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Supplement Snake Oil Detector

Paste any supplement's marketing copy, sales page text, or ad. Get an instant snake oil score with specific red flags — so you know exactly what tricks they're using.

Paste marketing copy below

Copy text from a supplement sales page, Amazon listing, or social media ad. The more text, the better the analysis.

The 10 Classic Snake Oil Tactics

${['Ancient secret / Lost formula — implies secret knowledge suppressed from mainstream', 'Big Pharma conspiracy — suggests mainstream medicine hides cures', '"Clinically proven" without citation — meaningless phrase; what trial?', 'Proprietary blend hiding — ingredient amounts concealed in a "formula"', 'Before/after photos without disclaimer — anecdotal and often staged', 'Fake urgency — "Tonight only", "Only 3 left", countdown timers', 'Celebrity endorsement or "as seen on TV" — paid promotions without evidence', 'Cure-all claims — one supplement treating 15 unrelated conditions', 'Extreme testimonials — "Lost 50lbs in 2 weeks without changing diet"', 'No listed manufacturer address or third-party certification'].map((t,i) => `
${i+1}. ${t.split('—')[0].trim()}

${t.split('—')[1]?.trim()||''}

`).join('')}
Is all supplement marketing dishonest?
No. Many legitimate supplements are well-marketed with accurate claims. The red flags to watch for are: specific health claims without citations ("proven to cure X"), conspiracy framing ("Big Pharma doesn't want you to know"), extreme urgency ("price expires tonight"), and testimonials presented as evidence. Legitimate marketing cites specific clinical trials, lists full ingredient doses (not proprietary blends), and makes measured rather than miraculous claims.
What is the FTC's position on supplement marketing?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that advertising claims be truthful, not misleading, and backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence. "Clinically proven" requires human clinical trial evidence. Structure/function claims ("supports immune health") are permitted under DSHEA; disease claims ("cures cancer") are not. The FTC regularly issues warning letters and fines for deceptive supplement advertising.