5 Dangers of Supplement Dupes
When it comes to fashion, a “dupe” can be a fun find. A pair of sweatpants that looks like a pricey brand? Score! A handbag that is similar to one from a favorite designer? No harm done. But when it comes to the supplements you ingest, you deserve the real deal.
At Touchstone Essentials, we’ve seen firsthand how fake supplements cut corners. Some claim to be “just like” our top-selling trusted zeolite detox. But not only are counterfeit supplements unlikely to have the same ingredients as genuine brands, they can come with real risks. Independent tests of some counterfeits have found high levels of heavy metals, including lead.
Many counterfeit supplements aren’t just disappointing purchases that fail to deliver the results you want. They can be a real threat to your health. Here are the five biggest dangers of copycat supplements and the steps you can take to protect yourself from being duped.
Why Supplement Dupes are Dangerous
1. Mystery Ingredients
With dupes, you can’t be sure where the ingredients come from or if the label is accurate, so you never really know what’s inside. Oftentimes, the fake product will simply “copy” the label of a reputable brand and present it as their own. But what’s inside is nothing like the real supplement, so it’s unlikely to work.
At Touchstone Essentials, what’s on the label is exactly what’s in the bottle. There are only two ingredients in our Zeolite Detox Pack—clinoptilolite zeolite and pure water. However, some copycats show packaging that is similar, but with completely different ingredients.
In one case, a copycat that “looked” like our brand listed Gluconolactone (a skin exfoliant) and Potassium Sorbate (a chemical preservative) as ingredients. Others have claimed they have the same ingredients as Pure Body and Pure Body Extra, but when it arrived, the color, taste and texture were way off. A marked difference in appearance is a sign that something is wrong.
2. Toxic Contaminants
One of the biggest dangers of supplement dupes is that you simply can’t know for sure whether they are safe. Independent tests of some fake products have found heavy metals such as lead, which do the very opposite of detoxing.
These ingredients may also be sourced from low-quality suppliers or countries with little oversight. In some cases, the counterfeit products listed on third-party sellers list the supplier as a Chinese company. And unlike trusted wellness brands that test every batch for purity, counterfeit or copycat products often skip safety checks altogether.
At Touchstone Essentials, every batch of our trusted zeolite is manufactured in a cGMP facility in the United States. This means that it is processed, tested, and bottled in a facility that meets the highest standards, known as Current Good Manufacturing Practices. This provides a level of quality assurance lacking in copycat supplements.
3. No Verified Testing
The rise of online marketplaces such as Shopify, Amazon, and Etsy has meant that almost anyone can sell anything online. Unfortunately, these third-party sites don’t check or verify sellers’ products before they open a store online.
Anyone can slap the words “natural” or “premium” or “pure” on a label, but dupes rarely back it up. To cut costs, they often skip independent lab testing. That means no proof of purity, safety, or even accurate serving sizes.
While there is a complaint process for copyright or trademark infringement on sites such as Amazon or Shopify, it’s a bit like “whack-a-mole.” As one counterfeiter webpage gets removed, another quickly pops up in its place. This places consumers at risk of getting unverified dupes.
Look for brands that sell on their own websites and publish third-party testing. Touchstone Essentials only sells its trusted detox and nutrition supplements at TheGoodInside.com. It is never authorized for sale on Amazon, Shopify, or other third-party seller websites.
4. Copycats Usually Don’t Work
Dupe supplements often promise big results; claims they seem to back up with testimonials. But look closer and you may see that many of those “testimonials” are not about that product at all. Counterfeiters often “steal” rave reviews from influencers to prop up their untested product. Their goal is to create excitement, counting on people to not notice differences in the review.
Another red flag is reviews that can’t be verified. If a review is just an image, it may be copied or made up. Reputable companies like Touchstone Essentials have product reviews that are vetted through a third-party review site, such as Shopper Approved. These reviews cannot be edited by the company and are from verified purchasers of the product.
Dupes that rely on stolen or made-up reviews do so because they don’t have positive reviews of their own. Even if a dupe does have the same ingredients as our zeolite detox, it won’t be the same. Copycats won’t have the proprietary cleansing process that makes zeolite work. Nor will they have the nanosizing that delivers the zeolite throughout the body. It’s another reason why they just don’t get the same results or reviews.
5. Dupes Don’t Do Refunds
Another major danger of supplement dupes is that there’s no real company standing behind them. Many fake supplement sellers appear online, make quick sales, and vanish. No customer support, no refunds, no transparency—leaving you at risk if something goes wrong.
With a trusted wellness brand, you know exactly who you’re buying from. They provide customer support, stand behind their guarantees, and often go above and beyond to educate and empower their community.
Fake supplement makers, on the other hand, typically don’t care about your health. They want quick profits, and once they’ve made them, they vanish. So, before you buy, check and see if the company offers a return policy. Some dupes don’t even bother to fill in the refund section on their Shopify store, making any purchase a risky bet.
5 Ways to Spot and Avoid Dupe Supplements
- Copycat Packaging or Websites: Watch out for slight differences in font, color, or layout. Always buy directly from the brand’s official site.
- Sketchy Sellers or Marketplaces: Avoid products from random websites, third-party sellers, or product sites that “sound” like a known brand.
- Questionable Reviews: Look closely at influencer reviews to verify they are real. Make sure the brand uses a third-party reviewer like Shopper Approved.
- Missing Proof of Quality: Check on ingredient transparency, and any lab testing before buying. Verify there are real scientists or doctors associated with the brand.
- No Real Community or Mission: Genuine brands share their story, values, and purpose. Fake supplement companies are more concerned with sales than your health.
The Bottom Line
A “dupe” for a designer bag might save you money. But a dupe supplement could cost you cash and your health. From toxic contaminants to mystery ingredients, supplement dupes pose real dangers that aren’t worth the risk.
At Touchstone Essentials, our mission is to touch lives with goodness. We’re dedicated to making detox and nutritional solutions that make a difference for real people. Everything we do is rooted in nature and backed by science. And every step is taken with care, integrity, and transparency. Your health is far too important to trust to counterfeits.
We’re proud to have over 50,000 five-star verified reviews. Each one shows that we’re making a real difference in people’s lives. To experience the full potential of a natural detox, get started with the Zeolite Detox Pack. It’s trusted by thousands of families everywhere.
