NOW Foods

Who is NOW Foods?

NOW Foods is an American company founded in 1968 by Elwood Richard, a chemist by training, and headquartered in Bloomingdale, Illinois. It has remained independent, owned by the founding family and its employees—a unique feature in a sector where most historical brands have been acquired by large corporations.

What truly sets it apart is its manufacturing approach: NOW produces its own products in its factories in Bloomingdale and Sparks, Nevada. The vast majority of supplement brands do not manufacture anything; they outsource production and apply their own labels. Controlling the production tools changes the relationship with raw materials and traceability, and this has been the brand's central argument for fifty years.

Its catalog extends far beyond dietary supplements: essential oils, sweeteners, personal care products, groceries, sports nutrition. In France, NOW Foods is not distributed in supermarkets; it arrives via specialized retailers, and the available range is much narrower than in its domestic market.

What is the NOW Foods range like?

The brand is compelling where it has historically been strong: simple and well-formulated micronutrition. Vitamins, minerals, and plant extracts are offered in clear dosages and chosen chemical forms rather than haphazard ones. Multivitamins, B vitamins, chelated minerals, and probiotics form the solid core of the catalog.

What it does less well, from a French customer's perspective, is adaptation to the European market. Labels are designed for the United States, units are sometimes expressed in IU rather than micrograms, and above all, dosages are calibrated to American habits, which bear no resemblance to European nutritional guidelines. We will come back to this below, because it is the real issue with this brand.

Another nuance: the catalog mixes dietary supplements with personal care products. The avocado oil we reference, for example, is a vegetable oil for external use—not a supplement. One should not confuse the two sections just because they bear the same logo.

What are their flagship products here?

Our selection of NOW Foods is significantly deeper than our other American ranges. It is divided into four families.

Chelated minerals

This is the strong point of the selection. The Iron 18 mg uses Ferrochel™ iron bisglycinate, a chelated form known to be better tolerated digestively than classic iron salts—a crucial factor, as intestinal discomfort is the most common reason for discontinuing this mineral. The Zinc Glycinate follows the same chelation logic. The Boron 3 mg completes the selection with a trace element not often found elsewhere. See the iron and zinc sections to compare available forms.

Vitamins

The C-1000 provides 1,000 mg of vitamin C per capsule, accompanied by citrus bioflavonoids. The Methyl B-12 5000 mcg offers vitamin B12 in its methylated, directly active form, which is particularly interesting for vegetarian and vegan diets. The Biotin 5000 mcg covers high-dose vitamin B8, and the Vitamin D3 Liquid offers vitamin D in liquid form based on MCT oil, convenient for adjusting the dose drop by drop. Related sections: vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin D.

Multivitamins and digestive comfort

The ADAM Men's Multi is the brand's male multivitamin, in softgels, combining a vitamin-mineral base with plant extracts, including saw palmetto. The Probiotic-10 boasts 100 billion CFU across ten strains, with fructooligosaccharides: this is a high-end dosage in the probiotics section.

Isolated active ingredients and plants

The Glutathione 500 mg provides reduced glutathione, the active form of this tripeptide, associated with alpha-lipoic acid and milk thistle. Note that glutathione is also produced by the body from cysteine: the NAC section addresses the other approach to this topic. The Fenugreek 500 mg is a traditional plant capsule, found in the fenugreek section. The apple cider vinegar comes in two formats, 450 mg capsules and 750 mg extra strength tablets. Finally, the Avocado Oil is 100% pure avocado oil for external use, for body, hair, or massage.

Our reseller opinion

What works. NOW Foods remains one of the rare brands to manufacture what it sells, and this is evident in its choice of forms: bisglycinate rather than sulfate for iron, glycinate for zinc, methylated B12 rather than cyanocobalamin, reduced rather than oxidized glutathione. These are not mere technical sheet details; these are the decisions that distinguish a useful supplement from an indifferent one. The dosage-price ratio is also good for an imported brand.

The main limitation, and it is real: dosages are calibrated for the American market, which are well above European nutritional guidelines. A 5,000 µg biotin or a 5,000 µg B12 represents several thousand percent of the reference nutritional values used in Europe. These vitamins are water-soluble, and the excess is largely eliminated, but two practical consequences arise. First, a very high dosage does not provide a proportional benefit: beyond a certain threshold, you are paying for what you excrete. Second, and more seriously, high-dose biotin can skew certain blood tests, particularly thyroid and cardiac ones: if you need to have a blood test, inform the laboratory. This is not a range to take blindly by combining several bottles.

Two other caveats. The labeling is designed for an English-speaking audience, which means knowing how to read a Supplement Facts panel and converting IUs. And the French catalog is much smaller than the American catalog: do not expect to find everything you may have seen on the brand's website here.

NOW Foods or Swanson?

The comparison is natural: two historical American brands, two very broad micronutrition catalogs, two accessible positioning strategies. Swanson, founded in 1969 in Fargo, North Dakota, built its business on mail order and a vast catalog of plant extracts. NOW Foods built its business on in-house manufacturing.

In practice, the difference depends on what you are looking for. For a chelated mineral or an active form vitamin, NOW Foods has the advantage: the forms are better chosen and clearly named. For an uncommon plant extract, Swanson historically covers a broader range. And if you prefer a French brand with French labeling and dosages designed for European guidelines, look at Nutriting—this is often the simplest answer for those new to micronutrition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NOW Foods a good brand?

