Proprietary Blend Estimator
A blend hides the amounts. This works out the most an ingredient could be.
This tool was built by Serge (MSc) using established science and government sources. My academic background covers plant biology, environmental biology, and biogeochemistry. My tools are for educational purposes and give practical guidance, not professional advice.
A proprietary blend shows one total weight and a list of ingredients, but not how much of each. By law those ingredients are listed in order from most to least by weight. That rule lets you work out the maximum any single ingredient could be. Enter the blend weight and where the ingredient sits in the list.
How this works
Because blend ingredients are listed from most to least by weight, an ingredient at a given position cannot be larger than the total shared out evenly among itself and everything listed above it. So:
Maximum for the ingredient = total blend weight ÷ its position in the list
For example, in a 500 mg blend, the first ingredient could be up to 500 mg, the second up to 250 mg, and the third up to about 167 mg. Every ingredient at or above a given position weighs at least as much as it, so the total limits how large it can be.
Understanding your result
This is a ceiling, not the actual amount. The real figure could be anywhere from close to this maximum down to a tiny trace. What it tells you is the best case. If even the maximum possible amount falls well below a studied dose, then the ingredient cannot be present at a useful level, no matter how it is marketed. That is the most valuable use of this estimate: ruling out blends that cannot contain enough to matter.
Important limitations
- This gives the maximum, not the real amount, which is not disclosed.
- It assumes the ingredients are listed correctly in descending order, as the rules require.
- Ingredients tied in weight or listed out of order would change the estimate.
- A low maximum is a strong signal, but a high maximum does not prove the ingredient is actually present in a large amount.
Scientific basis
Government rules require that the ingredients in a proprietary blend be declared in descending order of predominance by weight, which is what makes this estimate possible:
- Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide, Chapter IV (US FDA)
- 21 CFR 101.36, Nutrition labeling of dietary supplements (eCFR)
This calculator is for general education only and is not medical or professional advice. Always check product labels and speak with a qualified professional before making decisions about supplements.