On many supplement labels you’ll see a line such as “Women’s Wellness Proprietary Blend — 850mg”, followed by a list of ingredients. That’s legal. But it tells you much less than it seems.
What the rules require
US labelling rules allow manufacturers to group ingredients into a named blend and list only the total weight of the blend. Ingredients must appear in descending order by weight, but the individual amounts don’t have to be shown.
Why it matters
- You can’t check the dose. Research on an ingredient is tied to specific doses. A blend could contain an effective amount — or a token sprinkle.
- Expensive ingredients may be minimal. The first ingredient may make up most of the blend, with costlier ones further down in tiny amounts. This practice is sometimes called “fairy dusting”.
- Safety is harder to judge. If you’re sensitive to an ingredient, or it interacts with a medication, you can’t tell how much you’re taking.
Why companies use them
Manufacturers say blends protect their formulas from competitors. That may sometimes be true — but full disclosure is the norm among companies confident in their doses.
What to look for instead
Choose products that list the exact amount of each active ingredient, ideally with standardisation details for botanical extracts, and third-party testing. If a label won’t tell you what’s in it, you have no way to judge whether it’s worth taking.