Issue #425: Are Your Supplements Safe?
Good morning. It’s Friday, January 31st.
In today’s email:
Focus: Supplement Safety
Try: Check the Label
In the News: Caterpillar Venom
Brain Games: Kyudoku
Stat of the Day
The global wellness supplements market by 2030 - up from $223B in 2022. (Media Market)
Focus
Supplement Safety
Today I’m handing over Thrive25 to Chris Jones and the team from amni.ai. Chris is one of the most authentic people I’ve met in truly trying to solve the problem of supplement quality and safety.
Since almost all of us take at least one supplement or vitamin (some of us many more), I thought it would be something you should know about and he can tell the story better than I can - so Chris, take it away!
Millions of people are taking wellness supplements everyday - but how much do we really know about the products we're putting into our bodies?
The answer - probably not as much as we should. This booming market is a complex web of manufacturers, distributors, and retailers operating under varying degrees of oversight and regulation.
With more supplement purchases happening online and new brands emerging almost daily, understanding how to navigate this industry has never been more crucial.
We’re here to help provide some transparency about the supplement industry and how new technologies and transparency initiatives can make us feel more confident in the safety and effectiveness of the supplements you take every day.
The Supplement World is Complex
The U.S. alone accounts for more than $54 billion in annual sales. But buying a supplement in the U.S. (or Europe) doesn’t mean that’s where it came from. It’s truly a global supply chain.
A single manufacturer often produces supplements for many brands across multiple countries.
These manufacturers face challenges of raw material shortages and unreasonable expectations to meet tight deadlines - brands (their customers) just want to make sure their product is always available on the shelf.
In an effort to meet rising demand and control costs - manufacturers may reduce testing, use cheaper ingredients, or skip quality control completely. The problem gets worse as running multiple production lines increases the risk of cross-contamination.
All this creates some concerning gaps in quality control, transparency, and safety risks.
One research study found that up to 20% of supplements contain multiple unapproved pharmaceutical ingredients. Who here thought they were taking a drug when consuming that supplement?
These issues represent real risks to consumers who trust these products with their health.
Considering the scale and complexities involved in the supplement production process, it will take time for regulation or transparency requirements to catch up - if they ever do.
This means consumers need to shop smarter and that begins with understanding what to look for and what to avoid.
So what can you - the consumer of supplements - do to protect yourself?
What you can do today to identify safe supplements
First - look for these two certifications: NSF International and the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).
Both of these organizations test supplements for quality, purity, and potency. These organizations hold products to strict standards and regularly audit manufacturing facilities to ensure compliance. Their certifications are some of the most trusted in the industry.
What if your preferred supplement doesn’t have either of those labels? Here's your next steps:
1) Look for brands that openly share their manufacturing practices
If a company is proud of their process, they'll tell you about it…at length. They'll have it plastered all over their website, in their marketing materials, and likely even on the packaging itself. Silence, meanwhile, speaks volumes.
2) Whether you're shopping online or in stores, stick to authorized sellers
While it's tempting to snag a bargain from an unknown vendor, counterfeit products often contain dangerous ingredients that could harm you.
Take a few minutes to verify the seller's credentials and read customer reviews from multiple sources. Look for red flags like unusually low prices, poor quality photos, or missing contact information.
3) Check for batch-level verification
Supplement companies now offer technology that lets you trace your specific bottle's ingredients back to their source.
Here's how it works: each production batch gets a unique identifier, usually a number or QR code printed on the bottle.
Check out the info that you should know about your supplement -
What’s in it (and not in it)
Where it came from
Was it tested
Is it safe (no heavy metals, bacteria)
This level of transparency helps you verify that what you're consuming actually matches what's on the label. And, it holds manufacturers accountable for their quality claims.
And this is where technology steps in.
New traceability technologies are helping suppliers, manufacturers, and brands protect consumers and ensure product safety without sacrificing efficiency.
This technology combines artificial intelligence, blockchain, and sophisticated batch tracking systems to create an unbroken chain of documentation from raw material to finished product.
It’s still not common practice, but that’s why Truinsights is being developed by amni.ai - leading the charge for transparency in supplements, food products, and cosmetics. Truinsights is currently in beta, so expect the certified brand list to grow data in the coming months.
These systems work by conducting detailed reviews of individual product batches, verifying everything from manufacturing compliance to ingredient testing results (see above).
Soon you will have verified data - real evidence - instead of baseless marketing claims when it comes to quality.
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
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Try
Check the Label
Brands that we’ve supported - like Momentous - adhere to these quality and traceability standards.
And tools like Truinsights exist solely to protect you when selecting a supplement from the seemingly endless line on the shelf.
We don’t have to rely on blind trust to ensure what we’re taking is safe.
Take the extra step, maybe pay the extra money, and make sure the supplements in your daily routine are legit.
Start by looking for those certifications: NSF International and the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).
Check out the verified brands at Truinsights.
Put your health first - know where your supplements come from!
H&L in the News
Fitness Myths Experts Loathe: Say goodbye to gimmicks and focus on science-backed fitness tips. Learn what trends to avoid and how to build healthier habits that truly work for you. (NYTimes)
Toxic Threats = Hidden Cures?: Deadly caterpillar venoms hold untapped potential for medicine, from pain relief to life-saving drugs. Discover the surprising world of these tiny toxic powerhouses. (Knowable)
Ultimate Bike Rack Upgrade: Meet the 1UP Super Duty Bike Rack: unparalleled design, unmatched durability, and total bike protection. Secure your gear - even e-bikes - on any adventure with confidence and style. (Outside)
Brain Games
Kyudoku
Kyudoku is a 6x6 grid where you need to use logic to find nine unique numbers (1 to 9) so that each row and column has a sum of 9 or less. The 1 highlighted in yellow is given.
Here’s a little help to get started. Because we know 1 is given, we can’t use 1 again (gray boxes). And today, there are no additional numbers we can eliminate immediately because there is no 9 in either row or column shared with the given 1. So not much to go on, but I think you’ve got enough info - good luck!
Credit : Brainzilla
**For answer, scroll to the bottom of the post
Product Recs
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🌎 Zero Acre Farms - seed oils can have real negative effects on our health - but they’re in almost everything we eat. Made by fermentation, not deforestation, Zero Acre Farms cultured oil uses 85% less land than canola oil, emits 86% less CO2 than soybean oil, and requires 99% less water than olive oil. Get 15% off your order with code THRIVE25 today!
Thanks for another great week!
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** Brain Games Answer **
Why Thrive25
We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
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To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25, Inc. does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.