Last updated: October 2026 · By Tyler, cofounder of Avantera Health · Medically reviewed by Jill Ingenito, DO, FACOG
The short answer: A certificate of analysis (COA) is a lab's report on one batch of a product. To read one, check who did the testing, which batch was tested (the lot number), when, what was tested and by which method, and each result against its limit. Avantera Elevate's certificate is public on our quality page, and every detail you need to verify it is printed on it. The one posted as of October 2026 comes from Contract Testing Laboratories of America (CTLA), an outside lab in Spanish Fork, Utah, covers lot 64D2A2, and was signed on 9/28/2026. It reports a microbial panel and a heavy-metal panel: E. coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus absent; lead 0.020 ppm, arsenic 0.057 ppm, cadmium 0.007 ppm, and mercury below the lab's detection limit. The full certificate is read line by line below.
Where this guide comes from
We downloaded Elevate's certificate from our quality page in October 2026 and copied every value in our tables exactly as printed. The reference limits come from the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), whose chapters set out how supplements are tested for microbes and heavy metals. The testing rules come from FDA's manufacturing rule for dietary supplements, 21 CFR Part 111. Any number on this page that isn't printed on the certificate says where it came from.
What a certificate of analysis is
A COA is a lab's report on a sample from one batch, called a lot. It lists what was tested, how it was tested and what the lab found. Two kinds show up in supplements.
- Supplier COAs travel with raw ingredients. A supplier of bacopa extract, for example, typically ships a certificate with each lot it sells.
- Finished-product COAs test the capsules or gummies after they're made. When an outside lab does that testing, it's called third-party testing: the lab is a separate company from the brand and from the factory.
Testing is required whether or not a brand posts the results. FDA's manufacturing rule says a supplement maker must run at least one test to confirm the identity of each dietary ingredient before using it. It must also check finished batches (every batch, or a subset picked by a sound sampling plan) against specifications for identity, purity, strength, composition and contaminant limits. Posting a certificate for anyone to read is the brand's choice.
The parts of a COA, and what each one tells you
| Field | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Lab name, address and phone | Who did the testing. A real lab prints where it is and how to reach it. |
| Report or sample ID | The lab's own number for the job. Quote it if you contact the lab. |
| Product name and lot number | Exactly what was tested. A COA speaks for the lot it names. |
| Dates | When the lab received the sample and when the report was signed, so you can see how recent it is. |
| Analysis and method | What was measured and the published procedure used, such as a USP chapter, FDA's Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) or an AOAC method. |
| MDL (method detection limit) | The smallest amount the method can detect. A result written as "<10" means below the detection limit of 10. |
| Specification | The limit a result is checked against, set by the customer that ordered the test. |
| Result and units | The measured value. Heavy metals usually come in ppm (parts per million); microbes in cfu/g (colony-forming units per gram). |
| Signature and date | Who at the lab approved the report, and when. |
| Accreditation | Many testing labs are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, the international standard for testing labs. It may be printed on the report or listed on the lab's website. |
The tests themselves come in panels. An identity test confirms an ingredient is what it says. A potency test, also called an assay, measures how much of an ingredient is there and compares it with the label claim. Heavy metals and microbes are contaminant panels: they check for things that shouldn't be in the product. Some certificates add pesticides, solvents or allergens. One certificate can cover a single panel or several.
Elevate's certificate of analysis, line by line
This is the certificate for Elevate capsules linked from our quality page (open the PDF). Every value in the two tables below is copied exactly as printed.
Sample information
| Field | As printed |
|---|---|
| Lab | Contract Testing Laboratories of America (CTLA), 151 E 3450 N, Ste 202, Spanish Fork, UT 84660, (385) 477-4999 |
| CTLA ID | 183243 |
| Date received | 9/23/2026 |
| Sample name | 60000175 Avantera Elevate 56ct Bottles |
| Lot number | 64D2A2 |
| Signed | 9/28/2026, Quality Manager |
Results
| Analysis | Method | MDL | Specification | Result | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Complete Micro | |||||
| Total Aerobic Microbial Count (USP) | USP <2021> | 100 | Report | 300 | cfu/g |
| Total Coliforms (BAM) (MOD) | BAM CH. 4 (MOD) | 10 | Report | <10 | cfu/g |
| E.Coli BAM (MOD) | BAM CH. 4 (MOD) | Report | Absent | ||
| Salmonella | USP <2022> | Report | Absent | ||
| Staphylococcus aureus <2022> | USP <2022> | Report | Absent | ||
| Rapid Yeast and Mold | AOAC 2014.05 | 10 | Report | <10 | cfu/g |
| Heavy Metals | |||||
| Arsenic | USP <233> | .001 | Report | 0.057 | ppm |
| Cadmium | USP <233> | .001 | Report | 0.007 | ppm |
| Mercury | USP <233> | .001 | Report | <0.001 | ppm |
| Lead | USP <233> | .001 | Report | 0.020 | ppm |
Blank cells are blank on the certificate. The methods are public procedures: USP chapter <2021> counts microbes in supplements, <2022> tests for specific organisms, and <233> measures elements such as lead. BAM Chapter 4 is FDA's method for coliforms and E. coli, and AOAC 2014.05 is an official rapid yeast and mold count. "(MOD)" means the lab used a modified version of the method.
