Guide
How to read a supplement label: the facts panel, step by step
To read a supplement label, start with the Supplement Facts panel: serving size, servings per container, each row's amount, its percent Daily Value and the other ingredients below. A row marked "Daily Value not established" has no percent, and a proprietary blend hides the amount of each part. The MemoHoney label prints 7 rows in milligrams.
Written by the MemoHoney label deskUpdated
Five checks
How do you read a supplement label?
You read a supplement label in five checks: the serving, the amounts, the Daily Value, the other ingredients and the cautions.
Work down the label in this order. The FDA's labeling guide explains how the panel and the ingredient statement below it fit together (FDA supplement labeling guide).
Serving size and servings per container
All amounts are per serving. A serving of 2 capsules doubles every row on the panel. Divide the count by the serving to learn how long a bottle lasts.
Amount of each row
Look for a number in milligrams (mg) or micrograms (mcg) beside each name. A row with no amount is a gap in what you can compare.
Percent Daily Value
The percent shows how much of a day's need one serving gives. Some rows have none, which is the next section.
Other ingredients
Capsule shells, binders and flow agents are listed below the panel, not inside it.
Directions, cautions and who sells it
Look for the dose, who should ask a clinician first, a safety seal, and a distributor with an address and phone.
The stars
What does "Daily Value not established" mean on a supplement label?
"Daily Value not established" means no official daily target exists for that ingredient, so the panel shows no percent.
The FDA requires such an ingredient to appear on the panel with a symbol pointing to a footnote, and the footnote reads "Daily Value Not Established" (FDA supplement labeling guide). That is why a row can list a large amount and still show two stars where the percent should be.
The stars do not mean the amount is low, high, safe or unsafe. They mean you have no yardstick from the label itself. For those rows you need an outside source, such as a medical reference, to learn what a normal intake looks like.
The same rule covers calcium from calcium carbonate. The panel lists the weight of the calcium itself, not of the whole salt (FDA supplement labeling guide). So 18 mg of calcium is 18 mg of the mineral.
Hidden amounts
What is a proprietary blend on a supplement label?
A proprietary blend is a group of ingredients listed under one name with a single total weight, so you cannot see the amount of each part.
That matters because the first ingredient in a blend can make up nearly all of the weight. A blend of 600 mg with five names could hold 580 mg of one and 5 mg of each of the others, and the panel would not show it. Blends make two similar products hard to compare.
| Question | Row-by-row panel | Proprietary blend panel |
|---|---|---|
| Can you see each amount? | Yes, one per row | No, only a total |
| Can you compare with a study dose? | Yes | Not for each part |
| Can you check an interaction? | Yes, by amount | Only by name |
| Where to look | Each row | A "blend" or "complex" heading |
A worked example
What does the MemoHoney Supplement Facts panel look like?
The MemoHoney panel is an open, row-by-row panel: 1 capsule is a serving, there are 30 servings, and seven rows print an amount.
It is not a proprietary blend. The amino acid rows add up to 640 mg, with 400 mg from the two arginine rows, 200 mg from the two citrulline rows and 40 mg from beta alanine. Niacin shows 7.5 mg NE at 47% of the Daily Value, and calcium shows 18 mg at 1.5%. The other five rows show two stars for "Daily Value not established" (MemoHoney label).
Use the checks above on it. The dose is clear: one capsule daily with 8 oz of water, best 20 to 30 minutes before a meal. The panel does not say which form of niacin it is, or how much arginine sits in the "AKG 2:1 extract". Those two are gaps. Tap a numbered dot to read each part of the label wrap.
Tap a number to read that part of the label.
- Suggested use
One (1) capsule daily with an 8 oz glass of water. For best results, 20 to 30 minutes before a meal with 8 oz of water, or as your healthcare professional directs.
- Storage
Store in a cool, dry place away from heat and light.
- Caution
Do not exceed the recommended dose. Pregnant or nursing mothers, children under 18 and anyone with a known medical condition should consult a physician. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if the safety seal is damaged or missing.
- Made in the USA
'Manufactured in the USA with globally sourced ingredients.' No facility, countries or suppliers are named.
- Distributor
INSTITUTO EXPERIENCE, PO Box 12730, Ogden, UT 84404, [email protected], +1 (507) 448-8190. These differ from the order desk shown on the Contact page.
- Hexagon brain mark
A hexagon holding a brain drawn half in line and half in honeycomb. A logo, not a certification, and not an ingredient.
