Food vs Pill: the supplement hierarchy no ad will show you
Every supplement decision on this platform runs the same gauntlet: food first, evidence grade second, safety gate third, product last — if at all.
the one-line answer
If a gap can be closed with dal, eggs, fish or vegetables, close it there. Supplements are a precision tool for verified gaps — not a parallel food system.
The hierarchy
Step 1: can food close this gap? Almost always the first move. Step 2: what grade is the evidence — A and B can shape plans, C is education only, D is research-watch, X is suppressed. Step 3: does anything in your safety check change the answer? Step 4: only then does a product enter the picture, and never more than two categories in one plan.
Why 'no' is a feature
Most plan outputs should contain few or zero supplements. A platform that adds a product to every plan is a shop wearing a lab coat. Our commercial model does not weight commission — ranking ignores it entirely.
When a product does make sense
Verified gaps with strong evidence and no food-practical fix: a vegan pattern and B12, regular resistance training and creatine, heavy heat exposure and electrolytes. Even then: clear active-amount label, third-party certification, one change at a time.
The prohibited list
No detox claims, no fat burners, no 'clinically proven' without naming the exact outcome, no 'testosterone boosters'. These are suppressed by rule, not by mood.
sources
- NIH ODS FAQ (S03)
- openFDA enforcement reports (S09)
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