Methodology

This is a public commitment. Every protocol verdict on this site passes two gates before it goes live. If it hasn't cleared both, it's marked "Still testing."

The science gate

≥2-3 peer-reviewed studies pointing in the same direction. One study is a signal worth tracking, not a conclusion. Effect size has to be statistically significant AND practically meaningful for athletes training at high intensity — not just lab results on sedentary subjects.

If primary research funding comes from the brand whose product is being tested, I flag it explicitly in the article.

The personal gate

≥3-4 weeks of personal testing across at least one full training microcycle. I track Garmin data before, during, and after: HRV status, Body Battery, sleep score at minimum. Same conditions, same timing, same execution. Random usage doesn't count.

The verdict scale

Useful

Science and 3-4 weeks of personal data point in the same direction.

Mixed

Science says yes but my data doesn't confirm it, or the reverse.

Overhyped

Marketing claim not supported by the research, or contradicted by my personal experience.

Still testing

Published with an explicit promise to update with my data at a specific future date.

What I don't write

AI does not write my verdicts, my data interpretations, my terrain experience, my contrarian opinions, or my IG captions. AI aggregates research and structures drafts. I fill in the truth.