Flip over any supplement tub sold legally in Canada and you'll find an eight-digit number starting with "NPN". It's the quickest way to tell a licensed product from one that shouldn't be on the shelf.
What an NPN is
NPN stands for Natural Product Number. Health Canada gives one to each natural health product it has licensed: vitamins, minerals, protein-type supplements with added ingredients, pre-workouts, creatine, electrolytes and more. To get one, the company has to show Health Canada what's in it, how much to take, what it can claim and what warnings it needs.
Why it matters to you
- It's the law. Natural health products sold in Canada need a product licence.
- Approved claims and warnings. The label's directions and cautions were reviewed, not just written by marketing.
- Fewer surprises. Many US-only products contain ingredients or doses that aren't allowed here. Imported tubs without an NPN may never have been reviewed for Canada.
How to check a product
- Find the 8-digit NPN on the label. It's usually near the ingredient panel.
- Search for it in Health Canada's Licensed Natural Health Products Database (LNHPD).
- Check that the product name, company and ingredients match the tub in your hand.
Red flags
- No NPN, or a number that doesn't come up in the database
- A label only in English with US-style "Supplement Facts"
- Big promises like "burns fat fast" or "melts belly fat"
- Sold far below normal price by an unknown third-party seller
What doesn't need one
Some products are sold as foods, not natural health products. Plain protein powders, protein bars and snacks, and some clear protein drinks are usually regulated as food, so they have a Nutrition Facts table instead of an NPN.
Our promise
Every supplement in our Nutrition & Supplements collection ships from a Canadian supplier, and each product page lists its NPN where one is required. If we can't confirm a product is licensed for Canada, we don't sell it.
This article is general information, not legal or medical advice.