Yes, for micronutrition. It is one of the few brands that manufactures its own products, and its choices of chemical forms are sound. Its weakness is not quality but adaptation to the European market: very high dosages and English labeling.

Is NOW Foods distributed in France?

Yes, but only through specialized retailers—sports nutrition stores, health food stores, and dedicated websites. The brand has no French subsidiary or distribution in supermarkets, which has three concrete consequences. The accessible catalog here represents a small fraction of the American catalog, which includes over a thousand references. Prices are higher than in the United States, due to shipping and import duties. And some American references simply cannot be sold in Europe, as the regulations for dietary supplements are not the same—certain ingredients or dosages allowed there are not allowed here. A tip: avoid ordering directly from the United States to save a few euros; customs fees and the risk of blockage rarely make it worthwhile.

What is their best product?

In our selection, Iron 18 mg in Ferrochel™ bisglycinate and Zinc Glycinate are the most justifiable: chelated form, reasonable dosage, superior digestive tolerance compared to classic mineral salts. Probiotic-10 is the other strong reference in the lot.

What about ADAM Men's Multi?

This is the brand's historical male multivitamin, in softgels: a complete base of vitamins and minerals, supplemented with plant extracts including saw palmetto, traditionally associated with male urinary comfort. Two honest remarks. First, as with the entire American range, several vitamins are dosed well above European reference nutritional values: this is harmless for water-soluble vitamins, but it doesn't do much good either. Second, a multivitamin is not necessary for someone who eats a varied diet; it becomes useful during periods of caloric restriction, exclusion diets, or chronically poor nutrition. If you take one, do not combine isolated zinc or B vitamins alongside it.

What about NOW Foods Liquid Vitamin D3?

This is a format we appreciate for a practical reason: vitamin D is fat-soluble, so it's better absorbed with a fat, and the liquid version is carried by MCT oil, which solves that problem. It also allows you to adjust the dose drop by drop, which a capsule does not—useful when a doctor prescribes a precise intake. Be careful when reading the American label: doses are expressed in IU, and you need to divide by 40 to get micrograms (1,000 IU = 25 µg). Unlike B vitamins, vitamin D is stored by the body: high doses taken long-term are not trivial, and a blood test for 25-OH-vitamin D remains the only way to know your status. See the vitamin D section for alternatives.

Do you sell NOW Foods Super Enzymes, Candida Support, or Spirulina?

No: these references exist in the brand's American catalog but are not part of our selection, and we prefer to say so rather than letting you search. We cover these needs with other brands: our digestive enzymes, probiotics, and spirulina sections offer equivalents, often with French labeling. A clarification on "candida support": this type of formula relies on an approach that has no authorized health claims in Europe, and a confirmed candidiasis is a medical diagnosis that should be treated with a doctor, not with a supplement.

Where to buy NOW Foods in France?

From specialized retailers, online and in-store. The brand is not distributed in supermarkets in France. We stock our selection in-store and ship everywhere in France and Europe.

Are American dosages dangerous?

They are not inherently dangerous, but they are high and should not be blindly combined with other supplements. Do not exceed the dose indicated on the label, do not multiply sources of the same nutrient, and seek your doctor's advice if you are on medication, pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a known medical condition.

Can biotin affect blood tests?

Yes, it is a known interference of high-biotin dosages on certain laboratory tests, particularly thyroid ones. Inform the laboratory of your supplementation before any blood test.

How to recognize an authentic NOW Foods product?

Go through a registered reseller. Prices well below the market, absence of tamper-evident seal, short expiration date, seller without a physical address: these are classic red flags. Large American brands are the most counterfeited on marketplaces.

Are these products suitable for tested athletes?

No dietary supplement can be considered risk-free by default. If you are subject to anti-doping controls, verify batch by batch with the manufacturer and refer to the AFLD list of prohibited substances. We do not claim any third-party anti-doping certification for this range.

Can NOW avocado oil be consumed?

No. It is a vegetable oil for external use—body care, hair care, massage. It is included in our NOW Foods selection but does not belong to the dietary supplements section.

Should everything be taken at once?

No, and this is even the most common mistake. A multivitamin already contains zinc, possibly iron, and B vitamins: adding three isolated bottles often amounts to tripling the same dose. Inventory your intake before piling on capsules. Our magnesium and omega 3 sections usefully supplement a base, not three superimposed bases.

Where to see the range near Montpellier?

Our selection of NOW Foods is displayed on shelves in our Vendargues store, about ten minutes from Montpellier. Regarding micronutrition, counter conversation serves primarily one purpose: to avoid duplication. It is more useful to leave with two correct references than with five overlapping bottles.

If you cannot visit, everything can be ordered here, and we ship everywhere in France and Europe. We will refer you to your doctor for any questions regarding deficiencies or treatments: that is their domain, not ours.

Sources: ANSES for dietary supplement guidelines, and EFSA for the registry of authorized health claims. Dietary supplements are part of a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. They are not a substitute for medical advice.

Sources

• ANSES — Les compléments alimentaires
• Règlement UE n° 432/2012 — allégations de santé autorisées
• Règlement CE n° 1924/2006 — allégations nutritionnelles et de santé

À intégrer dans une alimentation variée et équilibrée et un mode de vie sain.