Evidence-Grading Methodology

A — Approved or strong

An approved medical application or a strong, replicated body of controlled clinical evidence relevant to the claim being described. Approval for one indication does not automatically support unrelated uses.

B — Limited human evidence

Relevant human studies exist, but the evidence is limited by size, replication, design, duration, population or applicability to the marketed claim.

C — Early or preclinical

The record is mainly animal, cell, mechanistic or very early human research. Human efficacy is not established, and long-term safety may be unknown.

D — Anecdotal or insufficient

Evidence is anecdotal, contradictory, indirect, proprietary, or too sparse to support a reliable conclusion. A D grade is not proof of ineffectiveness; it is a statement about evidentiary insufficiency.

How grades are assigned

• Assess the evidence for the specific substance, route and claim rather than borrowing certainty from a related compound.
• Weight controlled human evidence above observational, animal, cell and anecdotal reports.
• Treat safety certainty separately from evidence of effect.
• Never allow vendor status, sponsorship, price or affiliate performance to influence the grade.