The one-sentence version: we research each product in depth — the ingredient list, the human clinical evidence behind every active, the dosing, the value and the shipping — and write what the evidence actually shows, not what the manufacturer wants us to say. We're upfront about one thing: these are evidence-based research reviews, not personal trials.
Why this page exists
There are thousands of supplement review sites. Most of them are lists of products with affiliate links and no evidence that anyone actually tested anything. We think you deserve to know exactly how we decide what to recommend — and what we refuse to recommend — so you can judge whether our methodology earns your trust.
If you've ever stood in a pharmacy aisle, tired all the time and a bit foggy, reading the same label three times and still not sure whether the hot flushes, the bloating or the broken sleep would actually respond to any of it — this page is for you. The point of a careful method is to take that confusion off your plate.
Step-by-step: how a review gets made
We identify products with documented ingredients, a real money-back guarantee, and confirmed shipping across the US. Products with hidden formulas or no honest guarantee don't make the list.
We research each key ingredient against the human clinical literature: what the research says, what it doesn't say, the doses actually used in studies versus what's in the product, and the realistic mechanism of action. We note any interactions or contraindications relevant to women over 50.
Most supplements need weeks of consistent use before any honest result is possible. For every product we report the realistic timeline the clinical studies point to — typically 6 to 12 weeks — so you know what to expect before you buy, and can use the guarantee window to judge it fairly.
We check the manufacturer's claims against primary sources — published studies, ingredient labels and dosing data — and flag anything the evidence doesn't support. The review is built from those sources, with links where we can provide them.
Every review includes a "who this is not for" section. We think that's as important as the recommendation itself. A product can be good overall and still be wrong for your specific situation.
Formulas change. Prices change. Guarantees change. We review our recommendations at least annually and update when anything material changes. The "last updated" date on each review reflects the most recent editorial review.
What we look for
How we weight each factor
To keep scoring honest and repeatable, every product is rated against the same six factors, with fixed weights. This is the exact rubric behind every star rating on the site:
| Factor | Weight | What earns a high score |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence quality | 30% | Active ingredients with human clinical trials, not just lab or animal data |
| Formulation & dosing | 20% | Doses in the range studies actually used — not "fairy dusting" at 5% of the effective amount |
| Value for money | 15% | Price justified by the formulation, not the marketing |
| Guarantee & trust | 15% | A real, honored money-back policy of at least 60 days |
| Real-world fit | 10% | Easy to take consistently; ships reliably to the US, UK, CA and AU |
| Appropriateness for 50+ | 10% | Accounts for post-menopausal absorption, interactions and priorities |
Where our evidence comes from
When we say a review is evidence-based, here's what that actually means in practice. For every active ingredient, we check the claim against the human clinical literature — primarily trials and reviews indexed in PubMed, systematic reviews from the Cochrane library where they exist, and guidance from bodies like the NIH and Cleveland Clinic. We separate three things that marketing deliberately blurs: studied in a lab, studied in animals, and studied in humans at a realistic dose. We then layer in aggregated user reports from independent retailers and forums to see whether real-world experience matches the research — and we flag clearly when it doesn't. We don't cite a study we haven't read, and we don't dress up a single small trial as settled science.
What we never do
- We don't rank by commission. The amount a product pays us has no bearing on where it sits in the list. Our editorial policy on this is absolute — see the Editorial Policy.
- We don't accept sponsored reviews. We have not been paid by any brand to write favourably about their product. If we ever publish sponsored content, it will be clearly labelled.
- We don't invent credentials. Sandra is not a doctor, nutritionist or pharmacist, and we never imply otherwise. Our value is in patient, skeptical research of the evidence — not in clinical authority we don't have.
- We don't make disease claims. Supplements are not medicines. We describe what the research suggests and what to realistically expect — we do not claim that any product treats, cures or prevents any medical condition.
Our limitations
We are one person — or a small team — testing products in real life, not in a controlled clinical setting. Individual responses to supplements vary enormously. What worked for us may not work for you, and vice versa. Our reviews represent our genuine experience and honest assessment; they are not a substitute for professional medical advice.
If you have specific health conditions, take prescription medication, or have concerns about any supplement, please speak with your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional before starting.
Questions about our methodology? We're happy to discuss it. Get in touch.