Supplement Science
How to Read a Supplement Label Without Getting Fooled
Proprietary blends, fairy dusting, and the words that signal real quality.
8 min read · XT Editorial Team · Reviewed & updated
Red flags
'Proprietary blend' with no per-ingredient doses. Big-name ingredients listed last (fairy dusting). 'Mega' or 'extreme' marketing language. No third-party testing.
Green flags
Clinical doses listed per ingredient. Standardized extracts named (KSM-66, Sensoril). Third-party testing (NSF, Informed Sport, USP). GMP certification.
The dose check
Look up the clinical dose for each named ingredient. If the product undershoots, the marketing is doing the heavy lifting.
Frequently asked questions
- Are proprietary blends always bad?
- No, but they remove your ability to verify dosing. Default to formulas with full transparency.
- Is GMP enough?
- GMP certifies manufacturing quality, not formulation potency. Both matter.
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