I assumed most guys knew about "proprietary blends" so this is probably a good education for new users into supplements so they are aware.

Proprietary blends are often used so "copycats" cannot mimic or make the exact supplement without labaratory analysis.

This also allows some companies to "pixie dust" their products, or put little or no active ingredients. It can certainly be abused as well by putting "other" compounds into a mixture.

Manfacturers are "supposed" to list all the active ingredients on the label..but this doesn't always happen. Many times companies will use a "proprietary blend" to explain another "propietary blend" and thus going in circles.

I would argue that with "ANY" supplement you are putting into your body, you do not know for a fact what you are ever getting. You can stick with well known and reputable companies, but even then over the years many reputable companies have "spiked" or added ingredients to their products. It very much does and can happen. It can happen in the pharmaceutical and food industry as well.


Lets look at Xenadrine EFX as an example..what common customer would have any clue what is really in this?

Ingredients for Proprietary Thermodyne™ Complex: Tyroplex™ (proprietary blend), Green Tea Extract (standardized for epigallocatechin gallate, caffeine and polyphenols), Seropo™ (proprietary cocoa extract standardized for PEA[phenylethylamine], tyramine and theobromine), Yerba Mate (standardized for caffeine and methylxanthines), dl-Methionine, Ginger Root (standardized for gingerols), Isotherm™ (proprietary blend of 3,3′,4′,5-7 pentahydroxyflavone and 3,3′,4′,7-tetrahydroxyflavone), DMAE (2-dimethylaminoethanol), Grape Seed Extract (standardized for catechins).