Quick answer: A proprietary blend is a group of ingredients listed on a supplement label under a single name with only the total combined weight disclosed — not the individual dose of each ingredient. You can see which ingredients are listed, but not the amount of each one. PurePump's label lists each active ingredient and its per-serving amount rather than using a proprietary blend.
What Is a Proprietary Blend?
A proprietary blend — sometimes labeled as a "proprietary matrix," "performance complex," "energy blend," or any number of branded names — is a labeling practice where a supplement manufacturer groups multiple ingredients together and discloses only the total weight of the entire group, not the individual weight of each ingredient within it.
Here's what it looks like on a label:
Explosive Performance Matrix: 7,500mg L-Citrulline Malate, Beta-Alanine, Creatine Monohydrate, Taurine, L-Tyrosine, Caffeine Anhydrous, BioPerine
You see seven ingredients. You see that the total blend weighs 7,500mg. What you don't see is the individual amount of citrulline, creatine, or caffeine in that total. The label does not provide enough information to calculate those amounts.
The FDA requires supplement manufacturers to list each ingredient by name. It does not require them to disclose the individual dose of each ingredient within a proprietary blend. Only the total blend weight is mandatory. The individual ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight — so the first ingredient listed is present in the largest amount — but "largest amount" could mean 90% of the blend or 15%. That ordering is the only clue you get.
The key limitation is informational: the label does not let you compare an individual ingredient amount with a specific study or another product.
Why Do Brands Use Proprietary Blends?
Brands may use proprietary blends for formula-design or trade-secret reasons. Regardless of the reason, the consumer-facing limitation is the same: the label does not disclose each ingredient amount.
Reason 1: "To Protect Our Unique Formula"
This is the official explanation — and on its surface, it sounds reasonable. A brand has developed a specific ratio of ingredients that they believe produces superior results, and they don't want competitors to copy it.
Whether that rationale is persuasive is a buyer judgment. It does not change what the label discloses.
Reason 2: Formula disclosure choice
A proprietary blend can contain ingredients that have been studied elsewhere, but the grouped label does not show whether an individual amount matches a particular study. That is a limit on comparison, not proof of an inadequate dose.
Reason 3: Formulation flexibility
FDA labeling rules govern what must appear on a proprietary-blend label. A consumer cannot infer individual ingredient amounts from the blend total alone, even when the ingredients are listed in descending order by weight.
Reason 4: Marketing Psychology
"Proprietary" describes the label format; it does not, by itself, show the quality or likely effect of a formula.
What a blend total can and cannot tell you
A blend total tells you the combined weight of the listed ingredients. The ingredient order can indicate relative weight, but it does not provide each amount. A shopper can compare the total and ingredient list, but cannot calculate an individual amount from that information alone.
The "Pixie Dusting" Problem
"Pixie dusting" is an informal term for a small amount of an ingredient. A proprietary blend label does not give enough information to determine whether that label applies to any particular ingredient.
The FDA Rules: What's Required and What Isn't
21 CFR 101.36(c) sets the Supplement Facts labeling rules for proprietary blends:
Required: - Each ingredient must be listed by name - The total weight of any proprietary blend must be disclosed - Ingredients within a blend must be listed in descending order by predominance (weight) - Certain nutrients with established Daily Values (vitamins, minerals) must show individual amounts even within a blend
Not Required: - Individual doses of each ingredient within a proprietary blend - Justification for why a blend is "proprietary" - Any proof that the formula is actually unique or trade-secret-worthy
This rule permits grouped disclosure. It does not establish whether a particular formula is unique, effective, or appropriate for a particular person.
How to Spot a Proprietary Blend on a Label
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A named group of ingredients with only one total weight — instead of individual mg/mcg amounts next to each ingredient, you see a single weight for the entire group.
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Buzzword blend names — "Proprietary Blend," "Matrix," "Complex," "Formula," "Stack," or branded names like "XtremeForce Matrix" followed by a single total weight.
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Missing individual milligram amounts — if an ingredient doesn't have its own dosage listed, it's part of a blend.
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Compare the blend total with your question — if you need to compare an individual ingredient with a study, a grouped total does not supply that individual amount.
On a fully transparent label, every ingredient has its own line with its own dosage. No blends. No matrices. No total-weight-only disclosures. You can evaluate each ingredient against published research and decide whether the product is worth your money.
