Two products can advertise the same number on the front and deliver very different amounts. The back of the pack is where you find out which is which.
1. Serving size comes first
Every figure in the facts panel is per serving, and a serving is not always one capsule. A bottle advertising 1,000 mg may mean two capsules of 500 mg. Check this before anything else — it also silently halves or doubles how long the bottle lasts, and therefore what it really costs you per month.
2. Elemental amount, not compound weight
This one catches almost everybody. Minerals are sold as compounds, and only part of that weight is the mineral itself.
- What the front says
- "Magnesium citrate 500 mg" — the weight of the whole compound.
- What matters
- The elemental magnesium inside it, which is a fraction of that number and is listed separately in the facts panel.
The same applies to calcium, iron and zinc. A good label states the elemental amount plainly. A label that does not is worth a second look.
3. Proprietary blends hide the split
A "proprietary blend 800 mg" tells you the total but not how it divides. The ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first is the largest — but the blend could be almost entirely the cheapest component. It is not automatically a bad sign, but full disclosure is better, and plenty of good manufacturers do disclose.
4. %DV and who it refers to
The percentage column compares the amount to a daily reference value for a general adult. It is a useful scale, not a personal target: it does not know your age, weight, blood results or what else you take. Percentages far above 100% are common and not automatically wrong — but they are worth asking a pharmacist about, particularly for fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) which accumulate.
5. The other ingredients line
Below the actives sits the list that matters for allergies and dietary rules: capsule material (gelatin or a plant cellulose), fillers, sweeteners, colours. This is the line to read if you avoid pork-derived gelatin, if you are vegetarian, or if you react to lactose or specific dyes. See our halal sourcing policy for how we approach this.
6. Expiry and batch — the honesty test
Two printed marks separate a genuine imported product from a doubtful one:
Expiry date
Should be clearly printed on the physical pack, not just claimed online. Potency of vitamins declines as this date approaches.
Batch / lot code
Ties the unit to a production run the manufacturer can trace. A missing batch code is a serious warning sign.
A barcode proves nothing about authenticity. Counterfeiters copy barcodes and serial numbers exactly — they are inventory tools, not proof of origin. What matters is who imported the product and whether they can show where it came from.
Why we show expiry before you buy
Most stores hide it. We print the exact expiry of the stock you will actually receive on every listing, and price shorter-dated stock lower so the choice is yours. Read how we store products and how we guarantee originals.
A 30-second check
- How many capsules is one serving?
- What is the elemental amount, not the compound weight?
- Is anything hidden inside a blend?
- Any allergen or gelatin issue in the other-ingredients line?
- Is the expiry date printed, and far enough out for how long you will take it?
- Is there a batch code?
Send us a photo of any label and our pharmacists will read it with you.
Not sure what applies to you?
Our pharmacists answer questions free, whether or not you buy from us — including whether something interacts with medicine you already take. Ask the pharmacy team.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Dietary supplements are not medicines: statements about them have not been evaluated by the Egyptian Drug Authority or the U.S. FDA, and they are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before starting anything new — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, managing a health condition, or taking prescription medicine. See our full disclaimer.