Thorne review: Expensive supplements that actually print their test results

I started looking into Thorne after my Hausarzt flagged my HbA1c at 5.9% in March (not diabetic yet, but the trajectory was clear). I've spent the last six months stress-testing "practitioner-grade" supplement companies, and Thorne keeps coming up in the Mayo Clinic's protocols, which is either a good sign or very effective B2B sales[^1].

What I actually tested

I've been taking their Basic Nutrients 2/Day for about four months (sample size of one, all standard caveats apply). Cost is €38 per bottle here, which works out to roughly €1.30 per day. My previous Costco multi was maybe €0.20 per day. That's a 6x markup I need to justify to my spreadsheet-tracking self.

The value prop, as far as I can tell: third-party testing (NSF Certified for Sport), transparent dosages (no "proprietary blends" that could mean anything), and publicly available Certificates of Analysis. I actually looked up my bottle's lot number on their site. The COA was there, dated, with heavy metal tests and potency verification. This should be table stakes for supplements, but apparently it's not.

The capsule situation

Let's address this immediately: these are large. Not "oh that's slightly bigger than I expected" large. More like "I now understand why people complain online" large. The first morning I had to take both capsules with a full glass of water and a moment of psychological preparation.

I'm not someone who struggles with pills generally, but if you are, this will be a problem. They do offer a "Basic Nutrients 2/Day" powder alternative, though I haven't tried it (and it's even more expensive, naturally).

The UX archaeology

Thorne's website looks like it was designed during the late-aughts medical software boom and never updated. Navigation is clunky. The product pages are text-heavy in a way that suggests they were written for doctors, then half-heartedly adapted for consumers. There's a quiz to "personalize" your supplement plan, but it feels like a Typeform wrapped around a lookup table.

That said: once you know what you want, checkout works fine. International shipping to Germany took about 8 days. No missing packages, no customs drama (in my case).

What actually changed (probably)

Here's where I have to hedge heavily. I also changed my diet, started walking 10k steps daily, and fixed my sleep schedule around the same time. My HbA1c dropped to 5.4% at my August checkup, but attribution is impossible. I feel better, but that could be placebo + lifestyle changes doing 95% of the work.

What I can say: my bloodwork shows my vitamin D went from 18 ng/mL to 34 ng/mL (they dose 25 mcg per serving, which seems reasonable). Ferritin also improved, though that might be the red meat I added back.

Would I buy it again?

Yes, begrudgingly. The price still hurts every time I reorder, and I wish they'd hire a UX designer born after 1985, but the transparency around testing actually matters to me. I've read too many investigations into supplements that contain 40% of their claimed dosage or are contaminated with lead[^2]. Thorne at least appears to be what the label says, which is a depressingly low bar that most brands don't clear.

Verdict: Overpriced but transparent supplements for people who trust spreadsheets more than marketing copy.

[^1]: Their B2B site is a separate portal that looks even more dated, if you can imagine.

[^2]: The ConsumerLab reports are nightmare fuel if you're inclined toward anxiety about supply chains.