Editorial Policy

This page documents the standards VitalShots follows in producing every published article. We make it public so readers can hold us accountable.

1. Sourcing Standards

Every factual claim in our articles must be supported by at least one of the following:

  • A peer-reviewed study indexed in PubMed (citation includes the PMID, linked directly to the source)
  • A meta-analysis or systematic review from a recognized medical journal
  • A position statement from a recognized medical or scientific organization
  • Primary historical or ethnographic documentation (for articles on traditional practices)

We do not cite blog posts, social media, or unsourced popular articles as primary evidence.

2. Citation Verification

This is the standard we hold ourselves to most strictly. Before publication, for every citation:

  1. The PMID is confirmed to exist and to match the study we are citing, against the live PubMed record.
  2. The study’s actual finding is read and compared to the claim in our article. A claim may never say more than the study showed. Specifically, we check that:
    • A trial with a non-significant (“null”) result is never presented as if it proved benefit
    • Animal or laboratory findings are never written as established human effects
    • A study in one population is never used to support a claim about a different population
    • Observational associations are described as associations, not as proven cause and effect
  3. Our wording is matched to the level of evidence: “a trial found”, “is associated with”, “in animal studies”, or “laboratory studies suggest a mechanism whereby.”

If a claim cannot be supported at the level it’s written, we rewrite it or remove it.

3. Authorship and Transparency

VitalShots articles are researched and written by our in-house editorial team and published under the VitalShots Editorial Team byline. We do not publish under invented expert personas, and we do not assign credentials (Dr., RD, ND, MD, and so on) to writers who do not hold them.

When an article has been reviewed by a licensed health professional, that reviewer is named with their real, verifiable credentials at the top of the article. Our writers are researchers and health writers rather than treating clinicians; for that reason all of our content is educational and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

4. Corrections Policy

When we identify or are notified of a factual error:

  1. The error is corrected within the article.
  2. For substantive errors, a correction notice is added at the top of the article documenting what changed and when.

We do not silently edit published articles to erase inaccuracies. Reader trust depends on transparent correction.

5. How We Make Money

VitalShots is supported in two ways, and we keep a clear wall between our business and our editorial:

  • Display advertising served through third-party ad networks. These ads are automated and clearly distinguishable from editorial content. No advertiser influences what we cover or conclude.
  • Our own educational products. Vitalizate LLC develops and sells its own health guides and protocols. When we mention them, we identify them clearly as ours.

We do not publish sponsored posts disguised as editorial, and we do not accept payment for product placements. We do not currently use third-party affiliate links in our editorial content; if that ever changes, every such link will be clearly disclosed, every time. See our full Disclosure.

6. Medical Content Standards

Our articles cover health topics but are not medical advice. We follow these principles:

  • We never advise starting or stopping a prescribed medication without medical supervision.
  • We disclose contraindications when discussing supplements or interventions.
  • We prefer language like “supports”, “modulates”, and “associated with” over “cures” or “treats.”
  • Every article carries a medical disclaimer linking to our full Medical Disclaimer.

7. Reader Feedback

We treat reader corrections and questions as part of our editorial process. To submit feedback, see our Contact page.

8. Independence Statement

VitalShots is owned and operated by Vitalizate LLC, an independent media company. We are not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company or supplement manufacturer. Our editorial direction is set by our editorial team alone, independent of our advertisers. Where we have a commercial interest — namely our own guides and protocols — we disclose it.

9. Images and Illustrations

Some illustrations and images on VitalShots are created with AI tools and are used for educational illustration only. Photographs, where used, are either licensed or original. We do not use AI to depict real people, and we do not present AI-generated images as photographs of real individuals, patients, or results.