Research · Setup in 8 min· Setup Pass

Set up Elicit for supplement research in 8 minutes

Configure Elicit to run a systematic literature review on any supplement or health claim.

A new supplement hits the market, claiming to improve sleep. Instead of relying on marketing, you can use Elicit to survey the actual scientific literature and check the evidence for yourself. This setup creates a structured, repeatable workflow for supplement research.

Before you start

• An Elicit account
• A specific supplement or health claim to investigate
• 8 quiet minutes

The steps

1. 01

   Start a new workflow

   From the Elicit dashboard, select 'Literature Review'. This is your primary tool for asking a question and getting a summary of relevant academic papers.

2. 02

   Phrase your research question

   Instead of just typing a supplement name, phrase your query as a specific question. For example, 'Does ashwagandha improve sleep quality in adults?' This tells Elicit to look for papers with interventions and outcomes, not just mentions.

3. 03

   Filter for high-quality evidence

   Once Elicit returns initial results, use the 'Filter' option on the left. Select 'Has PDF' to ensure you can read the full paper. More importantly, add a filter for 'Study Type' and select 'Randomized Controlled Trial' to prioritize the highest quality of evidence for your review.

4. 04

   Add columns to extract data

   This is how you build a data ledger from the research. Click the 'Add Column' button. Ask Elicit to extract specific data points like 'Dosage', 'Study population characteristics', and 'Reported outcomes'. Elicit will read the abstracts—and sometimes full papers—to fill this table for you.

5. 05

   Synthesize and export your findings

   Review the summary at the top and the table you have built. This is your evidence ledger, the second layer of the 3-Layer Method. You can export the results as a CSV file to use in other tools or share with a practitioner to inform your personal health protocol.