Look, let’s just call it what it is—mislabeling and contaminants in supplements is the industry’s open secret. Everyone who’s paying attention already knows this, but not enough is being done about it. Sure, we’ve seen some companies step up, but the truth is, low-quality supplements are everywhere, and they’re fooling people. The data speaks for itself.

Studies paint a grim and detailed picture. I’ve included a selection at the bottom of this page, but in summary:

Here’s the silver lining—consumer awareness is rising, thanks to thought leaders like Dr. Andy Galpin (host of the Perform podcast), Andrew Huberman (Huberman Lab), and Dr. Peter Attia (The Drive podcast, author of Outlive). Even fitness legends like 6-time Mr Olympia Dorian Yates are cutting through the noise, talking about supplement quality on platforms like his Shadow Talk podcast.

The conversation is shifting. People are starting to ask tougher questions, and that’s forcing some of the industry to clean up its act.

Quality is hard to measure, but a few brands have built reputations – and businesses - on doing things right:

Brands are catching on. Many are making their lab results public on their websites. It’s a trust-building move, especially for those without the name recognition of Thorne or Momentus. But here’s the catch—once a brand has built enough credibility, they stop sharing these results. Why? Because they don’t want consumers to start comparing cheaper but equally good alternatives.

Platforms like LabDoor, Examine, and Consumer Reviews have stepped in, trying to quality-check products. But the problem? Testing is expensive, and consumers are still too price-sensitive to cover the costs.

At Aletheum, we’re all about validated trust. We’re not trying to police the industry, but we can tell you when a product has lab results, and more importantly, whether those labs are third-party validated. This helps buyers quickly make the right choice. By doing this, we create a system where companies doing the right thing are rewarded. It’s simple—if you make it easy for people to find quality, the industry will step up. One transaction at a time, we’re driving that change.

The bottom line? Trust is the new currency in supplements, and we’re here to make sure that trust is backed by real data. Let’s raise the bar together.

The study found that NMN supplements had deviations ranging from -100% to +28.6% and urolithin A from -15.5% up to +28.6%.

This study analyzes data from emergency departments to assess the frequency and nature of adverse events related to dietary supplements in the United States.

The researchers examine the prevalence of adulteration in dietary supplements, highlighting issues with undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients that pose health risks.

This paper discusses how contamination of dietary supplements can lead to positive drug tests among athletes, underscoring the lack of quality control.

This study assesses heavy metal contamination in herbal supplements, revealing potential health hazards due to poor quality control.