Proprietary Blend: What Is It and Why It Matters

Have you ever flipped over a supplement bottle and found yourself staring at a long list of ingredients with no clue how much of each is actually inside? That’s the reality of proprietary blends, a labeling tactic used by many supplement companies to keep formulas under wraps.

But what does proprietary blend mean in practice, and how can you tell the difference between smart formulation and smoke-and-mirrors marketing? Let’s unpack the proprietary blend definition, explain why companies use them, and walk you through how to spot red flags. If transparency matters in your wellness routine, this is essential reading.

What Is Proprietary Blend?

As you scan the labels of various supplements, superfood blends, and protein powders, you may notice that many products include proprietary blends. So, what does proprietary blend mean?

Put simply, a proprietary blend is a group of ingredients listed under a single heading on a supplement label, such as “greens blend” or “superfood complex.” While these lists outline all of the ingredients, they don’t disclose the exact amounts. Instead, they only tell you the total weight.

Here are a few examples of what proprietary blends look like:

• Active Superfood Complex – 6.5 grams
  Spirulina, chlorella powder, ginger root powder, cocoa bean powder, licorice root powder, rhodiola root, ashwagandha root

• Antioxidant Greens Blend – 1.7 grams
  Organic kale powder, organic spinach leaf powder, organic broccoli sprout powder, organic spirulina, organic wheatgrass juice powder, organic barley grass juice powder, parsley leaf powder

• Dairy-Free Probiotic Blend – 40 mg (8 Billion CFU)
  Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Bifidobacterium lactis HN019, Lactobacillus casei LC-11, Lactobacillus plantarum LP-115 

Example of a Label Using Proprietary Blends

Why Do Brands Use Proprietary Blends?

Many supplement companies use proprietary blends for the following reasons:

1. Formula protection – Some supplement companies claim that their use of proprietary blends safeguards their product’s “secret recipe” from competitors. In turn, copycat brands can’t simply replicate their ingredients and rush a similar product to the market. 

2. Marketing appeal – With fancy names like “Clean Energy Complex” or “Botanical Mood Boost Blend,” proprietary blends can make certain products sound more impressive. Unfortunately, in an environment where nearly 58% of consumers “don’t understand” food labels, this lack of transparency can easily mislead shoppers.

Why Are Proprietary Blends Controversial?

Proprietary blends are considered controversial for the following reasons:

• Lack of transparency – While intellectual property is important, using proprietary blends often comes at the cost of consumer transparency. Without specific ingredient amounts, it’s impossible to determine if a supplement provides an effective dose or just a sprinkle of something enticing.

• Potential for underdosing key ingredients – Some supplement companies include just enough of an ingredient to list it on their label, rather than ensuring their chosen dose will truly make a difference to diligent, daily users. 

• Difficulty comparing products – While over half of consumers don’t look at ingredient labels, those who deeply care about their health and wellness often want to shop around for the highest quality products. Proprietary blends make this process more challenging by hiding crucial dosing information. 

• Regulatory limitations – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires companies to list ingredients in descending order by their weight. However, it doesn’t require brands to disclose exact amounts, giving them enough wiggle room to employ proprietary blends in ways that may not be in consumers’ favor. 

How to Read a Supplement Label With a Proprietary Blend

If you come across a product with a proprietary blend, you don’t need to dismiss it altogether. However, you should read the label with a discerning eye. 

Here’s how:

1. Check the order of ingredients – Thanks to FDA regulations, ingredients are always listed from the highest to the lowest quantity. If the ingredient you want appears toward the end of the blend, you can safely assume the product only contains a small amount of it.

2. Watch out for long lists with small serving sizes – If a proprietary blend lists tons of ingredients and a tiny total weight, such as 500 mg for 20+ ingredients, that’s a red flag. Its small weight suggests that there’s simply not enough room for meaningful doses of each ingredient. 

3. Look for trustworthy brands – The most reliable companies are upfront about their product formulations. If you want the most from your health and wellness products, opt for brands that prioritize transparency, third-party testing, and science-backed doses. Vibrant Health never uses proprietary blends.

Are Proprietary Blends Always a Bad Thing?

So far, we’ve highlighted several reasons why proprietary blends can be problematic. However, there are some situations where they may be justified.

For example, consider a company with a uniquely flavored protein powder. They use a proprietary blend to help protect the distinct taste profile they’ve worked so hard to develop, and may not have any ulterior motives. 

In situations like these, reputable brands can maintain consumer trust by clearly answering questions about their ingredients when asked.

How to Choose Supplements Without Falling for Marketing Tricks

Some supplement companies aren’t worth the hype. Here’s how you can cut through the marketing noise and invest in products that truly support your health:

• Prioritize full ingredient disclosure – Look for brands that clearly list the amount of every active ingredient they include. This transparency is essential if you want to make the most informed decisions. 

• Buy from brands that employ third-party testing – Certifications from organizations like the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), United States Pharmacopeia (USP), or Informed Choice indicate that a supplement has been independently tested for quality, purity, and label accuracy. 

• Be wary about exaggerated claims – If a supplement sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Supplement companies that claim to “cure” specific diseases or deliver dramatic results in short time periods may be engaging in deceptive marketing practices, potentially placing them in violation of FDA regulations.
  

Vibrant Health’s Take on Proprietary Blends 

At Vibrant Health, we believe that clarity should be at the cornerstone of every consumer’s health journey. That’s why we never use proprietary blends in our products and why we’re committed to clearly explaining the proprietary blend definition.

This commitment stems back to our original formulator, Mark Timon, who designed over 450 nutritional supplements for other companies before founding Vibrant Health. To Mark’s dismay, these companies would often use his formula as a foundation, only to cut costs by reducing ingredient dosages and masking these changes with proprietary blends. By the time these products hit the shelves, many contained little more than filler.

As soon as Mark was at the helm of his own company, he vowed to create products with a single creed: Truth. Trust. Transparency.™ More than three decades later, Vibrant Health still proudly outlines the exact ingredient amounts in each of our products. In turn, you can verify for yourself that they’re free of filler and fluff without any frustrating guesswork.

Explore Why Vibrant Health!