Does Your Supplement Match the Dose in the Research?
Check whether a supplement gives the amount that was actually used in the research.
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 study might show an effect at a certain dose, and a product might contain only a fraction of it. This calculator compares the two, so you can see how far a product sits from the research.
Enter the dose the study used and the amount in one serving of the product. You get the percentage of the study dose and the number of servings that would match it.
The comparison in two lines
Percentage of study dose = (product per serving × servings per day) ÷ study dose × 100
Servings to match = study dose ÷ product per serving
If a study used 500 mg and a product has 100 mg per serving, one serving gives 20% of the study dose, and you would need five servings to match it.
What a low match tells you
If a product delivers well under the study dose, the research on that dose does not automatically apply to the product. It is one of the most common gaps between what a supplement is sold on and what it contains.
Use the servings figure to see whether matching the study is even practical. Then check the study itself for how long the dose was taken, since duration matters as much as amount. Matching a dose also does not guarantee the same result, because study groups, forms, and timing differ from everyday use.
Get both numbers in the same form
An extract dose and a raw powder dose are not the same thing, so compare like with like. For herbal products, the Extract Strength Calculator shows the active amount in an extract, and the Herbal Extract Ratio Converter shows the dried herb behind a ratio.
If the study gave a dose per kilogram of body weight, the Dose per Body Weight Converter turns it into a total amount. For vitamins listed in IU, use the Vitamin Unit Converter, and for other unit mismatches the Serving Size Converter.
More is not always better
Reaching a study dose can push a nutrient toward its upper limit, especially when you take several products. The Upper Limit Checker adds a nutrient up across everything you use.
For ingredients usually dosed by weight or by active parts, the Creatine Dosage Calculator and the Omega-3 EPA/DHA Calculator go further than a single comparison.
Then check the price
If the amount is hidden inside a blend, the Proprietary Blend Estimator gives the most it could be. Once a product passes the dose test, the Cost Per Dose Calculator shows what a real dose costs.
Where the label figures come from
The amount per serving is defined on the Supplement Facts panel under government labeling rules. See the Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide, Chapter IV from the FDA.
The regulation itself is 21 CFR 101.36, nutrition labeling of dietary supplements. Always take the study dose from the study's own methods section.
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.