Testing
What Does Third-Party Testing Mean?
The phrase sounds reassuring, but it matters what was tested and what the result actually establishes.
Testing can answer different questions
- Is the ingredient what the label says it is?
- Does the tested sample contain the stated amount?
- Was it screened for specified contaminants?
Those are quality questions. They are not automatically proof that a supplement produces a particular health outcome.
Ask for specificity
Look for the name of the testing or certification organization, the scope of the program and whether the claim applies to the finished product or only an ingredient.
Boundary: testing evidence and health-benefit evidence are different questions.
Primary references
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