How to choose a food supplement brand: 7 criteria

In short:

1. To choose a food supplement brand, look at seven criteria: claims, forms and doses, traceability, formulation, tests, origin, price per dose.
2. A claim that promises to cure or prevent a disease is an immediate warning sign: it is prohibited.
3. Identified ingredients (Creapure, Peptan, EPAX) and the NF V94-001 or EN 17444 standards for athletes are signs of a serious brand.
4. The right price indicator is the cost of the daily dose, not the cost of the tub.

Choosing a serious food supplement brand is often more useful than hunting for a miracle product. A rigorous brand is usually rigorous across its whole range: it shows its forms, doses and sources, and it follows the rules on claims. Here are seven simple criteria to apply, label in hand. To see well-known brands in France presented with their strengths, read the ranking of the best food supplement brands.

The 7 criteria at a glance

Criterion 1: claims that comply with regulations

This is the first filter, and it already rules out many products. Health claims are governed by Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006¹, and only those in the EU register² are authorised.

Warning signs:

• a promise to cure, treat or prevent a disease;
• vague wording such as “detox”, “boosts immunity” or “fat burner”;
• healing testimonials in the spotlight;
• a claim on a nutrient present at a token dose.

A brand that follows these rules shows that it knows its framework. The guide to food supplements and their regulation details that framework.

Criterion 2: clearly stated forms and doses

A good manufacturer states the chemical form of each ingredient and its amount per daily dose, with the percentage of the nutrient reference values. For minerals, the dose should be expressed as the element: 300 mg of magnesium bisglycinate does not provide 300 mg of magnesium.

For vitamins and minerals, the guide vitamins and minerals: roles and needs gives the reference values to know, and the magnesium fact sheet details the forms of this mineral.

Criterion 3: identified and traceable raw materials

Some brands use branded ingredients, produced by an identified manufacturer and often mentioned on the label. The best known:

• Creapure for creatine monohydrate;
• Peptan for collagen peptides;
• EPAX for omega-3 rich oils.

Their presence is not an absolute guarantee, but it shows that the brand knows the origin of its ingredient and is willing to display it. Failing that, a brand that states the geographical origin of its raw materials shows transparency.

Criterion 4: a formula without unnecessary additives

Read the ingredient list to the end. A supplement does not need colouring, and many can do without sweeteners or bulking agents. As a reminder, titanium dioxide (E171), long used to whiten tablets, has been banned as a food additive in the European Union since 2022.

What to favour:

• a short, understandable ingredient list;
• plant-based capsules where possible;
• powders without added flavouring or with natural flavourings, with no colouring.

Criterion 5: published tests and standards

A transparent brand communicates on its controls: batch testing, contaminant screening, certification of the manufacturing site. If you are subject to anti-doping controls, two standards target the absence of doping substances: the French NF V94-001 standard and the European EN 17444 standard.

In its opinion on food supplements for athletes³, ANSES, the French food safety agency, points out that some products may contain undeclared substances. Buying from an identified brand and controlled channels reduces this risk.

Criterion 6: origin and place of manufacture

“French brand” and “made in France” are not the same thing. A brand can be French and manufacture elsewhere in Europe, or the other way round. Look at:

• the country of manufacture, when stated;
• the origin of the raw materials, often harder to find;
• the consistency between the brand’s message and what the label says.

Origin is one criterion among others: a European brand that is transparent about its formulas is a better choice than a local brand that stays vague.

Criterion 7: the price per daily dose

The price of the tub tells you nothing. A cheap tub may contain very low-dose capsules, or require six capsules a day. Always work out the cost of an effective daily dose:

Price of the tub ÷ number of daily doses = cost per day

At equal dose and equivalent form, the gap between two brands is often much smaller than it looks. And a slightly more expensive but better formulated product remains a better choice than a cheap product taken for nothing.

Applying these criteria to your routine

Start from a precise need (tiredness, recovery, omega-3 intake), then run the candidate products through these seven criteria. For sports nutrition, the guide sports nutrition: which supplements for which goal helps you target useful ingredients, and the creatine fact sheet shows what a clear label looks like for this ingredient. If you are on medication, pregnant or breastfeeding, ask a health professional before starting a supplement.

Frequently asked questions

Sources