Questions we get the most.

No supplement company can be FDA-approved — the FDA does not approve dietary supplements. What our products are is FDA-compliant: manufactured in cGMP-certified facilities, made with ingredients on the FDA's GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) list, and labeled in accordance with DSHEA (the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994). Every batch is third-party tested for heavy metals, microbials, and label-claim accuracy.

Our in-house Herbal Connections line is extracted in stainless-steel vats at room temperature for 14 days. We never heat the herbs. Heat destroys volatile oils, degrades thermolabile compounds like the acetogenins in soursop, and shortens the shelf life of bitter alkaloids. The traditional Caribbean and West African preparations of these herbs are also cold infusions — we're matching the tradition, not deviating from it.

Two reasons. First, UV light degrades many of the active compounds in herbal preparations — particularly the acetogenins, alkaloids, and volatile oils. Amber glass blocks ~99% of UV. Second, plastic leaches phthalates and BPA analogues into acidic preparations (and our bitters are mildly acidic). Glass is inert. The slightly higher shipping cost is worth it.

Every product in our in-house Herbal Connections line is vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, and non-GMO. For the carried brands (NOW Foods, Nordic Naturals, Life Extension, Thorne, Gaia Herbs, Host Defense, Nature's Plus, Nature's Way, Solaray, NeoCell), check the individual product page — most are gluten-free, but Nordic Naturals and NeoCell are animal-sourced (fish oil and bovine collagen, respectively).

We work with named-farm partners: organic soursop leaf from a single cooperative in Jamaica, black seed from a family operation in Egypt, shilajit from the Indian Himalayas, sea moss from St. Lucia, moringa from Ghana. We pay above market, ship in small lots, and turn down any incoming material that doesn't show clean Certificates of Analysis.

It depends on the formula and what you're taking it for. Digestive effects from bitters typically show up in 7–14 days. Inflammation markers and sleep quality changes from herbal adaptogens (ashwagandha, Rhodiola, black seed) usually show up in 4–8 weeks. Cognitive effects from Lion's Mane and Magtein® magnesium L-threonate often take 4–8 weeks. Skin and hair effects from collagen typically take 8–12 weeks. Bone density changes from calcium and vitamin D supplementation take 12+ months. Anyone promising 'results in a week' on a structural supplement is overstating.

Generally yes, but some pairings need attention. Iron and calcium compete for absorption — don't take them in the same hour. High-dose vitamin C reduces copper absorption. Certain herbs (black seed, garlic, ginkgo) have mild antiplatelet activity and shouldn't be stacked with anticoagulant medications. If you're on prescription medications, our practice is to recommend coordinating with your prescriber before adding any new supplement.

Yes — that's how they're designed to be used. Daily bitters are part of long-standing traditional protocols in Caribbean, West African, and South American herbalism. Our products are made with whole-plant preparations at food-medicine doses, not isolated alkaloids at pharmacological doses. They're designed for indefinite daily use. The exception: if you're pregnant, nursing, or actively trying to conceive, pause and check with your provider.

Bitters: ideally before meals (the bitter compounds trigger gastric secretion). Fish oil and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K): with a meal that contains some fat. B-vitamins, iron, and most water-soluble supplements: any time, often best in the morning. Magnesium L-threonate: 60–90 minutes before bed if your goal is sleep.

Several herbs in our line have uterotonic effects in animal models and are not recommended during pregnancy or nursing: soursop leaf, black seed, fenugreek (in some Spiru-Tein products), and high-dose vitamin A. Our prenatal stocking is the Thorne Comprehensive Prenatal Bundle — which is specifically formulated for pre-conception, pregnancy, and nursing. Always coordinate prenatal supplementation with your OB or midwife.

We ship from our facility in Lakewood, NJ within 1–2 business days. Standard shipping is 3–5 business days within the continental US (free on orders over $60). Express is 1–2 business days for $14.99. We do not currently ship internationally.

Unopened, unused bottles can be returned within 30 days for a full refund. Opened bottles are non-returnable for food-safety reasons — but if you've had a quality issue or the product wasn't what you expected, email us and we'll always make it right.

Yes. We currently supply 200+ independent grocers, juice bars, and wellness studios across the United States. Standard wholesale terms with Net-30 available for qualified accounts. Email wholesale@herbalconnections.store for the line sheet and minimums.

Yes — once your order ships, you'll receive a tracking number by email within 24 hours of the shipment going out. Most shipments are USPS Priority or UPS Ground depending on size and destination.

Yes. We sell directly on this site (herbalconnections.store) and also through our Amazon storefront. The products are identical — same formulas, same batches, same facility. Buying directly through this site gets you faster shipping, our full bundle pricing, and direct customer support.

Our in-house Herbal Connections line is formulated by a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and a clinical herbalist with 15+ years in functional medicine. Every formula is reviewed by both before it goes into production.

Because we think those brands make supplements we wouldn't try to compete with. Nordic Naturals on fish oil. NeoCell on collagen. Thorne on practitioner-grade vitamins. Host Defense on mushrooms. We make the herbal bitters and tonics nobody else makes the way we make them — and for everything else, we stock what we'd buy ourselves.