Supplement labels are full of abbreviations that go unexplained. Here's a quick reference for the terms that actually matter when you're evaluating what you're buying.
CFU: Colony-Forming Units
For probiotics like Bifidobacterium Breve, labels use "CFU" instead of a milligram weight. This measures live bacterial count — the metric that actually matters for a probiotic's potential effectiveness, not the physical weight of the powder.
Extraction Ratios (Like 10:1)
A ratio next to a botanical extract, such as the 10:1 on Cinnamon Bark Extract, tells you how concentrated the extract is relative to the raw plant material used to make it. A higher ratio generally means more concentrated potency per milligram.
Standardized Percentages
Ingredients like Turmeric Extract (95% Curcumin) list a standardization percentage — this tells you what portion of the extract is the specific active compound being measured, giving a more consistent dose than an unstandardized raw extract.
Daily Value vs. No Established Value
Some ingredients show a percentage next to "% Daily Value," while others show a dagger symbol instead. That dagger simply means no official daily value has been established for that ingredient — common for many botanical extracts — not that the ingredient is unimportant.
Named Ingredients vs. Proprietary Blends
The single most useful check remains whether ingredients are listed individually with amounts, like the LipoJaro label, or grouped into an unnamed blend that hides individual dosing entirely.