Every JillLebofsky review follows the same desk research method. We copy the label, compare each main ingredient and dose with human studies, list safety concerns, and read the refund, price and auto-ship terms. We grade the evidence for each ingredient, but we never score the product. We do not take or test products ourselves.
What do we check in every review?
- The label. We record every ingredient and amount from the Supplement Facts panel. If a brand hides amounts inside a proprietary blend, we say so, because nobody can compare a hidden dose with the research.
- The doses against the research. For each main ingredient we look at what human studies tested: the dose, the form, how long people took it and who took part.
- Safety. We list known side effects, drug interactions and the groups who should be careful, such as people who are pregnant, nursing, under 18, facing surgery or taking prescription medicine.
- Refund terms. We read the guarantee in full: how many days you get, whether opened bottles count, who pays return shipping and how you start a refund.
- Price and auto-ship. We note the cost per bottle and per day, bundle pricing, and whether checkout signs you up for repeat shipments.
- Complaints. We look for complaint patterns on the Better Business Bureau, in FTC actions and on Trustpilot where a listing exists. We report patterns, not single angry posts.
How do we check a supplement's doses?
We start with the fact sheets from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements and NCCIH. They summarize what is known and what is not, and they flag safety limits. We then search PubMed for human trials and reviews on the specific claim the product makes.
Next we line up the label dose with the studied dose. A product that uses 50 mg of an ingredient tested at 500 mg is not giving you what the study tested, and we point that out. We also check the form, since some ingredients are studied as one extract or salt and sold as another. When a sales page cites a study, we read the study itself where it is available, not just the claim about it.
How do we grade the evidence?
Each main ingredient gets an evidence grade for the specific claim the product makes. The grade describes the research, not the product, and it is not a score.
| Grade | What it means | What you will see in the review |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Several human trials tested this ingredient for this use, at or near the label dose, with mostly consistent results. | The studied dose next to the label dose, and the limits of the trials. |
| Limited | A few small or short human studies, mixed results, or a studied dose that differs from the label. | What was found, what is missing, and how the label dose compares. |
| Weak | Mostly animal, cell or test-tube studies, or no human research on the claimed use. | A plain note that the claim has not been shown in people. |
| Avoid | A real safety concern at the label dose, such as a regulator warning, a known interaction risk or reports of harm. | The specific concern, its source, and who is most at risk. |
Even a Moderate grade does not mean the product will work for you. Studies report averages across groups of people, and a label tells you what a brand says is in the bottle, not what an independent lab found.
Why don't we give scores or ratings?
A score turns a mix of strong and weak points into one number, and it hides the trade-offs you need to see. Instead each review ends with what we found, a list of pros and cons, and the questions you may want to ask your doctor or pharmacist.
What do we never do?
- We never claim to have taken or tested a product. Our reviews are desk research.
- We never call a supplement FDA approved. The FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are sold.
- We never say a supplement treats, cures or prevents a disease.
- We never let a commission change what a review says.
- We never publish a review without its sources.
How often are reviews updated?
We revisit a review when the label, the price, the refund terms or the research changes, or when a reader reports an error. The update date only changes when the content changes in a meaningful way.
Read more on our editorial policy, affiliate disclosure and medical disclaimer pages. Reviews are edited by Claire Hadley.