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How We Do Our Research & Reviews

How we do our research

How Do We Do Our Research?

It is really important to us here at Open Health Tools that you understand how we go about doing our research, whether it is our nutrition advice, supplement reviews, or other bio-hacking experiments.

To give you an idea of the breadth of subject mattr we cover, our most popular pages include a review of Relief Factor, a comprehensive look at the best joint supplements for athletes, a side by side comparison of turmeric and glucosamine, and even a detailed Neuriva Brain Performance review. While we focus on joint care and physical therapy, we do cover a wide range of subject matter within holistic health.

There are lots of sites on the internet right now dealing with the same subject matter we do. But we like to think we’re different in one very important way; we have a lot of respect for the scientific method, and we all have actual experience researching things like nootropics, probiotics, immune-boosting supplements, and joint health stacks.

Part of that commitment to the scientific method involves us explaining exactly how we go about conducting our research.

Why is this so important?

Well, if you don’t know how we’ve gone about testing the supplements reviewed on this site, for instance, then you can’t have confidence in our conclusions.

If you don’t know our process for reviewing scientific literature, collating resources and drawing conclusions, then how can you possibly have faith in our research? This is one thing missing from almost every bio-hacking site out there – an explanation of how they have reached their conclusions.

Lots of sites talk about their experience or their outstanding qualifications. Having a scientific background is important if you want to be a learning resource for bio-hackers, but experience and qualifications only tell you so much. To really have faith in someone’s research, you need to know about their process.

So what does our research process look like?

Let’s start with our literature reviews. What does our MDL research process look like?

Contents show
1 How Do We Do Our Research?
2 How do we review scientific journals & studies?
3 How we review supplements

How do we review scientific journals & studies?

How do you tell a good clinical trial from a bad one?

What makes a scientific study good, and what makes one bad?

These are quite easy questions to answer, but it takes some time to properly understand why certain considerations are so important. So, let’s jump right into it.

Scientific journal review

The first thing to understand is that the ability to cite a study in favor of your position does not mean your position is right. It is incredibly easy to find evidence to support your claims if you look hard enough; there are clinical trials which run counter to every claim ever made about health, longevity, and performance.

The idea is to look at the weight of the evidence on either side. How many studies are there showing that a substance has a particular effect, and how many show that it doesn’t?

If the studies showing a particular nutraceutical does nothing outnumber the trials showing it working by 10 to 1, then you know the substance probably does nothing – the studies showing it working are aberrations.

Likewise, if one study found limited benefits from a supplement but 30 others have found it to have tremendous benefits, then you should assume that it likely does produce benefits.

So what about individual studies? What makes a particular clinical trial, literature review or cohort study useful?

We can definitely prioritize certain types of evidence over others. This is actually the cornerstone of the scientific method; certain types of observations carry more weight than others. Take a look at the evidence pyramid to see what we mean:

The evidence pyramid of validity

 

Right at the bottom of the pyramid, you’ll see expert opinion. This is why we said learning about someone’s experience or qualifications can only tell you so much. It can tell you that someone has the education to understand the topic, but it doesn’t tell you anything about the validity of their claims. An “expert” might be motivated by pre-existing biases, financial interests, or even ideology.

By contrast, right at the top of the evidence pyramid is meta-analyses. These are studies which look at a large body of similar clinical trials.

For example, in a meta-analysis a researcher might look at 10-50 clinical trials all looking at the efficacy of  Lion’s Mane Mushroom as a memory enhancer. They will typically start by gathering as many relevant studies as they can and then exclude any that don’t meet their criteria.

Common criteria for meta-analyses include:

  • Study group size
  • Study duration
  • Quality of controls in place (is the right variable being measured?)
  • Biases of authors

They will then take all the studies that meet their criteria and compare the results. At the end, they will say whether, on balance, Lion’s Mane Mushroom is an effective memory enhancer, if it isn’t, or if the evidence isn’t strong enough to say so.

That is why a meta-analysis is so strong – it looks at many studies and identifies the overarching trend of the data, rather than looking at individual clinical trials which may or may not have been carried out in ideal circumstances (not to mention the inherent variability in these trials).

While we’re carrying out our research – that includes substance guides and supplement reviews – we will always endeavor to stick to high-quality meta-analyses whenever possible.

When there isn’t a robust meta-analysis available, we will stick to the higher end of the evidence pyramid (randomized control trials and systematic reviews).

