How we research and grade supplements
Supplements affect your health, so we hold this content to a high bar. Here is how we gather evidence, grade its strength, attribute sources, and keep everything current.
Evidence first
Every claim is tied to the body of research behind it. We prioritise meta-analyses and randomised controlled trials over mechanistic or anecdotal reasoning, and we say so when the evidence is thin.
Graded, not hyped
Each benefit and research summary carries an explicit evidence grade so you can weigh it yourself, rather than treating every claim as equally certain.
Editorial review
Entries are written by the Vital Matrix Editorial Team and reviewed against the primary literature by the Vital Matrix Research Team before publication.
Kept current
We re-review entries against new literature on a rolling basis. Each supplement page shows when it was last updated.
Our evidence scale
Each benefit, research note, and overall rating uses one of four grades. Higher grades mean more, and higher-quality, human evidence.
Strong evidence
Supported by multiple high-quality trials or meta-analyses.
Moderate evidence
Promising results, though some studies are mixed or limited.
Preliminary evidence
Early-stage research; conclusions are not yet firm.
Anecdotal
Based on traditional use or reports rather than trials.
Sourcing & limitations
Research summaries link out to the underlying literature (for example, PubMed) so you can verify the evidence yourself. We favour systematic reviews and controlled trials in humans; where only animal, in-vitro, or traditional-use data exist, we label the claim accordingly.
Vital Matrix is an educational resource, not a substitute for individual medical advice. Supplements can interact with medications and health conditions, and the right choice depends on your personal situation. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or combining supplements.
Content last reviewed June 25, 2026.