Blog
Proprietary Blends Explained: What 22 Ingredients in 200 mg Really Means
A proprietary blend lists its total weight and its ingredients from most to least by weight, but not the amount of each one. U.S. rules allow this (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). Olivaro puts 22 ingredients in a 200 mg blend per dropper, so the average share is about 9 mg, or about 18 mg at 2 droppers.
Written by the Olivaro editorial teamUpdated · 9 min read
The rule
What is a proprietary blend on a supplement label?
A proprietary blend is a group of ingredients listed under one name with one total weight. Federal rules let a supplement show that total and list the ingredients in order of weight, without giving each amount (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)).
The rule sits in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 101.36, paragraph (c). It covers how Supplement Facts panels are laid out. A blend must say "Proprietary Blend" or a similar name, give the total weight, and list its parts "in descending order of predominance by weight."
So a blend is legal. But it moves a key fact out of view. You learn what is in the bottle, not how much of any one thing you take.
Supplements are not approved by the FDA before they are sold (FDA, Using Dietary Supplements), so checking a blend against the research falls to you.
A real example
What does Olivaro's blend look like on the label?
Olivaro's panel shows one amount for chromium and one total for everything else. The other 22 ingredients sit under "Proprietary Blend 200 mg."
| Front of the bottle | Olivaro · Balanced Blood Sugar Advanced Support* · Fasting Blood Sugar Health Support* · Clean Ingredients* · Balanced Form System* · 30ML | 1FL OZ · Dietary Supplement |
|---|---|
| Logo | A navy Olivaro wordmark below a small Israeli flag, on a cream label; icons for a drop, a leaf and a balance scale |
| Serving size | 1 ml |
| Servings per container | 30 |
| Chromium (as chromium picolinate) | 0.7 mcg, 2% Daily Value |
| Proprietary blend | 200 mg (Daily Value not established): Maca (Lepidium meyenii) Root Extract, Grape (Vitis vinifera) Seed Extract, Guarana (Paullinia cupana) Seed Extract, African Mango (Irvingia gabonensis) Seed Extract, Eleutherococcus Senticosus Root Extract, Astragalus Root Extract, Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) Leaf Extract, Gymnema Leaf Extract, Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract, Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract, Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) Fruit Extract, Panax Ginseng Aerial Extract, Raspberry Ketones, L-Glutamine, L-Tyrosine, L-Arginine Base, Beta-Alanine, Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate, GABA (Gamma amino butyric acid), L-Ornithine HCL, L-Tryptophan, L-Carnitine Base |
| Other ingredients | Glycerin, Water, Organic Lemon Extract, Stevia Extract 97% (Reb A), Xylitol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, and Natural Flavors |
| Suggested use | Shake well before each use. Take 1 or 2 droppers full daily. Place in mouth and swallow. |
| Caution | Do not exceed recommended dose. Pregnant or nursing mothers, children under the age of 18 and individuals with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement. |
| Storage | Keep away from heat, light, and humidity to preserve freshness. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not use if safety seal is damaged or missing. Store in a cool, dry place. |
| Origin | Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients. This product has been manufactured in an FDA registered facility. |
| Distributed by (as printed) | Instituto Experience |
| FDA statement | These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. |
Chromium is outside the blend, so its 0.7 mcg is printed. Every other ingredient, from maca to L-carnitine, has no amount of its own. Our Supplement Facts guide walks through the panel line by line.
The squeeze
Why does 22 ingredients in 200 mg matter?
Because 200 mg is not much room. Split evenly, each ingredient would get about 9 mg per dropper. At the label's top use of 2 droppers a day, that is about 18 mg each.
For scale, 200 mg is one fifth of a gram. Many single-ingredient studies used that much of one ingredient, or far more.
A blend does not have to be split evenly. One ingredient might take half the weight and others a sliver. The average tells you the typical room per ingredient, not the real amount of any single one.
The squeeze gets tighter with the eight amino acids, which were studied in grams a day. Our amino acids page covers all eight.
Try Olivaro with a 60-day guarantee1-2 droppers a day · from $49 a bottle · free U.S. shipping on 3 or 6 bottles
Order nowReading the order
What can label order tell you about each amount?
Label order sets ceilings and floors. Each ingredient weighs at least as much as everything listed after it, and no more than anything listed before it (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)).
- The first ingredient, maca root extract, must be at least about 9 mg per dropper. If it were less, the 22 could not add up to 200 mg.
- The ingredient in place 8, gymnema, can be at most 25 mg per dropper. Eight equal shares of 200 mg are 25 mg.
- The last ingredient, L-carnitine base, can be at most about 9 mg per dropper.
The rule is simple: the ingredient in place n can weigh no more than 200 mg divided by n. It works on any blend.
Checklist
How do you read any supplement label with a blend?
Start with the total and the count, then check the ingredients you care about.
Find the blend total
Note the milligrams and the serving size. Multiply by servings per day.
Count the ingredients
Divide the daily total by the count to get the average share.
Check your key ingredient's place
Divide the total by its position for the most it could be.
Compare with the research
Look up the studied dose from a source such as the NIH. If even the ceiling falls short, the blend cannot match the trials.
Our guide to choosing a blood sugar supplement adds more checks, such as drug interactions and refund terms.
Fair view
Is a proprietary blend a reason to skip a product?
Not by itself, but it should lower your expectations.
Companies often say blends keep a formula from being copied. That may be true, but it still leaves you unable to compare a product with the research.
Olivaro earns credit for printing its full list in order and for printing chromium's amount. It loses ground for hiding 22 amounts in 200 mg. If a single ingredient matters to you, look for a product that prints that ingredient's milligrams. Talk to your doctor before you change any diabetes medicine, whatever you choose. We are the U.S. stocking partner for Olivaro and earn money on orders.
FAQ
Proprietary blend questions
What does proprietary blend mean on a supplement?
It means several ingredients are grouped under one name with only a total weight. Federal rule 21 CFR 101.36 lets the label list them from most to least by weight without giving each amount (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). You see what is in the blend, but not how much of each.
Are proprietary blends legal?
Yes. U.S. labeling rules allow a supplement to show a proprietary blend's total weight and list its ingredients in order of weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). Being legal does not mean the doses match research. Supplements are not approved by the FDA before they are sold (FDA, Using Dietary Supplements).
How much of each ingredient does Olivaro contain?
Only chromium has a printed amount: 0.7 mcg per dropper. The other 22 ingredients share a 200 mg blend, about 9 mg each on average per dropper, or about 18 mg at 2 droppers. The real amount of any single one is not disclosed.
Why do companies use proprietary blends?
Companies often say a blend protects their formula from copycats. It also means buyers cannot check each dose against research. When many ingredients share a small total, label math alone shows most of them must be present in small amounts.
How can I estimate an ingredient's amount in a blend?
Divide the blend total by the ingredient's place in the list. That gives the most it could be, because everything above it weighs at least as much. For Olivaro's eighth ingredient, gymnema, 200 mg divided by 8 is a ceiling of 25 mg per dropper.
Is a supplement with fewer ingredients better?
Not always, but fewer ingredients leave more room for each one. A product that prints the milligrams of every ingredient is easier to compare with research. Check the doses against trusted sources, and ask your doctor or pharmacist about interactions.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the label, the sales page and linked public health sources.
Page updated . See our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. stocking partner, not by the manufacturer. Purchases through our order links earn us money.
Keep reading
More about Olivaro
U.S. stocking partner for Olivaro
Ready to try Olivaro?
Pick a pack. One dropper a day, and every pack covers the 30 days of use the guarantee asks for before a claim.
- Secure checkout
- 60-day money-back
- Ships from the U.S.