and which Solaray products have earned TESTED by SuppCo certification.
What Is Supplement Certification? And Why Does It Matter?
At its core, supplement certification is a third‑party process that evaluates dietary supplements for quality and accuracy. Depending on the program, certification can follow a variety of protocols and may include testing select ingredients and products for identity, potency, purity, and more.
This goes beyond basic compliance.
In the U.S., dietary supplements are regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). The FDA does not approve supplements before they reach the market. Instead, it monitors products after they’re sold, focusing on safety issues and labeling violations.¹
That leads to common consumer questions:
Do you need a license to sell vitamins?
No specific FDA “license” is required to sell vitamins, but supplement manufacturers must follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) and register their facilities with the FDA.²
Can supplements be FDA certified?
No. The FDA does not certify or approve dietary supplements. Any product claiming to be “FDA approved” is misleading.¹
This regulatory gap is exactly why independent supplement certification and stringent internal standards matter. Combined, they ensure a higher standard—one that responsible brands like Solaray voluntarily choose to meet.
Beyond the Bottle: Supplements Backed by Certification
Supplement certification isn’t just a logo on a label or website. It directly affects whether a supplement fits into a trustworthy, long‑term wellness routine.
Many certifications rely on samples provided by the brand or manufacturer. That approach doesn’t always reflect what consumers actually buy.
That’s why TESTED by SuppCo certification stands apart. It’s a first-of-its-kind certification that independently verifies the active ingredients in a supplement using off-the-shelf samples.
SuppCo anonymously purchases products from brand websites—just like a consumer would—and sends them to ISO 17025 accredited labs to test identity and potency against label claims. Products must meet or exceed 95% of tested label claims to earn certification. All results are published transparently by SuppCo, and only select supplements earn the right to use the TESTED by SuppCo seal.
This “secret shopper” approach removes cherry‑picking and holds brands accountable for the products consumers actually receive.
In an industry where roughly half of top‑selling supplements fail to meet label claims, this level of verification is becoming essential, not optional.³
Solaray Supplements That Meet the TESTED by SuppCo Standards
Solaray has been a trusted name in supplements since 1973, with a long‑standing commitment to rigorous sourcing, extensive in‑house testing, and meticulous manufacturing in a GMP facility that is certified by NSF.
Select best-selling Solaray products have earned TESTED by SuppCo certification for identity and potency, in addition to passing the extensive internal tests that back each ingredient in every Solaray product.
Magnesium Glycinate 350 mg
Solaray Magnesium Glycinate delivers 350 mg of magnesium glycinate per serving in a 100% chelated, highly bioavailable form designed for gentle digestion and optimal absorption. It is manufactured, chelated, and triple-tested in Solaray’s GMP‑certified facility in Utah. It is also TESTED by SuppCo certified and independently verified to meet label claims for magnesium content and identity.
Calcium Citrate 1000 mg
Solaray Calcium Citrate provides 1,000 mg of calcium expertly bonded to citric acid. The formula is vegan, Non‑GMO Project Certified, and every ingredient is lab-verified for potency and purity. It is also TESTED by SuppCo certified, confirming label accuracy through independent testing.
Vitamin D3 + K2
This advanced formula combines 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 with 50 mcg of vitamin K2. Each ingredient is tested for identity, purity, and potency in Solaray’s GMP-certified facility and third-party tested to earn TESTED by SuppCo certification.
Vital Extracts Berberine 500 mg
Solaray Vital Extracts Berberine delivers 500 mg of berberine HCl sourced from Indian barberry and Oregon grape. The formula is Non‑GMO Project Verified and produced in Solaray’s GMP‑certified facility.
It earned TESTED by SuppCo certification, confirming ingredient identity and potency through independent off‑the‑shelf testing.
The Future of Supplement Safety
As supplement use continues to rise—nearly three‑quarters of U.S. adults now take at least one dietary supplement—expectations around transparency and verification are evolving.⁴
Emerging standards in vitamin certification are shifting toward:
- Off‑the‑shelf testing
- Accredited third‑party labs
- Public disclosure of results
In a market that remains largely unregulated before products reach consumers, supplement certification and internal testing are some of the most reliable tools available for ensuring quality, accuracy, and trust.
The Bottom Line on Supplement Certification
Choosing supplements shouldn’t feel like a gamble. Yet without clear standards, you may be left guessing which products truly deliver what they promise.
Supplement certification and internal testing help close that gap—offering peace of mind, transparency, and accountability in an otherwise crowded marketplace.
Programs like TESTED by SuppCo represent a meaningful step forward, verifying identity and potency using real‑world samples and publishing results for anyone to see. Brands like Solaray that voluntarily meet these standards—in addition to rigorous internal testing—demonstrate a commitment to quality that goes beyond compliance.
If you’re looking to build a supplement routine you can trust, Solaray’s 700+ vitamins, minerals, and herbs, including our select TESTED by SuppCo certified products, are a smart place to start. You can feel confident that what’s on the label is exactly what you’re putting in your body.
Resources:
¹“Information for Industry on Dietary Supplements.” FDA, fda.gov/food/dietary-supplements/information-industry-dietary-supplements.
²“Do You Need a License to Sell Vitamins and Supplements?” LegalClarity, https://legalclarity.org/do-you-need-a-license-to-sell-vitamins-and-supplements.
³“Half of top-selling supplements are fake, study finds.” Entrepreneur, entrepreneur.com/business-news/half-of-top-selling-supplements-are-fake.
⁴“Three-quarters of Americans take dietary supplements; most users agree they are essential.” Council for Responsible Nutrition, crnusa.org/newsroom/three-quarters-americans-take-dietary-supplements-most-users-agree-they-are-essential.