Most supplement labels are written to be technically accurate and practically unreadable. Once you know what four or five things mean, the useful information is easy to find — and so is what a brand is trying not to tell you.
Proprietary blends hide the amounts
If a label lists an impressive group of ingredients followed by a single combined milligram figure, that is a proprietary blend. It is legal, and it means you cannot tell how much of anything you are getting. Usually it is a lot of the cheap ingredient and a dusting of the expensive one. A brand confident in its formula prints each amount separately.
Standardisation tells you what is actually active
For botanical extracts, a milligram figure alone tells you the weight of powder, not how much active compound it contains. Standardisation is the missing number: ashwagandha at 5% withanolides, turmeric at 95% curcuminoids. Without it, 600 mg of extract and 600 mg of milled root look identical on a label and are not remotely the same product.
The form of a mineral changes how much you absorb
Magnesium oxide and magnesium bisglycinate are both magnesium, and they are not equivalent. Chelated forms — bisglycinate, picolinate — are bound to an amino acid and absorb through a different pathway, with far less digestive upset. They cost several times more per kilogram, which is exactly why cheaper products use oxide.
The wording of a claim is a signal
In the EU, only claims assessed by EFSA may be used, and they have very specific wordings. "Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system" is on the register. "Boosts immunity" is not. When a label uses vague, energetic language instead of the approved phrasing, it usually means there is no approved claim to make.
- Look for exact amounts, not blend totals
- Look for a standardisation percentage on any botanical
- Check the mineral form, not just the mineral
- Check the capsule shell if you are vegan — pullulan and HPMC are plant, gelatin is not
- Approved claim wording is dull on purpose. Dull is a good sign
Our approach
Everything above is why our labels read the way they do. Full amounts, standardisation percentages, chelated forms named explicitly, and claims limited to what the EU register permits.
Daily Vitality Multivitamin
Full-spectrum A–B12 with zinc, magnesium and CoQ10 · €26,99
This article is general information, not medical advice. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medication, consult a healthcare professional before starting anything new.