Examine.com

{{Infobox website

| name = Examine.com

| logo =

| url = [http://examine.com/ Examine.com]

| type = Wiki, database

| language = English

| launch_date = 2011

| current_status = active

| industry = Nutrition, Supplements

| creators = Sol Orwell, Kamal Patel, Kurtis Frank

}}

Examine.com is a Toronto-based{{cite web |url=https://examine.com/contact/ |title=Contact Us |publisher=examine.com |accessdate=1 August 2024}} company that runs an online encyclopedia covering health, nutrition and supplementation. The website collates scientific research using evidence-based practice methodology. Examine.com is led by Kamal Patel, and includes scientists, editors and peer reviewers.{{cite web|title=About Examine.com|url=http://examine.com/about/|publisher=Examine.com|access-date=27 May 2015}}

History

Examine.com was created in 2011 by University of Toronto alumnus Sol Orwell out of his frustration with users on reddit asking the same questions over and over again.{{cite web|title=How Examine.com Founder Sol Orwell Built a 7-Figure Business off of Reddit|date=22 March 2016 |url=https://growandconvert.com/marketing/examine-sol-orwell-reddit/e|publisher=Grow & Convert|access-date=9 November 2021}} Kurtis Frank had posted on a public forum that he had been doing nutrition research, and wanted to improve accessibility to such information. He was contacted by Orwell, and they created the website, with Frank becoming co-founder.{{cite web|title=Science of Supplements with Kurtis Frank|date=15 November 2015 |url=https://pages.sanesolution.com/science-of-supplements-with-kurtis-frank/|access-date=6 December 2022}}{{cite web|title=Kurtis Frank on the Art and Science of Making Science-Based Supplements|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kurtis-frank-on-the-art-and-science-of-making/id671863400?i=1000491182947|access-date=6 December 2022}} Orwell had already thought of the idea from his weight loss journey and frustration with info on supplements, but wanted an expert alongside.{{cite web|title=About Examine.com|url=https://examine.com/about/|access-date=6 December 2022|archive-date=19 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819114442/https://examine.com/about/|url-status=bot: unknown}} Frank left Examine sometime in 2018, when his name was removed from the site.{{cite web|title=About Examine.com|url=https://examine.com/about/|access-date=6 December 2022|archive-date=19 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819114442/https://examine.com/about/|url-status=bot: unknown}}

The company began with a focus on supplementation research, but expanded into nutrition as it continued to grow.{{cite web|title=A new website for supplement answers|url=http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/supplements/a-new-website-for-supplement-answers|publisher=Men's Fitness|access-date=27 May 2015}}{{cite web|title=Co-Founder of Examine.com|url=http://signaltower.co/sol-orwell/|publisher=SignalTower.co|access-date=29 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304020712/http://signaltower.co/sol-orwell/|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Q&A: What Supplements Should I Take?|url=http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/supplements/qa-what-supplements-should-i-take|publisher=Men's Fitness|access-date=29 May 2015}} During the initial research that led to the company's founding, Orwell noticed that "outlandish claims were muddling the waters" of nutrition and supplementation, leading to the site's standard of evidence-based analysis.

{{cite web|title=Interview With Sol Orwell From Examine.com|url=http://nutritionstripped.com/helpful-resource-examine-com/|publisher=Nutritionstripped.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311124058/http://nutritionstripped.com/helpful-resource-examine-com/|archive-date=March 11, 2015 |url-status=dead}}

In 2014, the company began directly reviewing nutrition research in a digest tailored to the "serious enthusiast or professional".{{cite web|title=Q&A: What Supplements Should I Take?|url=http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/supplements/qa-what-supplements-should-i-take|publisher=Men's Fitness|access-date=29 May 2015}}

Men's Fitness named Orwell a 2014 Game Changer for his work on Examine.com and for providing "hype-free, science-sourced information relatable to the masses."{{cite web|title=Game Changers 2014: Sol Orwell|url=http://www.mensfitness.com/life/entertainment/game-changers-2014-sol-orwell|publisher=mensfitness.com|access-date=29 May 2015}}

