Science

Our Clinical Study Is Published—Here’s Why You Should Care

5 min read

We’re thrilled to announce that our gold standard clinical study has been published in Frontiers in Nutrition—a leading, internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journal.

From the start, our MadeTraceable™ mission has been non-negotiable, and our POV clear: Knowing what you’re putting into your body (and why) should be a given, more necessity than a “nice-to-have.”

That said, as skeptics, we don’t just want you to take us at our word—we’re committed to showing you the receipts along the way. One part of that is building a clinical-backed future, which is why our first clinical trial quantifying the impact of Essential for Women 18+ was such a huge deal.

And it paid off: The results from our 12-week clinical trial—conducted as a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in partnership with Auburn University, on 94 women ages 21 through 40—were significant, with Essential for Women 18+ increasing vitamin D3 levels by 43% and omega-3 DHA levels by 41% in just 12 weeks.*

With that, we’re thrilled to share another huge milestone: Our gold standard clinical study has been published in Frontiers in Nutrition—a leading, internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journal.

To be clear, having a study published in a peer-reviewed journal is one of the highest awards scientific research can achieve—it means our study was put through the quality control ringer; everything from the design and implementation to the analysis and accuracy of our results was carefully evaluated and accepted by reviewers.

In other words: This was no easy feat. But then again, worthwhile work rarely is—and striving for high-quality research that will help advance science is a journey we’re in for the long haul. We sat down with Ritual’s VP of Scientific Affairs, Mastaneh Sharafi, PhD, RD, to shed some light into what this milestone means—for our customers, our company, and the scientific community at large.

What makes a published clinical study better than one that’s not published?

Publishing a study in a peer-reviewed journal is similar to passing third-party quality certification—put another way, we’ve always been able to demonstrate the efficacy of our product, but a clinical trial provides an additional, more specific lens. Peer review also serves as a way to uphold quality, helping to filter out poor research and protect the scientific knowledge base.

In theory, this third-party review process should help readers with gauging trust and confidence—many people put more sway in what they read in scientific journals because they have assurance that the information has been substantiated by someone with expertise. It also strengthens the finished product—by receiving invaluable feedback in the form of comments, questions, and suggested revisions by experts in their field, authors are able to produce a more comprehensive, precise piece of literature.

At Ritual, we strive to do high-quality research that will advance scientific knowledge. Publishing the results of our clinical study in a top, peer-reviewed journal is the cherry on top—but only a hint of what’s to come.

Tell us about Frontiers in Nutrition.

Frontiers in Nutrition is a top, globally recognized, peer-reviewed journal. Beyond being internationally renowned, what makes this journal an especially exciting one to be published in is the fact that its transparent philosophy aligns with our core values. Frontiers believes that scientific research is for the benefit of humankind—that it’s the product of an investment by society, and therefore should be accessible to all, which is why it provides free access to its publications. (Many scientific articles are not open-access, and therefore not accessible to many people.) Additionally, Frontiers in Nutrition has an impressive 2020 Impact Factor of 6.576, making it one of the world’s most credible authorities on nutrition.

How does Frontiers decide what is worthy of publication?

In short, through an intensive, extremely thorough vetting and review process by some of the world’s best scientists and scholars. Frontiers takes its role seriously, taking into account the potential, wide-reaching implications of published research—both on future bodies of knowledge, and on the shaping of society as a whole. Superficial or light reviews aren’t part of the evaluation process; only research that has been certified by peers, and passes the most rigorous and unbiased reviews, makes it through.

Frontiers has several procedures and models in place in order to ensure the quality of published research articles at every step of the way, including an editorial board of leading and established members of the research community; associate editors; independent review stages; interactive review stages; post-publication stages; and rules that safeguard against financial conflicts of interest. The decision to accept an article must be unanimous among all reviewers—and, in the name of transparency, the names of all editors and reviewers are disclosed on the article to encourage accountability and in-depth analysis.

Get up to speed. First time you’re hearing about our clinical trial journey? Learn all about the study design and the results.

Meet Our Expert

This article has been reviewed by our Science Team.

Dr. Mastaneh Sharafi, PhD, RD, SVP of Scientific Affairs at Ritual

Dr. Mastaneh Sharafi has a PhD in Nutritional Sciences and is a Registered Dietitian. She received her training from Penn State University and University of Connecticut where she researched dietary patterns, chemosensory perception and community nutrition. Her dietetic work is focused on promoting healthy eating habits by translating the science of nutrition into practical information for the public.

Dr. Mastaneh Sharafi, PhD, RD, SVP of Scientific Affairs at Ritual

Meet the Author

Courtney Cho, Content Marketing Manager, Writer, Journalist

Courtney Cho is a health and wellness writer who has covered a wide variety of industry topics, from the science of nutrition and gut health to clinical testing and greenwashing. After earning her B.A. from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she specialized in journalism and reporting, her career has focused on the intersection between clean products, ingredient transparency, and science-backed wellness—and how everyday habits can contribute profoundly to our quality of life.

Courtney Cho, Content Marketing Manager, Writer, Journalist

Our Clinical Study Is Published—Here’s Why You Should Care