How Much Should Consumers Trust Proprietary Blends and Proprietary Ingredients in Supplements? It All Comes Down to Science

What Are Proprietary Blends?

A proprietary blend is a group of several ingredients that a supplement company lists under one combined name—without disclosing the exact amount of each ingredient inside the blend.

On the label, we usually see only:

• The total weight of the blend (example: “Proprietary Heart & Metabolic Support Blend – 750 mg”).
• The ingredients inside the blend, but not the amount of each component.

This lack of detail is important.

This is a good example of why we should ditch binary thinking and use spectrum thinking.

When we evaluate supplements, it’s not enough to know what an ingredient is—the amount matters just as much.

 

Why Does Not Knowing Ingredient Amounts Matter?

When individual doses are hidden, several issues arise:

1. The formula may look more impressive than it actually is.

A long list of ingredients can create the appearance of a strong formula, but without dosing information, consumers can’t tell whether the product contains meaningful amounts.

2. There may be large amounts of low-cost fillers.

A high total blend weight does not guarantee that key ingredients make up most of that weight.

3. Human research may not apply.

Most scientific studies use specific doses of individual ingredients.
If a product doesn’t disclose dosing, it becomes difficult to know whether the blend aligns with amounts used in research—even if the ingredient itself is well-studied.

 

Because the supplement market is competitive, some brands use proprietary blends to protect their formulas as “trade secrets.”

While understandable from a business perspective, these blends introduce uncertainty for consumers.

At Truth Full Health, we take a cautious approach to proprietary blends and would only consider them under the following conditions:

• The blend itself—not just its individual ingredients—has been studied in well-designed human studies,* with consistent findings.
• The research suggests the blend is well tolerated and may support targeted areas of wellness at the studied dose.

* such as randomized controlled trials or meta-analyses

 

Real-Life Examples of Proprietary Blends

Below are examples of real supplement products that were previously available but are no longer on the market:[1]

1. Triple Omega 3,6,9 Proprietary Blend

This product contained 3,600 mg of mixed oils (flaxseed oil, fish oil, and borage seed oil), and provided a “typical” profile listing omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids:

• 1,354mg omega-3 fatty acid.
• 296 mg omega-6 fatty acids.
• 266mg omega-9 fatty acids.

Concerns:

• Nearly half of the blend was unspecified “oil,” not the omega fatty acids that consumers typically look for.
• The term “typical” suggests values may vary between batches.
• The label did not disclose the exact amount of individual fatty acid components (such as EPA, DHA, or ALA) in a way that allows easy comparison with amounts commonly evaluated in human research and other supplements.

As a result, consumers may find it difficult to understand what they are actually getting, or how the product compares with intake levels commonly used in scientific studies.

 

2. Multi-Ingredient Proprietary Blend

This blend included organic microalgae, glucosamine HCL, wheat sprouts, inulin, an enzyme blend, and a probiotic blend.

Concerns:

• Not only were the amounts of individual ingredients unclear, but some listed components—such as the ‘Enzyme Blend’ and ‘Probiotic Blend’—also did not disclose what or how much they contained.
• Depending on the true amounts, key ingredients may be over- or under-dosed. For example:
• Glucosamine HCL: is each serving providing a very high amount or a very low one?
• Inulin: does it contain only a trace amount, or nearly the entire scoop?

 

3. Botanical Proprietary Extract Blend

This product included hawthorn and unspecified “flowering herb” and “berries,” totaling 663 mg per serving.

Concerns:

• The mysterious plant species and unknown strengths of the extracts make it difficult to understand what the product actually delivers.
• Not only are the amounts of individual ingredients unclear, but some of the ingredients themselves are not clearly identified—for example, terms like ‘berry’ or ‘flowering herb.’

 

Proprietary Ingredients vs. Proprietary Blends: Are They the Same?

No – they are different.

Proprietary ingredients:

• Can be vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, or plant extracts.
• Are created or uniquely processed by a specific company.
• Are often branded or trademarked (such as Bergamot Polyphenolic Fraction (BPF®), Bergavit®, Bergacyn®).
• Cannot be exactly replicated by competitors because the ingredient’s final composition and strength—or the process used to achieve it—are protected.
• May have clearer ingredient-level transparency compared to proprietary blends.

So, how do proprietary blends and proprietary ingredients compare?

Features	Proprietary Blends	Proprietary Ingredients
Appears as a single branded ingredient on the label	No, contains multiple ingredients	Yes
Transparent ingredients and dosing	No	Sometimes
Risks of under- or over-dosing	High	Low to moderate
Is research on the individual ingredients enough to support its use?	No, research must be done on the blend itself	Sometimes
Protects the formula as a trade secret	Yes	No
Protects the ingredient as a trade secret	No	Yes
Label clarity	Generally poor	Average to good

 

Why Proprietary Ingredients Can Still Vary Widely

Take bergamot as an example.

Bergamot-containing ingredients typically come from the fruit Citrus bergamia, a type of citrus grown primarily in southern Italy.

Although many supplements use “bergamot,” the extracts can differ significantly due to:

• Extraction method: How the ingredient is extracted from the plant.
• Degree of standardization: How consistently the ingredient is made from batch to batch.
• Concentration of active constituents: How much of the key active components are present.

For example:

• Some bergamot extracts contain 17-30% of polyphenols.
• Others exceed 38%.
• Some are unstandardized juice extracts, which may contain much lower levels of active components.

Because the final composition varies, each extract should be evaluated individually.

A published meta-analysis of human randomized control trials suggests that bergamot, in general, may support healthy cholesterol levels.[2]

These findings, which pool results from multiple well-designed randomized controlled trials, are encouraging and add support to the potential wellness role of bergamot in humans.

However:

• Not all bergamot extracts were included, likely due to lack of available research
• Different extracts may offer different wellness effects depending on their composition

Therefore, research on an ingredient in general does not automatically apply to every form or version of that ingredient.

Consumers should focus on research that evaluates the specific extract used in the product.

For readers interested in more details, we previously reviewed the available human scientific evidence on various forms of bergamot.

 

Final Words

Proprietary blends and proprietary ingredients both have a place in the supplement industry, but they also come with considerations for consumers.

• Proprietary blends often lack transparency, making it difficult to understand dosing or compare with available research.
• Proprietary ingredients may offer unique value, but their composition can differ, and consumers should look for studies specific to the ingredient used.

When encountering proprietary blends or proprietary ingredients:

• Look for products or companies that provide supporting research on the specific blend or ingredient used, not just its individual components.
• Pay close attention to whether ingredient identities, forms, and amounts are clearly disclosed.
• If information is unclear, consider reaching out to the manufacturer or discussing the product with a healthcare professional to better understand whether it fits your individual needs.

Stay well and informed!

 

Sincerely,

Derek Tang, PhD, MS, BSPharm

Truth Full Health

Your Trusted Supplement Partner

*Disclaimer: all blogged content is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. The statements made regarding dietary supplements (vitamins and supplements) have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any new supplement, diet, or health regimen.

 

[1] National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Label Database. https://dsld.od.nih.gov/. Accessed December 11, 2025.

[2] Title: The effect of bergamot (KoksalGarry) supplement on lipid profiles: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. First author: H. Sadeghi-Dehsahraei. Journal: Phytotherapy Research. Year of publication: 2022.