Health products come in many formats, and each format changes what a label can honestly promise. This index lists the product types reviewed across PBTWeb’s eight categories, with a plain description and the format-specific check our research teams apply. Use it alongside the Alpha 26 checklist.
| Product type | What it is | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Capsules and tablets | The most common format. Easy to dose accurately; absorption depends on the ingredient. | Check servings per container against serving size; a "60-count" bottle at two per day is a 30-day supply. |
| Softgels | Gelatin or vegetarian shells holding oils, such as fish oil or vitamin D. | Look for third-party oxidation and purity testing on oil products; ask whether the shell is animal-derived. |
| Gummies | Chewable supplements, usually with sugar or sugar alcohols. | Compare the active dose to a capsule equivalent; gummies often carry less. Note sugar per serving. |
| Liquid drops | Dropper-bottle liquids taken by mouth, sometimes held under the tongue. | Serving is in millilitres; check servings per bottle and whether "sublingual" claims are supported for that ingredient. |
| Oral sprays | Pump-spray liquids delivered into the mouth and swallowed. | A spray taken by mouth is swallowed, not inhaled; claims about acting on the lungs or airway fail the route test. |
| Powders | Scoop-measured powders mixed into water or food. | Check scoop weight against the label; proprietary blends in powders are common and hide per-ingredient doses. |
| Teas and infusions | Dried herbs steeped in water. | Doses are inherently variable; traditional-use evidence rather than clinical dosing usually applies. |
| Tinctures | Alcohol or glycerin herbal extracts. | Note the extraction ratio (e.g. 1:5) and alcohol content; ratios describe strength, not a dose. |
| Topical creams and serums | Skin-applied products for cosmetic or comfort effects. | Look for the percentage of the active ingredient; "contains retinol" without a percentage tells you little. |
| Patches | Adhesive patches claiming transdermal delivery. | Most supplement ingredients do not cross skin in meaningful amounts; demand delivery data. |
| Shampoos and scalp products | Wash-off or leave-in hair and scalp formulations. | Wash-off contact time is short; leave-in products are where active ingredients have a chance to work. |
| Lozenges and chews | Dissolve-in-mouth formats for throat comfort or slow release. | Check sugar content and whether the active dose is realistic for the format. |
| Breathing trainers and devices | Mechanical devices that add resistance or guide breathing. | Device evidence differs from supplement evidence; look for trials in the population you belong to. |
| Meal replacements and bars | Shakes and bars positioned for weight management. | Compare protein, fibre, sugar and calories per serving, and the cost versus whole food. |
| Probiotics | Live bacterial cultures in capsules, powders or drinks. | Strain names and CFU count at expiry, not at manufacture, are what matter. |
| Combination kits and bundles | Multiple products sold as a programme. | Review each component separately; a weak product does not become strong by bundling. |
Why Format Matters
The same ingredient can be effective in one format and pointless in another. A dose that works in a capsule may be too large for a gummy, a transdermal patch may deliver almost nothing, and a product taken by mouth cannot physically act on the lungs or the skin surface. Before judging an ingredient, our teams judge whether the format can deliver it.