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CL Answer
Is it safe to chew softgel supplements instead of swallowing them? Does this affect absorption of the ingredients?
Find out if it is safe to chew softgel supplements, instead of swallowing them, and if this affects absorption of the ingredients.
CL Answer
Can fisetin, also called Cognisetin and Novusetin, really improve memory or slow aging?
Can fisetin (Cognisetin and Novusetin) improve memory or slow aging? Find out what clinical research shows and learn about safety and pricing of fisetin.
Clinical Update
9/30/2012
Do Spreads Lower Heart Risk?
Buttery spreads like Smart Balance and Benecol claim to lower the risk of heart disease due to their phytosterols/stanols. These plant compounds can certainly help (by lowering cholesterol levels), but recent lawsuits challenge whether Smart Balance and Benecol provide enough sterols/stanols to claim a benefit. It turns out that one may, and one may not. Find out more and get our quality ratings of cholesterol-lowering supplements in the updated Cholesterol-Lowering Supplements Review >>
News Release
May 15, 2019
ConsumerLab Tests Reveal Big Differences in Digestive Enzyme Supplements
White Plains, New York, May 15, 2019 — Digestive enzyme supplements can help improve digestion and the absorption of nutrients, and may reduce symptoms of indigestion. But to work, they must provide a certain amount of enzyme activity.
CL Answer
Is it okay to crush or break vitamin pills to lower the dose or mix into food?
Learn about the safety of crushing vitamin pills, tablets, capsules or enteric-coated tablets and ingesting the powder with food, as opposed to taking a whole pill.
CL Answer
Must I take amino acid supplements on an empty stomach? Can I take them with other amino acids or with food to help with swallowing capsules?
Find out if you should take amino acid pills on an empty stomach or with food in order to maximize absorption, and more about the best way to take amino acid supplements.
News Release
October 11, 2016
What Are the Benefits of Resveratrol and Which Brands Are Best? -- ConsumerLab.com Reviews the Evidence and Tests the Quality of Popular Resveratrol Supplements
White Plains, New York, October 11, 2016 — Resveratrol supplements have been popular since 2006, when studies in animals showed "life-extending" and "endurance-enhancing" effects, among other potential benefits.
News Release
September 13, 2016
Best Fish Oil? ConsumerLab.com Tests 44 Popular Omega-3 Supplements and Identifies Its Top Picks
White Plains, New York, September 13, 2016 — Fish oil and omega-3 fatty acid supplements containing EPA and DHA are among the most popular supplements, and clinical studies suggest a wide range of potential benefits, from improving mental health to treating inflammatory disease.
Clinical Update
4/03/2025
Should You Clean Produce with Ozone and Ultrasound Devices?
Find out if ozone water or ultrasound cleaners are a smart way to remove bacteria and pesticides from produce in our article about cleaning fruits and vegetables.
Clinical Update
12/01/2023
Dental Tape vs. Floss
Find out if dental tape or dental floss is better for cleaning teeth, and get our take on drTung’s Smart Floss and if it is a Top Pick.
Also find out if toothbrushes, GUM dental picks, or Listerine flossers contain PFAS.
Clinical Update
12/08/2023
Lower-Cost Filter Sellers?
Is it smart to use lower-cost sellers of water filters? We checked into two popular sellers. See what we found in our article about avoiding counterfeit water filters.
Also see a video we added to our article about how to avoid buying counterfeit supplements.
Clinical Update
1/25/2022
Air Purifiers
We’ve added a review of the Smart Health S air purifier (also called the Sqair Air Purifier) to our list of more than 60 devices. See which we recommend, which we don't, and our Top Picks for air purifiers based on room size.
CL Answer
PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances): How can I avoid PFAS in dental floss, food, water, and other products?
Some brands of dental floss may contain potentially toxic chemicals known as PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances). Get the details and learn which floss and pick products are our Top Picks.
Product Update
12/18/2025
Water Filters Tested
How did Pur Plus, Amazon Basics, and Travel Berkey water filters perform in recent tests? Find out, plus learn how other water filter pitchers, and faucet, countertop, and reverse osmosis filters, fared, in our Water Filter Pitchers Review, which includes our Top Picks.
Clinical Update
5/22/2021
Does Iron Affect Stroke Risk?
There are downsides to taking too much iron, but a recent analysis suggests that getting a basic amount of iron may reduce stroke risk for women. Get the details in the Concerns and Cautions section of our Iron Supplements Review.
News Release
March 17, 2015
CoQ10 & Ubiquinol Supplements Vary in Quality, as Well as Dose, Absorption, and Price According to ConsumerLab.com
White Plains, New York, March 17, 2015 — Findings from a recent study by ConsumerLab.com highlights the difficulty consumers have in selecting a supplement containing the highly-popular anti-oxidant CoQ10 or its activated form, ubiquinol. ConsumerLab.
