My Research Process
Jules Walters • Nov. 8, 2022
My motivation is to make the world a more possible place through health, particularly for women. That means I spend days researching an emerging health topic, based on the latest science, so you don’t have to. I appreciate we’re all busy, with lots of competing responsibilities, so I do my very best to check the facts that will support you in making more informed decisions about your health.
Check the science
First, I check the peer-reviewed science, which means reading scientific papers written by one or more scientists and then checked by another group of scientists who are considered experts in the subject – and have published in a credible academic journal. If you’d like to check the research yourself, you can do a literature search on any topic I cover at the National Institute of Health’s National online Library of Medicine, called PubMed.
I then check credible medical sources in the US, including MayoClinic.org and Harvard Medical School. I pay particular attention to dosage and any reported side effects.
Check the official guidelines
Next come the official guidelines, including the National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements and the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
For supplements, I also check independent reviews – through third-parties such as LabDoor – to verify the package contains the ingredients the manufacturer says they do.
Summarize and connect
Then, I summarize my research in a way that people without a science degree can understand, with links to supporting sources so you can double check the information.
If you disagree with any of my findings or rankings, then please let me know at jules@julewalters.com. I’d love to hear from you.
Note on regulation
In terms of supplements, it’s important to remember that dietary supplements are not regulated in the US in the same strict way that pharmaceutical products are. That means a manufacturer can produce a supplement, say what’s in it and put it straight on the market without waiting for external approval. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will only intervene if its proven the supplement is unsafe. You can read more about the rules that do govern the supplement industry in the regulation article linked below.
