Even though it has become increasingly common for US adults to regularly take a dietary supplement, the industry is lacking legitimate scientific proof that our supplements are actually working. We say ‘legitimate’ because of the unregulated nature of terms like “clinically studied” for multivitamins and supplements.

Why Clinical Studies Matter

Ritual is conducting gold-standard human clinical trials in partnership with leading universities and research organizations from around the world. By 2030 we plan to have completed clinical trials for all existing products. Putting a product through a clinical trial allows us to directly measure its physiological impact and provide proof on its efficacy. As a science-based organization, we want to make sure our consumers are informed on all aspects of our products—from what ingredients and doses we use, to where we source them, and now, how they work (all together) in the body.

How Ritual Creates Credible, Traceable Science

At Ritual, we follow the NIH’s (National Institutes of Health) definition of clinical trial: “A research study in which human subjects are prospectively assigned to one or more interventions to evaluate the effects of those interventions on health-related outcomes.”

For example, in our Essential for Women 18+ human clinical study the “intervention” was our multivitamin and the “effects of those interventions” were an increase in nutritional status of key ingredients Vitamin D, and Omega-3 and Folate. Our internal scientific team formulated Essential for Women 18+ to help fill gaps in the diet and help offset nutrient inadequacy. The purpose of Ritual’s own clinical study was to show further proof that Ritual’s multivitamin was actually getting nutrients to the right place in order to support nutrient adequacy. You can check out this traceable science in more detail here.

The Road To Clinical Studies

A clinically-backed future is not an easy one, but crucial in an environment where thousands of dietary supplements are available promising physiological benefits without any traceable science.