With the arrival of warmer weather, there tends to be a desire to resume training, improve eating habits, or regain energy. In this context, supplements take center stage, and social networks fill with products that promise to help us sleep better, feel less tired, or improve physical performance.
The problem is that a viral recommendation is not enough to know if that supplement is right for you. It isn’t enough for the packaging to be attractive, to include words like “natural,” or to accumulate positive comments.
“The guidance on what to supplement cannot arise from a fashion trend or a quick recommendation from a content creator: the assessment of deficiency and habits is the exclusive prerogative of licensed doctors and nutritionists,” warns Facundo Herrera, entrepreneur in the nutrition and supplementation sector.
So, how can you know if what you’re taking has real potential to help you? These are the five keys you should review.
1. Ask yourself what you’re taking it for
Before looking for an ingredient, you need to identify the objective. “Feeling better,” “having more energy,” or “getting ready for summer” are understandable desires, but they’re too broad to choose a supplement.
Tiredness, insomnia, hair loss, or difficulty recovering after training can have different causes. Taking a product without knowing them does not guarantee that the problem will be solved and could even delay a necessary consultation.
The first question, then, is simple: what concrete need should this supplement meet?
A doctor or nutritionist can assess your diet, your habits, the medications you use, and, when appropriate, order tests. That information allows you to decide whether you truly need to supplement, which nutrient could help you, and in what amount.
2. Look for the RNE and the RNPA
In Argentina, the packaging must include two essential pieces of information:
- RNE: National Establishment Registry. Identifies the manufacturing or importing establishment.
- RNPA: National Registry of Food Product. Corresponds to the product’s authorization.
Both numbers must appear clearly on the label and can be consulted in the public search of the Sistema de Información Federal para la Gestión del Control de los Alimentos, known as SIFeGA.
If the product does not include these records, is incomplete, or does not match the official information, you should not consume it.
Herrera clarifies that this control is indispensable, although he advocates moving toward greater transparency: “Complying with current health regulations and displaying the registration numbers represents the legally mandatory standard to enter the market.”
In other words, the registrations allow you to verify that the establishment and the product were authorized, but they do not determine whether that supplement is the right one for your personal need.
3. Read the full label, not just the front
The front of the package is designed to grab attention. The important information is usually found on the back.
The label should indicate:
- The complete list of ingredients.
- The amount of each nutrient per serving.
- The recommended daily intake.
- The method of consumption.
- The name and address of the manufacturer or importer.
- The batch number.
- The expiry date.
- The warnings and contraindications.
ANMAT also requires that supplements include the recommendation to consult a physician and the relevant warnings for pregnancy, lactation, and infant consumption.
Pay special attention to how much each serving contains. A product may highlight an ingredient in huge letters and, yet, include a quantity different from what you need. The phrase “with magnesium,” for example, does not by itself explain what kind of magnesium it contains, how much it provides, or whether that dose is appropriate for you.
4. Find out if there is traceability
Traceability allows you to follow the supplement’s journey: who produced it, where, under what controls, and to which batch it belongs.
“Today it isn’t enough to take something blindly: the consumer wants to understand what ingredient they are consuming and what backing supports it,” explains Herrera. From his position in the industry, he believes brands should provide verifiable information about their processes and quality controls.
Before buying, you can ask yourself:
- Is the responsible company clearly identified?
- Is there an official contact channel?
- Is it disclosed where the product is manufactured?
- Can the composition be backed by laboratory analyses?
- Is the certificate presented for the same product and batch you will consume?
“The future of the category requires moving toward a voluntary standard of maximum transparency and integrity: that the industry adopt verification of its products through independent laboratory analyses,” says Herrera.
A QR code or a flashy certificate should not be automatically accepted as a guarantee either. It’s wise to verify what laboratory performed the analysis, what was studied, and whether the data matches the product.
5. Define how you will evaluate its results
To know whether a supplement works, you need to establish what change you expect to observe and how it will be monitored.
Depending on the reason for the indication, monitoring may include laboratory studies, a nutritional evaluation, changes in athletic performance, or the evolution of specific symptoms. The timeframe and criteria should be defined with the professional who recommended it.
Do not increase the dose because you “don’t feel anything” or combine several supplements with similar ingredients. Besides not necessarily improving outcomes, you could exceed the recommended intake or cause interactions with medications.
If you experience nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, palpitations, itching, rashes, or any other unexpected reaction, stop using it and consult.
Red flags before buying a supplement
Be wary when the product:
- Promises rapid or miraculous results.
- Claims it works the same for everyone.
- Is presented as a replacement for a balanced diet.
- Does not identify the manufacturer or importer.
- Does not display the RNE and RNPA.
- Is sold only through an informal account.
- Does not inform ingredients, quantities, batch, or expiry.
- Recommends abandoning medical treatments.
ANMAT warns about the risks of purchasing products from unknown sources online, since the conditions of production, storage, and quality cannot always be guaranteed. It also maintains a public section where alerts and prohibitions can be consulted.
The key is not to add up, but to choose with discernment
A supplement can be useful when it addresses a concrete need, has a verifiable composition, and is used in the right amount. But it does not compensate for an inadequate diet, insufficient rest, or a poorly framed indication.
The safest approach combines three decisions: consult a health professional, verify the product, and demand clear information from the brand.
As Herrera summarizes: “Get informed with health professionals when deciding to consume and demand rigor from brands about the real quality of what they sell. Only in that way will the desire to live better translate into a safe and truly healthy decision.”
Acknowledgments: Facundo Herrera. Entrepreneur in the nutrition and supplementation sector
