Supplement Scored Editorial Team
Independent supplement research and scoring
About
Supplement Scored is an independent editorial operation that scores every product in our database using a single, published four-pillar methodology: clinical evidence quality, third-party testing status, cost per clinically effective dose, and ingredient transparency. We operate as a collective, attribution belongs to the publication, not to individuals, and every score is traceable back to the methodology, the source RCTs, and the certification databases we verify against.
Our evidence summaries draw from PubMed systematic reviews and meta-analyses first, Cochrane Library where relevant, NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets, and Examine.com research summaries as secondary synthesis. Product quality scores are verified against the USP Verified program, NSF Certified for Sport, ConsumerLab, BSCG, and Informed Choice databases, never against manufacturer claims. Cost per clinically effective dose is calculated from the dose used in the trials that established efficacy, not from the serving size printed on the label.
Affiliate commissions do not influence scores. Many of our highest-rated products are from brands we have no affiliate relationship with. Where a product falls short, underdosed active ingredient, proprietary blend hiding amounts, missing third-party testing, we score it accordingly and say so on the page.
Published Work
Recent Scorecards
Recent Articles
Sourcing Standards
Every evidence tier on this site is anchored in specific published research. Our preference order for sources, in this order:
- Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed and the Cochrane Library. When a high-quality meta-analysis exists, we rely on it over individual trials.
- Large, well-designed RCTs (n > 200, placebo-controlled, registered trials). We cite trials by author, year, journal, and PMID so the claim is verifiable.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets for safety and upper-limit guidance.
- Examine.com research summaries as a secondary synthesis check.
- Manufacturer claims and industry-funded studies are treated as low-weight evidence and flagged as such when cited.
Product quality is verified against five external certification databases: USP Verified, NSF Certified for Sport, ConsumerLab, BSCG, and Informed Choice. We never take a brand's word that a product is tested, we check the database.
What We Don't Do
- — We don't accept payment, free product, or any other consideration in exchange for favorable scores.
- — We don't publish “sponsored reviews,” paid placements, or advertorials. If we add an affiliate link to a product, it's because that product already scored well on the four-pillar rubric.
- — We don't fabricate experts, credentials, or reviewer personas. Where we have not yet engaged a credentialed outside reviewer for a topic, we say “editorial team” and leave attribution there rather than invent a name.
- — We don't cite studies we haven't read. Every PMID on this site links to a paper we've retrieved and summarized ourselves.
- — We don't claim efficacy when the evidence doesn't support it. “Evidence is insufficient” is a valid finding and appears on profiles where it's the honest answer.
Corrections
If a score, dose, study summary, or price is wrong, we fix it. Email hello@supplementscored.com with the page URL and what you believe is incorrect. We review every correction and note material changes on the affected page.
Editorial Independence
Affiliate relationships never influence scores. Every product is evaluated using the same four-pillar rubric regardless of brand partnerships.
Read our full editorial policy →