The Vital Vault is an independent, evidence‑based review site for health supplements.
We do one thing: tell you what the research actually says about the products you’re already thinking about buying
— and where the marketing outpaces the data.
We started this site because we got tired of the supplement industry’s default playbook.
Take a margin‑rich herb with one decent trial, build a slick funnel around it, charge $69 for a 30‑day supply,
and rely on affiliate networks to push it. The people paying the price — usually 30‑ to 55‑year‑olds trying to fix
real problems like sleep, energy, weight, and aging — never get a straight answer about whether
the product works.
We exist to give them that answer.
What we believe
Five principles, written down so we can be held to them.
1. Evidence over enthusiasm.
Every recommendation traces back to human data — published trials, meta‑analyses, and systematic reviews.
Rodent studies are clearly labeled as such, never used as a basis for “this will work for you.”
2. Honest reviews include the cons.
If a product has a weak dose, a known side effect, or a sketchy marketing funnel behind it,
we say so — even if it pays us a 60% commission. A 9.5/10 score on a product that hides its EGCG content isn’t a review, it’s an ad.
3. We don’t accept free editorial placement.
Brands cannot pay to be reviewed, ranked higher, or featured in a “best of” list. The only money we make from any product on this site is the standard
affiliate commission paid when you click through and buy — the same rate any other affiliate gets. There are no sponsored slots disguised as reviews.
4. We update when the science moves.
If a new meta‑analysis changes our read on a supplement, the article changes and we say so at the top. Old conclusions don’t get quietly buried.
5. We’re not your doctor.
This is the boundary we hold most firmly. We review supplements. We don’t diagnose, prescribe, or replace clinical care. Nothing on
The Vital Vault is medical advice — it’s consumer information from people who’ve spent a long time reading the literature so you don’t have to.
How we review
Every product on this site goes through the same five‑step process before it gets a single star in a ranking or a recommendation on a page.
Ingredient screen. We check every active compound against human‑trial evidence in PubMed and databases like
Examine.com.
If the only data is in rats or in vitro, we say so plainly. Dose check. We reject products that use a famous ingredient at a token dose just to put it on the label. If a study used 300 mg of a compound and the product has 30 mg, the product fails — no matter how good the marketing.
Form check. We favor the most bioavailable form of each nutrient (magnesium glycinate over oxide, KSM‑66 over raw ashwagandha root, etc.). Cheaper forms are flagged, not quietly accepted.
Third‑party verification. Preference goes to products with a certificate of analysis (COA), NSF or Informed Sport certifications, and heavy‑metal testing — especially for plant extracts that accumulate soil contaminants.
Real‑customer filter. We look at verified‑purchase reviews, watch for review‑velocity anomalies, and ignore anything that looks like a paid review farm.
The order matters. We do not rank products by commission rate. If the best product in a category pays 10% and the second‑best pays 50%, the best product is still first.
How we make money
The Vital Vault is reader‑supported. When you click an affiliate link on our site and buy a product, we may earn a commission from the retailer or affiliate network
— at no additional cost to you. That commission is the same rate any other affiliate would receive; brands cannot pay us extra to be featured or ranked higher.
This model has a built‑in tension: we earn more when you buy more. We manage that tension by holding the principles above, and by being willing to
recommend “don’t buy this one” when the data calls for it. A reader who trusts us enough to come back next month is worth more than a one‑time commission.
We also occasionally display non‑affiliate ads. They are clearly labeled as ads and never influence editorial rankings.
FTC disclosure: The Vital Vault participates in affiliate programs from ShareASale, Market Health, ClickBank, SellHealth, and others.
Pages that contain affiliate links include this disclosure at the top, per FTC guidelines under 16 CFR Part 255.
Who’s behind this
The Vital Vault was founded by a small team with backgrounds in nutrition research, freelance science writing, and consumer‑product journalism.
We’re not doctors, and we don’t play them on the internet — but we do know how to read a clinical trial, spot a proprietary blend designed to hide a token dose,
and tell when a “natural” label is doing the work of a weak product.If you want a name on a specific article, look at the byline at the top of that page.
Every review lists its author, the date it was last updated, and a short bio with relevant credentials. If we get something wrong, the author’s name is on it — that’s the point.
What we won’t do
A few things you will never see on this site:
- Fake “verified buyer” testimonials
- “Miracle cure” framing for any supplement
- Rankings that silently reorder when a brand pays more
- Articles that bury the side effects under the pros
- “Decaf” claims that hide underdosed active compounds
If you ever catch us doing any of the above, call us out — the contact form is below.
Our promise to you
When you read a Vital Vault review, you should walk away knowing three things: what the evidence actually says, what the product actually contains,
and whether it’s worth your money. If you don’t get those three, we haven’t done our job.
We’ll keep updating, keep being honest about small effects, and keep recommending “no, don’t buy this one” when that’s the right answer.
