What are the third party testing companies for supplements? A Guide to Nutrition and Quality Control

October 9, 2025 •

4 min read

According to Sport Integrity Australia, as many as one in ten sports supplements on the market could be contaminated with banned substances. Navigating the supplement industry requires diligence, and knowing what are the third party testing companies for supplements is crucial for verifying product safety and quality. These independent organizations fill the regulatory gap left by the FDA by vetting products for purity, potency, and label accuracy.

Quick Summary

This article outlines the leading third-party testing companies that certify dietary supplements, detailing their specific testing criteria and why their certifications are important for consumer trust. It covers key organizations like NSF, USP, and Informed-Sport, explaining what their seals of approval signify regarding product content, purity, and manufacturing standards.

Key Points

Third-Party Testing Fills Regulatory Gaps: As the FDA does not approve supplements pre-market, independent testing by organizations like USP and NSF ensures product safety and accuracy.
Multiple Reputable Certifiers Exist: Key players include USP, NSF International, Informed-Sport/Informed-Choice, ConsumerLab.com, and BSCG, each with different testing methodologies and focus areas.
Look for Specific Seals: Reputable products will display certification seals from these organizations on their labels, which signify a product has met their standards.
Athletes Require Specialized Testing: For athletes subject to drug testing, Informed-Sport and NSF Certified for Sport® offer rigorous screening for banned substances, providing a higher level of assurance.
Verify Claims on Organization Websites: In addition to checking the label, consumers can use online databases provided by the testing companies to confirm a product's certification status.
Quality Control Checks are Extensive: Third-party testing involves not only verifying label claims but also checking for contaminants like heavy metals and auditing manufacturing facilities for quality control.

Why Third-Party Testing is Critical

In the United States, dietary supplements do not require FDA approval before they are sold to consumers. This post-market regulation leaves the door open for potential issues, including mislabeled products, inaccurate ingredient potency, and contamination with heavy metals, pesticides, or even banned substances. Third-party testing companies act as a vital safeguard, offering an independent and unbiased evaluation of a product's quality. When a product earns a certification seal from a reputable third party, it signifies that the supplement has been rigorously tested and meets specific standards for purity, quality, and label accuracy.

Major Third-Party Testing Organizations

Several prominent organizations specialize in third-party testing for dietary supplements. While they share the common goal of ensuring product quality, their testing protocols and areas of focus can differ. Consumers should understand these differences to make informed decisions, especially those with specific concerns like potential drug testing for athletes.

United States Pharmacopeia (USP)

USP is a non-profit scientific organization with a long history of setting public standards for medicines and supplements. The USP Verified mark confirms that a product:

Contains the ingredients listed on the label in the declared strength and amounts.
Does not contain harmful levels of specified contaminants.
Will break down and release into the body within a specified amount of time for proper absorption.
Has been made in a facility that follows FDA's current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

NSF International

Originally the National Sanitation Foundation, NSF International is a global organization that tests and certifies products across many industries. For dietary supplements, NSF offers a standard certification and a more rigorous NSF Certified for Sport® program. The standard certification includes a review of label claims, formulation, and potential contaminants. The sports-specific certification goes further by testing for over 280 substances banned by major athletic organizations.

Informed-Sport and Informed-Choice

These programs are managed by LGC, a world-renowned anti-doping laboratory. Informed-Choice certifies that a supplement is free of banned substances and undergoes pre-certification testing. Informed-Sport is a more rigorous program that tests every single batch of a certified product before it is released to the market, along with blind samples purchased off store shelves. This makes it a preferred choice for professional and competing athletes.

ConsumerLab.com

ConsumerLab.com is a for-profit company that provides independent test results and reviews of health and nutrition products to its members. Their evaluations check for identity, strength, purity, and disintegration, and they publish their findings online. Unlike other certifiers, ConsumerLab.com buys products off store shelves and tests them, rather than relying on manufacturers to submit samples.

