Ingredient Science

About Ingredient Science

Every few months a new ingredient becomes the answer to everything. Ingredient Science is where we slow down and look at the evidence. What has it been tested on, in whom, at what dose, and for how long? A handful of small studies in healthy students is not the same as several large trials in people like you, and we make that difference clear.

This section is written for curious readers, but it's also useful for formulators, product developers and marketers who need to understand an ingredient before building a product or a claim around it. We cover forms, elemental content, standardization and dosing, not just headline benefits.

What you'll find in this section

• Minerals and vitamins, including the different forms of magnesium, zinc and iron
• Botanicals such as ashwagandha, turmeric, ginseng and rhodiola
• Sports and performance ingredients like creatine, protein and electrolytes
• Probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics, strain by strain
• Emerging ingredients, with a clear note on how strong or weak the evidence is

How we rate the evidence

We give the most weight to systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials in humans. Animal and lab studies are mentioned for context, but we don't treat them as proof. For buying advice, visit our Supplement Guides. If you're a brand, our Regulation & Compliance section explains how ingredient evidence ties into Health Canada licensing. You can read more in our editorial policy.