Research-Based

Thorne Supplements Review – A Look At This Company

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By Jack Cincotta, MS

Reviewed by Juliana Tamayo, MS, RDN - Last Updated

Thorne Supplements Company Review

Today, there seems to be a supplement for nearly every health condition, with hundreds of products out there claiming to serve a wide variety of needs and goals.

And many supplement companies are looking to provide all of these different supplements in one place, in order to serve as many people as possible.

One such company that a lot of folks have turned to over the years for many of their health needs and goals is Thorne.

This brand is very popular, and there are a lot of positive reviews from customers who’ve used their products.

However, it’s important to see if Thorne is actually a quality supplement brand worth buying from, and how they compare to other similar companies.

In this review, we’ll go over everything you need to know about Thorne, including the products they offer, prices, quality and safety, and who might benefit from their supplements.

About Thorne

Thorne is not just a supplement company; they are a brand that focuses on total health and wellness optimization. They started back in 1984 with just one product, but have since grown over the last 35+ years into a supplement powerhouse with hundreds of available supplements.

The main mission of Thorne Supplements is to use personalized, science-based wellness to create healthier, happier lives regardless of one’s age or life stage.  

Through their available health tests, product quizzes, and available support team, Thorne takes an individualized approach to supplementation in order to give you the best supplements and formulas based on your own unique needs, goals, and preferences.

Thorne also aims to set the standard for quality in the health supplement industry. Specifically, their facilities are cGMP-compliant and TGA-certified, with 30 products NSF Certified for Sport. And they focus on only using the cleanest, most well-researched ingredients, while also putting everything through four rounds of testing to ensure optimal safety and purity.

So, ultimately, Thorne is dedicated to offer the highest quality supplements without compromise.

Thorne Review

Types of Supplements Offered

Thorne has nearly 200 supplements which are designed to serve a wide variety of health needs, including:

  • Bone & Joint Health
  • Energy
  • Sleep
  • Heart & Vessels
  • Hormone Support
  • Healthy Aging
  • Liver & Detox
  • Men’s Health
  • Women’s Health
  • Skin, Hair, & Nails
  • And more

Some of the categories of products they offer are:

  • Amino Acids
  • Fish Oil & Omegas
  • Multivitamins
  • Probiotics
  • Sports Performance 
  • Protein Powders

On their Supplement Quizzes page, you can also choose from a variety of different quizzes to get personalized supplement recommendations.

Formulas

The vast majority of Thorne supplements are well-formulated, and it’s clear they take the time to create science-backed supplements. 

In fact, they’ve even partnered with a variety of organizations, such as Mayo Clinic and Indena, to conduct clinical research on some of their products, with more than 40 of their products used in clinical trials around the world.

Also, they use very good forms for most of their ingredients. For example, nearly all of their vitamins and minerals are in well-absorbed forms. They always use methylated B vitamins, chelated minerals (such as magnesium malate, zinc picolinate, and iron bisglycinate), and vitamin D3 (which is the more bioavailable form of vitamin D). 

Thorne also uses a number of clinically-studied ingredients in their formulas, such as:

  • Meriva Curcumin
  • FloraMend Probiotic
  • Acetyl-L-Carnitine
  • KSM-66 Ashwagandha
  • Lutemax 2020
  • Creatine Monohydrate
  • Virtiva Ginkgo 
  • PurEnergy Caffeine/Pterostilbene

Transparency

All of Thorne’s products have fully transparent labels, so you can see the dose for each and every ingredient. This is rare to see, especially from a company with so many supplements. So the fact that they took the time to create each one without proprietary blends (even for some of their complex formulas with several ingredients) says a lot.

Dosages

Thorne Supplements also appears to use evidence-based dosages for their products. While the “ideal dose” for ingredients can vary from person to person, Thorne does a nice job of picking doses that are generally known to be effective.

For example, here are some products Thorne offers that have evidence-backed dosages:

  • Berberine:
    • Berberine HCl: 450mg
    • Berberine Phytosome: 550mg
  • Super EPA:
    • EPA: 425mg
    • DHA: 275mg
  • Memoractiv
    • Ashwagandha: 300mg
    • Ginkgo: 240mg
    • Lutein: 10mg
    • Others
  • Creatine: 5g Creatine Monohydrate
  • Curcumin Phytosome: 1,000mg Curcumin
  • FloraSport 20B:
    • 20 Billion CFU from probiotics

There were a few ingredients that were dosed on the lower side, such as beta-alanine, glutamine, resveratrol, and some vitamins or other micronutrients at times; but these weren’t very common. And even in these instances, the doses were still decent, just not ideal for most.

Safety

Thorne supplements and the ingredients in them all seem to be safe for the majority of individuals. They take the time to source high-quality ingredients and put them through several tests to ensure that they’re safe for use.

Additionally, over 40 products are NSF Certified for Sport, which ensures that they are free from banned substances and safe for athletes to use. 

Thorne Supplements Product Testing

Thorne Supplements takes a thorough approach to ensure all products are properly tested before being put to market.

In fact, they conduct four total rounds of testing, which takes place in their two in-house laboratories. 

Here are the four steps:

  • Round 1: Test the raw materials and screen for contaminants
  • Round 2: In-process testing to ensure correct dosage and other aspects of quality
  • Round 3: Finished products are tested to confirm identity, purity, potency, and safety
  • Round 4: Test product stability and ensure the product will last through its expiration date

Thorne claims to make an effort to ensure that only the purest ingredients are used when possible, and this includes certain inactive ingredients such as for shelf stability and encapsulation. 

