At Tru Niagen, your health is our highest priority. That’s why we are deeply concerned about the increasing number of counterfeit Tru Niagen products being sold online, particularly on platforms like Amazon. These fake products, sold by unauthorized resellers, not only undermine the trust you’ve placed in us, but they can also put your health at serious risk.

As the manufacturer of Tru Niagen, ChromaDex is committed to the safety, quality, and efficacy of our products. We rigorously test every batch to ensure you receive the benefits of our patented nicotinamide riboside (NR) ingredient. Unfortunately, counterfeiters exploit gaps in the regulatory system to sell unsafe, unverified products that can harm your health. This growing issue highlights the urgent need for stronger regulations in the supplement industry to better protect consumers from these dangerous practices.

In this blog, we’ll show you how to identify fake Tru Niagen products, explain the dangers of counterfeit supplements, and discuss how weak regulation contributes to the problem. Together, we can fight back against counterfeiters and ensure you only receive the authentic Tru Niagen you trust.

The Dangers of Counterfeit Supplements: What You’re Really Putting in Your Body

Counterfeit products aren’t just ineffective—they can be downright dangerous. Fake versions of Tru Niagen are being sold by unauthorized resellers who bypass the rigorous safety and quality controls we enforce. These counterfeit products often contain harmful, unknown ingredients, or lack the active components that make Tru Niagen effective for cellular health.

When you take a counterfeit supplement, you’re gambling with your health. The risks include:

Unknown Ingredients: Counterfeit products may contain harmful chemicals, fillers, or allergens not listed on the label. These ingredients have not undergone safety testing and could lead to allergic reactions, toxicity, or worse.
No Health Benefits: Authentic Tru Niagen contains nicotinamide riboside (NR) that helps support healthy ageing by boosting NAD+ levels in your cells. Counterfeit versions may not contain any NR or other active ingredients, meaning you’re not getting the benefits you paid for.
Potential Health Concerns: Because counterfeit products do not adhere to any safety standards, they could cause immediate side effects or long-term harm, especially for individuals with underlying health conditions.

Taking counterfeit supplements is a serious risk, which is why it’s crucial to ensure that what you’re buying is the real thing.

How to Spot Fake Tru Niagen: Safeguard Your Health

At ChromaDex, we take great care to ensure every Tru Niagen bottle meets the highest standards of quality and safety. Here’s how you can protect yourself from counterfeit products:

Verify the Seller:

Always make sure the vendor is listed as “Sold by: Tru Niagen Australia” and “Ships from Amazon.” We are the ONLY authorized seller of Tru Niagen on Amazon. If the product is being sold by another vendor, it may be counterfeit.

Inspect the Packaging:

Fake Tru Niagen products have been sold in glass bottles with flip-top lids and plastic blue bottles—these are clear red flags. Authentic Tru Niagen 300mg comes in blue glass bottles with a white screw top.

Be suspicious of outdated or suspicious lot numbers, such as A23199001 EXP 01/2026. This lot number was used by a counterfeit reseller on Amazon during the month of October 2024 in a blue glass bottle with a flip top. Counterfeiters may copy our label but use fake lot numbers, so always check carefully.

Look for Inconsistencies:

Counterfeit products might look convincing, but small details—such as faded labels, poorly sealed packaging, or mismatched expiration dates—can give them away. If anything about the bottle looks off, it’s better to be safe and stop using it immediately.

If you suspect you’ve purchased a counterfeit product, stop taking it and contact our customer care team for support.

Why the Rise of Counterfeits Underscores a Need for Stronger Regulation

The counterfeit Tru Niagen issue is not unique—it’s part of a much larger problem within the supplement industry. In the U.S., the supplement market has ballooned from $4 billion in 1994 to over $61 billion in 2023, yet regulatory oversight has not kept pace. Today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that over 100,000 dietary supplements are available on the market, compared to just 4,000 in the 1990s. Despite this explosive growth, the FDA has only received around 1,300 new dietary ingredient notifications in the past 30 years.

This disconnect allows bad actors to flood the market with untested, unsafe products. Many companies, especially those operating online, take advantage of outdated regulations to sell counterfeit or low-quality supplements, undermining consumer trust and putting public health at risk.

Primary factors contribute to this issue:

Insufficient Enforcement: Regulatory agencies like the FDA simply don’t have the resources to monitor every supplement product on the market. This lack of oversight allows counterfeit products to slip through the cracks, particularly on e-commerce platforms like Amazon, where it’s easier for unauthorized sellers to operate undetected.
Legislation: The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was passed in 1994, long before the rise of the internet and e-commerce. As a result, today’s regulatory framework is ill-equipped to handle the complexities of online sales and global counterfeit markets. DSHEA has not been updated to address the unique challenges posed by digital platforms, allowing counterfeiters to exploit gaps in the system.
E-Commerce Loopholes: E-Commerce platforms often do not require sellers to undergo the same rigorous testing or approval processes that brick-and-mortar retailers do, making it easy for counterfeiters to reach unsuspecting consumers.

A Call for Reform

At ChromaDex, we believe the best way to regain consumer trust is by strengthening the regulatory framework that governs the supplement industry. Rob Fried, as ChromaDex’s CEO, is a strong advocate for stricter enforcement and industry-wide self-regulation to protect consumers and ensure only safe, high-quality products reach the market.

We propose:

Greater Transparency: Supplement companies must commit to transparency and accountability. This includes clearly labeling products, conducting rigorous safety testing, and investing in the research needed to validate claims. Companies like ChromaDex are leading the way by investing heavily in independent clinical studies to prove the safety and efficacy of our products. We encourage other companies to do the same.
Stricter Online Marketplace Controls: E-commerce platforms must take more responsibility for the products sold on their sites. This includes requiring sellers to prove their legitimacy, conducting regular audits, and quickly removing counterfeit listings. Consumers should be able to trust that products sold on major platforms like Amazon have been verified for safety and authenticity.
Collaboration Across the Industry: We believe the industry must come together to form a consortium of reputable companies, retailers, regulators, and consumer groups to self-police and ensure compliance with safety standards. By working together, we can help regulatory agencies focus their limited resources on the worst offenders and hold counterfeiters accountable.

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself

As a consumer, you play a crucial role in protecting yourself and others from counterfeit supplements. Here’s how you can help:

Always check the seller: Ensure that Tru Niagen is sold directly by us (listed as “Sold by: Tru Niagen” on Amazon) before making a purchase.
Inspect the packaging: Watch out for signs of counterfeits, such as glass bottles, outdated lot numbers, or unusual packaging.
Report counterfeit products: If you suspect you’ve purchased a fake, stop taking it immediately and report the issue to Amazon.

We Can Fight Counterfeit Supplements

The rise of counterfeit supplements, including fake Tru Niagen, is a direct result of regulatory gaps and a lack of enforcement in the supplement industry. At ChromaDex, we’re doing everything in our power to protect you from these dangerous products, but we can’t do it alone.

By staying vigilant, purchasing only from authorized sellers, and advocating for stronger regulations, we can fight back against counterfeiters and ensure the supplement industry is a safer place for everyone. Your health is too important to risk on counterfeit products—make sure you’re getting the real Tru Niagen every time.