What Liver King’s Brand Can Teach New Supplement Founders (Without the drama)

If you’re dreaming of launching a supplement line—and maybe riding a viral wave like Liver King—use this as a quick, practical compliance gut-check. Looking at public pages from Ancestral Supplements as a teaching example, here are three things a national retailer’s compliance team would scrutinize, plus what to copy, what to avoid, and why FDA enforcement doesn’t always look how you think.

Key takeaways

• “Contains X” ≠ freebie claim. If you say a product “contains” a nutrient, you’re expected to declare it in Supplement Facts and typically meet ≥10% DV per serving—with data to back it up.

• Trigger words trigger reviews. Claims like “allergen-free,” “pesticide-free,” or “GMO-free” carry high substantiation bars and litigation history. Use precise wording and proof, or skip them.

• Separate education from selling (carefully). An education site and a commerce site can reduce risk—but FTC/FDA can still treat connected content as labeling if you blur the lines.

• Enforcement is shifting. FDA’s limited resources mean more pressure on platforms/retailers (e.g., Amazon) and plenty of private litigation—so retailer readiness matters.

1) “Contains” claims: when they help—and when they backfire

If a product page says a capsule “contains Vitamin A, folate, B12, CoQ10,” a retailer QC team will check whether those nutrients:

• Are quantified in Supplement Facts (not just in a paragraph), and

• Meet or exceed a meaningful level per serving (commonly interpreted as ≥10% DV), supported by validated testing.

Why it matters: whole-food–derived ingredients (e.g., organs) can vary, lose potency during processing/storage, or be present at levels too low to declare. If you want to lean on those nutrients in your marketing, plan your formula, spec, and testing so the label can legally say it.

Actionable fix: Build your finished-product spec first (identity, strength, purity, composition). If a nutrient is part of your promise, set a target and a method (e.g., HPLC for B-vitamins), then verify per lot.

2) Trigger words that light up legal radar

Phrases like “allergen-free,” “GMO-free,” and “pesticide-free” sound great—but they’re absolute claims that often require:

• A robust allergen control program (supplier qualifications, segregation, validated cleaning, sensitive method limits),

• Verified non-GMO status via recognized programs (e.g., Non-GMO Project) or rigorous documentation, and

• Broad pesticide screens with clear limits and accredited labs.

Even big CPGs often avoid absolutes in favor of precise, substantiated wording (e.g., “gluten-free, <20 ppm, ELISA method; certified by X”). If you can’t meet the bar consistently, don’t claim it.

Actionable fix: Replace absolutes with standards-based claims you can prove (e.g., “Gluten-free (ELISA <20 ppm), tested per lot by ISO 17025 lab.”)

3) Education site vs. shop: helpful—within limits

Splitting a personal/education site from the store can help keep disease or high-risk claims off your “labeling.” But if posts, videos, or emails directly promote specific products, regulators may still treat them as labeling or advertising.

Actionable fix:

• Keep product-specific claims on the product page—and make them compliant.

• Keep personal philosophy/education non-promotional (no “this cured…” tied to a SKU).

• Build a simple claims review SOP for web, socials, and emails.

Why FDA might not “knock on the door”—yet

• Finite inspectors, infinite brands. Many small brands never see FDA—but retailers and platforms fill the gap.

• Platform enforcement: Amazon increasingly requires third-party CoAs, GMP paperwork, and claim hygiene; it can delist fast.

• Litigators: Plaintiff firms scan for technical missteps (labeling, “free-from,” slack-fill, substantiation). A clean paper trail is your best defense.

What to copy vs. what to avoid (checklist)

Steal this:

• Strong brand voice and consistent positioning.

• Clear separation of education vs. sales (with guardrails).

• Whole-food narratives backed by real testing.

Skip this:

• “Contains X” without declaring & substantiating X in Supplement Facts.

• Absolute “free-from” claims without enterprise-grade programs and data.

• Vague testing statements (“third-party tested”) with no methods, labs, or numbers.

Summary

Viral growth can get you attention; compliant growth keeps your listings alive. Before you scale, harden your label claims, set a retailer-ready specification and CoA, and tune your web copy so it sells—and survives review.

Next steps (pick what fits you)

For founders/new brands

• Signature 1-on-1 Consultation: Bring a draft label or product page. We’ll sanity-check your “contains” claims, free-from language, and testing plan, then give you concrete edits and a retailer-ready claims map.

For founders who want structured learning

• SSET: Supplement Startup Essentials Training: Learn which regs apply, how to write a market brief, find & vet a co-man, and build claim-safe labels/web pages (with real examples and checklists).

For established brands (already in market)

• Retailer & Amazon Readiness Package: Contact us to see how we can support you with a claims audit (site + labels), spec/CoA upgrades, and documentation packs that cut delist risks and speed approvals.