In 2015, Forbes interviewed Orwell about his "seven-figure business",{{cite web|title=A Young Entrepreneur's Passion For Hacking His Diet Sparks A Seven-Figure Business|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepofeldt/2015/07/30/a-young-entrepreneurs-passion-for-hacking-his-diet-sparks-a-seven-figure-business/2/|work=Forbes|access-date=20 September 2015}} and Fast Company included Examine.com as one of the top ten innovative companies in fitness.{{cite web|title=The World's Top 10 Most Innovative Companies Of 2015 In Fitness|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3041643/most-innovative-companies-2015/the-worlds-top-10-most-innovative-companies-of-2015-in-fitnes|publisher=Fast Company|access-date=27 May 2015}} The company was incorporated in 2015, with Kamal Patel officially joining as co-founder.{{cite web|title=How Examine.com Became One of the Biggest Nutrition Websites on the Internet – Kamal Patels|url=https://www.theunconventionalrd.com/episode048/|publisher=Erica Julson|access-date=11 November 2021}}{{cite web|title=About Examine|url=http://examine.com/about|publisher=Examine.com|access-date=11 November 2021}}

As of September 2016, the website said that it had over 50,000 references.{{cite web|title=List of Supplements|url=http://examine.com/supplements|publisher=Examine.com|access-date=15 September 2016}}

By 2020, the website was being used by mainstream media such as The New York Times as a supplements reference in the context of strength-building advice and understanding the role of supplements during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web|title=How to Get Strong |url=https://www.nytimes.com/guides/year-of-living-better/how-to-build-muscle-strength|work=The New York Times|access-date=26 March 2020}}{{cite news|title=Supplements for Coronavirus Probably Won't Help, and May Harm |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/well/live/coronavirus-supplements-herbs-vitamins-colds-flu.html |work=The New York Times|date=23 March 2020 |access-date=26 March 2020|last1=O'Connor |first1=Anahad }} The same year, inspired by GiveWell, Examine.com started publicly disclosing the mistakes they had committed and how they were fixing them.{{cite web|title=Mistakes by Examine.com|url=https://examine.com/about/our-mistakes/|publisher=Examine.com|access-date=28 February 2020}}

In 2020, Examine.com Director Kamal Patel was named #1 Most Influential Man in Health & Fitness by Men's Health UK.{{cite magazine |author= |title=26 Most Influential Men in Health & Fitness |url=https://www.menshealth.com/uk/ |url-status=dead |magazine=Men's Health UK |location=London, England |publisher=Men's Health |issue=202010|date=September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181212160530/https://www.menshealth.com/uk/ |archive-date=12 December 2018|access-date=5 January 2021}} [https://articles.cafeyn.co/2d7fc9/men-s-health-uk/2020-09-03/kamal-patel Alt URL]

Company structure

Remaining unbiased is named as a priority in the site's mission statement. Examine.com only reviews research and supplement ingredients, rather than specific products.{{cite web|title=Game Changers 2014: Sol Orwell|url=http://www.mensfitness.com/life/entertainment/game-changers-2014-sol-orwell|publisher=mensfitness.com|access-date=29 May 2015}} On the company blog, Examine.com publishes rebuttals to cases of exaggerated marketing of nutrition and supplementation products.{{cite web|title=Is low-carb really the best weight loss diet?|url=http://examine.com/blog/is-low-carb-really-the-best-weight-loss-diet/

|publisher=Examine.com|access-date=27 May 2015}}{{cite web|title=High-Protein Diets Linked to Cancer: Should You Be Concerned?|url=http://examine.com/blog/high-protein-diets-linked-to-cancer-should-you-be-concerned/|publisher=Examine.com|access-date=27 May 2015}}{{cite web|title=Do muscle building supplements cause testicular cancer? A deeper look at the latest study on MBS usage and testicular cancer|url=http://examine.com/blog/do-muscle-building-supplements-cause-testicular-cancer-a-deeper-look-at-the-latest-study-on-mbs-usage-and-testicular-cancer/|publisher=Examine.com|access-date=27 May 2015}}