When we’re conducting research for Open Health Tools, we will always follow the same systematic approach to appraising scientific studies. We always look to ensure:

  1. It was published in a reputable journal
  2. The authors have no biases (financial, ideological, etc)
  3. It has not been contradicted by further research by the same authors
  4. It did not use a tiny sample size
  5. The study lasted a sufficient length of time
  6. It did not conflate multiple substances
  7. It does not use a biased sample
  8. Adequate controls were in place

Only by checking that studies do not fall foul of these issues can we be sure that we’re giving you good information in every single review.


How we review supplements

This might be the most important thing for you to get to grips with if you regularly read our supplement reviews. If you don’t understand our supplement review process, then you can’t possibly get maximum value from our research.

Obviously the exact process for each review will vary depending on the product in question – what is it designed to do, what ingredients are involved, how is it taken, and so on.

But on the whole, most of our reviews follow the same basic step-by-step process:

  1. Review candidate identification
  2. Review of claims made by manufacturer
  3. Analysis of ingredients and doses
  4. Overview of our thoughts on the formula
  5. Side effects consideration
  6. Price analysis
  7. Final conclusion – recommend or not

We find that following the same basic rubric for our reviews allows us to more easily compare different supplements in terms of quality, value for money, safety, and efficacy.

It is also worth checking out some of our supplement guides, including our best probiotic for men page, our best MCT oil page, our best nootropics page, and our best multivitamin for men page. These guides give you a good insight into what makes a good supplement for its respective category.

We strongly recommend that you read our supplement guides before reading individual product reviews as these will give you a good overall view of the supplement category, as well as what to expect from the highest quality stacks.

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Posts

  • ActivatedYou Morning Complete Review: Does this probiotic really work?
  • Alpha Brain Review: A highly OVER-RATED nootropic
  • Arthrozene Review: One TERRIBLE joint supplement!
  • Artri King Review: Benefits, Ingredients, Side Effects & More!
  • Best Joint Supplement For Seniors: Reduce joint pain and stiffness naturally
  • Bio Complete 3 Review: A “cure” for leaky gut? Side Effects, Benefits, Dosage & More!
  • Bioschwartz Probiotic Review: Is it good for gut health?
  • Brain Octane Review: Is this MCT oil worth the money?
  • Bromelain for Tendonitis
  • Can cartilage grow back in the knee?
  • Can glucosamine make joint pain worse?
  • Can I take MSM long-term?
  • Can probiotics help with acid reflux?
  • Can you take Glucosamine and Vitamin D together?
  • Can you take probiotics and prebiotics together?
  • Do probiotics help with constipation?
  • Does Bromelain help with osteoarthiritis?
  • Does cartilage grow back?
  • Does glucosamine chondroitin work for runners?
  • Does glucosamine rebuild cartilage?
  • Does Relief Factor work for arthritis?
  • Flexitrinol Review: Does this joint supplement really work?
  • Flexoplex Review: Another RIP-OFF joint supplement!
  • Heal n Soothe Review: Pros and Cons, Side Effects, Warnings and More!
  • How can I do physiotherapy at home?
  • How does physiotherapy reduce inflammation?
  • How fast does Selenium work for joint pain?
  • How long do prebiotics take to work?
  • How long does Glucosamine take to work?
  • How long should physiotherapy last?
  • How long should you take glucosamine?
  • How many times per week should you do physiotherapy?
  • Instaflex Review: Pros, Cons, Side Effects, Complaints & More!
  • Is MSM good for rheumatoid arthritis?
  • Is stretching good for swollen joints?
  • Is Turmeric Good For Tendonitis?
  • Joint Fuel 360 Review: Is it any good for joint pain? Benefits, side effects and more!
  • Joint Pain After Going Vegan?: Symptoms, Causes & Natural Remedies
  • Limbex Review: Does it work for joint pain? Side Effects, Ingredients & More!
  • Mind Lab Pro Review: Complete brain enhancement?
  • Neuriva Review: WEAK & HUGELY over-priced nootropic!
  • Nucific Bio X4 Review: OVER-PRICED probiotic not worth the money
  • Olly Probiotic Review: Is this probiotic worth the money?
  • Osteo Bi-Flex Review: Is it good for joint pain?
  • PB8 Probiotic Review: Does it really work?
  • Peptiva Review: Benefits, Side Effects, pros & Cons of this probiotic for weight loss
  • Performance Lab Flex Review: Better joint health and flexibility?
  • Performance Lab MCT Review: Is this MCT oil any good?
  • Performance Lab Prebiotic Review: Is it really THAT good?
  • Physio Flex Pro Review: The BEST joint supplement on the market?
  • Provitalize Review: Is it a good gut health supplement?
  • Rainbow Light Men’s One Multivitamin Review: Basic, cheap & over-priced
  • Relief Factor Cheaper Alternatives
  • Relief Factor Reviews: Does it work for joint pain OR is it a SCAM?
  • Should you take prebiotics in the morning or at night?
  • Synbiotic 365 Review: Does this probiotic really work?
  • Total Restore Review: Another rip-off from Gundry MD!
  • Total Restore vs Bio Complete 3: Which is better for gut health?
  • TruNature Probiotic Review: Is this an “advanced digestive probiotic”?
  • What is the best time to take probiotics for IBS?
  • When is the best time to take Selenium?
  • Which is better for joint pain MSM or glucosamine?
  • Which physiotherapy is best for knee pain?
  • Who should not take bromelain?
  • Why do you feel stiff after sitting?
  • Will Total Restore help you lose weight?
  • Zinc For Tendonitis