Banned Substances Control Group (BSCG)

The BSCG offers several certifications, with its most popular being BSCG Certified Drug Free®. This program tests for over 496 drugs, including those on the WADA Prohibited List, and screens for other drug classes. It is a strong option for athletes and individuals who want assurance against banned substances.

Comparison of Third-Party Testing Companies


Feature	USP	NSF International	Informed-Sport	ConsumerLab.com
Primary Focus	General supplement quality, purity, and potency.	Public health standards, including general supplement and sports certification.	Banned substances testing for athletes.	Independent review and testing for subscribers.
Label Claim Verification	Yes.	Yes.	Yes, for formulation and ingredients.	Yes.
Contaminant Testing	Yes, for harmful levels of heavy metals, pesticides, and microbes.	Yes.	Yes, free of banned substances.	Yes.
Manufacturing Audit	Yes, compliance with FDA GMP.	Yes, annual facility audits.	Yes.	No, tests finished products.
Batch Testing	Random surveillance testing off-the-shelf.	Periodic retesting of certified products.	Yes, every batch is tested.	Buys and tests random samples off-the-shelf.
Best For	General consumers seeking a guarantee of quality and potency.	General consumers and athletes seeking specific sports certification.	Competitive and professional athletes.	Consumers who want to research product ratings and detailed test results.

How to Use Third-Party Verification

To ensure your supplements are safe and effective, actively look for the certification seals from these organizations. A product's label is the first place to check for a USP Verified, NSF Certified, Informed-Sport, or BSCG seal. For athletes, the most stringent tests are offered by Informed-Sport and NSF Certified for Sport®. You can also verify a product's status directly on the certifying body's website by searching their databases. For example, USP maintains a list of all verified products on their website, providing consumers with easy access to verification information. Taking this extra step ensures you are consuming a product that has been independently validated for quality and safety. While third-party testing isn't a guarantee of efficacy for a specific individual, it significantly reduces the risk of consuming a contaminated or fraudulent product.

Conclusion: Navigating the Supplement Market with Confidence

The unregulated nature of the dietary supplement industry makes third-party testing a critical tool for consumer protection. By understanding the roles of different organizations like USP, NSF, Informed-Sport, ConsumerLab.com, and BSCG, you can make more informed purchasing decisions. These independent certifiers provide peace of mind by confirming that a product contains what its label claims and is free from harmful contaminants. Always look for these trusted seals of approval to ensure the quality and safety of the supplements you choose, a small but important step towards a healthier nutrition diet.

US Pharmacopeia: Verify Products

Frequently Asked Questions

Third-party testing is crucial because the dietary supplement industry is not heavily regulated by the FDA, meaning products do not undergo pre-market approval. Independent testing verifies that a product contains what the label claims and is free from harmful contaminants, which protects consumer safety and ensures product quality.

Informed-Sport is a more rigorous certification program than Informed-Choice. Informed-Sport requires that every single batch of a certified product is tested for banned substances before it is released, making it the preferred choice for professional athletes.

The USP Verified mark indicates that a product meets four key criteria: it contains the listed ingredients in the specified amounts, is free of harmful contaminants, dissolves properly for absorption, and has been made in a facility compliant with FDA GMP standards.

Yes, in addition to its standard certification, NSF offers the more stringent NSF Certified for Sport® program. This tests for over 280 substances banned by major athletic organizations, providing an extra layer of assurance for competitors.

ConsumerLab.com is a membership-based organization that independently tests and reviews products purchased from the open market, unlike other certifiers who receive samples directly from manufacturers. This process provides unbiased reviews based on what is actually available to consumers.

No, third-party certification verifies a product's purity, potency, and safety, not its efficacy. While it reduces the risk of consuming a low-quality or contaminated product, it doesn't guarantee that the supplement will work as intended for a specific health outcome.

Most third-party testing organizations maintain searchable online databases of their certified products. You can visit their official websites to look up specific products and brands to confirm their certification status.