How I Fact-Check Health Claims Before Buying Anything

What You'll Learn

• How to use Consensus.app to test health claims against peer-reviewed research
• When to trust systematic reviews vs. single studies
• How to personalize supplement decisions using your blood test data in ChatGPT
• A shopping workflow for finding high-quality supplements at the best price

Timestamps

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:03 The problem: 15 years of conflicting health advice
• 2:44 Demo: Testing BCAAs in Consensus.app
• 5:17 Red flags: What makes me reject a supplement
• 6:42 Positive example: Researching creatine
• 8:49 When consensus disproves what you've heard
• 10:03 Beyond supplements: Training programs and sauna research
• 11:55 James mentions Examine.com as an alternative
• 12:40 Step 2: Personalizing with ChatGPT and blood tests
• 14:46 Real example: Why iron supplements weren't right for me
• 16:17 AI catching a multivitamin conflict with high iron
• 16:50 What if you don't have blood tests?
• 19:11 Step 3: Shopping for quality supplements
• 20:35 Why we avoid buying supplements on Amazon
• 22:28 Is all this research actually worth the time?
• 23:51 Putting it together: The complete workflow
• 25:16 Wrap-up

Key Takeaways

• Test claims before spending money — Use Consensus.app to check if science actually supports what you've heard from podcasts, ads, or friends
• Look for systematic reviews and meta-analyses — These aggregate many studies and provide the strongest evidence
• Personalize with your data — What's good for the general population might not be right for your specific blood markers
• AI catches conflicts you'd miss — ChatGPT flagged that Will's multivitamin contained iron when his levels were already high
• Brain first, AI, brain again — Use critical thinking on both sides of any recommendation

The Workflow

1. Hear a claim → Podcast, ad, friend, or influencer suggests something
2. Check Consensus.app → Get a broad view of the scientific literature
3. Personalize with ChatGPT → Upload blood tests and health context
4. Shop smart → Use AI to find high-quality, third-party tested options at good prices

Resources Mentioned

• Consensus.app — AI-powered search of peer-reviewed scientific literature (free tier available)
• Examine.com — Evidence-based supplement information