How we review evidence.
Research Rats is an independent, evidence-first platform. Our authority rests on one thing: intellectual honesty. This page sets out exactly how we assess a compound, what we will and will not cite, and the boundaries we hold.
Every breakdown answers five questions
This is the operational form of “evidence-first.” If a piece of content cannot answer these five questions, it is not ready to publish.
- 01
What is the claim?
We state the specific claim being made about a compound in plain language — not a vague impression, but the actual assertion to be tested.
- 02
What is the proposed mechanism?
We explain how the compound is thought to work at a biological level. A plausible mechanism is a reason to investigate — never, on its own, proof that something works.
- 03
What evidence supports it?
We summarise the studies that back the claim and say plainly what kind they are: cell culture, animal, small human, or randomised controlled trial.
- 04
What evidence contradicts or limits it?
We foreground the negative, null and limiting evidence — failed trials, conflicting findings, small samples, single research groups, short follow-up.
- 05
What remains unknown?
We name the open questions honestly: long-term safety, human efficacy, dose-response, and where the evidence simply does not yet exist.
Not all evidence counts the same
A claim is only as strong as the evidence under it. We weight evidence by type, from weakest to strongest, and say which tier a compound actually sits on.
Each article carries a single overall evidence rating that summarises this judgement:
Mostly preclinical / animal data; limited human evidence.
Some human data, but inconsistent or early-stage.
Reasonable human evidence, though gaps remain.
Robust clinical-trial evidence (often regulator-reviewed).
Why we exclude vendor sources
Independence is structural, not cosmetic. We do not sell peptides or compounds, and we do not cite anyone who does. A source whose business depends on selling the compound it is describing has a reason to overstate the evidence — so it is not evidence we will use.
We will not cite peptide vendors, supplement sellers, reseller or affiliate pages, clinic sales pages, grey-market supplier pages, social-media posts presented as evidence, or unsourced AI-generated summaries.
We prefer peer-reviewed and PubMed-indexed literature, DOI-linked journals, clinical-trial registries, regulatory agencies (FDA, EMA, MHRA), recognised scientific institutions, and sports-governance bodies such as WADA for prohibited-status claims. Where the only available evidence is weak, we say so explicitly rather than dressing it up.
Uncertainty stays in view. Dosing advice does not.
Most of the compounds we cover are promising in theory and unproven in people. We foreground that uncertainty deliberately — the gaps in the evidence are usually the most important part of the story, not a footnote.
We describe doses only as they were studied or reported in the literature, never as a recommendation. Research Rats does not provide dosing advice, design protocols or cycles, or tell anyone what to take. That is a deliberate boundary, not an oversight: it is the line between education and medical advice, and we hold it.
How we handle updates and mistakes
Evidence moves. Trials report, findings are overturned, and papers are sometimes retracted. When the evidence changes, we update the breakdown and its review date rather than leaving a stale claim in place. Every article shows when it was last reviewed.
If we get something wrong, we want to know. Email hello@researchrats.co.uk with the article and the source, and we will correct it.
What Research Rats is — and is not
It is
- An independent evidence-analysis platform.
- Mechanism-led, source-led research education.
- Honest about uncertainty and weak evidence.
- For curious minds who want to understand the science.
It is not
- A vendor, clinic or prescribing service.
- A source of personalised medical advice.
- A dosing, protocol or cycle-design service.
- A hype-led biohacking blog.
Disclaimer. For educational and research purposes only. Not medical advice. We do not sell peptides or compounds.