Supplements are widely used by Americans, and their popularity has only grown in the age of internet wellness influencers. Our SI Showcase team strives to review only products from reputable brands who follow industry-standard best practices for manufacturing quality and safety. We want to ensure we're creating the most objective, and helpful review content in the world, and that’s why the team at Sports Illustrated Showcase uses a multifaceted approach to testing and reviewing supplements and wellness products.

Our commitment to trust and safety leverages hands-on product testing, lab testing for purity and potency, medical reviewing by experts with content and formulation reviews, extensive in-house research and category specific proprietary scoring algorithms and criteria. In this breakdown of our approach, we’ll cover each facet of our supplement review process and include links to the full explanations of the methodologies behind our specific scoring algorithms.

Our Supplements Advisory Board

The SI Showcase Supplements Advisory Board brings together experts from various relevant disciplines, including registered dietitians, doctors of exercise physiology, board-certified medical doctors, influential researchers, lab directors and professors. Board members fact check and edit our supplement and wellness articles. They also provide commentary on the products we review and contribute supporting research. Overall, they elevate the quality and trustworthiness of the supplement content on SI Showcase, and are invaluable members of our team.

Analytical Chemistry Lab Testing

More than any other products we test, supplements have the potential to directly impact your health. But unlike foods and drugs, the supplement industry doesn’t require pre-approval by the FDA before being sold to consumers. That means there’s no guarantee that a supplement contains the exact ingredients and dosing listed on the nutrition label. Some brands pay for third-party testing to demonstrate the purity and potency of their products, but many supplement companies either can’t afford third-party testing or choose to forgo it.

At Sports Illustrated Showcase, we strive to recommend only the safest, highest quality supplements, but if we limit our recommendations to only third-party certified supplements, we risk overlooking many excellent products. That’s why the SI Showcase team is making the significant investment of our own independent third party lab-testing for the products we’re reviewing. We partner with the ISO 17025 accredited lab, Ellipse Analytics, to test products for:

• Label Accuracy: We verify if the stated label ingredients and dosages match the actual formula.
• Heavy Metals: Specifically, we test for the presence of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury.
• Phthalates: Often called “plasticizers,” phthalates are used to make plastics more durable.
• Pesticides: Pesticides are toxic to humans, but sometimes make their way into our foods and dietary supplements.
• Bisphenols: Commonly known as “BPA,” bisphenols are an industrial chemical used to make certain plastic products that may pose a health

An ISO 17025 Accreditation demonstrates that a lab is able to competently manage, test and measure results for substances. Labs with this accreditation use international standards (ISO 17025) when performing tests. The results of these labs are deemed acceptable by both government and regulatory organizations.

Clinical Research

Other websites rely on author opinions and brand claims when they review and recommend products. This results in reviews that read more like marketing than unbiased commentary. Our reviews stand out because every claim made by our authors and advisory board is backed by reputable clinical research from accredited organizations such as NCBI, PubMed, Mayo Clinic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and more.

Hands On Testing

Our analytical chemistry lab testing ensures that the supplement is safe and contains what’s on the label (and only that), but it doesn’t measure more subjective categories like taste, texture and mixability. That’s why our team of dozens of staff and expert reviewers actually try the products we’re recommending. Generally, we test categories like a product’s flavor, odor, mixability, ease of use and digestibility. For products intended to supplement a specific goal, such as weight loss, our reviewers use the product for the length of time recommended by the brand (usually around two weeks to a month) to determine if the product actually helps them achieve the stated claims.

How We Score Products

We assign each product a score of 1 out of 5 for each of the categories we test in, and these scores are then weighted based on importance and averaged to produce a cumulative score out of 5 for each product, with 1 being the lowest rating and 5 being highest.

How We Choose the Best Multivitamins for Men and Women

Each multivitamin supplement we review is put through our multivitamin scoring methodology for men and/or women, which grades the product on four primary categories. Multivitamins can also earn bonus credits that boost the overall rating for sustainable packaging, an organic certification and the absence of proprietary blends. The four primary categories are:

• Key nutrients: The best multivitamins provide most or all of the key vitamins and minerals needed by adults.
• Nutrient doses: Since multivitamins are often used to correct or prevent nutrient deficiencies, the best multivitamin supplements for adults meet the RDA for key vitamins and minerals for those ages 19+.
• Certifications: Testing certifications from third-party labs prove that a dietary supplement contains what the brand says it contains in the doses advertised (potency). It also tests for harmful toxins (i.e. mold, heavy metals, etc.), and some check for banned substances (purity).
• Cost per serving: The cost of a daily multivitamin can add up. Often (though not always) the price of a supplement reflects its quality, which is why we include this category, but give it less weight in the overall score.

