Most supplements aren't what the label says

  • NUS tested 18 NMN products sold in Singapore. Over 80% were not what they claimed.

    In 2024, researchers at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Temasek Polytechnic bought 18 NMN supplements on the Singapore market and measured what was actually in them. More than 80% contained less NMN than the label claimed. Three contained no detectable NMN at all.

    What that means for you: in this category, price tells you nothing about whether the product is real. An independent lab result is the only thing that does.

  • US researchers tested 25 melatonin gummies sold for sleep. Nearly 9 in 10 were not what they claimed.

    In 2023, researchers from Harvard Medical School and the University of Mississippi bought 25 melatonin gummy products on the US market and measured what was actually in them. 22 of the 25 were labelled inaccurately, with melatonin ranging from 74% to 347% of the stated dose. Only 3 came within 10% of the label. One contained no melatonin at all, just CBD.

    What that means for you: the dose on the label is a promise, not a measurement. You could be taking a fraction of what you paid for, or more than three times it. An independent lab result is the only way to know.

NUS tested 18 NMN products sold in Singapore. Over 80% were not what they claimed.

In 2024, researchers at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Temasek Polytechnic bought 18 NMN supplements on the Singapore market and measured what was actually in them. More than 80% contained less NMN than the label claimed. Three contained no detectable NMN at all.

What that means for you: in this category, price tells you nothing about whether the product is real. An independent lab result is the only thing that does.

US researchers tested 25 melatonin gummies sold for sleep. Nearly 9 in 10 were not what they claimed.

In 2023, researchers from Harvard Medical School and the University of Mississippi bought 25 melatonin gummy products on the US market and measured what was actually in them. 22 of the 25 were labelled inaccurately, with melatonin ranging from 74% to 347% of the stated dose. Only 3 came within 10% of the label. One contained no melatonin at all, just CBD.

What that means for you: the dose on the label is a promise, not a measurement. You could be taking a fraction of what you paid for, or more than three times it. An independent lab result is the only way to know.

What we test and how often

Microbial & heavy metals

Every single batch we manufacture is tested by Eurofins Singapore for microbial safety and heavy metals before it is released for sale.

Laboratory: Eurofins Singapore

Raw material purity

Every lot of raw material is tested before it enters production. Our NMN returns greater than 99.99% β-NMN content.

Laboratory: SGS

Finished product content verification

Eurofins measures the actual NMN content in the finished capsule and confirms it delivers the stated 500mg per serving. This is the test almost nobody in the category runs, because it is expensive and because it is where underdosed products get caught.

Laboratory: Eurofins Singapore

Affordable, because there is nobody between us and you

  • The usual chain

    Manufacturer, then brand owner, then distributor, then retailer, then you. Retailers typically take 40 to 50%. Distributors take another 20 to 30%. Every layer is priced into the bottle before it reaches you.

  • Here at Estalife

    We manufacture it and we sell it. There is no brand owner paying us a manufacturing fee and no retailer adding margin on top.

  • What we did not cut

    Same raw material grade, same NSF GMP certified facility, same Eurofins and SGS testing, same processes and machines used for the hospitals and global brands we manufacture for.

Singapore's largest NSF GMP-certified supplements factory

Our Ang Mo Kio facility manufactures for hospitals and global brands, and now for Estalife directly — no middlemen. You're welcome to see it for yourself.


Pair it with

Vitamin D3 K2 MK-7 / Vegan Vitamin D3: Supports bone and immune health. For pregnant women, use only when advised by a doctor.

Iron Glycinate + Vitamin C: Together they support healthy red blood cells, especially during pregnancy.

Dual Inositol Melts: A supportive pair for fertility and PCOS.

Omega-3 Fish Oil: DHA supports baby's brain and eye development.

Calcium Glycinate: Supports baby's bones while protecting mum's calcium stores.

Magnesium Glycinate / Albion Magnesium Glycinate: Supports sleep, muscle cramps and mood, all common in pregnancy.

Frequently asked questions

Folic acid is a synthetic form of Vitamin B9 that the body must convert into its active form through a multi-step enzymatic process involving the MTHFR enzyme. Methylfolate (5-MTHF) is the active form. It does not require conversion and is available to the body immediately. For individuals with MTHFR gene variants that reduce enzyme efficiency, methylfolate is the more reliable option for maintaining adequate folate status.

Quatrefolic® is the glucosamine salt of active 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, developed by Gnosis S.p.A. A human pharmacokinetic crossover study confirmed it is twice as bioavailable as folic acid and produces significantly less unmetabolised folic acid accumulation in the blood. The glucosamine salt form also has approximately 100 times higher water solubility than the calcium salt form, which supports its absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. [3][4]

International health authorities recommend beginning folate supplementation at least one month before conception. Neural tube development occurs at approximately weeks 3 to 4 of pregnancy, before most women know they are pregnant, so consistent pre-conception supplementation is critical.

Check the folate content of your prenatal supplement first. Many prenatal multivitamins include 400 to 800mcg of folic acid or folate. If your prenatal already provides adequate folate, adding this supplement on top may not be necessary. If your prenatal uses folic acid rather than methylfolate and you have an MTHFR variant, discuss with your doctor whether switching to or adding methylfolate is appropriate.

Yes. Folate supports red blood cell formation, DNA synthesis, and homocysteine metabolism in all adults. One capsule daily (400mcg) is appropriate for general wellness maintenance.

supplement labels supplement labels

Think you can trust supplement labels? Think again.

A supplement label tells you what a brand says is inside. It can’t tell you whether that’s true.

In many markets, including Singapore, supplements aren’t independently checked against their labels before they’re sold. That’s why, when scientists test supplements against their labels, they keep finding products with far less, far more, or none of what’s claimed.

RESEARCH SOURCES & CITATIONS

All claims on this page are supported by published human clinical research. Only human RCTs and meta-analyses of human RCTs are cited. No animal or in vitro studies are referenced as evidence for product claims.