- The name
MemoHoney in dark serif letters, the Honey half in gold. The word is a brand name: the Supplement Facts panel lists no honey.
- ADVANCED MEMORY SUPPORT*
The one claim on the front. The star points to the FDA statement. It is the label's own line, not a promise of any result.
- FOCUS, CLARITY, ENERGY
Three small icons with one word each. They are marketing labels, not measured results, and the Supplement Facts panel does not list them.
- 30 CAPSULES
The count: 30 capsules, which is 30 days at the label's one capsule a day. DIETARY SUPPLEMENT sits just below.
- Supplement Facts
Serving size 1 capsule; 30 servings per container. Every amount in the panel is per capsule.
- Niacin and calcium
Niacin 7.5 mg NE is 47% of the Daily Value; calcium 18 mg (as calcium carbonate) is 1.5%. These two have a Daily Value, so they show a percentage.
- The five amino acid rows
L-Arginine (base) 200 mg, L-Arginine AKG 2:1 Extract 200 mg, L-Citrulline HCl 100 mg, L-Citrulline Malate 100 mg, Beta Alanine 40 mg. The two stars mean no Daily Value is established.
- Other ingredients
Hypromellose (vegetable capsule), vegetable stearate, silicon dioxide: the capsule shell and a flow agent.
- FDA statement
The statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and the product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
MemoHoney capsules: 30 to a bottleOne capsule a day · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · price and shipping shown at checkout
See the priceWhat is missing
What should a supplement label tell you, and what can it leave out?
A label must show the panel and the disclaimer, but it can leave out the maker, any test result and proof that the claim is true.
The FDA does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness before they are sold (FDA 101 supplements). A structure or function line, such as the starred "ADVANCED MEMORY SUPPORT*" on this front, is allowed when the label carries the FDA statement that the product is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease (FDA structure/function claims). Naming a disease would turn it into a drug claim (FDA, Unproven Alzheimer products).
So a label is a list of what the seller says is inside, not a test. The MemoHoney label prints the panel, directions, cautions and a distributor, but it names no manufacturer, no certifier and no test of the product.
Before you take it
What should I do after I read the label?
After you read a label, compare the rows with your medicines and ask a pharmacist before you start.
Keep taking prescribed medicine exactly as directed. For a capsule with arginine, ask your doctor or pharmacist first if you take nitrates, sildenafil-type medicines, blood pressure medicines, blood thinners or diabetes medicines, or have had a heart attack: arginine can lower blood pressure too far or add to those medicines. Chest pain, fainting or trouble breathing: call 911.
Report a reaction to the FDA (FDA report a problem). For a full line-by-line read of this bottle, see the supplement facts page.
FAQ
Reading a supplement label: common questions
Where is the Supplement Facts panel on a bottle?
It is a boxed table on the back or side of the bottle, headed Supplement Facts. It shows the serving size, servings per container and each row's amount. The other ingredients line sits below it, and the FDA statement is printed near the claim or the panel.
What does serving size mean on a supplement label?
Serving size is the amount the amounts refer to, such as 1 capsule. If it says 2 capsules, every row is for both. Divide the container count by the serving to find how many days a bottle lasts.
What does NE mean after niacin on a label?
NE stands for niacin equivalents, a unit that counts niacin and what the body can make from other sources. On the MemoHoney panel, niacin is 7.5 mg NE. The label does not say which form of niacin is used.
Does "proprietary blend" mean the formula is secret?
It means the seller prints one total for a group of ingredients and not the amount of each. You see the names, not the split. MemoHoney lists each of its seven rows with its own amount in milligrams.
Are the claims on a supplement label checked by the FDA?
No. The FDA does not approve supplements or their labeling before they are sold. A structure or function claim must carry a disclaimer that the FDA has not evaluated it. The seller is responsible for meeting the safety standards.
What are "other ingredients" on a supplement label?
They are the non-active parts, such as the capsule shell, binders and flow agents. MemoHoney lists hypromellose (the vegetable capsule), vegetable stearate and silicon dioxide. They sit below the panel, not inside it.
How do I know if a label amount is a meaningful dose?
Compare the amount with a trusted source for that ingredient, such as the NIH or a medical reference. For example, MemoHoney prints 400 mg of arginine, while studies of arginine used grams a day. Ask a pharmacist if you are unsure.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the seller's brief and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site of a USA Authorized MemoHoney Retailer. It is not the manufacturer, and the label names INSTITUTO EXPERIENCE (Ogden, Utah) as the distributor. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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