Comment · Wed, February 18, 2026 · Nootropics Depot & Natrium Health
How do you actually shop for third-party tested supplements without falling for a badge?
Original post in this thread
HutoelewaPictures · 69 points
I’m trying to get more serious about only buying third-party tested supplements, but I’m realizing “tested” can mean basically anything depending on the brand. For those of you who care about this stuff, what do you look for first (heavy metals, microbes, label accuracy, pesticides, shelf stability), and how do you confirm it’s real beyond a badge on the website? If you have a simple checklist for not getting played, I’d love it.
What they were answering
10MileHike · 3 points
This is just another contract manufacturer!!!
Yeah ...."the formulator told us what recipe they used, so it must be in there!"
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb · Nootropics Depot & Natrium Health
This is happening a LOT lately. As consumers start to demand COAs more, brands are putting them on the sites more. However, many times those are just supplier COAs. These contract manufacturers are getting better at making them look legit as well, confusing consumers. Then even ISO accredited labs are starting to participate in this bullshit scheme. It's really fraud, in my opinion. Large and seemingly well-regarded labs are offering what they are calling "by input" testing now. What is by input testing? Well it's not testing at all! No actual chemistry is taking place, and there is no way to fail it. What happens is that the brands or the contract manufacturer sends the sample to the lab offering this, and the lab asks for the master batch record of the production batch. The lab then reads through the master batch record, sees what the manufacturer says is in there, then issues a COA saying that is how much is in there... That's right! The lab reads the documents from the manufacturer saying there is Xmg of something in there, then the lab goes: "Well if you say so! Here's a passing COA from an ISO accredited lab saying there is Xmg in there!" However, no actual testing occurred at all. How can you call something a test when there is no way to fail said test? What, the only way to fail the test is for the brand/manufacturer to send in a master batch record that says they didn't put that much in the formula? It's asinine! It's more than that. It's outright fraud in my opinion.
So consumers need to look out for this shit on COAs they see. It's listed a few different ways now, to try and hide it for consumers. By input testing is the most common, but you might also see process controlled, verified by batch record, verified by input, by calculation, PPCS, or production process control system listed. You have to look at the method/methodology section. I'll give you another example.
https://revivesups.com/products/daily-greens-powder
That's a 9.25/10 SuppCo trust score, by the way. I will not rant on that right now, but I have a lot of opinions on that one... Let's just look at their COAs and testing direct. Says third party tested, so you know it must be good!
Here is the totally legit third party COA they post!
METHOD
By input
By input
By input
By input
By input
By input
By input
By input
By input
That's what we say is in there, so that's what is in there! What lab is saying that? Who the fuck knows! We blacked out all the information at the top, and the image was taken on a potato phone, so you can't really read much anyway! But wait, they say they are third party tested for accuracy and purity, and are clinically studied!
It can't all be lies, can it?!? They have a 9.25 SuppCo rating! Okay, but some shitty brands misleading consumers is one thing. A real lab wouldn't do this, right?
There is a Eurofins COA that says "Quantity By Input" for the analysis and result of "Quantity by Input verified and reviewed by batch record supplied by client." So the client says they have 100mg in there. Who are we to question them? Here is your Eurofins COA you can show to consumers and to Amazon that your product has 100mg in it!