How We Distinguish Evidence From Marketing Claims

What counts as evidence

See how we research and review.

Common marketing patterns

• Unsourced benefit claims“Boosts energy” with no study.
• Borrowed evidenceTrials of a different extract.
• Vague quality words“Pure”, “premium”, “gold grade”.
• TestimonialsPersonal stories presented as proof.
• Numbers without context“84 minerals”, “60% fulvic”.
• Tradition as proof“Used for 3,000 years”.

Our claims checker covers common examples.

The tests we apply

1. Is there a source?A study, report or document.
2. Is the source direct?Human, same preparation, same population.
3. Is it proportionate?Does the claim match the strength of the source?
4. Is it current?The batch on sale, the latest research.

How we source our own claims

Factual statements on our site link to numbered sources at the end of each page. Where we give our own interpretation or recommendation, we present it as our judgement. Where evidence is missing, we say so rather than fill the gap; see how we grade evidence.

Proportion matters

A claim can be based on real evidence and still overstate it. “Shilajit raised testosterone in a 90-day trial of healthy men aged 45 to 55” is proportionate to the evidence.^[1] “Shilajit boosts testosterone” isn’t, and under UK rules it would be an unauthorised health claim;^[2] see testosterone claims.

First-hand checks as evidence

When we place an order, inspect a delivery or match a batch number to a report, we describe exactly what we did and what it shows. A purchase test shows what happened with one order; it doesn’t prove a product’s effects; see how we review products.

Commercial relationships

We have commercial relationships, which we disclose wherever relevant. They don’t change how we classify evidence: a brand’s claims are tested the same way whether or not it is a partner; see conflicts of interest and editorial independence.

Applying the same tests yourself

You can use the four tests above on any product page or article, including ours. Ask for the source, check whether it is direct, decide whether the claim is proportionate, and check it is current. If any answer is missing, treat the statement as marketing until shown otherwise.

Putting it into practice

Pick one claim on a product page and trace it to its source. You will often find either no source, a study of a different preparation, or a modest finding described in confident language. That one exercise makes the difference between evidence and marketing easy to see.

Examples of the same fact, two ways

When we get it wrong

We correct errors openly and note significant corrections on our updates log. If you think a statement on our site goes beyond its evidence, tell us at info@bestshilajituk.com.

Why the distinction matters

Shilajit is marketed heavily, much of it on social media, and the line between information and advertising is often blurred. Being able to separate evidence from marketing protects you from paying for promises the research doesn’t support, and helps you focus on the things that do matter, such as batch testing and safety.

In short

Evidence is sourced, direct, proportionate and current. Ask for all four every time.

What this means for readers

You don’t need scientific training to separate evidence from marketing. Asking “what is the source?” and “does the claim match it?” covers most cases. When a seller can’t answer either question, you have learned something useful about how much to trust the rest of its marketing. Over time, asking these questions becomes automatic, and marketing that leans on vague promises becomes easy to recognise. You will find that the most trustworthy sellers are usually the ones who answer both questions without being asked twice. Keep asking both questions, of every claim you read. Over time, that habit will save you money, time and disappointment with products that promise far more than they deliver.

The bottom line

Evidence is sourced, direct, proportionate and current. Marketing often isn’t. We tie our statements to sources, label our judgements and disclose our relationships, and we encourage readers to apply the same tests to everything they read, including us.

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