Supplement Facts

Supplement Facts labels appear on dietary supplements and list the active ingredients, their amounts per serving and other ingredients, giving consumers a snapshot of what they’re ingesting.

Explanation

Unlike Nutrition Facts panels on foods and beverages, Supplement Facts labels are used for products classified as dietary supplements. A product is treated as a supplement when it contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs or botanicals intended to supplement the diet. Regulations require the panel to identify every dietary ingredient and its quantity per serving, state the serving size and list other ingredients such as flavors, colors or fillers. Manufacturers can also note the part of a plant used and may include structure or function claims with an appropriate disclaimer. An important difference is that only nutrients that occur in measurable amounts are listed; absent nutrients are omitted, whereas the Nutrition Facts must declare calories, carbohydrates, sugars and sodium even if the amount is zero. Many sports drink powders and electrolyte tablets are marketed as supplements because they include added vitamins or botanical extracts. Reading their Supplement Facts helps athletes understand the amounts of electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium and whether these amounts align with personal hydration and recovery needs.

Reading a supplement panel

To make sense of a supplement label, start by noting the serving size. Some single-serve sachets contain two scoops’ worth of powder, so the numbers may need to be doubled to reflect what you actually consume. Next, look at the electrolyte content: a sports drink powder might provide 250 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium and 50 mg magnesium per scoop, while a sodium-heavy electrolyte tablet could supply 400 mg sodium but little carbohydrate. Compare these values to your sweat rate and typical intake during exercise, keeping in mind that endurance events often call for 300–700 mg sodium and 30–60 g carbohydrate per hour. Finally, check for added vitamins or herbal extracts and consider whether they are useful. Certifications from independent bodies, such as NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Choice, indicate that the product has been tested for contaminants.

A good Supplement Facts label gives you the information needed to tailor your intake and avoid unwanted ingredients. By understanding serving size and the amounts of electrolytes and other nutrients, you can select powders or tablets that complement your sports drink regimen.

Related Terms: Nutrition Facts, Serving size, NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice, USP Verified