Dietary Supplements

Consumer Dietary SupplementsUSP sets standards for dietary supplements (including vitamins, minerals, botanicals, and herbals) that are recognized in U.S. federal law per the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, an amendment to the U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act. FDA regulations for dietary supplements are different than those for drugs; manufacturers may voluntarily choose to meet USP standards. Under the law, products that claim to conform to USP standards on their labels must do so or they may be deemed to be misbranded per FDA regulations.

USP Verified Dietary Supplements—Look for the Mark

In addition to setting standards, USP offers a voluntary program for manufacturers that verifies the quality a product's ingredients and its manufacturing processes. Products that meet USP's stringent testing and evaluation criteria are awarded the USP Verified Mark (see image to right) for use on product labels, packaging, and promotional materials.

The USP Verified Mark helps assure consumers of a manufacturer's commitment to quality and helps them easily identify and choose a product that

  • contains the ingredients listed on the label, in the declared potency and amount
  • does not contain harmful levels of specified contaminants
  • will break down and release into the body in a specified amount of time
  • and has been made according to the FDA's Good Manufacturing Processes

The USP Verified has appeared on more than 200 million product labels.

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