What the microbe results mean
The microbial panel looks for two kinds of thing. The counts (total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, yeast and mold) measure how many microbes of a broad group grow from a gram of product. The named organisms (E. coli, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus) are specific bacteria the lab tests for directly, and the answer is present or absent.
On Elevate's certificate, all three named organisms are absent. Coliforms and yeast and mold are below 10 cfu/g, the detection limit. The total aerobic count is 300 cfu/g.
The certificate prints no limit, so here is a published one for context (it isn't on the COA). For supplements that contain botanicals, USP chapter <2023> recommends a total aerobic count of no more than 10,000 cfu/g, combined yeasts and molds of no more than 1,000 cfu/g, and no Salmonella or E. coli. Elevate contains botanical extracts such as bacopa and rhodiola, so that's its category.
What the heavy-metal results mean
Heavy metals are reported in ppm, parts per million. For a solid, 1 ppm is 1 microgram per gram. So Elevate's lead result of 0.020 ppm means 0.020 micrograms of lead in each gram of product.
USP chapter <2232> publishes limits for these four metals in supplements as a maximum amount per day, called the permitted daily exposure: 5 micrograms a day for lead, 5 for cadmium, 15 for inorganic arsenic and 15 for mercury (these limits aren't on the COA). To compare a result with that limit, multiply the concentration by the grams of product taken in a day. Run the sum the other way and it shows how much product it would take to reach each limit at this lot's levels:
- Lead, 0.020 ppm: 250 grams of product a day to reach 5 micrograms.
- Cadmium, 0.007 ppm: about 714 grams a day to reach 5 micrograms.
- Arsenic, 0.057 ppm: about 263 grams a day to reach 15 micrograms. The certificate reports total arsenic, which includes every form; USP's limit applies to inorganic arsenic only.
- Mercury: below the 0.001 ppm detection limit.
A serving of Elevate is two capsules, a small fraction of any of those amounts.
Why every specification says "Report"
The specification is the limit the customer asks the lab to check against, and the footer says the specifications were provided by the customer. "Report" means the lab measured each value and printed the number instead of marking it pass or fail. That's why the two sections above set the numbers next to USP's published limits. The footer also says the certificate represents the sample submitted, which is true of every COA: it speaks for one sample from one lot.
What this certificate covers
This is Elevate's contaminant certificate: microbes and heavy metals. Identity checks happen at an earlier step. FDA's rule requires an identity test on every dietary ingredient before it's used, and our quality page describes how incoming ingredients are quarantined and tested before they enter the facility.
The certificate covers one lot, 64D2A2. Each batch of Elevate is made and tested on its own, so the lot code on your bottle may be different from the one on the posted certificate.
How to check any supplement's COA
- Find it. Look for a quality, testing or lab-results page, or a link on the product page.
- Match the product and lot. The sample name should be the product you're buying. If your bottle shows a lot code, compare it with the certificate. A posted certificate covers one lot, so a different code can simply mean your bottle came from another batch.
- Check the dates. The received and signed dates show how recent the test is.
- Check the lab. It should be named, with an address and phone number, and be a separate company from the brand. You can look the lab up by its name and address.
- Read each result against a limit. If the certificate prints a specification, compare the two. If it says "Report", use a public limit such as USP's, and keep the units straight: ppm, micrograms per day and cfu/g are different measures.
- Note which panels it covers. Contaminant panels tell you what shouldn't be in the product. An assay tells you how much of each ingredient is there.
- Keep its scope in mind. A COA reports what a lab measured in a sample. What the ingredients do is a separate question, answered by research on the ingredients. Our graded review of 20 nootropic ingredients covers that research one ingredient at a time.
Signs a COA tells you less than it seems
- No lab name, address or phone number.
- No lot number, or a product name that doesn't match what you're buying.
- "Pass" or "Meets" with no measured number beside it.
- "ND" (not detected) with no detection limit, so you can't tell how small "not detected" is.
- No dates, or a test from years ago.
- A lab that belongs to the brand selling the product.
Elevate's certificate prints the lab's name, address and phone, the lot, both dates, a result for every test, and a detection limit beside each count and metal.
When a brand doesn't post a COA
Not every brand posts its certificates. If the one you're looking at doesn't, ask customer service which outside lab tests the finished product, whether they can send the most recent certificate, which lot it covers and which tests it includes. The answers, and how fast they come, tell you a lot about how a brand handles quality. For what else to check on the label itself, see our guide to choosing a nootropic.