Pages

  • About Open Health Tools
  • About The Human Future & Open Health Tools
  • All Sport Muscle Therapy
  • Ardana BioSciences: Nutrition and nutraceutical research
  • Are digestive enzymes safe?
  • Are nootropics addictive?
  • Are nootropics safe?
  • Are probiotics worth it?
  • Best Joint Supplement For Athletes: Joint pain support for runners and bodybuilders
  • Best Joint Supplement For Knees
  • Best Joint Supplements 2022: Reduce joint pain & promote flexibility naturally
  • Best MCT Oil: See our TOP RATED MCT oil supplements in 2022
  • Best Multivitamin For Men 2022: Vitamins and minerals for health and performance
  • Best Nootropics Today: Top Brain Supplements & Smart Drugs
  • Best Probiotic For Men: Top supplements for men's gut health and digestion
  • Best Supplements For Tendonitis
  • Can I take MCT oil at night?
  • Contact Open Health Tools
  • Do men's multivitamins really work?
  • Do probiotics help with erectile dysfunction?
  • Does Alpha Brain help with anxiety?
  • Does Bio Complete 3 help you lose weight?
  • Does Bio X4 help you lose weight?
  • Does Caralluma Fimbriata really work?
  • Does Cartilage Health Quickly?
  • Does MCT Oil Break A Fast?
  • Does MCT Oil Go Bad? How long does it last after opening?
  • Does MCT oil help you get into ketosis faster?
  • How can I build cartilage in my knee naturally?
  • How do I choose a good probiotic?
  • How long do multivitamins take to work?
  • How long does Bio X4 last?
  • How long does it take for cartilage to grow back?
  • How long should you take glucosamine and chondroitin?
  • How much MCT oil in coffee?
  • How much MCT oil per day on keto?
  • How much MCT oil should you take daily?
  • How much turmeric should I take for arthritis?
  • How to increase synovial fluid
  • How to take Turmeric for inflammation
  • How to use MCT oil while intermittent fasting
  • How We Do Our Research & Reviews
  • Is Alpha Brain a stimulant?
  • Is coffee bad for arthritis?
  • Is it good to take a multivitamin everyday?
  • Is Provitalize good for weight loss?
  • Is there a pill to improve memory?
  • Is Turmeric Better Than Glucosamine? Which is better for join health?
  • Legal and Licensing FAQ
  • Meet the team
    • About J. Rissanen
    • About Johan Theorin
  • Open Health Tools Forge Project
  • Open Health Tools: Physiotherapy and Joint Pain Experts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Project Atom
  • Project Forge
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  • Provitalize Ingredients: What ingredients are in Provitalize weight loss probiotic?
  • Relief Factor Ingredients: What is in Relief Factor?
  • Should I take Alpha Brain every day?
  • Should I take probiotics in the morning or at night?
  • Should men take probiotics?
  • Sitemap
  • Superfood Solution
  • Supplement Guides
  • Turmeric for Joint Pain
  • What can you take to lubricate your joints?
  • What happens to your body when you start taking multivitamins?
  • What is the best natural anti-inflammatory supplement?
  • What is the best vitamin for joint pain?
  • What is the best vitamin for stiff joints?
  • What is the best vitamin for stiff joints?
  • What supplements help rebuild cartilage?
  • What time of day should you take glucosamine chondroitin?
  • When should I take Nucific Bio X4?
  • When to take MCT oil pre-workout
  • Who should not take probiotics?

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