Learn more about our scoring methodology for men's multivitamins and scoring methodology for women's multivitamins.

How We Choose the Best Probiotics

Each probiotic we review is put through our probiotic scoring methodology, which grades the product on seven primary categories:

• Form: We consider how easy it is to consume the probiotic based on its form—capsule, tablet, powder, gummy or chewable. We also consider whether or not the probiotic has an enteric coating designed to protect the probiotics as they journey to the colon.
• Cultures included: Different probiotic strains offer different benefits and are backed by various levels of research. We look for the probiotic strains that have been extensively studied in clinical trials, demonstrating their effectiveness for specific health conditions.
• Whether cultures are alive: For probiotics to be effective, these microorganisms must be alive and active when consumed and when they reach the colon. We give the highest marks to products that contain and deliver viable microorganisms.
• Number of colony forming units (CFUs): CFUs represent the number of live microorganisms, typically bacteria, present in a probiotic supplement at the end of its shelf life. We look for probiotics that provide at least 20 billion or more CFUs.
• Inclusion of prebiotics: Encapsulating probiotics with a food source can help protect the beneficial bacteria from harsh stomach acids and bile, increasing their chances of survival as they pass through the digestive system and reaching the intestines where they are needed. As such, products with prebiotics earn the full score in this category.
• Exclusion of proprietary blends: We look for products that provide clear information about the specific strains of probiotics contained in the formulation. Proprietary blends often do not disclose the specific strains or their respective concentrations used in the product, and so products without transparent labeling don’t earn any points in this category.
• Third-party certifications: Third-party testing for purity and potency is rewarded in a probiotic's score. Specifically, we look for certifications from NSF, USP, Labdoor and Informed Choice. The most important certification for probiotic supplements is Informed Choice Informed Sport. This certification is critical for athletes who might get drug tested for their sport.

Learn more about our probiotic scoring methodology.

How We Choose the Best Whey Protein Powders

Each whey protein supplement we review is put through our whey protein scoring methodology, which grades the product on five primary categories. Whey protein powders can also earn bonus credits that boost the overall rating for third-party testing credentials, sustainable packaging, the addition of digestive enzymes, an organic certification and the absence of proprietary blends. The five primary categories are:

• Protein source: Whey protein is available as a concentrate, isolate, hydrolysate or blend. We rank whey isolates and hydrolysates higher than concentrates because they are easier to digest and filtered to remove carbs and fat.
• Macronutrient calories per serving: We prioritize whey protein powders with the most calories from protein—as opposed to fat or carbs.
• Total protein per serving: While everyone has varying protein needs, 25-30 grams of protein is generally recommended with each snack or meal. This amount is also the best value per serving of protein powder.
• Price per gram of protein: While price isn't always indicative of quality or value, we do reward whey protein powders that are more affordable, though we give this category less weight than the others.
• Sweeteners: We consider research about common sweeteners when assessing which whey protein powder formulas provide the least health risks to users.

Learn more about our whey protein powder scoring methodology.

How We Choose the Best Vegan and Plant-Based Protein Powders

Each plant protein supplement we review is put through our plant protein scoring methodology, which grades the product on six primary categories. Plant protein powders can also earn bonus credits that boost the overall rating for third-party testing credentials, sustainable packaging, the addition of digestive enzymes, an organic certification and the absence of proprietary blends. The six primary categories are:

• Protein source: Common sources of plant protein are soy, pea, hemp, brown rice, lentil, chia seed, pumpkin seed and blends. We look for protein sources that yield a high amount of protein per serving.
• Complete protein: The best plant-based proteins are complete protein sources—containing all nine essential amino acids.
• Macronutrient calories per serving: We prioritize plant protein powders with the most calories from protein—as opposed to fat or carbs.
• Total protein per serving: While everyone has varying protein needs, 25-30 grams of protein is generally recommended with each snack or meal. This amount is also the best value per serving of protein powder.
• Price per gram of protein: While price isn't always indicative of quality or value, we do reward plant protein powders that are more affordable, though we give this category less weight than the others.
• Sweeteners: We consider research about common sweeteners when assessing which plant protein powder formulas provide the least health risks to users.

Learn more about our plant protein powder scoring methodology.

