Proprietary Blends: The #1 Red Flag

Why Proprietary Blends Should Make You Suspicious

You've seen them on labels: "Proprietary Male Power Blend 1,500mg" followed by a list of ingredients with no individual amounts. This isn't protecting a secret formula—it's hiding inadequate dosing.

What Proprietary Blends Actually Hide

When a company uses a proprietary blend, they're legally required to list ingredients in order of amount, but not the actual quantities. This allows them to:

1. Fairy dust key ingredients: Include the trendy ingredient at near-zero amounts while listing it prominently 2. Pad with cheap fillers: Use cheap ingredients as the bulk while expensive ones are trace amounts 3. Avoid scrutiny: Prevent consumers from comparing their formula to research-backed doses

The Math Problem

Consider a "1,500mg Testosterone Matrix" containing:

Tribulus Terrestris

Fenugreek

D-Aspartic Acid

Ashwagandha

Zinc

If tribulus is listed first and makes up 1,400mg of that blend, the remaining four ingredients split just 100mg. Research on ashwagandha typically uses 300-600mg. You'd be getting maybe 25mg.

Why Companies Do This

The honest answer: cost reduction and marketing flexibility.

A proper-dose supplement with research-backed amounts of quality ingredients is expensive to produce. A proprietary blend with trace amounts of many ingredients is cheap—but can be marketed as containing all those impressive-sounding compounds.

How to Spot the Problem

Red flags in proprietary blends:

Large total blend size with many ingredients (impossible for all to be at research doses)

Key ingredients listed last (smallest amounts)

Marketing emphasizing ingredient count over dosing

Avoiding comparison to clinical studies

What Quality Products Look Like

Transparent supplements show:

Each ingredient with its specific amount

Amounts that match clinical research doses

No hiding behind blend terminology

Willingness to compare to study protocols

The Bottom Line

Proprietary blends exist to protect profit margins, not formulas. Any genuinely effective formula would benefit from transparency. If a company won't show you what's in their product, assume the worst.

When shopping for supplements:

Prefer products with full disclosure

Research appropriate doses for key ingredients

Calculate whether a blend can possibly contain effective amounts

Vote with your wallet for transparency

*This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement.*