Editorial Policy

Testing Protocol

Every supplement reviewed on this site goes through the same daily protocol before anything gets written. Stiffness rating on a 1-10 scale, logged each morning before getting out of bed. Stairs test on the same three steps in the house. Daily temperature note, because Phoenix summer heat affects joint inflammation and I need to account for that when reading the data. The minimum testing window is 45 days. For supplements where the first three weeks produce flat or ambiguous results, the protocol continues past 90 days before any review is drafted. Clinical trials for joint supplements typically use 8 to 12 weeks as the minimum assessment period, and that is the target when early data is inconclusive.

Reviews are written from the notebook, not the product description. What gets tracked is stiffness, functional mobility, and whether specific daily tasks got easier or did not. Three reviews on this site describe supplements that produced no meaningful trend at 45 days. Those reviews are not buried or softened.

Ingredient and Label Review

Before testing a supplement, I check whether it carries third-party testing verification and compare the label dosage against the dose ranges in clinical literature for each ingredient. This is background context for interpreting the tracking data, not a substitute for it. A supplement with solid third-party certification and a well-supported formula still gets a flat review if the notebook shows nothing. The discrepancy is noted in the review.

Affiliate Links

Some links on this site are affiliate links. When you buy through one, a small commission is earned from the retailer. The price you pay is not affected. An affiliate link appears in a review only after the supplement has been tested and tracked. If the tracking data was flat or negative, that is stated before any purchase link appears. A review that only points toward things that worked is a sales page. No financial arrangement with any supplement manufacturer exists beyond standard retail affiliate commissions, and no manufacturer has editorial input on what this site publishes.

Sponsored or Gifted Products

All products reviewed on this site were purchased at retail. If a product is received at no cost or any form of compensation is accepted to test or feature it, that will be disclosed at the top of the relevant review. This section will be updated if that practice changes.

Medical Disclaimer

The information on this site is based on personal experience and research, for informational purposes only. Joint supplement responses vary significantly from person to person. What the tracking notebook shows for one set of joints in one city under one set of conditions is not a clinical prediction for anyone else's outcome. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any supplement program, particularly if you take prescription medications, have had joint surgery, or are managing other health conditions.

Corrections

If something on this site contains a factual error or conflicts with current clinical evidence, use the contact page. Confirmed errors are corrected with a note on the relevant page indicating what changed.