Study Types
RCT
Randomized Controlled Trial
A study where participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups.
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) is considered the gold standard of clinical research. Participants are randomly allocated to either an intervention group (receiving the supplement being studied) or a control group (receiving a placebo or standard treatment). Randomization minimizes selection bias and ensures that differences in outcomes can be attributed to the intervention rather than confounding factors. RCTs provide the strongest evidence for establishing cause-and-effect relationships between supplements and health outcomes.