LIMINATE · Guide to nootropics
Proprietary blend explained
A proprietary blend is a group of ingredients declared under one name with a single total weight, so you cannot see how much of each ingredient the product contains. US rules allow this format; EU food supplement law requires the amount of each nutrient or substance with a nutritional or physiological effect to be declared in numbers per daily portion. LUCID by LIMINATE declares all ten of its doses individually.
By Andreas C., founder of LIMINATE · 1 November 2026 · 6 min read
What a proprietary blend is
On a label, a proprietary blend usually looks like a branded name ("Alpha Matrix", "Morning Complex", "Signature Blend") followed by one weight, for example 1,200 mg, and a list of ingredients without individual quantities. The format comes from US law: under 21 CFR 101.36(c), a dietary supplement may declare a proprietary blend by its total weight, listing the ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight.
Brands defend blends as a way to protect a formula from copying. The cost of that protection is borne by the buyer, who loses the information needed to judge the product.
Why it hides what matters
- You cannot compare with research. Studies test specific amounts. Without the dose, you cannot tell whether an ingredient is present at the level studied or only in a trace.
- You cannot check stimulants. If caffeine sits inside a blend without its own figure, you cannot add it to your daily total. (EU law requires caffeine content per daily portion on food supplements; see below.)
- You cannot compare prices. Price per gram of blend says nothing about price per gram of each active ingredient.
- Order is not quantity. "Descending order" tells you the first ingredient weighs the most, not by how much. In a 1,200 mg blend of eight ingredients, the last six may share only a small fraction of the weight.
Blend versus transparent label: an illustration
The example below is fictitious, built to show the difference. It does not describe any real product.
| Proprietary blend format | Transparent format |
|---|---|
| "Prime Complex" 1,200 mg: L-tyrosine, citicoline, Rhodiola rosea, L-theanine, caffeine, ginger | L-tyrosine 500 mg · citicoline 250 mg · Rhodiola rosea extract (3% rosavins) 200 mg · L-theanine 150 mg · caffeine 75 mg · ginger extract (5% gingerols) 25 mg |
| Caffeine: unknown | Caffeine: 75 mg per daily portion |
| Extract strength: unknown | Standardisation stated |
| Comparable with studies: no | Comparable with studies: yes |
How to spot one on a label
- A branded group name ("matrix", "complex", "blend", "formula", "system") with one weight in milligrams.
- A list of ingredients under that name with no figures, or with an asterisk instead of a quantity.
- Plant extracts named without a ratio or a standardisation ("Rhodiola rosea" alone).
- A caffeine source (guarana, green tea, coffee bean) with no caffeine figure in mg.
- A long list of ingredients in very few capsules: check that the total weight can physically hold meaningful doses.
Our Journal article how to read a nootropic label walks through a complete label line by line.
What EU rules require
| Text | What it requires |
|---|---|
| Directive 2002/46/EC, Art. 6(3) | The names of the categories of nutrients or substances that characterise the product; the recommended daily portion; a warning not to exceed it; that food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet; storage out of reach of young children |
| Directive 2002/46/EC, Art. 8 | The amount of nutrients or substances with a nutritional or physiological effect declared in numerical form, per portion recommended for daily consumption |
| Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, Art. 18 and 22 | An ingredient list in descending order of weight, and the quantity (QUID) of any ingredient highlighted in the name, words or pictures |
| Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, Annex III, point 4.2 | For added caffeine: "Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children or pregnant women", with the caffeine content per daily portion for food supplements |
In practice, a food supplement sold in the EU must give figures for its active substances. A blend name may still appear as a heading, but the individual quantities of the substances with a nutritional or physiological effect should be on the label. A product imported directly from outside the EU, for example from a US website, may not follow these rules. More on the legal framework in nootropics and EU regulation.
LIMINATE's choice
LUCID has no blend. Each of its ten ingredients has its own dose per three-capsule serving, and every plant extract states its standardisation:
Acetyl-L-tyrosine 650 mg · citicoline 350 mg · Rhodiola rosea 300 mg (3% rosavins, 1% salidroside) · L-theanine 255 mg · L-phenylalanine 130 mg · uridine monophosphate 100 mg · anhydrous caffeine 70 mg · ginger root extract 50 mg (5% gingerols) · Safr'inside® saffron extract 28 mg (2% safranal) · piperine 5 mg (95%).
Each dose is explained on its own page in our dose-by-dose guide. Every batch is tested by Eurofins in Antwerp. In our comparison of six nootropics sold in Europe, all six publish per-ingredient doses on their official pages, which shows that full transparency is achievable. See the LUCID label.
FAQ
Is a proprietary blend illegal in the EU?
The name of a blend is not forbidden as such, but EU food supplement law requires the amounts of substances with a nutritional or physiological effect to be stated in numbers per daily portion. A label giving only the total weight of a blend of active ingredients does not provide that information.
Why do brands use proprietary blends?
The usual reason given is protecting a formula from competitors. It also makes it impossible for buyers to check whether ingredients are present at meaningful levels.
Does "descending order" tell me the dose?
No. It only tells you which ingredient weighs more than the next, not by how much.
How do I know how much caffeine a blend contains?
If no figure is given, you cannot. In the EU, food supplements with added caffeine must state the caffeine content per daily portion.
Is a long ingredient list a good sign?
Not necessarily. Many ingredients in a few capsules can mean small amounts of each. Check the dose of every ingredient and the total capsule weight.
Does LUCID use a proprietary blend?
No. LUCID declares the dose of each of its ten ingredients and the standardisation of every plant extract.
Sources
- Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements, Articles 6 and 8. EUR-Lex
- Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 on food information to consumers, Articles 18 and 22, Annex III. EUR-Lex
- US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 101.36 (Nutrition labeling of dietary supplements). law.cornell.edu
- FPS Public Health (Belgium), notification of food supplements. health.belgium.be
LUCID is a food supplement. It does not replace a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. Contains caffeine (70 mg per serving): not recommended for children or for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Keep out of reach of young children. This page is informative and does not constitute legal advice.
