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How To Read Vitamins & Supplements Labels? |
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The "% of Daily Value": The
"Daily Value," or DV, was created by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration for labels on foods and supplements, and
implemented in 1994. It is based on two sets of references:
Daily Reference Values, or DRVs, and Reference Daily
Intakes, or RDIs. DRVs are for nutrients for which no set of
standards existed previously, such as fat and cholesterol.
RDIs replaced the term "U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances"
(RDA). |
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Serving Size: This indicates
how many of the units - tablets, soft-gels, capsules, etc, need to be consumed in a day to reach the percent of daily
value listed on the label.
Units of measure reflect
the standard reference units for each kind of nutrient. “I.U.,”
stands for “International Unit” and is the standard for
measuring fat-soluble vitamins. The abbreviation "mg" stands
for milligrams, or one-thousandths of a gram, and “mcg"
stands for micrograms, or one millionths of a gram.
Double asterisks in place of
DV listings mean that DVs have not been established for
these nutrients. The nutrients are included in some Weil
dietary supplements because studies suggest they have
scientifically validated health benefits and are safe to
consume at the amounts contained in the supplement. |
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The "Other ingredients": This is a list of compounds that do
not directly contribute to the nutrient DVs in the
supplement, but instead aid in functions such as tablet
integrity, proper digestion or preservation of shelf life.
The "EXP" indicates the expiration date; that is, the date
by which the supplements in the bottle will have degraded to
the point that the percent of DV listed on the label is no
longer accurate. Consuming supplements that are past their
expiration date is usually not harmful, but since the full
nutritional value is not received by the consumer, it is
recommended that supplements that have passed their
expiration date be replaced with fresher ones. |
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The "LOT" is a number that identifies the specific
manufacturing lot that included this particular item. It is
useful in the unlikely event that questions arise about the
integrity of ingredients or manufacturing processes used to
create that lot.
Directions, provides
information to help the consumer safely obtain maximum value
from the product.
Note, serves to warn
consumers of potential adverse effects the supplement could
present to individuals such as pregnant or lactating women,
people taking certain prescription medications, or people
with allergies. This section also contains information
regarding how to store the supplements.
Manufacturer's information
tells which company made the supplement, and where the
company has its headquarters. |
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