How PlainPill works
Most supplement sites are either marketing or a literature review. We combine two sources that rarely meet: what thousands of real users report after trying something, and what controlled research has found. Both are shown side by side, with sources, so you can judge for yourself.
1. Real-world user reports
We collect public discussions from the largest online communities about supplements, nootropics, biohacking and peptides — spanning more than fifteen years. A local filter keeps only discussions that mention a known substance; an AI analyst then reads each discussion and records, for every substance mentioned:
- the verdict of that discussion — worked, didn't work, mixed, or unclear;
- specific effects reported (sleep, focus, weight, mood…) and whether they improved, worsened or didn't change;
- doses and schedules people state, side effects, and a short verbatim quote with a link to the source.
The analyst is instructed to record only what the text says: no invented effects, doses or quotes. Spelling variants ("mag glycinate", "magnesium bisglycinate") are merged into one entry.
2. The user score
The 0–100 user score is computed, never hand-edited: 65% from the share of reports with a positive verdict, 35% from explicit user ratings where people gave one, multiplied by a volume factor so that something with five glowing reports can't outrank something with five hundred solid ones. Goal rankings (e.g. "best for sleep") use the share of people reporting that specific effect improved, weighted by the number of reports.
3. The research grade
For every substance with enough reports we search PubMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine database, for meta-analyses and systematic reviews, and for randomized controlled trials in humans. We show the most relevant reviews with their published conclusions.
The grade measures the depth of research, not its direction: a substance can have many meta-analyses that conclude it doesn't work. That's why every substance page shows the conclusions themselves.
4. What this can and can't tell you
- User reports are anecdotes. Placebo, self-selection (people who had a strong reaction post more) and unverified claims all apply. Large numbers reduce noise; they don't remove bias.
- Absence of research ≠ doesn't work, and lots of research ≠ works.
- Doses shown are what people reported, not recommendations.
- AI extraction makes occasional mistakes. Every quote links to its source so you can check.
5. Independence
Rankings contain no affiliate links and can't be bought. Sponsored placements exist to fund the site; they are always labelled "Sponsored", visually separated, and never change a score or a position.
Medical disclaimer
PlainPill is for information only and is not medical advice. Supplements, medications, peptides and SARMs can interact with each other and with health conditions. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or combining anything — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, under 18, or taking prescription medication. Peptides and SARMs listed here are generally not approved for human use as supplements, are banned in competitive sport and may be illegal to buy where you live.