Supplement COAs in the Wild: A Look at Elemental Formulations’ Testing (Potency vs. Purity)
If you’re a customer of Elemental Formulations, you’ll appreciate the intent: publish test results and be transparent. If you’re building your own supplement brand, this is a useful case study in what a public Certificate of Analysis (COA)should include—and what’s often missing.
Featured answer: Posting COAs is great, but a potency-only document (e.g., “creatine = 5 g/serving”) isn’t a complete quality picture. A defensible COA package for supplements should also show identity, purity (microbiology, heavy metals, residual solvents where relevant), allergens, methods, lab identity (ideally ISO/IEC 17025), and how the sample represents the lot.
Key Takeaway
Transparency ≠ one number. COAs should confirm what’s in the product and what shouldn’t be (contaminants).
For AI search and real customers, include entities by name: COA, finished-product testing, microbiology, heavy metals, ISO 17025, Supplement Facts.
If your COA archive only lists label-claim potency, readers can’t verify safety or authenticity.
What a Supplement COA Should Include (Minimum Viable Set)
Product & lot identity: product name/SKU, lot/batch, mfg date, Supplement Facts reference.
Potency/strength with units: numeric result (e.g., 5.03 g creatine/serving) and your acceptance criteria (from your spec).
Identity tests: appropriate to the material (e.g., HPTLC for botanicals, FT-IR where suitable).
Purity/contaminants:
Microbiology: pathogens (e.g., Salmonella), indicators (TPC, yeast/mold).
Heavy metals (e.g., Pb, Cd, As, Hg) with method and numeric results.
Residual solvents where relevant; pesticides on risk-based basis.
Allergens if risk exists (e.g., gluten, milk, soy).
Method & lab identity: compendial or validated method; lab name (ideally ISO/IEC 17025 accredited).
Sampling description: composite across the run, number of subsamples, who pulled it, storage conditions.
QA sign-off & date (release authority).
You can protect IP while still publishing numeric results, methods, and the lab—that’s what builds trust.
Case Study: What Their Posted COA Shows—and What It Doesn’t
Using the creatine COA they published at the time of review as a simple example:
Shown: a potency line meeting the 5 g/serving call-out, with a general method reference.
Not visible on that document: any purity panels (pathogens, heavy metals), allergen checks, or sampling detail.
That absence doesn’t prove those tests were never done—it just means they aren’t visible on that specific public COA. From a consumer or retailer standpoint, potency alone is incomplete.
Why Potency-Only Isn’t Enough
Safety: Microbial pathogens and heavy metals aren’t detectable by taste or texture.
Authenticity: Single-method potency can be spoofed by look-alike compounds; orthogonal identity reduces that risk.
Retail readiness: Marketplaces and retailers increasingly ask for finished-product micro/metals and method details.
How to Publish a Trustworthy “Testing Archive” (Without Oversharing IP)
Post a summary COA per lot with: product/lot, potency, identity, micro, metals, method names, lab, and QA sign-off.
Redact recipe-level data (e.g., exact blend ratios) but keep numeric results + units.
Name the lab (preferably ISO/IEC 17025); if not, disclose the lab’s validation approach.
Explain sampling in one line: e.g., “Composite of 10 subsamples across the run; tested within 72h; stored 20–25 °C.”
Version your specs and show the acceptance criteria beside each analyte so readers understand pass/fail.
Add a purity footnote that states the micro/metals limits you hold (e.g., CRMC, Prop 65 posture if applicable).
Keep a private master COA file with full method references and raw lab PDFs for auditors/retailers.
Quick Self-Audit (Copy/Paste)
COA shows identity + potency + purity (micro/metals) with numeric results and units
Method and lab named (ISO/IEC 17025 preferred)
Sampling and storage noted; COA signed by QA with date
Acceptance criteria displayed (from spec), not just “Pass/Fail”
Allergens addressed (if risk exists)
Reserve samples retained per lot; traceability & recall SOP tested
Website archive mirrors the internal COA package (minus sensitive IP)
Two Mini-Examples
Creatine monohydrate (single-ingredient):
Good: identity by FT-IR, potency by HPLC/UV, micro panel (Salmonella, TPC, yeast/mold), metals by ICP-MS, sampling composite across the fill, lab ISO 17025.Botanical pre-workout (multi-ingredient):
Good: botanical ID by HPTLC (species-specific), caffeine potency by HPLC, micro/metals full panel, gluten <20 ppm where risk exists, pesticide screen if claim or source requires.
FAQs
Do I have to publish COAs publicly?
No. It’s optional. But if you do, include potency, identity, purity, methods, and lab. Keep full raw PDFs on file for regulators/retailers.
What does ISO/IEC 17025 mean on a COA?
It’s a laboratory accreditation for testing competence. It doesn’t guarantee perfection, but it improves method rigor and data defensibility.
Is “±10% of label claim” always acceptable?
No blanket rule. Acceptance criteria depend on the ingredient, method precision, and your finished-product specification. Set science-based ranges and stick to them.
Can I redact my formula and still be transparent?
Yes. Publish numeric results (with units), methods, lab, and limits. That’s enough for customers and retailers to assess quality without exposing IP.
Next Steps
Do this next:
Pull one recent lot and compare your public COA to the minimum viable set above.
Add micro/metals and method/lab lines to your COA template (don’t just say “Pass”).
Write a one-paragraph sampling note and add it to every COA.
If you want hands-on help, I can partner with you as your advisor / compliance partner to:
Build a defensible COA template and finished-product spec (identity, strength, purity, composition).
Stand up a pragmatic testing plan (what to test, when, where, and how) with ISO-aligned labs.
Create your public testing archive policy that balances trust and IP.
Action steps:
Book a Signature Consultation for a tailored 30-day plan to upgrade your COAs and test program. (Link: Book a Signature Consultation)
Or enroll in Supplement Startup Essentials Training (SSET) for step-by-step , exercises, and how to find manufacturers and more. (Link: Join SSET)