Most of what our reports grade is printed right on the bottle. A few lines of small print carry most of the information.
A proprietary blend is a total, not a recipe. A “525 mg proprietary blend” of five ingredients discloses one number: the total. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first named ingredient is the largest share, but the mix could still be nearly all of the least expensive one. Per-ingredient doses stay undisclosed, which means they can’t be compared to studied ranges, by us or by anyone.
Elemental and compound weight are different numbers. Minerals come bound to carriers, and both weigh something. “Magnesium bisglycinate 2,000 mg” and “magnesium 200 mg” can describe the same capsule. The elemental number, the mineral itself, is the one studies use and the one daily-value percentages are calculated from. When a label leads with the compound weight, the dose that matters is smaller than the biggest number on the panel.
The biggest number on a label is usually not the dose. The elemental amount is the one that matches the science.
Present isn’t the same as dosed. An ingredient can appear on a label at a fraction of the amount any study used: a famous name on the front, a trace amount on the back. Our reports flag doses that fall below studied ranges; on the label itself, the comparison takes one search.
Claim wording is precise for a reason. “Supports,” “promotes,” “helps maintain”: these are structure-function claims, a category that doesn’t require FDA evaluation before sale. The asterisk beside them points to the disclaimer saying exactly that — the statement has not been evaluated by the FDA, and the product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Only approved drugs may claim to treat a condition. A claim’s wording tells you which standard of proof stands behind it.
The serving-size line does the math. “Per serving” can mean one capsule or three. Cost per day, dose per capsule, and how long a bottle actually lasts all follow from that single line near the top of the facts panel.
The “other ingredients” line is worth one glance. It lists everything that isn’t the active ingredient: capsule material, fillers, flow agents, sweeteners, colors. Most are routine manufacturing aids. It’s also where allergens, gelatin versus vegetable capsules, and added sugars show up.