Did you buy Counterfeit Supplements on Amazon?
Counterfeit supplements sold on Amazon have been increasing lately. We heard about this in April, and now this past September 2023 yet again. It was discovered that counterfeit versions of Pure Encapsulations L-glutamine and Nature MD’s GutConnect 365 were sold on Amazon. Earlier in the year counterfeit versions of Bausch and Lombs PreserVision AREDS 2 Formula Eye Vitamin and Mineral supplement, and NOW and FUNGHI PERFECTI supplement companies separately have found over 34 counterfeit versions of their supplements on Amazon!
What we advise to our patients
We always stress to our patients to shop directly from the brands website or use their authorized distributors and retailers from a trusted company that follow strict quality standards, thereby reducing the possibility of counterfeit supplements. Here at Real You Nutrition we use Fullscript which is a company that follow the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) which means their brand partners are third-party cGMP audited or have proof of standard operating procedures for clean, safe facilities. Their brand partners commit to label claims that are accurate and compliant with regulatory requirements and they test for ingredient validations and contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, and solvents.
What you can do
If you purchase from Amazon make sure it’s sold by the actual brand, or Amazon, or an authorized reseller of the brand, and it ships from Amazon. Some products purchased on Amazon can now be verified using one of two smartphone apps (Amazon Shopping or the Transparency app). For brands that are registered with Amazon for the program, you can scan a product’s transparency code on these apps after you receive it. Amazon verifies the identity of companies that apply to participate in the transparency program, which was launched in 2019 as part of its effort to help detect and remove counterfeit products from the site, known as Project Zero. However, even with these safeguards put in place, the counterfeit supplements continue to be found on Amazon.
What to look for
If you believe you have a counterfeit supplement from Amazon there will be some signs such as irregularities in both product packaging and contents inside the capsules. You can look for misspelled words, or unfamiliar fonts on the labels. Good quality supplements should have tamper-evident seals, lot numbers, expiration dates, and contact information for the brand. Our team has some favorite supplements that we recommend when needed. What are your favorite supplements?