NOW Foods: The Testing Standard at Value Prices—With a Transparency Blind Spot
Investigation reveals a rare combination in mass-market supplements: an ISO 17025–accredited in-house lab network running about 31,000 tests each month and broad Informed-Sport certifications—paired with industry-leading 'policing' of low-quality Amazon brands. Yet, batch-level COAs for NOW's own supplements are not routinely published, and a 2024 sub-potency recall shows even rigorous systems can miss. [1][2][5][7][9][11].
Our Verdict
Comprehensive analysis shows a brand that largely earns its reputation the hard way: through accredited in-house science, meaningful third-party certifications where they matter, and a rare willingness to 'name-and-shame' bad actors in the marketplace. On quality-per-dollar, NOW is a standout. The flipside: limited public batch COAs can frustrate transparency-focused consumers, and a 2024 sub-potency recall (plus sporadic food recalls) proves that even strong systems are not infallible. Bottom line: NOW is a high-confidence value choice for most routine supplements, with a few categories (fish oils, seaweeds) where transparency-maximalists may prefer COA-publishing or IFOS-certified specialists. [1][2][5][7][9][11][12][32].
How we investigated:We analyzed NOW's quality claims against hard evidence: accreditation records, third-party certifications, independent test databases, regulatory filings/recalls, and customer-reported patterns. We then pressure-tested value versus peers and probed transparency on batch COAs. The picture that emerges is a testing-led, value-driven manufacturer with credible third-party validations and consumer-friendly pricing—marred by limited public COAs and a small number of recalls (mostly foods) plus one notable 2024 supplement sub-potency recall. [2][4][6][8][11][12][13][14][15].
Ideal For
- Cost-conscious shoppers seeking solid, tested basics (vitamins, minerals, joint support).
- Athletes needing Informed-Sport options without boutique prices.
- Retail buyers who value a brand actively exposing marketplace fraud.
Avoid If
- You require public, batch-specific COAs for every product you take.
- You're extremely risk-averse with seaweeds or fish oils and prefer IFOS/lot-lookup COAs.
Best Products
- Zinc 50 mg
- Glucosamine capsules
- NOW Sports Informed-Sport line (e.g., Advanced Joint Support)
What to Watch For
Watch for expansion of ISO scopes or publication of select COAs to close transparency gaps; continue monitoring for outcomes of pending/ongoing litigation over label claims (e.g., magnesium citrate case) and any further Amazon testing reports from NOW. [26].
Frequently Asked Questions
Does NOW publish batch Certificates of Analysis (COAs)?
Not routinely. NOW emphasizes ISO-accredited in-house testing and supplier audits, but public lot-level COAs are not broadly available. [23].
Is NOW good for athletes subject to drug testing?
Yes—choose NOW Sports products with the Informed-Sport logo; each lot is screened for banned substances by LGC. [5][6].
Any notable supplement quality issues?
A 2024 Phosphatidyl Serine 300 mg recall addressed sub-potency in certain lots; foods (not supplements) have had sporadic recalls. [11][13][14][15][12].
Alternatives to Consider
Nature Made (Pharmavite) – USP Verified lines
Extensive USP-Verified portfolio signals content/purity and dissolution standards verified off-the-shelf.
Price:Usually budget to mid (often similar to NOW on basics).
Choose when:If you want USP verification printed on label for vitamins/minerals. [30].
Kirkland Signature – USP Verified staples
Warehouse-scale value plus USP verification on many items (e.g., Mg citrate, select multis/fish oils).
Price:Often lowest unit cost.
Choose when:If price trumps brand breadth and you want on-label USP checks. [30].
Carlson/Nordic Naturals (fish oils)
Carlson advertises consistent IFOS 5-star across many SKUs; Nordic offers lot-lookup COAs and strong transparency culture.
Price:Premium over NOW fish oils.
Choose when:If you want third-party omega-3 potency/freshness certification or public COAs. [31][35].
Thorne (NSF/NSF-Sport on select items)
Athlete-oriented certifications; tightly curated catalog.
