How we grade supplement research

What do the research ratings mean?

Every page gives the research one of four ratings. The author proposes it, with its references, and an expert reviewer confirms it. A rating is never shown as settled before that: until an expert has signed the page off, it reads “proposed”.

Strong

A consistent benefit across several controlled trials or meta-analyses in relevant athletes, and recognised in consensus statements such as Group A of the Australian Institute of Sport's supplement framework.

Emerging

Some positive trials, but mixed results or little research in runners.

Weak

Little or no benefit shown in good-quality trials.

Banned

Prohibited under the current World Anti-Doping Agency list. This overrides any other rating.

A rating describes the research, not a runner. Where the evidence differs by distance, the page says so, and it shows which race distances have been studied at all.

Where does the evidence come from?

In this order of priority:

1. Consensus statements and frameworks, such as the IOC consensus on dietary supplements, International Society of Sports Nutrition position stands and the AIS Sports Supplement Framework.
2. Regulators and health bodies: the current WADA Prohibited List, and UK government and NHS guidance.
3. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
4. Individual trials.
5. Surveys of what athletes use, and paraphrased runner discussions.

Every factual statement on a supplement page links to an entry in that page's reference list, and every reference has a DOI or a working link. Each page cites at least five. Links go only to research, regulator and health bodies. We never link to shops or retailers, and a brand is named only where a study used that product.

How is a page written and checked?

1. We settle the main question the page answers and the related questions runners ask.
2. We gather the research in the order above.
3. The page is drafted, with AI assistance, from that research. Every figure and finding is checked against the study it cites.
4. Automated checks run on every change: each claim has a reference, every link resolves, and the page avoids wording that reads as a recommendation.
5. Grant MacMillan, our editor, checks tone and positioning.
6. An expert reviewer checks the content and signs it off.

A page is published once our editor has checked it. Expert review follows: until a reviewer signs a page off, the page says it hasn't been reviewed by an expert yet, and its rating reads “proposed”.

Who reviews the pages?

Pages will be reviewed by a registered expert, such as a sports dietitian on the UK Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr), named on every page they sign off with their credentials and the date. Our first reviewer is being appointed. Until then, pages are checked by our editor and marked as not yet reviewed by an expert.

What does “studies used” mean?

Pages report the amounts and timings that studies used, because that is what the findings depend on. They are research protocols, not advice for any individual, and we don't offer calculators that turn them into a personal amount.

How do you report what runners are saying?

Where a page reports what runners are saying, it paraphrases public runner discussions into two to four short points, with no usernames and no quotes that could identify anyone. A person approves every point before it appears. Pages without approved points leave the section out.

How do you check anti-doping status?

Against the World Anti-Doping Agency's current Prohibited List. A supplement that is prohibited is rated “Banned”, whatever the research says. Pages also explain the contamination risk that comes with any supplement product, and what independent batch-testing schemes can and cannot do about it.

How do you keep pages up to date?

Every page shows when it was last reviewed and is checked again within 90 days. Pages past their review date are flagged to us automatically. We also check every reference link weekly.

What won't you find here?

• Recommendations to take, or not take, any supplement.
• Personal doses or dose calculators.
• Claims that a supplement prevents, treats or cures any disease.
• Affiliate links, shop links or product promotion.

Spotted a mistake?

Email service@runv.app with the page and the claim. We check every report against the research and correct the page if we got it wrong.