What are patented mixtures and are we deceived by nutritional supplement manufacturers?

Let’s say you have a product in your eye. You may get interested by the cover or you may have heard someone talking it up in the gym. You can find it in the e-shop, read about how great it is and head to the nutrition table. However, in it you will discover the ingredient that bears the name of the patented mixture. In English “Proprietary Blend”, “Performance Matrix”, “Pump Matrix”, “Neuro Modulation” or anything else.

But then you start to wonder why there are so many ingredients if they are all effective. Before making any hasty conclusions, find out what patented mixtures are and why they are in the supplements.

What are patented mixtures?

A patented mixture is a mixture of ingredients and additives that bears a particular name. Therefore, in the nutrition table, you will find a named list of ingredients and a number that groups the proportions of the ingredients under the name “patented mixture”. Simply put, only a summary of these ingredients is given.

However, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) requires that all components of a patented mixture be listed in the exact order of proportion of content in the mixture. So the ingredients that are most in the product must be listed first.

 

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Disadvantage of patented mixture

Perhaps the only drawback of the patented composition is that it is almost impossible to assess the true effectiveness of the product. Each ingredient in the supplements can be said to have a precise effective dose, confirmed by scientific studies and researches. For patented mixtures, this is more difficult because you do not know whether you have taken this effective dose or if only a smaller dose has been included in the patented mixture. It is precisely because of this that the consumer has no real idea of the composition of the patented mixture.

An example of a product, which has well-labeled ingredients in the nutrition table:

Scientific studies have shown that the effective dose of creatine is 3-5 g / day. If you use creatine, you know that you can easily dose it. This is a bit of a problem with a patented mixture product. You cannot be sure that you have taken an effective dose of creatine, and you have no idea what dose you have taken the other ingredients of the mixture.

Why do supplement manufacturers use patented mixtures?  

Supplement and nutritional supplement manufacturers add patented mixtures for two main reasons:

1. Supplement composition protection

Manufacturers most often use patented mixtures to protect the formula, the exact ratios and the amount of each ingredient from which the product is made. Companies thus protect their investments and prevent competition from copying formulas and proportions of components. For example, a company that spends a significant amount of finance for research and clinical trials to develop a truly effective mixture and prove to be better than other blends. In this case, the company should be able to demonstrate by research how and why the mixture is effective.

2. Misleading the consumer

The use of the patented mixtures also has its other side. Through it, companies try to hide the fact that the formula contains very few active substances. The consumer thus thinks he has earned more than he paid. Mostly, however, manufacturers “enrich” this mixture with cheap ingredients instead of the more expensive and high quality. However, we believe that most manufacturers are trying to process their products as well as possible and to be as transparent as possible to their customers.

As we have already indicated, it may not be immediately hidden lies or pulling the nose behind the patented mixture. There are also companies that really want to provide the market with an innovative and efficient product. In this case, the company is willing to invest in scientific studies to confirm the effectiveness of the ingredients. Therefore, it should be noted that if you are going to spend your hard-earned money for a supplement, you should verify that it actually works and whether a study has been conducted that promotes the effectiveness of a particular mix.

Whatever the intent, these patented mixtures are added to supplements, we do not think they will ever be totally excluded from this industry. While it is true that moving away from them could bring some benefits.

Are they innovative or not?

The Internet offers a number of scientific studies on nutritional supplements and their effectiveness. Of course, companies also produce and sell products that are without the patented mixtures. These are valuable to them and often bring great sales thanks to their transparency.

Interestingly, for some products that contain patented mixtures, the exact amount of each component is indicated. It is only the decision of the manufacturer.

True innovation limits patented mixtures, at least in the nutritional supplement industry. Mixtures give companies an excuse not to innovate and improve. However, this is a huge mistake that any supplement manufacturer who wants to provide people with quality products should avoid. Instead of trying to compete with nutritional supplements by providing the most effective products (and proven by studies) – the fitness industry is a cluster of “before” and “after” photos, ridiculous marketing slogans and reputable people who claim how the product works. Although not necessarily.

So how to deal with the patented mixture?

Until we see studies that support the efficiency or inefficiency of a patented mixture that does not have the specified amount of specific ingredients, we should not make hasty conclusions. We cannot claim that all patented mixtures are bad, but also not good. As a consumer, you should study which ingredient is effective for you and at what dose. Scientific studies of supplements, patented mixtures and their efficiency are already widely available truly everywhere. Reputable industry experts are always one step further and use their knowledge to provide critical analysis of studies and continue to educate us.

If you’re going to buy supplements, make sure you know what you’re buying. We strongly believe that we have helped you in choosing the right nutritional supplements.

How and according to what do you choose nutritional supplements? Write your answer in the comment, and if you want other people to know about patented mixtures in supplements, share the article.