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As a Board Certified Health Coach and mom of two, I have extremely high standards when it comes to the supplements I take and the ones I give to my kids. Ingredients and nutrient quality matters, but so do regulatory standards and third party testing for heavy metals. Hiya Vitamins is a brand that I love: I have been giving it to my kids for almost 3 years and have been satisfied with the nutrient quality and ingredients. You can see all of my thoughts about Hiya including pros & cons of their vitamins in my Hiya Vitamins Review.
I thought it was worth doing a deep dive on Hiya's third party testing for heavy metals specifically, since there is a risk of heavy metal contamination in supplements in general. This is my detailed look into Hiya's third party testing for heavy metals: I cover what types of testing Hiya does, the levels and standards they adhere to, how this relates to Prop 65, and everything you might need to know about heavy metals and Hiya so you can make the best choice for your family.
About Hiya
Hiya is one of my favorite vitamin brands. It was started by two dads who didn't like the options they had around kids' supplements on the market. They realized that most kids multivitamins were more or less candy in disguise, filled with sugar, artificial flavors, colors, and processed ingredients.
Wanting a better vitamin for kids everywhere, they set out to make their own, and that's how Hiya was born! I love their clean ingredient list, no sugars, organic ingredients, the quality of the vitamins chosen, and the fact that they are tablets instead of gummies. My kids love the taste of Hiya and I love that it gives them some support in the nutrients department without overdosing on any particular amounts of vitamins.
But when it comes to the supplement industry, there is always the risk of excessive heavy metal contamination. Heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium, can find their way into supplements through various means, including soil, water, or manufacturing processes ( source).
The FDA has some standards around heavy metals in food, California has passed Prop 65 to establish maximum thresholds for certain heavy metals, and even Consumer Reports has done a few studies around heavy metals in baby food, chocolate, and more. But what I found in my research was that the guidelines vary depending on the type of food and where you live.
For example, Prop 65 has much lower thresholds for heavy metals in supplements than the FDA, and all regulatory parties have acknowledged that the goal is to minimize heavy metals as much as possible with the aim of undetectable levels, knowing that it will be virtually impossible to remove all heavy metals from products due to their natural presence in the environment.
But because of this potential for heavy metals, the need for rigorous third-party testing and quality control measures is so important!
Yes, Hiya tests for heavy metals, including lead, mercury, chromium, arsenic, and cadmium in every batch of products. I have seen their data across the past 2 years, and I can confirm that they rigorously test every single batch to ensure that the vitamins exceed safety standards. In fact, the levels of heavy metals are always undetectable or considered a de minimus amount. And across all batches, the levels are always well below even the most stringent of guidelines, including Prop 65.
Because Hiya uses all natural, non-synthetic ingredients whenever possible and their vitamins are coming from whole-food-based sources, the amount you might detect in a batch is less than what you'd find in organic vegetables (like spinach or sweet potatoes) you'd buy at the grocery store.
I spoke to the team at Hiya, and they confirmed that they conduct heavy metal testing on every batch of every product that is produced.
Hiya uses independent, reputable third-party labs for testing, both of which are accredited ISO/IEC testing laboratories and have affiliations with the FDA and other regulatory bodies. By choosing independent, reputable labs, Hiya is able to ensure unbiased and reliable results, free from conflicts of interest.
Their testing panel is comprehensive, focusing on heavy metals and microbiological contaminants. For heavy metals specifically, Hiya's third-party testing tests for lead, mercury, arsenic, chromium and cadmium and does so with testing levels that meet all best practices.
Is Hiya Compliant With California Prop 65?
The short answer is: Yes! Absolutely. Hiya complies with California Prop 65, which sets the most stringent nationwide rules for product safety.
Prop 65 establishes these upper limits for heavy metals in supplements and Hiya is well below those limits across all of their products, and as I mentioned, oftentimes batches will show "undetectable" or extremely low values for these heavy metals.
Are Hiya's Manufacturing Facilities GMP-Certified?
Yes, Hiya told me that they partner exclusively with GMP-certified manufacturers who submit to regular FDA inspections and third-party audits.
GMP certification, or Good Manufacturing Practice certification, means that a company or facility follows a set of quality assurance standards and regulations to ensure the production of safe, pure, and effective products. GMP certification can apply to a variety of products, including pharmaceuticals, food, and human food by-products ( source).
I felt reassured to know that regular FDA inspections and third-party audits further ensure that Hiya's products are produced in a safe and controlled environment.
Does Hiya Conduct Any Additional Testing Beyond Third-Party Lab Tests?
Yes! Hiya confirmed that they also conduct visual inspections of all products at their warehouse and performs additional contaminant testing as needed. These additional tests complement the third-party lab tests to create a comprehensive quality control process.
They also regularly analyze trends and patterns in their test data, to identify opportunities to enhance their supply chain, refine their manufacturing techniques, and further minimize any risk of contamination.
From everything I learned in my research, I feel confident that Hiya does everything they can as a company to take a proactive approach to product safety.
Can I See The Test Results For My Specific Order?
I reached out to Hiya to ask about their testing and they shared information with me about my specific order, so I do think that Hiya is committed to transparency about this upon request.
In my experience, a company that knows their vitamins are safe, meet or exceed guidelines for heavy metals, and are made with the highest quality ingredients, is a company that's going to make transparent the data they have and share it directly with customers. If Hiya had high amounts of heavy metals or didn't follow such rigorous standards, I don't think they'd be able to provide batch test results to every customer who wants it! It's pretty unprecedented for a company to do that, which made me feel like they were a trustworthy brand.
How Can I Be Sure That Hiya's Products Are Safe For My Child?
Personally, based on my research, I have come to the conclusion that Hiya's products are completely safe for my kids. Both of my kids take Hiya's supplements daily, and I feel assured that Hiya is going above and beyond standard quality assurance practices to make sure that my kids are getting the best vitamins possible for their growing bodies.
Every parent has to make their own decision on what supplements, if any, to give to their kids. But for me and my kids, I feel good about the information I've received from Hiya and Hiya is my vitamin of choice. Learn more about Hiya's 3rd party testing practices here!
Final Thoughts
Hiya's third-party testing, their commitment to batch testing, their transparency with customers, their strong manufacturing practices, and the fact that Hiya was created by dads who give their own kids Hiya vitamins all makes me feel confident that Hiya is a safe, high-quality, vitamin for kids. They seem dedicated to providing the safest, high-quality supplements for kids everywhere!
