Methodology

How to read The Verdict

Most health content tells you what sounds true.
The Verdict tells you how hard you can lean on it.

Verdict = direction

What does the evidence point to?

Conviction = confidence

How hard should you lean on it?

Conviction levels

High conviction

Act on it confidently.
Does not mean perfect. Means the practical call is stable.

Moderate conviction

Useful, but conditional.
The signal is real. The confidence around it is not fully stable yet.

Low conviction

Interesting, not reliable.
Too early, too mixed, or too indirect to bet on.

Insufficient evidence

Not enough quality human data yet.
Different from low. Means we cannot score it reliably in any direction.

The SIGNAL framework

Six factors. No single study determines the score.

S — Study quality
Were the studies actually good?
I — Independence
Do multiple strong studies agree?
G — Generalizability
Does this apply to real people?
N — Notability
Is the effect meaningful?
A — Applicability
Can this guide a real decision?
L — Limits
How much uncertainty remains?

The Verdict Score (0–100)

Reviews that have been through the SIGNAL rubric carry a Verdict Score: how strong the evidence is for the claims in that review. It measures confidence in the claims, not how large or important the effect is. About half the library is scored so far, and every new review ships scored.

80–100 — Strong evidence
Replicated, consistent human data.
60–79 — Mixed but supportive
The direction holds; the details are still settling.
40–59 — Uncertain
Evidence exists but conflicts or is thin.
0–39 — Weak support
Little or no quality human data behind the claim.

Action ROI and the Trust grade

Strong evidence does not automatically mean worth doing. Action ROI (0–100) is the worth-it call once real life is priced in: what it costs, the time and effort it takes, the risk it carries, and how much it moves your goal. The Trust grade (A–D) beside it says how solid the evidence behind that call is: A means you can lean on it, D means the call rests on thin data.

High ROI — cheap, easy, safe, and it moves the needle. Creatine scores 84/100 here.
Situational ROI — worth it for specific people or goals, not as a default.
Low / Poor ROI — the evidence, the price tag, or the effort does not justify it. The Skip List is built from these.

Leverage tiers

Some reviews carry a tier chip that says how much of your goal this one lever actually controls, based on effect sizes from intervention research.

Foundation — a primary driver. Get these right before anything else matters.
Builder — a meaningful contributor once the foundations are set; bigger than a booster, not a pillar.
Booster — a real but small edge once the foundations are handled.
Optional — fine if you enjoy it; do not expect it to change outcomes.
Distraction — attention spent here is attention taken from levers that work.

What makes this different

Most health content tells you what to do.
The Verdict tells you how much to trust that recommendation.

A single viral study is not the same as a replicated finding.
The conviction score captures that difference.

Every review includes an honest limitations section.
If the evidence has gaps, we say so.

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