How We Choose the Best Collagen Supplements

Each collagen supplement we review is put through our collagen scoring methodology, which grades the product on six primary categories. Collagen supplements can also earn bonus credits for sustainable packaging that boost the overall rating. Here are the six primary categories we use to score collagen supplements:

• Collagen source: Collagen is often sourced from animals, such as fish (marine), pigs (porcine), cows (bovine) and sheep (ovine). Most collagen supplements are sourced from one kind of animal, though some contain a blend. Based on the most current research, marine and porcine collagens are the most effective for skin elasticity and joint pain (common uses for collagen supplements), so those sources are given the highest scores, along with collagen blends that contain those sources.
• Collagen type: There are three types of collagen (I, II and III) with different health benefits and concentrations in the body. Collagen supplements with all three types earn the highest marks in our scoring methodology.
• Hydrolyzed: We look for collagen products that are hydrolyzed (broken into smaller protein chains called collagen peptides) because a lower dose is needed to be effective.
• Cost per serving: While price isn't always indicative of quality or value, we do reward collagen supplements that are more affordable, though we give this category less weight than the others.
• Sweeteners: We consider research about common sweeteners when assessing which collagen supplements provide the least health risks to users.
• Certifications: Third-party testing for purity and potency is rewarded in a collagen product's score. Specifically, we look for certifications from NSF, USP, Labdoor and Informed Choice. The most important certification for collagen supplements is Informed Choice Informed Sport. This certification is critical for athletes who might get drug tested for their sport.

Learn more about our collagen scoring methodology.

How We Choose the Best Pre-Workout Supplements

Pre-workout supplements are put through our scoring algorithms for caffeinated and non-stim pre-workout supplements. These algorithms are based on a number of factors, including:

• Ingredients for energy: Common stimulant sources of energy in pre-workouts supplements are caffeine anhydrous, PurCaf, di-caffeine malate and theobromine. Common stimulant-free ingredients that support energy include taurine, eleuthero root, niacin and vitamins B6 and B12. We look for effective doses of these ingredients for energy.
• Ingredients for hydration: Hydration plays an important role in muscle performance and recovery. We give high scores in this category to formulas that contain sodium, potassium and/or coconut water powder (a natural source of potassium).
• Ingredients for endurance: Some pre-workout formula ingredients may boost mental and physical endurance during workouts when included in effective doses. These include beta-alanine, Carnosyn, ancient peat and apple extract, rhodiola rosea, L-carnitine, eleuthero root, astragalus root extract, Astragin and Senactiv. We look for effective doses of these ingredients for endurance.
• Ingredients for reduced muscle fatigue: We look for pre-workout formulas that have ingredients that have been shown to reduce muscle fatigue. Specifically, we look for formulas that include citrulline malate and beetroot.
• Ingredients for lean muscle support: We look for 11 ingredients in effective doses that support the growth of lean muscle. Some of these ingredients are backed by more research than others, and they are weighted accordingly in the score for this section. The ingredients are creatine, betaine, leucine, taurine, isoleucine, valine, zinc, vitamin B, BCAAs, boron and calcium.
• Ingredients for focus: Improved focus can add to the intensity and intentionality of your workout. Many ingredients in pre-workout formulas included for focus either aren't backed by studies or the studies show no effect. Still, we consider the inclusion and dosing of four common pre-workout ingredients in this category, though with a much smaller weight in the overall score. They include Alpha GPC, tyrosine, huperzine A and choline bitartrate.
• Cost per serving: While price isn't always indicative of quality or value, we do reward pre-workout supplements that are more affordable, though we give this category less weight than the others.
• Sweeteners: We consider research about common sweeteners when assessing which pre-workout formulas provide the least health risks to users.
• Certifications: Third-party testing for purity and potency is rewarded in a pre-workout product's score. The most important certification for pre-workout powders is Informed Choice Informed Sport. This certification is critical for athletes who might get drug tested for their sport.
• Bonus credits: Pre-workout supplements can earn small bumps in their overall score by including antioxidants, having sustainable packaging, no proprietary blends, all-natural ingredients, non-GMO ingredients and organic ingredients (where applicable).

Learn more about our pre-workout testing methodology and stim-free pre-workout testing methodology.

Summary

There are countless athletic and wellness supplements available for consumers, and our job at Sports Illustrated Showcase is to determine which products stand above the rest in terms of quality, potency, nutrition and value. Our testing methodologies for protein powders, pre-workouts, multivitamins and probiotics involve scoring products across primary categories chosen in partnership with nutrition experts. The final weighted scores support our decision to either include or exclude individual products. Additionally, we work closely with a panel of experts to ensure that our product reviews and guides are informed by the most recent, reputable research. We also partner with Ellipse Analytics for proprietary lab testing to ensure that the products we recommend meet our rigorous standards for purity and potency.