How this applies to Elevate
Avantera Elevate lists all nine ingredients and every dose on the label, with no proprietary blends, and every batch is third-party tested. The certificate above names its lab, its lot and its dates, and certificates for each of our products are on the quality page. The full capsule label is on the Avantera Elevate product page.
The certificate checks for what shouldn't be in the bottle. The label lists what should be, and our guide to reading a nootropic label explains each line. Elevate supports acetylcholine, your brain's memory messenger, two ways: CDP-choline and bacopa.* 200 mg of CDP-choline (citicoline) is a source of choline the body uses to make acetylcholine, and 300 mg of bacopa monnieri (standardized to 50% bacosides) is an herb studied for how it supports acetylcholine activity.* A cup of coffee's caffeine, with twice the L-theanine for calm, steady focus.* Each serving pairs 95 mg of caffeine from green tea with 200 mg of L-theanine.
Nine ingredients. Every dose on the label. About $1.78 a day.
Elevate costs $49.95 for a 28-day supply, about $1.78 a day, with a 30-day money-back guarantee on your first order. Elevate ships as a subscription every 4 weeks, and you can pause, skip or cancel anytime from your account. Charged for a renewal you didn't want? Contact us and we'll help. For who makes Elevate and other questions people ask before buying, see Is Avantera Elevate legit?, and for what customers say, our Avantera Elevate reviews page.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Medically reviewed by Jill Ingenito, DO, FACOG. Dr. Ingenito is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist with about 18 years in clinical practice. Read how our medical reviewers work with Avantera.
Frequently asked questions
What is a certificate of analysis for a supplement?
A certificate of analysis (COA) is a lab's report on a sample from one batch, or lot, of a supplement. It names the lab, the product and lot, the dates, each test and its method, and each result with its units. Finished-product COAs from an outside lab are what brands mean by third-party testing.
How do you read a supplement COA?
Check who tested it, which product and lot were tested, and when. Then read each result against its limit, minding the units: heavy metals are usually in ppm and microbes in cfu/g. If the specification column says "Report", the lab printed the measured value without a pass or fail, so compare it with a public limit such as USP's.
Is Avantera Elevate third-party tested?
Yes. The certificate of analysis posted on our quality page as of October 2026 comes from Contract Testing Laboratories of America (CTLA), an outside lab in Spanish Fork, Utah. It covers lot 64D2A2, was received on 9/23/2026 and signed on 9/28/2026, and reports microbial and heavy-metal results.
Can you verify Avantera Elevate's lab testing?
Yes. Elevate's certificate of analysis is public on our quality page. It names the outside lab, Contract Testing Laboratories of America (CTLA) in Spanish Fork, Utah, with the lab's address and phone number, the lab's report ID (183243), the lot tested (64D2A2), and the dates the sample was received (9/23/2026) and the report was signed (9/28/2026).
Where can I see Elevate's COA?
On our quality page at avanterahealth.com/pages/quality, which links a certificate of analysis for each Avantera product, including Elevate.
What does ppm mean on a COA?
Ppm means parts per million. For a solid, 1 ppm is 1 microgram per gram, so a lead result of 0.020 ppm means 0.020 micrograms of lead in each gram of product.
Does a COA show that a supplement works?
No. A COA reports what a lab measured in a sample of one lot, such as microbes, heavy metals or the amount of an ingredient. What the ingredients do is a question for research on the ingredients themselves.
Where is Avantera Elevate made?
Our products are made in the USA, in FDA-registered, GMP-certified facilities in Utah and Florida, with globally sourced ingredients.
Sources
- Contract Testing Laboratories of America. Certificate of Analysis, CTLA ID 183243, 60000175 Avantera Elevate 56ct Bottles, lot 64D2A2, signed 9/28/2026. PDF on avanterahealth.com
- Code of Federal Regulations. 21 CFR 111.75, What must you do to determine whether specifications are met? law.cornell.edu
- United States Pharmacopeia. General Chapter <2232> Elemental Contaminants in Dietary Supplements. USP-NF.
- United States Pharmacopeia. General Chapter <2023> Microbiological Attributes of Nonsterile Nutritional and Dietary Supplements. USP-NF.
- United States Pharmacopeia. General Chapters <2021> Microbial Enumeration Tests: Nutritional and Dietary Supplements; <2022> Microbiological Procedures for Absence of Specified Microorganisms: Nutritional and Dietary Supplements; <233> Elemental Impurities: Procedures. USP-NF.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Bacteriological Analytical Manual, Chapter 4: Enumeration of Escherichia coli and the Coliform Bacteria. fda.gov
- 3M Petrifilm Rapid Yeast and Mold Count Plate Method for the Enumeration of Yeast and Mold on Selected Surfaces: AOAC Official Method 2014.05. PMC9978572