What is a proprietary blend in a supplement?

A proprietary blend is a group of ingredients listed under a single collective name and total weight on a supplement label, without disclosing what each individual ingredient within the group weighs. The total blend weight must be stated and ingredients listed in descending order by weight — but the individual dose of each ingredient is not required to be disclosed. This means the consumer cannot tell how much of any single ingredient the product actually contains.

Why is a proprietary blend a problem?

Without knowing the dose of each ingredient, you cannot compare any ingredient against the amount used in published clinical trials. A brand can legitimately include an expensive, research-backed ingredient at 1–5% of the dose studied in the relevant trial. The label is technically accurate. The dose may be functionally irrelevant.

Is magnesium oxide the same as magnesium citrate?

No. A randomised, double-blind trial by Walker et al. (2003) found that 300 mg/day of elemental magnesium as oxide over 60 days produced no statistically significant improvement in serum, urinary, or salivary magnesium compared with placebo — while magnesium citrate showed significantly superior absorption on all three measures.

What should I check before buying a supplement?

Check that every ingredient has its own individual dose in milligrams or micrograms — not a collective blend total. Check the form of each ingredient: for magnesium, look for citrate, glycinate, or malate rather than oxide; for vitamin D, look for D3 rather than D2. For botanical extracts, look for a standardisation specification or a branded extract name (saffron extract, citicoline, research-selected nutrients, French maritime pine bark extract). Then cross-reference each dose against published clinical trials on PubMed.

What does 'standardised extract' mean?

A standardised extract is a botanical extract where the concentration of a defined active compound has been fixed to a stated percentage — for example, 'research-selected nutrients root extract standardised to 5% withanolides' means each gram contains at least 50 mg of withanolides regardless of batch. Standardisation allows clinical comparison with published trials that specify the extract used.

Article: Menopause supplement ingredients to avoid: red flags, proprietary blends, and underdosing

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May 1, 2026menopause supplement ingredients avoid

Menopause supplement ingredients to avoid: red flags, proprietary blends, and underdosing

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Menopause supplement ingredients to avoid: red flags, proprietary blends, and underdosing

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