Our Formulation Standards
Our Approach to Evidence-Based Formulation
Why we formulate the way we do
At a Glance
The standard we aim for
Evidence before trends
Begin with the best available research and identify uncertainty honestly.
Purposeful formulation
Evidence, ingredient quality, meaningful dosage, compatibility, safety and transparency.
Label decoration
Bolus-dosed ingredients, unnecessary complexity and unsupported claims.
Quality over quantity
Great formulas combine appropriate materials and amounts toward a clear objective.
Why Fundamental Formulas
A different starting question
The supplement market is crowded with formulas built around fashionable ingredients, long labels, ingredients used at levels far above those commonly evaluated in research and claims that can outrun the evidence.
We begin with: “Based on the best available evidence, what combination gives this formula the greatest opportunity to deliver meaningful value?”
Our Framework
Five formulation principles
Evidence first
Ask what was studied, what outcomes were observed, how strong the methods were and where uncertainty remains.
Quality matters
Species, plant part, growing conditions, extraction, standardization, purity and manufacturing can change the material.
Dosages matter
An ingredient name alone says little about whether its amount relates to the research or product purpose.
Formulation matters
Compatibility, complementary mechanisms, safety, practicality and the complete product must be considered together.
Transparency matters
Established, emerging and inconclusive evidence should not be presented as though they are equally certain.
A Simple Test
Why is each ingredient here?
Every ingredient should contribute something relevant to the product’s purpose. If its role cannot be explained through the available evidence and formulation objective, it does not belong merely for marketing value.
Depending on the formula, that role might relate to mood, stress resilience, energy, sexual wellness or another targeted area.
Reading Research
Why evidence matters
Different study designs answer different questions. We generally give more weight to relevant, well-designed human evidence while using laboratory and animal research to understand mechanisms and generate hypotheses.
- 1Laboratory research
Provides early biological insights but cannot establish real-world human outcomes.
- 2Animal studies
Help explore mechanisms and safety signals, but animal results do not automatically translate to people.
- 3Human clinical trials
Directly evaluate outcomes in people, with quality depending on design, sample, comparator and execution.
- 4Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Synthesize multiple studies, but their conclusions remain limited by the quality and comparability of included evidence.
Beyond the Ingredient Name
Why ingredient quality matters
Two labels can list the same botanical while using materials that differ substantially. In the United States, dietary-supplement CGMP rules address identity, purity, strength and composition, while botanical standardization remains a separate and nuanced concept.
Correct species and plant part
Growing and harvest conditions
Extraction method
Standardized constituents
Purity and contaminant controls
Manufacturing consistency
Stability
Standardization can help make batches chemically similar, but a standardized marker is not always the compound responsible for a botanical’s effect.
Amount Has Context
Why dosages matter
Clinical studies evaluate defined preparations and amounts. A much lower quantity may not reasonably be expected to reproduce the same outcome, while a higher quantity is not automatically more effective and may increase risk.
Listing an ingredient proves only that it is present. It does not establish that the preparation, amount or complete formula matches the conditions behind a particular study.
The Complete Product
Why formulation matters more than ingredient count
A thoughtful formula considers how ingredients fit a shared objective. That includes compatibility, overlapping effects, potential interactions, practical serving size and whether each component adds meaningful value. A formula containing twenty ingredients is not automatically superior to one containing just three or four.
One coherent objective
Ingredients should support the same clearly defined product goal.
Designed as a whole
Individual ingredients cannot be evaluated only as isolated label entries.
No assumed combination claim
Complementary mechanisms can guide design, but an untested combination should not be presented as clinically proven.
More is not automatically better
A shorter, purposeful formula may be preferable to a crowded product built around label appeal.
For us, formulation is the art of combining science with practical design.
Scientific Humility
Science is always evolving
Research changes as new studies appear, old ideas are refined and safety or quality information develops.
Evidence-informed formulation is not a claim of permanent certainty. It is a commitment to keep learning and make proportionate decisions from the best information currently available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about our approach
Why don’t you include every popular ingredient?
Every ingredient should have a clear purpose. Adding ingredients without a meaningful role does not necessarily improve a formula.
Do more ingredients make a better supplement?
No. Quality, dosage, compatibility, safety and overall design matter more than ingredient count.
Why don’t you make stronger claims?
Because scientific evidence has limits. We believe deeply in the efficacy of our formulations, but it's important to communicate honestly about both what research suggests and what remains uncertain.
Will your formulations change over time?
Potentially. Meaningful new evidence, safety information and ingredient developments may inform future decisions.
Why don’t you publish every product-development detail?
We aim to communicate our philosophy and labeled ingredients transparently while protecting proprietary research and development work.
Key Takeaways
The short version
- Great supplements begin with careful interpretation of relevant science.
- Ingredient identity and quality matter alongside ingredient selection.
- Dosage has meaning only in the context of the preparation, research and safety.
- Formulation considers how components work toward a common purpose.
- Education, honesty and scientific humility should guide product development.
Related Reading
Explore the evidence
Our Commitment
Thoughtful. Evidence-informed. Designed with purpose.
We believe people deserve formulas developed with care—not the longest ingredient list, the boldest unsupported claim or the newest trend.
Sources & editorial note
This page explains a formulation philosophy. “Evidence-informed” does not mean every complete formula has itself been tested in a clinical trial, and proposed synergy should not be treated as proven efficacy without direct evidence.
- FDA backgrounder on dietary-supplement CGMP requirements
- FDA questions and answers on dietary supplements, labeling and claims
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: botanical extracts and standardization
- CONSORT guidance for transparent randomized-trial reporting
- PRISMA guidance for systematic-review reporting