Label literacy
Proprietary Blend Meaning: What the Label Shows and Hides
A proprietary blend is a group of ingredients listed together under one name with a single combined weight. The label does not have to show how much of each one is inside. Ingredients go in order of weight, so the first holds the most. SciatiEase uses one for its four herbs, 50 mg in total.
Written by the SciatiEase label deskUpdated · 4 min read
The rule01
What is the meaning of a proprietary blend?
It is a legal way to print one total for several ingredients.
US rules let a company name a blend "Proprietary Blend" or give it another descriptive or fanciful name. Ingredients without a Daily Value go in descending order of weight, and the amount printed is the blend's combined weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)).
Each single weight is not required, though vitamins and minerals must still show amounts (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)).
A blend is legal. It also hides the one number you need to compare a product with a study.
Worked example02
How can you estimate what is inside a blend?
Use the order. The first ingredient holds the most, so each later one holds less.
SciatiEase lists feverfew, passionflower, Chinese skullcap and oat straw in a 50 mg blend. Herb number k can hold at most 50 divided by k. That is a ceiling from the math, not a printed amount.
| Position | Herb (extract 4:1) | At most | Even split |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feverfew | 50 mg | 12.5 mg |
| 2 | Passionflower | 25 mg | 12.5 mg |
| 3 | Chinese skullcap | about 16.7 mg | 12.5 mg |
| 4 | Oat straw | 12.5 mg | 12.5 mg |
A blend that shows its parts03
Does every blend hide its amounts?
No. SciatiEase's 750 mg AlphaPalm Blend prints both parts.
The panel shows R-alpha lipoic acid at 250 mg and PEA at 500 mg inside it. That lets you compare PEA with trials that used 300 to 1,200 mg a day (Lang-Illievich et al., Nutrients 2023). See the AlphaPalm post for the line.
Eight of the 12 amounts are printed. The four hidden ones are the herbs, and no herb amount can be checked against a trial (FTC, Health Products Compliance Guidance).
SciatiEase: from $49.99 a bottle120 capsules · 1, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 180-day guarantee
See packsWhat to do04
What should you ask when a label uses a blend?
Ask for the numbers, and treat a refusal as information.
- Does the blend show the amount of each ingredient?
- Is any ingredient in the blend on your medicine's warning list?
- Does the claimed benefit rest on a dose the label can confirm?
The third question matters because the FTC says evidence must match the product's dose and formulation (FTC, Health Products Compliance Guidance). Our guide to reading a Supplement Facts label covers the rest of the panel.
FAQ05
Proprietary blends: label questions
Why do supplement makers use proprietary blends?
The rules allow it (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). We cannot know any brand's reasons. The cost to you is a missing amount.
Is a proprietary blend the same as an unsafe product?
No. A blend is a labeling choice, not a safety finding. It does make interactions harder to judge, because you cannot see the dose.
Does the first ingredient in a blend have the most?
Yes. Ingredients without a Daily Value are listed by descending weight (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). That gives a ceiling for the others, as in the table above.
Do vitamins have to show amounts inside a blend?
Yes. Vitamins and minerals in a blend must still be declared with amounts (21 CFR 101.36 (eCFR)). That is why B6, B12 and folate are printed on SciatiEase.
What does 4:1 mean after an herb extract?
The label prints 4:1 beside each herb extract but does not explain it. Ask the brand if the ratio matters to you.
Who wrote this06
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the brand pages and linked NIH, FDA, FTC, NICE and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . How we work: editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a licensed SciatiEase retailer, not by the manufacturer, SciatiEase Labs. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
More about SciatiEase
Licensed SciatiEase retailer
Ready to try SciatiEase?
Look over your medicines first, then choose a pack. Three or six bottles ship free in the US and cost less per bottle, and the 180-day guarantee covers every pack.
- Secure checkout on the brand page
- 180-day guarantee
- Ships from the U.S.
