§ 00Supplement reviews for US readers
We read the Supplement Facts panel line by line, hold each dose up against the human research and read the refund and auto-ship terms in full. You get what we found in plain words, with every source one click away.
§ 01Our method
The same four questions, in the same order, on every product page. Read the full method
We copy the Supplement Facts panel: serving size, each amount per serving and any proprietary blend that hides its numbers.
Each main ingredient is held up against the doses human studies used, starting from NIH ODS and NCCIH summaries.
Side effects, drug interactions and the people who should ask a clinician first, all taken from the official fact sheets.
Price per bottle, shipping, auto-ship terms and the refund window, read in full before we write a word about value.
§ 02Browse by topic
Each topic folder holds its reviews, guides and the ingredient research we use to judge them.
§ 03Start here
§ 04Before you order
Run any supplement ad through these six checks. Each one comes from a government or network source, linked in the text.
A bottle photo is not enough. The panel lists each active ingredient and its amount per serving, and the ingredient list below it shows fillers, binders and flavorings. If the sales page hides it, ask for it. Source: NIH ODS: Dietary Supplements, What You Need to Know (archived copy).
The FTC tells advertisers to ask how the dosage and formulation of their product compare to the product used in a study. Ask the same question about any research a sales page quotes. Source: FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance (archived copy).
The FTC says a trial that charges shipping or fees is not really free, and you will probably be charged if you miss the cancel date. Put that date in your calendar before you order. Source: FTC: Free Trials, Auto-Renewals and Negative Option Subscriptions (archived copy).
The ad you clicked may not come from the company that sells the product. The FTC notes that affiliate marketers create many online ads, and some dishonest ones use exaggerated claims to earn clicks. Source: FTC: Free Trials, Auto-Renewals and Negative Option Subscriptions (archived copy).
Count shipping, handling, taxes and other fees. The FTC also says to read the terms of the deal and check whether the low price only applies if you buy products you do not want. Source: FTC: Online Shopping (archived copy).
ClickBank says most products sold through it have a sixty day refund period, and the refund option disappears once it passes. Save your receipt and order emails so you can prove what you bought and when. Source: ClickBank Support: How to Get a Refund.
§ 05Label decoder
The panel tells you more than the sales page does, if you know where to look. Here is a sample sleep formula with the six spots we check first.
This label says 2 capsules. FDA defines a serving as the most the label recommends per occasion. Every amount below is for both capsules together, so one capsule gives you half.
Magnesium shows an amount and a %DV. Melatonin has no Daily Value, so it gets a symbol instead. NCCIH says safety data is thin for doses above what the body normally makes.
The Calm Night Blend must show its total weight and list valerian, chamomile, L-theanine and passionflower from most to least by weight. It never says how much of each you get.
This list sits under the panel. FDA requires binders, fillers and other ingredients that are not dietary ingredients to appear here. Scan it for anything you avoid, such as gelatin or dyes.
A claim like "supports restful sleep" must carry this line: FDA has not evaluated the statement, and the product is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
An independent seal can show the product was properly made, contains what the label lists and lacks harmful levels of contaminants. ODS says these seals do not guarantee safety or results.
§ 06Evidence snapshot
Eight ingredients we see again and again in supplement ads, graded on the human research summarized by NIH. Sources read on October 28, 2026.
| Ingredient | Sold for | What human studies show | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melatonin | Sleep | Reviews suggest it may ease jet lag, and it helps some people with delayed sleep-wake phase disorder. Practice guidelines say the evidence is not strong enough to recommend it for chronic insomnia.Source: NCCIH: Melatonin, What You Need To Know | Limited |
| Ashwagandha | Stress and sleep | In 6 to 8 week studies, people reported less stress and anxiety, often at 500 to 600 mg a day. Sleep gains were small, and extracts have been linked to liver injury in some people.Source: NIH ODS: Ashwagandha (archived copy) | Limited |
| Green tea extract | Weight loss | Its catechins and caffeine may have a modest effect on body weight. Liver injury, though uncommon, has been reported, mostly with extract tablets and capsules.Source: NCCIH: Green Tea | Weak |
| Garcinia cambogia | Appetite and fat loss | ODS says it has little to no effect on weight loss. It seems fairly safe but can cause headache, nausea and stomach symptoms.Source: NIH ODS: Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss (archived copy) | Weak |
| Saw palmetto | Prostate and urinary health | A 2023 review of 27 studies found little or no benefit for enlarged prostate symptoms. One NIH trial raised the dose to three times the usual amount and still saw no improvement.Source: NCCIH: Saw Palmetto | Weak |
| Turmeric (curcumin) | Joint pain | Early evidence for knee osteoarthritis is positive, but better studies are needed. Products vary in how much curcumin they contain, and high-absorption forms have been linked to liver damage.Source: NCCIH: Turmeric | Limited |
| Ginkgo | Memory and focus | NCCIH finds no conclusive evidence that it helps any health condition. Large studies in older adults found it did not lower the risk of dementia.Source: NCCIH: Ginkgo | Weak |
| Bitter orange | Weight loss and energy | Its effect on weight is unclear. Heart attacks, strokes and abnormal heart rhythms have been reported with products containing it, and an FDA analysis found most labeled synephrine amounts were off.Source: NCCIH: Bitter Orange | Avoid |
§ 07Red flags
We look for these on every sales page. One flag is a reason to slow down. Three is a reason to close the tab.
