In a significant development for the burgeoning health and wellness sector, Function’s acquisition of SuppCo in May marks a pivotal moment, signaling a shift towards a more holistic and personalized approach to consumer health. This integration, which aims to combine blood testing with supplement quality scoring, represents the closest the industry has come to treating individuals as more than mere transactional entities. While the landscape of supplement evaluation is already populated by reputable entities like Examine for research, ConsumerLab, and Labdoor for independent testing, the current acquisition suggests a deeper aspiration to address the fundamental challenges consumers face in navigating the complex world of supplements.
For fifteen years, Robert DeuPree, the former CEO of Sunfood Superfoods and now the founder and CEO of Reverse Age Lab, has observed the persistent gap between product quality and individual efficacy. His experience, which included distributing Sunfood Superfoods through major retailers such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Walmart, provided him with firsthand knowledge of the costs associated with ensuring genuine quality. This involves meticulous sourcing with traceable origins, rigorous laboratory testing, and compliant labeling that accurately reflects product contents. DeuPree highlights that a substantial portion of the industry shies away from these essential investments. SuppCo’s own internal testing program revealed that approximately half of leading supplements fail label accuracy checks, a statistic echoed by ConsumerLab’s spring report indicating that one in three multivitamins fall short of its rigorous testing standards.
The Limitations of Quality Scores
While a quality score is undeniably valuable, providing consumers with an objective measure of product integrity and rewarding manufacturers committed to best practices, DeuPree emphasizes its inherent limitations. A product’s perfect formulation and adherence to quality standards do not guarantee its effectiveness for a specific individual. The efficacy of a supplement ingredient, often based on studies conducted on specific dosages and populations (sometimes even animal models), may not translate to a consumer who purchases a product with a lower dosage or who differs significantly from the study participants. The marketing of supplements frequently leverages scientific studies, sometimes equating findings from animal trials or limited human trials with definitive proof of efficacy for a broad consumer base. This can lead to a disconnect between the advertised benefits and the actual experience of the user.
Furthermore, a quality score cannot account for the complex interplay of supplements and medications a consumer might be taking. Many individuals assemble supplement regimens based on information gleaned from podcasts, social media, or recommendations that lack a comprehensive understanding of potential interactions. DeuPree notes that this often results in redundant intake of certain nutrients, potential contraindications with prescription medications, or simply purchasing duplicate products due to forgetfulness. The cumulative effect of these "stacks" is rarely assessed, leaving consumers to navigate potential risks and inefficiencies on their own.
The Missing Piece: When to Stop
Perhaps the most critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of supplement use is knowing when to cease consumption. The current industry model, driven by growth and sales, has little economic incentive to advise consumers to stop taking products. DeuPree, drawing from his experience running a supplement company, explains that brand expansion is inherently tied to adding new products to a consumer’s routine, not removing them. This business model inherently discourages advice that might lead to reduced sales.
A New Paradigm: Personalized Wellness Plans
In response to these challenges, DeuPree developed Reverse Age Lab, a service designed to address the questions that quality scores and labels cannot answer. This approach moves beyond mere product evaluation to provide personalized guidance. The process involves a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s complete health profile, including their goals, dietary habits, exercise routines, and all current supplement and medication regimens. This is then cross-referenced with the latest blood work and scientific evidence, with a strong emphasis on human studies. Animal studies are noted but not considered conclusive proof of efficacy.
The outcome is a dynamic, personalized schedule for supplement intake that adapts as the individual’s health status evolves. This approach acknowledges that optimal wellness is not static and requires ongoing adjustments. Critically, this service is designed to be objective, with no vested interest in selling any particular supplement. This separation of evaluation and sales is crucial, as DeuPree argues, for maintaining the integrity of the advice provided. He posits that if the entity providing the "grade" also profits from selling the product, the grading system loses its meaning.
The Broader Implications for the Health and Wellness Industry
The integration of Function and SuppCo, bringing blood testing and quality scores under one roof, represents a significant step forward. However, DeuPree’s perspective suggests that this is merely the first layer of innovation required. The true value for the customer, he contends, lies in the "layer above the quality score"—the personalized plan built on evidence and tailored to the individual, delivered by an unbiased source.
This philosophy is exemplified by Reverse Age Lab’s commitment to not selling supplements. This allows them to prioritize the consumer’s best interests, which may sometimes include recommending dietary and lifestyle changes as a primary intervention, potentially reducing the need for supplements altogether. This focus on fundamental health pillars, rather than solely on product sales, is a counter-narrative to the prevailing industry trends.
The success of DeuPree’s own approach, where he reports a measured biological age of 45 at 60, serves as a testament to the potential of personalized, evidence-based wellness strategies. His personal experience underscores the feasibility of his model and serves as a challenge to emerging "health platforms" to look beyond mere product aggregation and quality assessment.
The Future of Supplement Guidance
The acquisition of SuppCo by Function signifies a growing recognition within the industry that the consumer experience needs to evolve. The ability to access blood test results and understand the quality of the supplements being consumed is a powerful combination. However, the ultimate goal for consumers is not just to know what is in the bottle and how good it is, but rather what they should be taking, when they should take it, and why it is right for them.
This is the core problem that Reverse Age Lab aims to solve. By focusing on an evidence-based, personalized protocol that considers the totality of an individual’s health, the company is positioning itself at the forefront of a new era in personalized wellness. The implication is that the supplement industry, if it is to truly serve its customers, must move beyond the transactional model and embrace a consultative, evidence-driven approach that prioritizes individual outcomes above all else. The challenge for companies like Function and SuppCo will be to integrate this higher level of personalized guidance into their offerings, or risk being outpaced by those who prioritize the individual’s complete health picture.
The journey from understanding supplement quality to optimizing individual health is complex. It requires not only rigorous testing and transparent labeling but also a deep understanding of individual physiology, lifestyle, and the intricate science of human health. As the industry matures, the companies that can effectively bridge this gap, offering personalized, evidence-based solutions rather than just products, will likely lead the way in empowering consumers to achieve their wellness goals. The acquisition of SuppCo by Function is a notable step, but the true revolution in personalized wellness will be defined by the companies that can answer the fundamental question: "What should I take, and when?"
