The Truth About Supplements (And How to Not Waste Your Money)

Supplements are a multi-billion-dollar industry. Fat loss, muscle gain, better focus, hormone balance, longevity — you name it, there’s a pill for it.

And while some supplements can genuinely be helpful, a lot of people are spending real money on promises that don’t hold up. Before I recommend anything to a client — or to you — I think you deserve to understand the full picture.

Because this isn’t fear-mongering. It’s stewardship.

The FDA does not approve supplements before they reach you

Here’s the reality most people don’t realize: the supplement industry is not tightly regulated. Unlike prescription medications, supplements don’t go through strict approval before being sold.

Under a 1994 law called the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act — DSHEA — companies can bring products to market without proving they work, or even that what’s on the label is accurate. The FDA can only step in after a product is already on shelves and has been shown to cause harm. By then, it’s already being sold and used.

The dietary supplement market has grown from a $4 billion industry with around 4,000 products in 1994 to one worth more than $40 billion with as many as 80,000 products today — but consumer protection regulations have not kept pace.

So the responsibility falls on you as the consumer to choose wisely. And that starts with knowing what you’re actually dealing with.

What’s actually in the bottle may not match the label

This is where the research gets alarming. Because most people assume these products are tested and verified before they hit shelves. They’re not.

Some products:

• Contain less of the active ingredient than advertised

• Include fillers or low-quality ingredients

• Or worse, contain substances not listed on the label at all

A 2024 study published in JAMA Network Open analyzed 30 dietary supplements marketed for weight loss and found that 83% had inaccurate labels — with some missing ingredients entirely and others containing substances on the Department of Defense’s prohibited supplement ingredients list.

Scientists at Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School analyzed 57 sports supplements and found 89% were inaccurately labeled — and 12% contained unlabeled banned drug substances.

An analysis of FDA warnings issued between 2007 and 2016 identified 776 dietary supplements containing contaminants, including a prescription drug found in sexual enhancement supplements and a weight loss compound that had been pulled from the market after being linked to heart attacks and strokes.

There have even been cases where weight loss and performance supplements included compounds not approved in the U.S. at all. Products sitting on store shelves and popping up on your social media feed — with zero FDA review of what’s actually inside them.

The “third-party tested” claim is not all equal

You may have noticed some supplements say “third-party tested” on the label. This is a good sign — but only if you know what it actually means.

A 2010 Government Accountability Office report found that trace amounts of one or more contaminants — including lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, or pesticides — were detected in 93% of the 40 supplements analyzed. Many of those products already had manufacturer seals on their labels.

The difference is whether the testing was done by a legitimate independent organization or simply claimed by the manufacturer themselves. Those are not the same thing.

How to choose quality supplements

If you’re going to spend money on supplements, here’s what actually matters:

1. Third-party testing

Look for certifications from NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport, or USP Verified. These programs include thorough laboratory analyses and routine re-testing to confirm that supplements are free from contaminants and that what’s on the label is actually in the product. NSF Certified for Sport is recognized by the NFL, MLB, PGA, LPGA, and the US Anti-Doping Agency. That’s the standard worth looking for.

2. GMP-certified manufacturing

Good Manufacturing Practice certification ensures the product is made under proper quality control standards. It’s a baseline — not a ceiling — but it matters.

3. Brand transparency

Reputable companies are clear about their sourcing, dosing, and testing. If a brand is vague about where their ingredients come from or how their products are tested, that’s a red flag.

4. Evidence behind the ingredient itself

This is the one most people overlook. Third-party certification verifies that a product contains what the label claims and is free from contaminants — but it does not evaluate whether the supplement will actually produce the health benefits advertised. A certified supplement still needs real clinical evidence behind the ingredient itself.

A better option: my Fullscript dispensary

All of this is exactly why I was careful about how I entered the supplement space — and why I chose Fullscript over sending people all over the internet to guess what’s legitimate.

Fullscript carries practitioner-grade brands held to significantly higher standards than the average retail product. The brands I recommend use clinically validated ingredient forms at clinically studied doses, and most carry legitimate third-party certifications. It takes the guesswork out of the process — which is the biggest issue most people run into.

Here’s why I use it:

• Only high-quality, vetted brands — no guessing

• Third-party tested products

• Practitioner-grade supplements you typically won’t find in big-box stores

• Direct shipping to your door

• Consistent quality and sourcing standards

I only recommend what I would take myself. You can access my dispensary here — my clients receive 15% off all purchases and free shipping on orders over $50, no code needed: us.fullscript.com/welcome/dgfitsupps

Let’s be clear: supplements are not magic

This is where I’m going to be blunt. Supplements are exactly what the name implies — a supplement.

They are not:

• A replacement for real food

• A shortcut for fat loss

• A fix for inconsistent habits

They can help fill genuine gaps. For example, Vitamin D if you’re deficient. Omega-3s if you don’t eat fish. Magnesium if your diet is low in leafy greens. Creatine for strength and performance. But if your nutrition, sleep, and movement aren’t in place, no supplement is going to fix that.

What actually matters

If your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, or better energy, your priorities should look like this — in this order:

1. Sleep and recovery

2. Consistent, quality nutrition

3. Adequate protein intake

4. Strength training and daily movement

5. Then — maybe — supplements

If you’ve been following my content for a while, you’re likely familiar with the health hierarchy of needs I put together after years of coaching. This is the same framework taught inside the 6:19 Method — my faith-based health course designed to help Christian women build a sustainable, guilt-free approach to their health. The June cohort starts June 13th. If you want to learn how to gain control of your health in a way that honors God, join the waitlist here: dg-fit.com/619method

Final thought

You don’t need a cabinet full of pills to make progress. You need a solid foundation — and if you choose to add supplements, they should be high-quality, purposeful, and backed by real evidence.

Proverbs 14:15 says the prudent person gives thought to their steps. That applies to the supplement aisle too.

If you’re going to invest in your health, make sure you’re not wasting money on products that don’t deliver. You can browse hundreds of quality brands trusted by health professionals across the country through my dispensary here: us.fullscript.com/welcome/dgfitsupps