Price:Premium pricing.
Choose when:If you prioritize NSF-for-Sport and are willing to pay more. [29].
What Customers Say
Perceived trustworthy value brand among supplement enthusiasts
Common in Reddit threads discussing reliable budget brands.
"I only buy from NOW foods... this is my brand to go when I want good quality." [Reddit] [27].
Strong price-to-trust perception helps NOW win cost-conscious buyers.
Frustrations with customer service/packaging and isolated quality complaints
Scattered complaints across BBB/Trustpilot (small volumes).
"NOW vitamins... packaging does not have proper seal." [Trustpilot] [22].
"Refund delays... customer service is nothing like it used to be." [BBB] [21].
Customer care is not a standout; buy from retailers with easy returns.
Ambivalence over third-party testing visibility
Frequent forum debates when users seek COAs.
"They don't do any third party testing... you'll have to take their word for it." [Reddit] [24].
Transparency-seeking buyers may prefer brands publishing batch COAs.
Value Analysis
Pricing Strategy
Aggressive value positioning on commodity nutrients, leveraging in-house ISO-accredited testing to control costs; selective third-party certifications where they add trust (Informed-Sport). [2][5][34].
Ingredient Cost Reality
Heavy internal QC (multi-pesticide screens; metals speciation) suggests higher QA overhead offset by economies of scale. [2][3].
Markup Analysis
Snapshot comparison (Sept 2025): NOW Magnesium Glycinate ≈ $0.28/200 mg vs Thorne ≈ $0.80/200 mg (editorial price). NOW undercuts premium peers ~65%+ on cost per elemental magnesium while maintaining decent third-party optics on some SKUs (Labdoor A's). [28][29][17][18].
Excellent value for routine nutrients; for categories where you want per-batch public COAs (e.g., fish oils/seaweeds), consider brands that publish them.
Key Findings
Testing leadership: NOW's in-house labs perform ~31,000 analyses monthly and hold ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation—unusual for in-house supplement labs—covering advanced methods (multi-pesticide LC/GC-MS/MS; PCR pathogen detection; arsenic speciation). [1][2][3].
Third-party assurances where it matters most: extensive Informed-Sport coverage for NOW Sports; results are also blind-sampled at retail by LGC. [5][6].
Industry 'policing' program: Since 2017, NOW has repeatedly bought and tested competitor products on Amazon (CoQ10, SAM-e, phosphatidylserine, resveratrol, quercetin), documenting widespread under-potency and mislabeling and sharing data with media, FDA, and Amazon. [9][10][7][8].
Value advantage: For core commodities (e.g., magnesium), NOW's price-per-dose trends far below premium peers while maintaining credible quality signals (Labdoor A-scores on several items). Example snapshot (Sept 2025): NOW Magnesium Glycinate 200 mg/serving ≈ $0.28 per serving (Amazon listing), vs Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate powder ≈ $0.80 per 200 mg serving (brand-site pricing). [28][29][17][18][19].
Transparency gap: Despite strong lab credentials, NOW does not routinely publish batch COAs for its own supplements; customer attempts to obtain COAs are often redirected to general testing statements. [23].
Best Products We Found
NOW Foods Zinc 50 mg
Mineral • Budget
Strength:Independent testing found label-accurate potency and very low heavy metals; Labdoor score ~A/100. [17].
Weakness:Single-nutrient commodity; not third-party certified per batch.
Excellent low-cost staple with reassuring third-party analytics.
Glucosamine (various NOW formulations)
Joint Support • Budget–mid
Strength:Labdoor testing reported accurate or above-label actives and low contaminants; multiple NOW glucosamine SKUs scored near the top of category. [18][19].
Weakness:Pill burden can be high; glucosamine evidence varies by outcome.
Strong value choice when glucosamine is indicated.
NOW Sports Advanced Joint Support (Informed-Sport)
Sports Nutrition • Mid
Strength:Batch-by-batch banned-substance screening; independent listing confirms certification and lot history. [6].
Weakness:Premium over non-certified alternatives.
