Not All B Vitamin Supplements Contain What They Claim, According to ConsumerLab Tests

White Plains, NY, October 17, 2024 —  Recent ConsumerLab tests revealed that 19% of popular B vitamin complexes and individual B vitamin supplements selected for testing contained far less, or far more of one or more B vitamins than claimed on the label.
 

Key Findings:

• B Vitamin Supplements Don’t Always Contain What They Claim: Four out of 26 B vitamin supplements selected for testing by ConsumerLab contained far less of one or more B vitamins than claimed, including one B-12 supplement that contained just 14% of the B-12 listed on its label. A fifth product was found to contain more than twice its listed amount of folic acid. The amount found in this product was close to the daily Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for folic acid (1,000 mcg), above which there is an increased risk of adverse effects.
• Beware of High Doses: Even among products that contained what they claimed, many provide much higher doses of one or more B vitamins than most people need. Getting too much niacin, folic acid, and vitamin B-6 can have serious adverse effects.
• Cost Is Not an Indicator of Quality: ConsumerLab's tests showed that spending more on a B vitamin supplement does not guarantee higher quality, and several higher-cost products were among those that failed CL’s tests. In general, products with special formulations or extra ingredients were more expensive.

Among products that passed all tests of quality and were Approved, ConsumerLab selected its Top Picks among B vitamin complexes , as well as for individual B vitamins including thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B-6, biotin, folate, and B-12, and benfotiamine (a thiamin derivative).
 

Access the Full Report:

If you are one of more than 100,000 ConsumerLab members who support ConsumerLab’s research, you can now access the full B Vitamin Supplements Review.

The report includes test results and comparisons for 29 B vitamins, including tablets, capsules, softgels, liquids and a lozenge. Twenty-six products were selected for testing by ConsumerLab: Best Naturals Vitamin B-6 25 mg, Bluebonnet Pantothenic Acid 500 mg, Country Life Coenzyme B-Complex, Doctor's Best Fully Active Folate 400, Dr. Mercola Niacinamide Vitamin B3, Endurance Products Company Endur-Acin, Jamieson Chewable B Complex - Berry Bliss, Jarrow Formulas B-12 & Folate - Lemon and other natural flavors, Jarrow Formulas B-Right, Kirkland Signature [Costco] Super B-Complex, Mason Natural B-12 50 mcg, Nature Made B12 1,000 mcg, Nature Made Super B, New Chapter Fermented Coenzyme B Complex, NOW Niacinamide 500 mg, NusaPure Benfotiamine 300 mg, Pure Encapsulations B12 Liquid, Puritan's Pride Super Biotin 5,000 mcg, Seeking Health Hydrox-Adeno B12, Solaray Vitamin B-1, Superior Source B-12 1,000 mcg, Swanson P-5-P, Thorne Riboflavin 5'-Phosphate, Trader Joe's B-6 / Folic Acid / B-12, Vitacost Vitamin B2 100 mg, and Walgreens Folic Acid. Three additional products passed the same testing and were Approved through CL's voluntary CL's voluntary Quality Certification Program: GNC B-Complex 100, MoxyVites B-Complex Plus Whole Food, and Solgar B-Complex "100".

The Review also explains that, while most people are not deficient in B vitamins, vegans, older adults, and people who take stomach acid-blocking medications or the antidiabetes medication metformin may be more likely to develop a deficiency in vitamin B-12. The review also explains the differences between forms of B vitamins such as cyanocobalamin versus methylcobalamin and folic acid versus methylfolate. In addition, the clinical evidence is discussed for and against B vitamin supplementation for reducing the risk of stroke, slowing cognitive decline and reducing the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and improving mood and increasing energy, as well as the best way to take B vitamins, and potential side effects and drug interactions with B vitamin supplements.

Founded in 1999, ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. Membership to ConsumerLab.com is available online and provides immediate access to continually updated reviews of nearly every popular type of dietary supplement and health food, answers to reader questions, and product recalls and warnings. ConsumerLab also provides independent product testing through its voluntary Quality Certification Program. The company is privately held and based in New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products.