A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is the third-party lab report that tells you what is actually in a specific batch of a supplement. Identity. Potency. Heavy metals. Microbial contamination.

If your brand can produce a real COA for your batch, you can verify what you bought. If they cannot, you are trusting marketing copy.

Here is how to read one and what to demand from any brand selling you a supplement.

What a COA shows

A real third-party COA has four sections that matter:

1. Identity.
The lab confirms the product actually contains the named ingredient. For a creatine product, the COA confirms it is creatine monohydrate (not a similar-looking compound, not creatine combined with other forms). For a whey protein, the COA confirms it is whey (not a blend of whey and cheaper protein sources like wheat or rice spiked with amino acids to fake the test).

2. Potency.
The lab measures how much of the active ingredient is actually in the product. For creatine, the COA shows grams of creatine per serving. For preworkout, the COA shows grams of each labeled active ingredient. The measured amount should be within 5 to 10% of what the label claims.

3. Heavy metals.
The lab tests for lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. The COA shows micrograms per serving for each. These should be below the FDA action levels and ideally below California Prop 65 thresholds.

4. Microbial.
The lab tests for bacterial and mold contamination. The COA shows total aerobic plate count, yeast and mold, E. coli, Salmonella, and other pathogens. These should be at or below industry-accepted limits.

A real third-party COA has the lab's letterhead, the lab's accreditation (ideally ISO 17025), the specific batch or lot number, the date of testing, and the analyst's signature.

The 3 things every COA should have

1. A lot number that matches the bottle you received. If the lot number on the COA doesn't match the lot number on your tub, the COA is not for your batch.
2. A date within the past 6 to 12 months. Older COAs are not for current batches. If your brand sends you a 2-year-old generic COA, that's a red flag.
3. An accredited third-party lab name. Eurofins, NSF International, Informed Sport, Covance, USP, Alkemist. If the COA is on the brand's own letterhead, it's in-house QA, not a third-party assay. The conflict of interest is obvious.

What is NOT a COA

Several things look like a COA but are not:

• A brand's own quality-control letter (in-house testing only)
• A nutrition facts panel printout
• A general product spec sheet
• A "certificate of authenticity" with no lab data
• A photo of a lab printout with no analyst signature or accreditation marks

A real COA shows up to the standard of evidence a forensic court would accept. Anything less is marketing.

How to ask for a COA

Most brands won't publish COAs on their website (we hope this changes). The way to get one is to ask:

1. Find the lot number on your tub (printed near the expiration date)
2. Email the brand's support: "Can you send me the third-party COA for batch [lot number]?"
3. They should respond within a few business days with a PDF showing identity, potency, heavy metals, and microbial.

If they respond within 24 hours with a real COA, you have found a serious brand. If they go quiet for a week, or send you a 12-month-old generic, that's the answer.

How Valenco does COAs

Every batch we ship has a third-party Certificate of Analysis from Eurofins, an ISO 17025 accredited testing lab. The COA tests for identity, potency, heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic), and microbial contamination.

To request the COA for your specific batch, reply to your order confirmation with your lot number, or email support@valenco.org. We send the PDF within 24 hours, every time.

That is the standard. Demand it from every brand you buy from.