Under FTC guidance, customer stories are not proof that a product works, and a "results not typical" note does not fix a misleading testimonial. Look for the research behind the claim. FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance (archived copy)
The FTC gives an example of an ad with doctors in lab coats and stacks of journals. Images like these can imply a product is clinically proven when no study is shown. FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance (archived copy)
A real study can still be the wrong study. The FTC says research must fit the specific product and benefit, including how its dosage and formulation compare to what was tested. FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance (archived copy)
FDA describes health fraud as products that claim to prevent, treat or cure a disease without being proven safe and effective for that use. These scams can delay a proper diagnosis. FDA: Health Fraud Scams (archived copy)
Supplements do not need FDA approval before they are sold, and FDA does not judge whether they work before they reach the market. FTC guidance lists misstated FDA approval as a common problem. FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance (archived copy)
The FTC says free trials usually require a card so the company can bill you if you do not cancel in time. Pre-checked boxes can also sign you up for more products. FTC: Free Trials, Auto-Renewals and Negative Option Subscriptions (archived copy)
§ 08Refund playbook
Many ad-driven supplements are sold through networks like ClickBank with a fixed refund window. Work through these steps in order.
ClickBank purchases show on your statement as CLKBANK*. Gather your order number, the date you ordered and what you paid. The FTC advises keeping receipts and emails for every online purchase.
ClickBank says most products have a sixty day refund period. After it ends, the refund button no longer appears and you must contact the seller using the Seller Information on your order.
Look up the order by order number, or by zip code and the last four digits of your card. Choose Request a Refund, pick a reason from the menu and send the ticket.
The FTC says a seller must state whether you can return an item for a full refund. Read those terms before you mail anything back, and keep proof of postage.
If you paid by credit card and were billed for goods you never got, or the wrong item, the FTC says you can dispute the charge. PayPal buyers can also ask PayPal directly.
Sources: ClickBank Support: How to Get a Refund, FTC: Online Shopping (archived copy).
§ 09Safety first
A supplement can interact with medicine or be unsafe at certain life stages. If any of these describe you, take the label to your doctor or pharmacist first.
Sources: NIH ODS: Dietary Supplements, What You Need to Know (archived copy), NCCIH: Using Dietary Supplements Wisely.
§ 10Myths and facts
Beliefs that sell a lot of bottles, checked against what NIH, FDA and FTC actually say.
§ 11Latest guides
Kidney stones symptoms usually begin with sharp pain in the back, side, lower belly or groin that comes and goes in waves. Many people also notice...
Updated November 3, 2026
The best-supported tinnitus treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy, which lowered tinnitus impact by about 11 points on a 100-point scale across Cochrane-reviewed trials. Add a hearing...
Updated November 2, 2026
Psyllium husk is a soluble fiber from the seed coat of Plantago ovata. It has the best fiber evidence for chronic constipation, a guideline backing for...
Updated November 1, 2026
The best way to lower blood pressure is to stack proven habits: eat the DASH way, keep sodium under 2,300 mg a day, get potassium from...
Updated October 31, 2026
To lower cholesterol, start with a heart-healthy eating plan, add soluble fiber such as 3 g of oat beta-glucan or 7 g of psyllium a day,...
Updated October 30, 2026
The most common causes of vertigo are inner ear problems. BPPV, where loose calcium crystals drift into a balance canal, leads the list, followed by vestibular...
Updated October 29, 2026§ 12Why read us
Most guides stop at the ingredient list. We check the amount per serving against the amounts in the research and flag blends that hide them.
Every fact on this site links to the NIH, FDA, FTC or seller page it came from. If a page goes offline, we link an archived copy and say so.
We do not rank products with numbers. We show what the evidence says, ingredient by ingredient, and leave the decision with you.
We earn affiliate commissions, we do not test products ourselves and our editor is not a clinician. We say so up front, on every review.
Meet the editor
Claire reads every label, dose table and refund policy before a review goes live, and checks each fact against its source. She is not a doctor and does not give medical advice.
§ 13Questions
Something else on your mind? Email editor@jilllebofsky.com. We do not answer personal medical questions.
JillLebofsky is an independent supplement review blog for US readers. We look at products sold through online ads and check their labels, doses and sales claims against public research from NIH, FDA and FTC pages. Every guide links the sources we used so you can read them yourself.
No. We do not buy, test or take the products we write about, and we never claim to. Our reviews are research reviews. We read the label, the sales page and the official sources, then explain what they say and what they leave out.
We earn affiliate commissions. If you click some links on our site and then buy a product, the seller may pay us a share of the sale. That money pays for the site. It does not change which facts we report or which concerns we raise.
A single number hides the details that matter, such as whether a dose matches the studies or whether a blend hides its amounts. So we give no stars and no scores. We show what the research says for each ingredient and let you weigh it.
No. Claire Hadley, our Reviews Editor, has no medical credentials. She does not give medical advice. She reads labels, sales pages and public sources from NIH, FDA and FTC and reports what they say. Please talk to your own clinician before starting any supplement.
We compare the amount per serving on the Supplement Facts panel with the amounts described in NIH fact sheets and reviews. When a product hides amounts inside a proprietary blend, we say plainly that the dose cannot be checked from the label.
Email editor@jilllebofsky.com with the page link, the sentence you think is wrong and a source if you have one. We read every message. If we got something wrong, we fix the page and update its date to reflect the change.