Are Proprietary Blends Bad?

Proprietary blends are not inherently dangerous, but they are a major red flag for quality. They legally allow manufacturers to hide individual ingredient dosages behind a single total weight, making it impossible to verify whether any ingredient is present at a clinically effective dose. Proprietary blends are one of the supplement industry's most controversial practices. ## What Is a Proprietary Blend? A proprietary blend is a mixture of ingredients listed under a single name with only the total combined weight disclosed. For example: "ThermoBurn Blend (750 mg): Green Tea Extract, Caffeine, Cayenne, L-Carnitine, CLA." You know the total is 750 mg, but you have no idea how much of each ingredient is included. ## Why Companies Use Them Companies cite two reasons: - **Competi

Are ClickBank Supplements Legit?

ClickBank is an affiliate marketplace, not a quality guarantee. Many ClickBank supplements use aggressive marketing, proprietary blends, and inflated claims. Being sold on ClickBank does not automatically make a product a scam, but the affiliate model incentivizes hype over honesty. Extra scrutiny is warranted. ClickBank is one of the largest affiliate marketing platforms, and it has become the primary sales channel for dozens of popular supplement brands. ## How ClickBank Works ClickBank connects product vendors (supplement companies) with affiliates (marketers who promote for commission). When you buy through an affiliate link, the affiliate earns 50-75% of the sale price. This is an unusually high commission rate. ## Why This Model Creates Problems **Inflated pricing:** If a company pays affilia

Do Supplements Need FDA Approval?

No. Unlike prescription drugs, dietary supplements do not require FDA approval before being sold. The FDA can only take action after a product is on the market and proven unsafe. Supplements are essentially guilty until proven innocent -- the opposite of how pharmaceuticals work. This is one of the most important things every supplement consumer should understand. ## The DSHEA Framework The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) established the current regulatory framework. Under DSHEA, supplements are regulated as food, not drugs: - **No pre-market approval required:** A company can formulate and sell a supplement without proving safety or efficacy. - **Manufacturer responsibility:** The company is responsible for ensuring safety and label accura

Are Supplement Reviews Trustworthy?

Most online supplement reviews are paid affiliate promotions disguised as honest assessments. Look for reviews that disclose affiliate relationships, discuss negatives openly, reference specific clinical evidence, and are not exclusively positive. Trustpilot and BBB reviews from actual buyers are generally more reliable. The supplement review ecosystem is one of the most compromised information environments on the internet. ## How the Affiliate Review Machine Works For popular supplements, here is what typically happens: 1. A supplement company offers affiliates 50-75% commission on each sale. 2. Affiliates create websites and YouTube channels presenting as "honest reviews." 3. These are optimized for search engines to appear when someone searches "[product name] review." 4. The "review" follows a formula: ex

General Supplement Questions

How to Spot a Supplement Scam

March 7, 2026 | 2 min read

Quick Answer

Major red flags include: "miracle" cure claims, fake doctor endorsements, proprietary blends hiding dosages, auto-ship subscriptions in fine print, manufactured urgency ("only 3 bottles left!"), and before-and-after stock photos. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

The supplement industry generates billions in revenue, and scam products are extremely common. Here are the most reliable warning signs.

Red Flag #1: Miracle Claims

Any product claiming to cure, treat, or prevent a disease is making an illegal claim under FDA regulations. Supplements cannot make disease claims. If a sales page promises to "cure diabetes" or "reverse Alzheimer's," you are looking at either an illegal product or a scam.

Red Flag #2: Fake Doctor Endorsements

Many scams feature a "doctor" who supposedly developed the formula. Reverse-image search the photo — it is often a stock image. Search for the doctor's name in medical databases. Frequently, the person does not exist or has no relevant credentials.

Red Flag #3: The "Secret Ingredient" Narrative

The sales page tells a story about a "hidden" ingredient discovered in a remote village, suppressed by Big Pharma. Real medical breakthroughs are published in peer-reviewed journals, not supplement landing pages.

Red Flag #4: Proprietary Blends

Hiding ingredient doses usually means the company does not want you to know how little of each ingredient is present.

Red Flag #5: Fake Urgency

"Only 3 bottles left!" counters that reset when you refresh the page, "limited time" offers running for months, countdown timers — these are psychological manipulation, not genuine supply constraints.

Red Flag #6: Auto-Ship Traps

Some products enroll you in automatic monthly shipments through fine print at checkout. Read every checkbox and terms link.

Red Flag #7: No Third-Party Testing

Reputable supplements have certifications like NSF, USP, Informed Sport, or ConsumerLab verification.

Red Flag #8: Affiliate-Driven Reviews

Search "[product name] review" and notice if every result is overwhelmingly positive with affiliate links. Legitimate products generate a mix of positive, negative, and neutral reviews.

Red Flag #9: Only Available From One Source

Products sold exclusively through their own website with no Amazon or retail presence are higher risk. This makes independent testing harder.

Protect Yourself

Before buying any supplement: check Trustpilot and BBB reviews, search for independent lab testing, verify any doctor claims, read full terms before checkout, and be skeptical of any product that relies more on storytelling than evidence.

Make Smarter Supplement Decisions

Our Buyer's Guide walks you through everything you need to know before purchasing any supplement — from reading labels to spotting scams.

Read the Buyer's Guide Browse All Questions

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.