Proprietary Blends vs Full Transparency: Who Wins?
As a certified strength and conditioning coach and a self-proclaimed supplement nerd, I’ve spent over two decades navigating the debate between proprietary blends and full transparency. It’s a topic that splits the fitness world right down the middle.
On one side, you have brands protecting their “secret sauce” from competitors. On the other, you have consumers like you and me who want to know exactly what we’re putting into our bodies.
So, who really comes out on top in this battle? The truth is, there isn’t a simple answer, but understanding the facts will empower you to make the right choice for your health and fitness goals. This guide will break down what these labels really mean and give you the insider knowledge to see past the marketing.
*Disclaimer: This article is my own opinion on the subject and represents my personal thoughts and feelings. I have been on both the consumer side as well as the manufacturer side, so I feel I have a good perspective.
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
- Proprietary Blends list a total blend weight but hide individual ingredient dosages, which is legally allowed under the FDA’s Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994.
- Full Transparency labels disclose the exact amount of every single ingredient, allowing you to verify effective dosages and build trust with the brand.
- The biggest risk of proprietary blends is “fairy dusting,” a practice where companies include a tiny, ineffective amount of a popular ingredient just to list it on the label.
- To ensure quality, look for products with third-party certifications like NSF Certified for Sport or Informed-Sport, which verify that a product’s contents match its label and is free of banned substances.
Is the Hidden Profile of Proprietary Blends a Good Thing?
For decades, supplement companies have used proprietary blends to protect their formulas. As someone who has seen the industry from both sides, I can tell you there are valid arguments for and against this practice.
The Case for Protecting Formulas
The primary argument for proprietary blends is the protection of intellectual property. A brand might spend years and significant money on research and development to create a unique and effective formula. Revealing the exact dosages would allow any competitor to create a “me-too” copycat product overnight, saving them all the R&D costs.
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This is especially common with products like pre-workouts, where a specific ratio of ingredients can make a huge difference in performance. From a business perspective, I get it. If I created a groundbreaking formula, I’d be furious if another company could steal it and undercut my price.
The Major Risk for Consumers: “Fairy Dusting”
Now, let’s put on our consumer hats. The biggest problem with proprietary blends is that you don’t know the exact dose of each ingredient. This opens the door to a deceptive practice known as “fairy dusting.”
Fairy dusting is when a company includes a minuscule, completely ineffective amount of a popular and expensive ingredient in their product. They can legally list it on the label, making you think you’re getting a powerful formula, but in reality, the dose is too small to provide any benefit.
For example, a pre-workout might have a 5-gram proprietary blend and list L-Citrulline, a key ingredient for muscle pumps. The clinically effective dose is 6-8 grams, but since the entire blend is only 5 grams, it’s impossible to be getting an effective amount. It’s likely filled with cheaper ingredients listed first in the blend.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows this under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). The law requires ingredients in a proprietary blend to be listed in descending order by weight, but it doesn’t require the specific weight of each one to be disclosed. This loophole is what allows fairy dusting to happen.
Should There Be Full Transparency with Supplement Labels?
The push for full transparency has gained massive momentum, and for good reason. Today’s consumers are more educated than ever and demand to know what they are buying. According to a 2025 report from The Vitamin Shoppe, 69% of Americans now take dietary supplements to support their health, and they are increasingly scrutinizing labels.
This consumer demand has fueled the rise of brands built entirely on transparency. Companies like Transparent Labs and Thorne Research have made fully disclosed labels their core selling point, building strong customer loyalty by showing they have nothing to hide.
The Gold Standard: How to Verify Quality
Beyond a transparent label, the best way to ensure you’re getting a quality product is to look for third-party certifications. These independent organizations test supplements to verify their purity and potency.
- NSF Certified for Sport: This is one of the most rigorous certifications. It verifies that a product does not contain any of over 270 substances banned by major athletic organizations, that the label claims are accurate, and that there are no unsafe levels of contaminants.
- Informed-Sport: This global program tests every single batch of a certified product for banned substances before it’s released to the market. Seeing this logo means you can trust the product is safer for use, especially if you are a competitive athlete.
Seeing one of these logos on a package provides a layer of trust that a proprietary blend simply cannot offer. It’s proof that the company is willing to have its formula inspected and verified by an unbiased source.
Comparing the Two Approaches
| Aspect | Proprietary Blends | Full Transparency |
|---|---|---|
| Dose Verification | Impossible. Individual ingredient amounts are hidden. | Easy. Exact amounts of each ingredient are listed. |
| Consumer Trust | Low. Often seen as a way to hide “fairy dusting” or cheap formulas. | High. Builds brand loyalty and shows confidence in the formula. |
| Formula Protection | High. Protects unique formulas from being copied by competitors. | Low. Competitors can easily replicate the exact formula. |
| Safety Assessment | Difficult. You can’t be sure if you’re getting a safe or effective dose. | Clear. You know exactly what you’re taking and can research each ingredient. |
In my experience, while small, innovative brands might have a legitimate reason to use a proprietary blend, the tide has turned. The modern consumer values trust over trade secrets. A transparent label, especially one backed by third-party testing, is the new benchmark for quality in the supplement industry.
FAQs
What exactly is a proprietary blend?
A proprietary blend is a list of ingredients that is part of a unique formula specific to a supplement manufacturer. On the “Supplement Facts” panel, the blend is listed by a brand name (e.g., “Muscle Matrix”) followed by the total weight of the blend. The ingredients inside are listed in order of weight, but their individual amounts are not disclosed.
Are proprietary blends illegal?
No, they are perfectly legal in the United States. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 allows companies to use them to protect their formulas as trade secrets.
How can I spot a potentially low-quality proprietary blend?
Check the total weight of the blend against the known effective doses of its top ingredients. If a key ingredient requires a 5-gram dose to be effective, but the entire blend is only 3 grams, you know the product is underdosed. Also, be wary if cheap fillers like maltodextrin are listed high up in the blend.
Why are proprietary blends so common in pre-workouts?
Pre-workout formulas often rely on the synergistic effects of multiple stimulants and performance enhancers. Companies argue that the specific ratio of these ingredients is their “secret recipe” for energy and focus, and they use proprietary blends to prevent other brands from copying it. However, this category is also notorious for being underdosed.
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