Many of the Thorne products are also third-party tested through NSF, although there are many that do not go through this process.

Certifications

The Thorne manufacturing facility is third-party tested FDA-registered, and cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practices) compliant, which means they adhere to the appropriate manufacturing standards for safety and quality.

Additionally, Thorne is certified by the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) from Australia, which provides further credibility for their safe and reliable manufacturing processes.

Many of the Thorne supplements are NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) Certified for Sport. This certification ensures that their products are free from any of the 270+ banned substances from major athletic and sports organizations. Therefore, such products are suitable for recreational and professional athletes to take. 

Thorne Supplements Value

Thorne’s supplements are pretty moderately priced. And given the overall quality of their formulations, this results in a pretty high value or “bang for your buck”.

Below, we listed some common supplements people take to give you an idea of how Thorne prices these options:

  • Basic B Complex: $25 for 60 servings
  • FloraMend Prime Probiotic: $49 for 30 servings
  • Creatine: $40 for 90 servings
  • Curcumin Phytosome: $32 for 30 servings
  • Collagen Plus: $60 for 30 servings
  • Basic Nutrients 2/Day: $36 for 30 servings
  • Daily Greens Plus: $68 for 30 servings

In general, Thorne’s prices are a bit higher than average in the health supplement industry. But you also have to consider that they generally have higher-quality, better-tested formulas than most companies too. So, this slight increase in pricing doesn’t seem to negatively affect the overall value.

Reputation & Customer Feedback

Thorne is very highly rated in the health supplement industry, by consumers, and even by a number of health and sports organizations, which they collaborate with.

In fact, Thorne is a trusted supplement brand for over 100 sports teams and organizations, including the UFC, Atlanta Track Club, Major League Rugby, California Rowing Club, and the US National Teams for boxing, fencing, and other sports. 

A number of health and wellness organizations, such as Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and National Institutes of Health, have also collaborated with Thorne to help develop, test, and understand more about the benefits of supplements. 

So, these partnerships and collaborations highlight the trust that is placed in Thorne and its products.

Beyond that, Thorne products are also highly rated overall. On ReviewMeta (a website that filters Amazon reviews for accuracy and legitimacy), the average product rating from Thorne Supplements was 4.4 out of 5, based on around 25,000 total ratings and nearly 8,000 customer reviews.

Other Ratings

Also, Thorne received an A rating from the TGA in Australia, as well as an A+ rating from the BBB (Better Business Bureau) website.

Customer Reviews

Here are some customer reviews we found which spoke to the Thorne company as a whole:

“​​There is no comparison with the Thorne brand. There may be cheaper brands, but you get what you pay for.”

“I have taken other brands, but this brand is number one and for the first time I am seeing results from taking my supplements. I think the reason why is that the ingredients are pure and don’t have any fillers or other unnecessary ingredients.”

“A little expensive. But they have very pure products and are a reputable company.”

“Thorne is one of the few supplement brands dedicated to high-quality and science backed formulas. I’ve tried many of their products over the last year, and haven’t been let down yet. Their vitamin-D formula is the first brand I’ve tried that seems to make a difference (aka my body can actually absorb it).”

“My doctor and nutritionist both recommend this brand because it doesn’t have any irritating fillers or dyes.”

“It is a great brand with no extra fillers. It is always recommended by my doctors and healing practitioners so I stick with it and know I am getting quality. Nicer price point through Amazon.”

Where to Buy 

Thorne supplements are available in literally hundreds of places, both online and in-store. You can buy right from the Thorne website, the Thorne webpage on Amazon, or from various other sellers, including (but not limited to): 

  • GNC
  • Mayo Clinic
  • The Vitamin Shoppe
  • Walmart
  • NHC
  • Thrive Market
  • iHerb.com

Comparisons

Thorne is a highly reputable supplement brand offering numerous research-backed products for a variety of health and wellness goals and concerns.

In general, their supplements are a little bit more expensive than other similar brands, such as NatureMade, Swanson Vitamins, or Bulk Supplements. 

But they also stand apart through their various certifications, such as NSF Certified for Sport; as well as their partnership and general trust by numerous teams and organizations. So this company truly is one of the most trustworthy ones out there, which is a big deal in an industry that is often rife with scams and poor manufacturing practices.

Thorne Supplements Verdict

Thorne is a trustworthy company that many individuals can look to for quality supplements. They have a proven track record of over 35 years in delivering well-researched, properly formulated supplements. You may pay a little bit more per serving compared to other formulas, but this isn’t by much (and in most cases their prices are very reasonable).

Also, Thorne offers a number of NSF Certified for Sport products which can be used by professional athletes without any fear of consuming banned substances. And even for those products without that official certification, you can rest assured knowing they’ve been properly tested and proven to be safe and pure.

All things considered, Thorne is one of the top health supplement companies out there, and you can be confident when purchasing from this company knowing you’re getting safe, effective supplements.

  • Reputation: 4.5
  • Formulas: 4.4
  • Testing/Quality: 4.6
  • Value: 4.3

Overall Rating:
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Jack Cincotta, MS

Jack Cincotta is a certified holistic health coach through AFPA and a board-certified holistic health practitioner through AADP. He has written hundreds of articles on nutrition and supplementation. Jack has a M.S. degree in Psychology and is passionate about researching the science behind nutrition. He often uses research-backed supplementation protocols for many of his clients to optimize results.