When we hear the term “raw material testing” we all assume it is probably a good thing, but what exactly is it and why is it so important? Raw material testing is applying a scientific standard to ensure that ingredients in a supplement are high quality, safe, free of contaminants and work for their intended purpose. There are different types of material testing, but each takes steps to ensure that your supplement is safe and effective. The issue though is that most supplement companies do not adhere to these manufacturing standards.
Unlike pharmaceuticals, supplements are not required to pass any specific type of testing. This means that supplement companies who do not apply raw material testing standards, which include a majority of the commercial brands you’ve probably taken at some point, may contain lower quality ingredients and may not even be effective when taken as directed. Worse, there could be contaminants and other harmful substances that would go undetected.
How Do You Test Raw Materials?
Testing raw materials requires an extensive range of investigative science. Some of the assessments that are commonly used include things like loss on drying, moisture determination, heavy metals tests, infrared spectrophotometry and even full monograph testing. While most of us have no idea what these tests do, they are a series of tests that look at each ingredient to be sure they are safe, have the correct potency and will be effective when included in supplements. Raw material testing should be conducted in a laboratory setting, preferably at a pharmaceutical grade facility.
What Happens During the Process?
Each individual ingredient used in the supplement is tested in a laboratory setting to ensure they do not contain contaminants, bacteria, microbials, metals, and other unwanted substances. If any of these are found, the entire lot of that specific ingredient is disposed of and new ingredients are sourced.
Why Should All Supplements Use This Process?
When you take a medication, either prescribed or over the counter, you can have confidence that you are taking exactly what is listed on the label. However, when it comes to supplements you have no guarantee. The FDA does not assess dietary supplement products for safety or effectiveness before they are sold. It is the responsibility of the manufacturers and distributors to ensure the product is safe. This means that any supplement that skips raw material testing may contain a number of potentially harmful ingredients.
If all supplement manufacturers were required to use raw material testing, supplements would likely have a much better reputation.
What Happens When You Don’t Test Materials?
Supplements that are not put through this rigorous testing might be safe and effective. However, should we settle for ‘might’ when it comes to our health? Supplements that bypass raw material testing can include any number of substances and/or ingredients that can potentially be harmful to our health. This doesn’t serve consumer health and safety, and has fostered an industry where profits, not health, are the main drivers.
While supplement manufacturers are not required to use raw material testing, it is something consumers should demand. When we put a substance into our bodies, we have a right to know that it is safe and does what it's intended to do (and conversely, that it won’t do what it’s not intended to do). Once an ingredient passes the rigorous process of raw material testing we can have peace of mind with our supplement and our health.