The Do Vitamins Approach: Full Disclosure, Every Ingredient, Every Dose
PurePump's current label uses no proprietary blend. Here are its 15 listed active ingredients and per-serving amounts:
PurePump Pre-Workout | Serving Size: 2 Scoops (7.7g) | 30 Servings | $46.95 ($1.57/full serving) | Calories: 25
| Ingredient | Branded Source | Per Serving (2 Scoops) |
|---|---|---|
| Beta-Alanine | CarnoSyn® | 2,000mg |
| L-Citrulline | — | 2,000mg |
| Creatine Monohydrate | — | 1,000mg |
| L-Arginine | AjiPure® | 500mg |
| L-Carnitine L-Tartrate | Carnipure™ | 500mg |
| L-Leucine | AjiPure® | 500mg |
| L-Isoleucine | AjiPure® | 250mg |
| L-Valine | AjiPure® | 250mg |
| Caffeine (Coffee Bean) | Natural Caffeine (Coffee Bean) | 200mg |
| Alpha Lipoic Acid | — | 100mg |
| Vitamin C | Quali-C® | 60mg |
| Niacin | — | 20mg |
| Vitamin B6 | Pyridoxine HCl | 10mg |
| Folate | Orgen-FA® | 400mcg DFE |
| Vitamin B12 | Methylcobalamin | 50mcg |
That's 15 listed active ingredients in a 7.7g serving. The current ingredient list contains no artificial flavors or sweeteners, and the label lists the amount of each active ingredient.
Formula density does not establish a performance outcome. It does make the comparison simpler: you can see the 15 listed ingredients and their amounts, then decide whether the formula fits your priorities.
You can take every single ingredient and dose, compare it to published research, and evaluate the product on its merits. You can do your own math. That's the point.
Formula disclosure and buyer choice
Some brands treat ingredient ratios as proprietary. A fully disclosed label makes it easier for a buyer to compare the listed form and amount with a particular study or another product. It does not establish an outcome by itself.
How Proprietary Blends Affect Competitive Athletes
For athletes subject to drug testing, a proprietary blend gives less information for comparing label amounts. It does not itself establish that a product contains a prohibited substance. Athletes should consult their sport's current anti-doping authority and use lot-specific third-party records where available.
Athletes in drug-tested sports should look for full disclosure labeling and lot-specific third-party records. PurePump's label lists every ingredient and dose; a certificate should be matched to the lot on the product before it is used as batch-specific evidence.
View the September 2026 PurePump Unflavored lot-797797 BSCG certificate →
Full disclosure can make a label easier to evaluate before purchase.
Shop PurePump® — Full Disclosure, Every Ingredient, Every Dose →
FAQ
Are all proprietary blends bad?
Not necessarily. A proprietary blend is a permitted label format. Its limitation is that a buyer cannot see the individual ingredient amounts, so cannot compare those amounts directly with a particular study.
Are proprietary blends legal?
Yes. Under 21 CFR 101.36(c), proprietary blends list the total blend weight and the dietary ingredients in descending order by weight. Individual amounts are not required for each dietary ingredient in the blend, except where the rule requires an amount for a nutrient with an established Daily Value.
How can I tell if a product uses a proprietary blend?
Look at the Supplement Facts panel. If you see a group of ingredients listed under a single name (like "Performance Matrix" or "Energy Blend") with only one total weight for the group — rather than individual milligram amounts for each ingredient — that's a proprietary blend. Fully transparent labels list each ingredient on its own line with its own dose.
If ingredients are listed in descending order, can't I estimate the doses?
Only very roughly. The list order indicates relative weight, but does not disclose each amount. It cannot establish the amount of a particular ingredient.
Why don't more brands use full disclosure labeling?
Brands may choose a proprietary blend for different reasons. The consumer-facing tradeoff is consistent: it does not disclose individual ingredient amounts.
Does Do Vitamins use any proprietary blends?
No. PurePump's label discloses 15 active ingredients with per-serving amounts. There are no proprietary blends, matrices, complexes, or grouped weights on its Supplement Facts panel. The serving size is 2 scoops (7.7g), and the branded sources listed include AjiPure, CarnoSyn, Carnipure, Quali-C, and Orgen-FA.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.