Recalls & Warnings
July 26, 2023
FDA Warns Wise Women’s Choice for Promoting Plant-Based Product for Contraception
On July 20, 2023, the FDA issued a warning letter to Wise Women’s Choice following a review of the company’s website and social media, which found statements about the company’s Wise Women’s Choice products to be drug claims because products were intended to affect ...
News Release
April 09, 2014
Best Fish Oil? ConsumerLab.com Testing Finds Many High Quality Supplements, But Pitfalls Exist
White Plains, New York, August 10, 2014 — Recent laboratory tests of fish oil, krill oil, algal oil, calamari oil, and green-lipped mussel oil supplements by ConsumerLab.com revealed quality problems with four out of 30 supplements selected for review.
News Release
December 02, 2010
ConsumerLab.com Finds Lower-priced Resveratrol Supplements Pass Tests While Some Higher-priced brands flunk
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK — DECEMBER 2, 2010 — ConsumerLab.com reported today that tests of supplements containing resveratrol — a compound promoted as "life-extending" — revealed that two products provided only 43.4% and 86.
News Release
December 02, 2009
Tests show many milk thistle supplements low in key component -- Nine of ten products fail ConsumerLab.com testing of herb used in diabetes and liver diseases
TESTS SHOW MANY MILK THISTLE SUPPLEMENTS LOW IN KEY COMPONENT
News Release
August 05, 2008
ConsumerLab.com Find Fifty Fish Oil Supplements Pass Quality Testing -- New Report Helps Consumers Choose Among Pills, Liquids, Foods and Beverages with Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA and DHA)
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK — AUGUST 5, 2008 — ConsumerLab.com announced today that testing of fifty omega-3 fish oil supplements, foods or beverages (including two marketed for pets) found all to have safe levels of mercury, lead and PCBs.
News Release
March 07, 2008
ConsumerLab.com finds most vitamin C supplements pass quality tests but one short on ingredient and some exceed tolerable levels
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK — MARCH 7, 2008 — ConsumerLab.com reported test results today for a wide variety of vitamin C supplements. Vitamin C is the top-selling single vitamin in the U.S., with sales of $863 million in 2006 according to Nutrition Business Journal.
News Release
December 10, 2007
ConsumerLab.com finds improvement in quality of omega-3 and -6 supplements — Results for 22 products made from evening primrose, flaxseed, borage and black currant oils
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK — DECEMBER 10, 2007 — A new report on the quality of omega-3 and -6 fatty acid supplements made from seed oils was released by ConsumerLab.com today. Two products were slightly low in one fatty acid, but this is an improvement over results from ConsumerLab.
News Release
September 19, 2006
DHEA supplements, touted for anti-aging and strength, reviewed by ConsumerLab.com — Testing finds one brand with 215% of the labeled amount
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK — SEPTEMBER 19, 2006 — New tests of supplements containing the hormone DHEA found most to contain their claimed amounts of the controversial ingredient, but one provided 215% of its stated amount, the testing company ConsumerLab.com reported today.
Recalls & Warnings
February 01, 2022
Complaint Submitted to FTC for doTerra Essential Oil COVID Claims
On January 28, 2022, the website truthinadvertising.org submitted a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against doTerra International, LLC. following a series of Zoom calls from the company titled "Protocols for the Current Climate.
Recalls & Warnings
November 21, 2022
Healthy Sense and People’s Choice Multis Recalled
On November 17, 2022, Mason Vitamins Inc.
Recalls & Warnings
July 28, 2020
Four More Companies Recall Hand Sanitizers
Between July 9 and 27, 2020, four more companies recalled hand sanitizers because they may contain methanol, which is toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested:
Recalls & Warnings
December 31, 2020
FDA Warns Seller of Liposomal Vitamin C, Vitamin D & More
On December 21, 2020, the FDA issued a warning letter to Sparrow Health & Performance LLC for selling the products Organic Liposomal Vitamin C, Nanoemulsified D3K2 (also called Liquid Liposomal Vitamin D3 with K2 or Liposomal Vitamin D3) and Immune Support ...
Recalls & Warnings
April 17, 2020
Fiber Supplement Recalled for Salmonella Risk
On April 13, 2020, Break Ventures/California Basics issued a recall of one lot of Zero for Him fiber supplement because recent testing found it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
Recalls & Warnings
September 03, 2019
Federal Court Shuts Down Two Supplement Companies Selling Weight, Joint Health and Other Supplements
On September 3, 2019, a U.S. District Court entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against Basic Reset and Biogenyx, two Tennessee-based companies that sell dietary supplements and other product promoted for health benefits.
Recalls & Warnings
August 20, 2016
Smart Lipo Weight Loss Supplement Found to Contain Undeclared Drugs
On June 16, 2016, the FDA issued a warning letter to Centro Naturista because the company's weight loss supplement, Smart Lipo, was found to contain undeclared sibutramine and phenolphthalein.
