Label literacy
How to Read a Supplement Facts Label, Line by Line
To read a supplement facts label, start with the serving size, then match each amount to a dose from real studies, then check the percent Daily Value and the blend lines. Finish with the other ingredients. On SciatiEase one serving is 4 capsules and a 120-capsule bottle holds 30 servings.
Written by the SciatiEase label deskUpdated · 4 min read
The method01
How do you read a supplement facts label?
Work down the panel in five steps, and do the math on the serving first.
Every amount on the panel is for one serving, not one capsule. If the serving is 4 capsules, a capsule holds a quarter of each number.
Find the serving
SciatiEase: 4 capsules, 30 servings in 120.
Read each amount
PEA 500 mg, benfotiamine 200 mg, B6 20 mg.
Check percent Daily Value
It compares one serving with a daily reference, and some lines have none.
Spot the blends
A blend shows one total for several ingredients (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)).
End with other ingredients
Capsule shell, fillers and flow agents.
Percent Daily Value02
What does a very high percent Daily Value tell you?
Only how large the amount is, not whether it helps.
SciatiEase lists vitamin B12 at 1,000 mcg, or 41,667% of the Daily Value. That sounds huge, yet only about 1.3% of a 1,000 mcg oral dose is absorbed (NIH ODS, Vitamin B12). B2 at 25 mg reads 1,923% and B6 at 20 mg reads 1,177%.
A big percentage is not a quality mark. Australia's TGA requires a B6 warning above 10 mg a day (TGA, Vitamin B6 and neuropathy).
| Line | Amount | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B2 | 25 mg | 1,923% |
| Vitamin B6 | 20 mg | 1,177% |
| Folate | 500 mcg DFE | 120% |
| Vitamin B12 | 1,000 mcg | 41,667% |
Symbols and blanks03
What do the dagger symbol and the blank spaces mean?
The ‡ mark says a Daily Value is not established for that line.
PEA, R-ALA, acetyl-L-carnitine, benfotiamine and the herbs have no Daily Value, so the column holds a symbol, not a number. That is normal. You need study doses, such as 300 to 1,200 mg of PEA a day (Lang-Illievich et al., Nutrients 2023), to judge them.
Match the amount to the claim (FTC, Health Products Compliance Guidance).
SciatiEase: from $49.99 a bottle120 capsules · 1, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 180-day guarantee
See packsBlends and fillers04
What should you look for in blends and other ingredients?
Look for hidden amounts first, then for fillers and the capsule shell.
SciatiEase hides its four herb amounts inside a 50 mg blend. Read what a proprietary blend means for the math.
Other ingredients here are gelatin, microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable stearate and silica. Gelatin means the capsule is not vegetarian or vegan. Our Supplement Facts page reads the whole panel, and the label's own warnings are on the side of the bottle, which our image does not show.
FAQ05
Reading a panel: specific questions
Is the serving size always one capsule?
No. It is whatever the label says. SciatiEase sets it at 4 capsules, so every amount is per 4.
What does DFE mean after folate?
It stands for dietary folate equivalents, which put different folate forms on one scale. SciatiEase prints 500 mcg DFE of folate as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate.
Why do some supplement lines have no percent Daily Value?
No Daily Value is set for them. The panel then shows a symbol instead. Compare the amount with study doses, not with a percentage.
Should I be worried by thousands of percent on a B vitamin line?
Not by the percentage alone. Check the milligram amount against safety limits, such as the 12 mg adult B6 limit from EFSA (NIH ODS, Vitamin B6).
Where do I find allergens and warnings?
Allergens and cautions are usually in text around the panel. Read the side of your bottle, since our panel image shows no warning text.
Who wrote this06
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the brand pages and linked NIH, FDA, FTC, NICE and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . How we work: editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a licensed SciatiEase retailer, not by the manufacturer, SciatiEase Labs. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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