Appropriate for drug-tested athletes prioritizing anti-doping assurance.
Products to Approach Cautiously
Phosphatidyl Serine Extra Strength 300 mg Softgels (50 ct)
Cognitive Support • Mid
Issue:Below-claim potency in affected lots (#3316650, #3309243).
Positive response once flagged, but underscores need for robust blend uniformity checks.
Ultra Omega-3 (general category note)
Omega-3 • Budget–mid
Issue:Labdoor methodology update once dropped NOW Ultra Omega-3 rankings, indicating label math/efficacy sensitivity to mass/serving nuances. [32].
Still reasonable value; discerning users may prefer brands with IFOS or published COAs.
Organic Kelp Powder (contextual risk)
Mineral/Iodine source • Budget
Issue:Independent consumer advocate reported high As/Cd levels in a tested batch (Nov 2024); not peer-reviewed but highlights seaweed variability. [20].
Use cautiously and rotate sources; seek brands publishing batch heavy-metal COAs for seaweeds.
Red Flags
Limited batch-level COA transparency for own supplements
Customer COA requests often receive general testing statements; no public COA database located. [23].
Expert Perspectives
Independent dietitian review describes robust in-house testing and selective third-party certifications, with many research-backed ingredients—while noting not all products are third-party tested. [16].
Labdoor independent assays show several NOW staples meeting or exceeding label claims with low contaminants, supporting quality-per-dollar framing. [17][18][19].
Transparency Issues
Past lawsuits have challenged label claims and packaging practices in the supplement industry broadly; for NOW, the current standout issue is the 2024 PS sub-potency recall and ongoing consumer debates about public COAs (not unique to NOW). [11][23].
Company Background
Ownership:Family-owned since 1968 by the Richard family; operates as NOW Health Group. HQ: Bloomingdale, IL; major manufacturing/distribution in IL and Sparks, NV. [8].
Founded:Founded 1968 by Elwood Richard to deliver affordable, quality natural products. [8].
Headquarters:Bloomingdale, Illinois, USA; additional operations in Sparks, Nevada (manufacturing/distribution). [8].
Market Position:Large independent manufacturer with broad catalog (~1,500 SKUs across supplements, foods, sports, personal care) competing on quality-per-dollar; widely distributed online/offline. [8][16].
Regulatory Record:No FDA warning letters located for NOW Health Group in FDA's public warning-letter portals as of Sept 28, 2025. Several voluntary recalls have occurred—mostly foods (2017 nut butters—Listeria supplier issue; 2020 macadamias—Salmonella; 2024 Brazil nuts—mold/yeast; 2025 nutritional yeast—mispackaging). One 2024 supplement potency recall (Phosphatidyl Serine 300 mg) followed external test findings. [13][14][15][12][11].
Certifications & Memberships
- ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (A2LA) for chemical and biological scopes (certs 6253.01/.02; valid to 2027) [2][3].
- Informed-Sport for many NOW Sports products (LGC; lot-by-lot banned-substance testing) [5][6][34].
- Intertek GMP Supplement Certification aligned to SSCI benchmarks [4].
- USDA Organic/QAI (for organic SKUs), Non-GMO Project Verified (selected SKUs), GOED member (omega-3s), various Kosher/Halal/Gluten-Free programs [4][33].
Investigation Methodology
Document review of ISO/A2LA accreditations, third-party certification registries, independent lab reports (Labdoor, ConsumerLab), FDA recall databases, media/trade coverage, legal dockets, and aggregated consumer feedback (BBB, Reddit, Trustpilot, Glassdoor). Comparative price/value checks used public retailer listings and editorial pricing snapshots.
Sources & References
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- 8.NutraIngredients-USA: 'Buyer beware': Resveratrol supplements fail NOW testing (2024)[Trade media] [link]
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- 20.Lead Safe Mama: NOW Organic Kelp Pure Powder lab report (Nov 2024) (2024)[Consumer advocate blog] [link]
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- 23.Sourcing high-quality ingredients from around the world (2025)[Company article (sourcing/COA stance)] [link]
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