How to read a supplement label

Written by Cassie, registered pharmacist
Founder of Clean Green Safe

Supplement labels can feel crowded, and it’s easy to feel unsure where to start. The good news is that every Australian label follows the same basic layout, because regulators require certain information before a product can be sold. Once you know where each piece sits, checking what’s in the bottle becomes much simpler.

The product name and sponsor

The front of the label shows the product name and the brand. Somewhere on the pack you’ll also find the sponsor, which is the company legally responsible for the product on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). If you ever have a question about the product, the sponsor is who answers for it.

The AUST L or AUST R number

Every listed or registered medicine in Australia carries an AUST L or AUST R number, usually on the front or side of the pack. This number points to the product’s entry on the TGA’s ARTG. You can look it up on the TGA website to confirm the product is on the register, and to see the sponsor and the active ingredients.

It helps to know what the number does and doesn’t tell you. It confirms the product is on the register. It isn’t an endorsement, and it doesn’t mean the product works.

Active ingredients and amounts

The active ingredients panel lists each active component and how much is in each dose. You may see an amount shown as the compound form, such as “magnesium oxide 500 mg”, or as the elemental amount, such as “elemental magnesium 300 mg”. When a compound is listed, the elemental amount is the one that counts toward your daily nutritional target.

Serving size and daily dose

Look for the serving size, for example “1 capsule”, and how many servings the container holds. The amounts in the ingredients panel are usually per serving, so the serving size tells you how much you take each time. The directions then tell you how many servings make up a day.

Excipients and other ingredients

Excipients are the non-active ingredients that help make the capsule or tablet, such as binders, fillers and capsule materials. They’re listed separately from the active ingredients. If you have an allergy or intolerance, this is a good section to read carefully, along with any allergen statement.

Batch, expiry and storage

Every label shows a batch number and an expiry date. The batch number identifies when and where the product was made, which matters if there’s ever a recall. Storage instructions, such as “store below 25°C”, help the product stay as it should until that date.

If anything on a label is unclear, your pharmacist is always happy to read it through with you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cassie, registered pharmacist

Cassie is a registered pharmacist, a parent and the founder of Clean Green Safe. With a background in Australian supplement regulation across the TGA, FSANZ and NHMRC, she built Clean Green Safe to help people understand what’s really in their supplements, and how it all adds up across everything they take.