The Supplement Evidence Dashboard combines two data sources to give you a research-grounded picture of each supplement. Evidence grades (A through D) are assigned by reviewing the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses for each compound. Grade A means multiple large randomized controlled trials support at least one major claim. Grade D means evidence is weak or mostly negative.
The study count shown on each card is pulled live from the PubMed NCBI E-utilities API (eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). When the page loads, it sends a search query for each supplement to PubMed's database of over 36 million biomedical citations. The query targets clinical trials specifically, so the count reflects actual research studies rather than opinion pieces or editorials.
Each supplement's claims are individually tagged as "proven," "mixed," or "unproven" based on the strength and consistency of clinical trial results. A "proven" tag means multiple well-designed trials agree on a clear benefit. "Mixed" means some trials show a benefit but others do not, or the effect size is small. "Unproven" means the evidence either does not exist or consistently fails to show the claimed benefit.
Dosage ranges and upper limits are sourced from NIH ODS recommended daily allowances and tolerable upper intake levels. Interaction warnings are compiled from the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database and NIH fact sheets.
You have been feeling stressed and want to try an adaptogen, but you are not sure whether ashwagandha or rhodiola is the better choice. Use the goal filter and select "Mood & Stress." Both supplements appear in the results. Ashwagandha shows a Grade B with two proven claims (reduces cortisol, improves sleep quality) and over 1,400 PubMed clinical trials. Rhodiola shows a Grade C with zero proven claims and all results tagged as "mixed."
Click ashwagandha to open its detail panel. You see that the recommended dose is 300-600mg/day of a root extract (KSM-66 or Sensoril are the studied forms). Safety notes mention rare liver concerns with long-term use and a warning to avoid during pregnancy. Interactions flag thyroid medications and sedatives.
Now use the comparison feature: click both cards, then hit "Compare Side by Side." The table shows ashwagandha has more proven claims, more studies, and a higher evidence grade. Rhodiola has fewer known interactions. You now have a clear, data-backed framework for discussing options with your healthcare provider.
The dashboard lets you browse 60+ supplements organized by health goal, evidence grade, or name search. Each supplement card shows its evidence grade at a glance, along with proven, mixed, and unproven claim counts and the live PubMed study total. Click any card to see the full breakdown: every claim with its evidence verdict, the recommended dosage and upper limit, safety profile, and known drug interactions.
The side-by-side comparison mode lets you put any two supplements next to each other and evaluate them on evidence grade, proven claims ratio, study volume, goal overlap, and interaction count. Every detail panel links directly to the relevant PubMed search so you can read the actual studies behind each rating.
Grade A means multiple large, well-designed randomized controlled trials support at least one primary claim. Grade B means several RCTs show positive results but with smaller sample sizes or fewer replications. Grade C means the evidence is mixed, with some studies supporting and others refuting the claimed benefits. Grade D means evidence is weak, mostly negative, or limited to animal and in-vitro studies only.
Study counts are fetched live from the PubMed NCBI E-utilities API. Each supplement has a pre-built search query targeting clinical trials for that specific compound. The count reflects the total number of indexed clinical trial publications matching that query at the time you load the page. Counts update as new studies are published and indexed.
Not necessarily. A high study count means the compound has been widely researched, which is a positive signal. But many of those studies may show null results or conflicting findings. The evidence grade is a better indicator of whether the supplement actually works for its claimed purpose. Creatine, for example, has thousands of studies and a Grade A because the results consistently support its claims.
Dosage ranges shown are general guidelines from NIH ODS fact sheets intended for healthy adults. They may not be appropriate for children, pregnant or nursing women, people with chronic conditions, or those taking prescription medications. Always consult a healthcare provider before starting any supplement, especially if you take medications listed in the interactions section.
A claim is tagged "unproven" when clinical trials either do not exist for that specific benefit or consistently fail to demonstrate it. Marketing and social media often promote benefits that the research does not support. For example, vitamin C is widely believed to prevent colds, but clinical trials show it does not reduce the incidence of colds in the general population. We follow the evidence, not the marketing.
Select any two supplement cards, then click "Compare Side by Side." The comparison table shows both supplements across eight metrics: evidence grade, category, dosage, upper limit, proven claims ratio, health goals, interaction count, and PubMed study count. This lets you evaluate two options on equal footing without switching between detail panels.
Evidence grades and claim verdicts are based on systematic review of the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets, the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Cochrane systematic reviews, and recent meta-analyses indexed on PubMed. Dosage ranges and upper limits follow the NIH Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs).
Live study counts come from the PubMed NCBI E-utilities search API (eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), querying clinical trial publications. Drug interaction warnings are compiled from NIH ODS fact sheets and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. All grades are reviewed periodically and updated when significant new evidence is published.