How we test
Every lot is tested before it ships.
What happens between a production run and the report you read, what the lab measures in each product, and what a report does not tell you.
The process
From a finished lot to a published report
Four steps, the same for every lot of every product.
Sampled from the finished lot
Once a production run is bottled and sealed, containers are pulled from that lot. The sample is the finished product, the same thing that ships, not raw powder from before it was packed.
Sent to an independent lab
The samples go to a lab that DatumBase does not own, labeled with the lot number. The lab tests what it receives and reports the numbers.
Tested for dose and heavy metals
The lab measures the main ingredient against the amount on the label, then measures lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury per serving.
Published under the lot number
Label, measured result, metals and the test date are filed against the four-digit number printed on the bottle. Anyone can look it up.
Per product
What the lab measures in each product
The main ingredient is checked against the label. Every product is also tested for lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury.
| Product | Measured for dose | Label, per serving | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnesium glycinate | Elemental magnesium | 200 mg2 capsules | ICP-OES |
| Vitamin D3 + K2 | Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) | 50 mcg1 capsule | HPLC |
| Omega-3 fish oil | EPA | 600 mg2 softgels | GC |
| Creatine monohydrate | Creatine monohydrate | 5,000 mg1 scoop (5 g) | HPLC |
| Electrolyte mix, unflavored | Sodium | 500 mg1 scoop (3.5 g) | ICP-OES |
Heavy metals in every product: ICP-MS, against the USP <2232> daily limits.
Policy
When a lot falls outside its range
A lot that measures outside the range set for its product, or over any heavy-metal limit, is not sold.
It is not relabeled to match the result, mixed into another lot, or sold at a discount.
This is DatumBase's policy for every lot of every product.
Methods
Test methods, in plain words
The standard method for each measurement. Open one to read how it works.
ICP-MS, for heavy metals
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The sample is dissolved in acid and fed into a very hot plasma, which breaks it into charged atoms. The instrument sorts them by mass and counts each element. It is the usual method for lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury because it can measure very small amounts.
HPLC, for vitamin D3 and creatine
High-performance liquid chromatography. The sample is dissolved and pushed through a packed column. Each compound comes out at its own time, and a detector measures how much of it there is against a reference standard of known strength.
ICP-OES or titration, for minerals
Magnesium, sodium and potassium are present in milligrams, so they are usually measured by ICP-OES: like ICP-MS, but it reads the light each element gives off in the plasma. Some labs use titration instead, adding a reagent of known strength until a reaction completes and working back to the mineral content.
GC, for EPA and DHA
Gas chromatography. The fatty acids in the oil are converted to a form that vaporizes, then separated in a long thin column and measured one at a time. EPA and DHA are each read on their own, which is why the label lists them separately.
Limits
What a report does not tell you
- A report covers the lot it names, nothing else. A different lot of the same product has its own report.
- It measures the main ingredient and four heavy metals. It is not a test for every substance a product could contain.
- It is a result on the test date. Heat, light and an open lid can change a product after it leaves.
- It does not say whether a supplement is right for you. That is a question for your doctor.
- The reports on this site today are samples that show the format. Each one carries a "Sample report" tag.