Upgraded Iodine

Six-dimension breakdown

Why this scored 56/100

Single-ingredient iodine in a nano-liquid delivery format from Upgraded Formulas. Iodine is a legitimate essential trace mineral required for thyroid hormone synthesis (T3, T4) with a Recommended Dietary Allowance of 150 mcg/day for adults and a Tolerable Upper Intake Level of 1,100 mcg/day. Where the product loses points: the claim stack ('reduces fatigue, cold sensitivity, and weight gain by improving thyroid function') implies iodine supplementation will fix subclinical hypothyroidism symptoms in the general population — a claim that only holds for people who are actually iodine-deficient. In iodine-sufficient adults (which most US adults are, thanks to iodized salt and dairy), additional iodine supplementation does not improve thyroid function and can paradoxically trigger or worsen autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's flares from iodine excess are a documented phenomenon). The 'nano' framing does not overcome the underlying issue that iodine excess in an iodine-sufficient person is not benign. Per-drop dose is disclosed, avoiding proprietary-blend autofail, but the population-level fatigue/weight-gain framing borders on unverified medical claim territory. Low-Standard tier as a targeted micronutrient for documented iodine insufficiency (pregnancy, restrictive diets, certain regions); not appropriate for undirected general-population use.

Evidence & sources

The Vyvata score's Evidence dimension measures the quality of published RCT support for a product's active ingredients at the label dose. Our source hierarchy: double-blind RCTs in MEDLINE-indexed journals > single-blind RCTs > open-label trials > observational studies > mechanism papers > N=1 case studies (anecdotes). Predatory journals and manufacturer-authored studies without independent replication are weighted down.

Product-specific evidence citations for this item are embedded in the analysis text on the "Analysis" tab. For the full framework and evidence hierarchy, see the methodology page.

How to read the Evidence dimension

• 80–100: Multiple double-blind RCTs in indexed journals directly testing this product OR the exact ingredients at the exact dose.
• 60–79: Single double-blind RCT + supporting ingredient literature at the studied dose.
• 40–59: Open-label trials + ingredient literature; no product-specific double-blind evidence.
• 20–39: Ingredient literature only; no product-specific trials or trials in predatory venues.
• 0–19: No credible evidence base or unverifiable claims.

FAQ data has not been generated for this product yet. See the site FAQ for general questions.

Customer reviews

All the data we have on this product

Every VSF-related metafield surfaced verbatim. Nothing hidden. If you spot data that looks wrong, let us know.

VSF score

56 / 100

Tier

Standard

Category

Supplements

Subcategory

vitamins micronutrients

Last scored

August 29, 2026

Third-party certifications

None on record at time of scoring

Vendor

Upgraded Formulas®

Product type

Supplements

Tags

Shopify Collective, Upgraded Formulas(R)

Every score is set from the published rubric, audit-logged, and rescored whenever new evidence emerges (published trials, updated labels, third-party testing releases). Every vendor is scored on the same criteria — no pay-to-play. See our editorial-independence disclosure for the full policy, including brands with an editorial relationship to this site.