How we grade evidence
Every inflammation.news story carries one grade for its main question. The grade is about the research, not about whether we like the idea.
The five grades
| Grade | What earns it | How we may write |
|---|---|---|
| Strong | Consistent meta-analyses of randomized trials in people, or a major clinical guideline | We may say "lowers" or "reduces" |
| Moderate | Some randomized trials, or large and consistent observational reviews | "Linked to", "may lower", with a safety note |
| Emerging | A few small human trials, or mixed results | "Early studies suggest"; framed as an option to discuss |
| Early | Animal, cell or not-yet-peer-reviewed research | Reported as a story only, never as advice |
| Not supported | Good evidence says it doesn't work | A myth check that explains why the idea sounds right |
Words follow the evidence
Studies that follow people over time can show a link, not a cause, so we write "linked to". Only randomized trials, where people are assigned to a treatment, can show that something lowers a marker, and we say exactly which trial measured it.
The checks every article must pass
- Every source is a real paper in PubMed and is not retracted.
- Every claim in the article is matched against the exact words of its source's abstract.
- Numbers in the article must appear in the cited sources.
- No banned phrases (cure, detox, miracle, superfood and similar) and no product claims.
- Plain language, at about an 8th-grade reading level.
- A "talk to your doctor first if" note on any advice.
Articles that fail, or that touch pregnancy, children, cancer treatment, changing a prescription or long fasts, are held for a person instead of published.
What a grade is not
A grade is not medical advice for you. It tells you how sure the research is on average, in the people who were studied. Your own situation can be different. See our medical disclaimer.
