How We Score
Supplements
We believe you deserve to know exactly how your supplements are evaluated. No black boxes. No paid rankings. Just data.
The Big Picture
Think of the score as a formulation report card. We look at six things: Is there real science behind these ingredients? Are the doses actually effective? Is the form your body can absorb? Is it made in a quality facility? Does the label tell you everything? And is it safe at the stated dose?
Products land on a 50–100 scale. A 50 doesn't mean “bad” — it means we don't have enough data to tell you either way. An 85+ means the product is doing almost everything right.
Score Bands
Best-in-class. Clinical doses, strong evidence, transparent labels, quality manufacturing.
Well-formulated with solid research backing. Minor gaps might exist.
Decent product with room to improve. Moderate evidence or forms could be better.
Has strengths but also real weaknesses. May be underdosing or using cheap forms.
Essential information is missing. We can't properly evaluate this product.
Unlike food, a supplement with zero transparency could still be fine — or underdosed garbage. 50 means “not enough data to judge.” It's honest, not harsh.
How the Score Breaks Down
Is there real science behind the ingredients?
Is it made in a quality, tested facility?
Are the doses actually effective?
Can your body actually absorb it?
Does the label tell you everything?
Is it safe at the stated dose?
Lines We Won't Cross
If we don't know what's in it, we can't vouch for it.
Partial disclosure is better than none, but it's still hiding.
Without clinical research, the ingredient gets a baseline score.
We can't assume quality when there's no paper trail.
Every Ingredient Gets Its Own Score
We don't just look at a product as a whole — we break it down. Each ingredient is scored individually for dose, form, evidence, and safety. A multivitamin with 30 ingredients gets 30 separate evaluations.
Where our data comes from
Dose ranges, form rankings, and evidence grades come from our curated Learning Center — RDA values, optimal ranges, therapeutic doses, and bioavailability scores sourced from clinical literature.
How evidence is graded
Grade A = strong RCTs and meta-analyses. Grade B = multiple good studies. Grade C = limited data. Grade D = mostly theoretical.
Safety isn't one-size-fits-all
We evaluate risk at the labeled dose for a healthy adult. Products with 15+ ingredients get a complexity penalty.
Why 100 is almost impossible
A perfect score means literally nothing can be improved. Most truly excellent supplements land at 85–95. That's reality, not a flaw.
Evidence Grades
Scoring Components — In Detail
Evidence Quality
25%Evaluated at the ingredient-form-dose level, weighted by formulation role (primary 50%, secondary 35%, supportive 15%). +5 bonus for Grade A primary.
Manufacturing
20%Production quality through certifications and third-party verification.
Dose Adequacy
20%Compares doses against optimal longevity ranges. Primary ingredient 3x weight, secondary 2x, others 1x.
Bioavailability
15%Form quality via bioavailability database. Formula: 40 + (avg_score × 0.6). Primary gets 2x weight.
Transparency
10%Ingredient disclosure quality and proprietary blend usage.
Safety
10%Risk at labeled dose for general adults. Base 100, deducted for interactions, contraindications, complexity.
Special Product Types
A probiotic isn't a multivitamin isn't a fish oil. Different products need different rules. Expand any section below to see exactly how we handle each category.
How We Score Brands
A great product from a sketchy brand is still a gamble. Brand scores look at the manufacturer behind the label.
cGMP, third-party testing, COA availability
How their products score in our system
Clinical studies, PhD/MD founders, patents
Full label disclosure, no hidden blends
NSF, USP, Informed Sport certs
Brand scores only reflect the products we've analyzed. This is our best picture today — not a permanent verdict.
Glossary
Recommended Dietary Allowance — daily intake for 97-98% of healthy individuals.
Dose range for maximum health benefits in clinical research, often higher than RDA.
The dose used in clinical trials showing significant effects.
The proportion of a nutrient absorbed and available for use by the body.
Ingredients where individual amounts are not disclosed, only total blend weight.
Colony Forming Units — measure of viable probiotic bacteria.
Good Manufacturing Practices — FDA standards for supplement production.
Independent lab verification of contents, purity, and potency.
A-D letter rating of the strength of clinical research for an ingredient.
Mineral bound to amino acids for improved absorption (e.g., magnesium glycinate).
Vitamins in active, bioavailable form (e.g., methylfolate vs folic acid).
Herbal extract with guaranteed percentage of active compounds.
Browse the Supplement Encyclopedia →
See bioavailability scores, dose tiers, interactions, and stacking notes for hundreds of vitamins, minerals, herbs, and nootropics — every entry follows this same scoring framework.
Disclaimer
This tool is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Scores reflect formulation quality and nutrient density — not personal health outcomes or disease treatment. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen or making dietary changes.
Scoring methodology version: V3.17 Unified Scale (January 2026)