Recalls & Warnings
August 21, 2013
Seller of Vitamin, Tea and MSM Supplements Warned For Drug Claims
August 7, 2013, the FDA issued a warning letter to Vibrant Life Vitamins, following a review of the company's websites which found statements made about Taheebo Life Tea, Life Glow Plus, Super Life Glow, Life Glow Basic, Vibrant Life MSM, Herbal MSM, and Organic Germanium to be drug claims.
Recalls & Warnings
April 11, 2013
Glutathione Supplement Maker Warned For Manufacturing Violations and Drug Claims
On April 5, 2013, the FDA issued a warning letter to The Glutathione Corporation following a facility inspection which found the company's supplements, including Ultrathione 500 Glutathione, Ultrathione 1000 Sports Pack, Ultrathione Performance, Ultrathione Extreme Performance, Ultrathione Health ...
Recalls & Warnings
June 06, 2015
Weight Supplement Recalled
On June 3, 2015 SmartLipo365 issued a voluntary recall of 122 lots of Smart Lipo because they were found to contain the undeclared drugs sibutramine, desmethylsibutramine, and phenolphthalein.
Recalls & Warnings
November 02, 2009
FTC Charges Marketers with Baseless Weight-Loss Claims
On November 2, 2009 the U.S. Justice Department, at the Federal Trade Commission’s request, filed suit today in federal court in a case affecting consumers nationwide.
Recalls & Warnings
May 09, 2020
FTC Warns 45 More Companies for Coronavirus Claims
On May 7, 2020, the FTC announced that it sent warning letters to 45 companies for selling products such as herbal products, immune system boosters, and vitamin C with unsupported claims that they can treat coronavirus (COVID-19).
Recalls & Warnings
May 11, 2006
Weight-Loss Marketers Pay $3 Million for Deceptive Advertising
On May 11, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that sellers making questionable weight-loss and fat-loss claims to peddle skin gels and diet supplements will pay $3 million to settle charges that their deceptive claims violated federal law.
Recalls & Warnings
December 21, 2012
FDA Warns Maker of Glucosamine and Omega-3 Supplements For Manufacturing Violations
On December 7, 2012, the FDA issued a warning letter to Basic Organics, Inc. following a facility inspection which found the company's Glucosamine Chondroitin and Omega 3 dietary supplements to be adulterated.
Recalls & Warnings
January 21, 2018
Men's Fiber Supplement Recalled
On January 21, 2018, Break Ventures/California Basics recalled of its fiber supplement for men, Zero for Him (150 count) due to possible Salmonella contamination.
Recalls & Warnings
January 10, 2018
Lithium Supplement Contaminated With E. Coli, Health Canada Warns
On December 1, 2018, Health Canada (the Canadian equivalent of the FDA) warned consumers that it found Smart Brain Formulations Serotonin Support, a lithium ororate supplement sold on the website Robert Lamberton Consulting, to be contaminated with E. choli (Escherichia coli).
Recalls & Warnings
November 29, 2016
Seller of Mineral, Joint Supplements and More Warned for Manufacturing Violations, Drug Claims
On July 1, 2016, the FDA issued a warning letter to BioGenyx-Basic Reset, following a facility inspection which found the company's products, including Ionyte, Aqualyte, Beta Factor, Bee Gold and Primo Java to be adulterated because they were prepared, packed, or held under ...
Recalls & Warnings
August 29, 2013
Seller of CELLFOOD Supplements Warned For Manufacturing Violations and Drug Claims
On August 1, 2013, the FDA issued a warning letter to supplement retailer Lumina Health Products, Inc.
Recalls & Warnings
April 23, 2019
"Brain Boosting" Supplements Were Promoted With Non-Existent Clinical Studies
On April 10th, 2019, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) announced the marketers of cognitive enhancement supplements Geniux, Xcel, EVO, and Ion-Z have agreed to settle charges that they made false claims about the product, including fake research references and celebrity ...
Recalls & Warnings
September 18, 2012
Men’s Sexual Enhancement Supplement Containing Prescription Drug Recalled
On September 12, 2012, Body Basics Inc. issued a voluntary nationwide recall of ACTRA-Sx 500 Dietary Supplement Capsules after independent laboratory testing confirmed the supplement contains the prescription drug sildenafil citrate.
Recalls & Warnings
November 04, 2002
Recall Of Selected Store Brand Infant Formula in U.S.
On November 1, 2002, Wyeth Nutrition, in consultation with the U.S.
Recalls & Warnings
March 04, 2008
Airborne Settles Lawsuit Over False Advertising of its "Miracle Cold Buster"
On March 4, 3008, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) announced that the makers of Airborne -- a multivitamin and herbal supplement whose labels and ads falsely claimed that the product cures and prevents colds -- will refund money to consumers who bought the product, as part of a ...
