Last updated February 29, 2024
Welcome to the STRIPED Dietary Supplement Label Explorer! The STRIPED research team created this tool using a rigorous, scientific approach to categorize over 180,000 supplement labels from the Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD), which is the nation’s premier supplement label data source maintained by the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements. DSLD’s own interface is ideal for basic keyword searches and searches for ingredients. So then why did we create our new Explorer tool, you might wonder? Our tool is designed to enhance the search capabilities of DSLD by adding the option to categorize supplement labels by type. To create our STRIPED Dietary Supplement Label Explorer, we applied a multi-step methodology involving keyword analysis to organize labels into three categories—weight loss, muscle building, and cleanse/detox—based on manufacturer claims on the label. Our approach achieved over 97% accuracy on average when validated against a gold standard dataset (see our methods explanation for lots more details on this). Still, a small proportion of labels may be missed or miscategorized, and NIH’s DSLD does not represent the entire supplement marketplace, so users of our Explorer tool or NIH’s DSLD should keep these points in mind. The U.S. FDA has issued numerous warnings about the dangers of many supplement products sold with deceptive and unsubstantiated claims related to weight loss, muscle building, and cleanse/detox. We focused on these categories to help fellow researchers identify labels within NIH’s DSLD.
This tool will be updated quarterly to align with NIH’s DSLD. Check out our Search Tips below to learn how to search or browse labels, and learn more about our methodology on our website. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us.
Please enter a keyword or select a label type to begin browsing.
Disclaimer
The STRIPED Dietary Supplement Label Explorer (DSLE) is a research tool designed to facilitate the categorization of dietary product labels contained in the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (NIH DSLD) by type, for research use only. The manufacturer or distributor is responsible for information on product labels; therefore, the labels might be incomplete and/or inaccurate. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is not responsible for the NIH DSLD or any information contained therein. The inclusion of a product and its label in any search results using the DSLE is not an endorsement of that product or its manufacturer. The description of the DSLE methodology and other information on the DSLE site are not intended as a warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, completeness, or benefits of the DSLE; we disclaim any and all representations or warranties. The DSLE may contain errors or defects that may result in miscategorization or inaccurate information; users should use the tool for research purposes only and at their own risk, and should independently verify any categorization of product labels.
