Why Most ‘Clinically Studied’ Supplements Aren’t What They Claim, According to ‘The Wellness Process’

Supplements are everywhere. They line the shelves at drugstores, pop up in your Amazon cart, and probably live in your kitchen cabinet right now. With bright packaging and bold claims, they promise everything from better energy to glowing skin. But how much of that is real—and how much is just clever marketing?

On The Wellness Process, host Elizabeth Endres sits down with Ritual founder Katerina Schneider, who formerly hosted For the Real Body Builders, to unpack what’s really going on in the world of supplements. And it’s not as straightforward as most brands would like you to think.

Endres points out that the supplement industry has “gone from 4,000 to over 100,000 supplements in the last 30 years.” With growth like that, regulation hasn’t kept pace—and consumers are left to figure out what’s legit and what’s smoke and mirrors.

Are “Clinically Studied” Supplement Claims Actually True?

The supplement industry has two major problems

“There are two main issues in the category,” Schneider begins. “The first is safety, and the second is efficacy.”

Safety is a bigger issue than most people realize. A 2023 review found that many supplements were mislabeled or even adulterated—meaning they didn’t always contain what the label claimed. The NIH has long flagged the challenge of maintaining quality consistency in such a loosely regulated space.

Then there’s efficacy, and the evidence isn’t strong for many supplements. A recent JAMA review concluded that common vitamins and minerals provide little to no protection against things like heart disease, cancer, or overall mortality in otherwise healthy adults.

The problem with “clinically studied” labels

We’ve all seen it: a bottle stamped with “clinically studied” as if that makes it infallible. But Schneider points out a major problem with that claim. “A lot of times you’ll say products will say they’re clinically studied, but many times they have a mismatch between the dosage and the form that’s been clinically studied,” she notes.

Translation? A company can cite real research, but the product you’re buying might not match the ingredient type or amount that was actually tested. It’s technically “backed by science” just not the science of what’s in your bottle. That disconnect is what Schneider calls the “loose out there” reality of the supplement space, where oversight is minimal and the burden of proof falls on consumers, not brands.

Why transparency matters for supplements

If you’re swallowing a capsule every day, you deserve to know what’s in it. That’s why Schneider pushes for ingredient traceability at Ritual. The company created what Schneider says is “the first traceable supply chain of its kind” in supplements. On their website, customers can see exactly where the ingredients are coming from, down to the supplier and manufacturing location, she says.

That level of visibility is rare—but essential. Food science research has demonstrated that traceability systems can reduce adulteration and help establish consumer trust. For supplements, where you’re “basically ingesting condensed ingredients” as Schneider puts it, the stakes are even higher.

Regulatory gaps make things worse

Here’s the part most people don’t realize: Supplements aren’t regulated like drugs. A pharmaceutical company must prove that a medication is safe and effective before it reaches the pharmacy. Supplement makers, on the other hand, can put a product on the shelf without proving either, and the FDA usually only steps in if there’s a problem down the line. Meaning you’re the quality control test.

This loophole leaves plenty of room for fuzzy marketing. Harvard Health notes that companies are not required to prove the purity, potency, or safety of a supplement before selling it. Which means that when you see “clinically studied” on a label, it’s not a guarantee—it’s a claim that often goes unverified until someone challenges it.

What you can do before you next purchase

So, what does this mean for you? It doesn’t mean tossing your multivitamin in the trash, but it does mean being more intentional. Ask brands for their research. Compare what’s in the bottle to what’s in the study. Look for transparency about the origin of ingredients. And remember that even well-intended supplements can interact with medications or cause side effects that aren’t always widely reported. Consult with a qualified health professional before adding any supplements to your regimen, especially if you are on medications for physical or mental health issues.

Supplements aren’t going anywhere, but you can’t take every label at face value. The best defense? Knowledge, transparency, and asking the right questions before making a purchase.

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