Reading a supplement label: dose, serving, blends and warnings
A label is more useful than the slogans on a sales page. It tells you what a serving actually contains, how many doses are recommended and what information remains unknown.
Start with the serving, not the ingredient name
An ingredient may be highlighted on the front of the pack while being present in a small amount. The first check is therefore the daily serving: one tablet, two capsules, four capsules or several doses.
Distinguish amount per unit from daily amount
A label may state an amount per capsule while the instructions call for several capsules a day. Conversely, some brands list the amount per serving directly. Reliable comparison between two products requires putting the numbers on the same daily basis.
Proprietary blend: what does it change?
A proprietary blend may state a total weight without detailing the amount of each component. This makes scientific extrapolation weaker: you cannot know whether the dose used in a trial is actually approached by the product.
Identify stimulant ingredients
Caffeine may come from added caffeine but also from plant extracts. You therefore need to look at the entire formula and, when the amount is provided, add it to other sources consumed during the day.
Treat warnings as core information
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, minimum age, medication, cardiovascular conditions, caffeine sensitivity or directions for use are not unimportant fine print. They help determine whether the product warrants medical or pharmaceutical advice before use.
Compare the label with the studies
- Same chemical form or same extract?
- Comparable daily dose?
- Comparable duration of use?
- Comparable study population?
- Product alone or combined with a specific diet?
Practical example with PhenQ
After identifying the ingredients in the formula, Qenph links to the fact sheets caffeine, chromium, L-carnitine and Capsimax to compare the claimed role with the available evidence.