A certificate of analysis (CoA) is a report from an independent laboratory confirming what was actually found when a specific batch of product was tested — as opposed to what the label claims should be in it.
What's typically included
- The laboratory that carried out the testing, and the date
- The specific batch or lot number the results apply to
- Which tests were run — commonly potency (does it contain what the label states, at the stated amount) and purity (contaminants such as heavy metals, microbes, or pesticide residue, tested against defined limits)
- The results against those limits, usually a pass/fail or a numeric reading
What it doesn't tell you
A CoA confirms the contents and cleanliness of that specific batch — it doesn't evaluate whether the formulation itself is well-designed, whether the dose is meaningful, or make any claim about what taking the product will do. Those are separate questions from what a CoA is testing for.
Why the batch number matters
A CoA is only meaningful when it's matched to the batch number on your actual bottle — a certificate from a different production run doesn't tell you anything about the one in your hand. That's why batch-level traceability, not just a general "lab tested" claim, is what makes a certificate useful.