Clinical takeaways
- Blend labeling must show the total weight and list ingredients in descending order by weight.
- The first ingredient is the largest share; the last can be tiny.
- In a 200 mg blend of 22, an even split is 9.1 mg; the 12th entry can be at most 16.7 mg.
- Ask for amounts when a key ingredient sits mid-list.
The rule
FDA labeling regulations let a supplement group ingredients in a proprietary blend if the label states the blend's total weight and lists its ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight. Individual amounts may be withheld.[1]
What arithmetic can tell you
If the blend is 200 mg and ingredients are in descending order, the ingredient in position n can weigh no more than 200 ÷ n mg, because each earlier ingredient weighs at least as much. Applied to Payarmin:
| Position | Ingredient | Maximum possible |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maca root extract | 200 mg (if nothing else were present) |
| 7 | Green tea leaf extract | 28.6 mg |
| 8 | Gymnema leaf extract | 25.0 mg |
| 12 | Panax ginseng aerial extract | 16.7 mg |
| 14 | L-Glutamine | 14.3 mg |
| 18 | Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate | 11.1 mg |
| 22 | L-Carnitine base | 9.1 mg |
Those are ceilings, not estimates. Compare gymnema's 25 mg ceiling with the 400 mg used in research.[2]
Why companies use blends
Protecting a formula from copying is the usual reason given. It also lets a long ingredient list appear on a small label at low cost. Neither reason helps you judge a dose.
How to respond as a buyer
- Find the ingredient you care about and its position.
- Divide the blend weight by the position for the ceiling.
- Compare with research doses on our science dossier.
- Ask the maker for the amount; a confident maker can answer.