Independent supplement research
Weight-Loss Supplements: How to Read the Evidence
A statistically significant result can still be small, uncertain or irrelevant to the exact product you are considering.
Start with effect size, not the headline
The 2025 resveratrol umbrella review is illustrative: it reported statistically significant changes, but average reductions were small. “Significant” in statistics does not automatically mean dramatic or personally meaningful.
Separate ingredient from formula
A multi-ingredient supplement should not inherit every favorable finding ever published about each ingredient. Dose, formulation and interactions between ingredients matter.
Treat safety as first-class evidence
NIH notes that some weight-loss supplement ingredients can cause adverse effects or interact with medications. Green tea extract, for example, has uncommon reports of liver injury.
Use claims as questions
Instead of asking “Is this miracle claim true?”, convert it into testable questions: What outcome? In humans? Compared with what? At what dose? For how long? How large was the effect?