The Truth About Proprietary Blends
Why companies hide what's actually in their products
TL;DR
Proprietary blends let companies put impressive-sounding ingredients on labels while only including tiny, ineffective amounts. It's legal deception. Choose products that list exact doses.
Editor's note: We've reviewed hundreds of products with proprietary blends. The pattern is consistent: the more a company hides, the less they're giving you.
What Is a Proprietary Blend?
A proprietary blend is when a company lists ingredients but only shows the TOTAL weight of the blend, not individual amounts. So "Energy Blend 500mg" might contain 490mg caffeine and 5mg each of five other ingredients. Technically accurate. Practically useless.
Key Takeaway: You know WHAT's in it. You don't know HOW MUCH.
Why Companies Use Them
The official excuse? "Protecting trade secrets." The real reason? Cost. If a pre-workout claims to have 10 premium ingredients but only costs $25, something doesn't add up. Proprietary blends let companies put expensive ingredients on the label while only including dust amounts. Creatine costs money. 50mg of creatine in a blend is worthless but looks good on the label.
Key Takeaway: It's not about secrets. It's about margins.
The Label Decoration Trick
Studies show Ashwagandha works at 300-600mg. A company wants "Ashwagandha" on their label but doesn't want to pay for a full dose. Solution? Put 25mg in a proprietary blend. Label says "Contains Ashwagandha." Customer buys it. Company profits. Customer gets nothing except lighter wallet. We see this constantly.
How to Read Proprietary Blends (If You Must)
Ingredients are listed in order by weight. The first ingredient is the most abundant. In most pre-workouts, that's caffeine (the cheapest ingredient). If "Proprietary Blend 3g" lists caffeine first, then four exotic herbs, those herbs are probably measured in milligrams, not grams. Do the math: 3000mg total, caffeine is first and cheap... the fancy stuff is window dressing.
Key Takeaway: First ingredient = most of the blend. Everything else is probably decoration.
Companies That Don't Hide
Good supplement companies list exact doses. They're called "transparent labels" or "fully disclosed formulas." Companies like Thorne, NOW Foods, and Momentous show exactly what's in each serving. Yes, they cost more. But you know what you're getting. The price reflects actual ingredient costs.
Key Takeaway: Transparent labels exist. Vote with your wallet.
Real Talk
Proprietary blends aren't illegal. They're just... dishonest. Companies know most people won't do the math. They count on you being impressed by ingredient lists, not scrutinizing doses. Every proprietary blend is a red flag that says "we have something to hide."
What To Do About It
- Skip products with proprietary blends entirely
- Look for products that list exact mg amounts per ingredient
- Compare doses to clinical studies (we do this on ingredient pages)
- Calculate cost per EFFECTIVE dose, not cost per bottle
- Trust your instincts: if it seems too cheap, it probably is
The Bottom Line
Proprietary blends are how cheap products pretend to be premium. Any company proud of their formula would show it off, not hide it.
More Real Talk
About this information: Our recommendations draw from peer-reviewed clinical trials, systematic reviews, and the same medical databases your doctor uses. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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