Why does my supplement say 16,667%? Percent Daily Value, explained
By Melt Daily ·
Supplement labels can look alarming. Our own panels list 16,667% for biotin and 41,667% for vitamin B12. Those numbers are accurate, and they are not as scary as they look once you know what a Daily Value is, and what it is not.
What a Daily Value is
A Daily Value (DV) is a reference amount set by the FDA for food and supplement labels. It gives you a single number to compare products against. The %DV tells you how much one serving contributes compared with that reference amount.
What a Daily Value is not
A Daily Value is not a maximum, and it is not a personal target. It does not mean 100% is the most you should take, and it does not tell you how much a specific person needs. Individual needs vary by age, sex, pregnancy and health.
The safety ceiling is a different number called the Tolerable Upper Intake Level, or UL, which is set by nutrition scientists and published by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Some nutrients have a UL. Some, like biotin and vitamin B12, do not, because no harmful effects have been established at the amounts found in food and supplements.
Why some numbers are huge
Large percentages usually show up for water-soluble vitamins with a small Daily Value. A few examples from our own panels:
| Nutrient (strip) | Per strip | Daily Value | % DV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 (UP) | 1000 mcg | 2.4 mcg | 41,667% |
| Biotin (GLOW) | 5000 mcg | 30 mcg | 16,667% |
| Vitamin B6 (EASY) | 6 mg | 1.7 mg | 353% |
| Vitamin D3 (BASE) | 2000 IU (50 mcg) | 20 mcg | 250% |
| Iron (STEADY) | 19 mg | 18 mg | 106% |
| Vitamin K2 (BASE) | 120 mcg | 120 mcg | 100% |
| Vitamin E (DEW) | 6 mg | 15 mg | 40% |
For B12 in particular, the body absorbs only a small fraction of a large oral dose, which is part of why supplements use amounts far above the DV.
What the dagger means
A dagger symbol (†) in the %DV column means no Daily Value has been established for that ingredient. You will see it next to things like caffeine, L-theanine, GABA, mushrooms, collagen, probiotics and botanicals. It does not mean anything is wrong; there is simply no official reference amount to compare against.
Adding up across products
If you take more than one supplement, the nutrients that matter most to add up are the ones with an upper limit that people can reach, like vitamin D, vitamin A, iron, zinc and folic acid. Our routine guide walks through which of our strips share ingredients and how they add up.
If you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medication or managing a health condition, check with your doctor or pharmacist before adding a supplement.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
