Our Methodology
How we research, what data we use, what disqualifies a recommendation, and how often we refresh content.
At Home Biohacking covers wellness devices that consumers buy and use at home. The category is YMYL-adjacent: the wrong recommendation can affect physical and financial wellbeing. We are a research-led publication anchored in peer-reviewed studies. This page documents the evidence hierarchy we use, what claims we will and will not make, and how we keep content current.
What we evaluate
Evidence quality
Randomized controlled trials beat observational studies, which beat case reports, which beat anecdotes. We name the evidence tier when stating any health-relevant claim and link to the PMID or DOI.
Effect size and clinical relevance
A statistically significant 2% improvement is not the same as a clinically meaningful 30% improvement. We state effect sizes when known and call out when they are small.
Device specifications relative to studies
A red light panel that uses 660nm + 850nm at the irradiance levels used in published trials is more defensible than one that does not. We do not assume one device works because another in the category did.
Safety profile
Contraindications, interactions, populations who should not use the device (pregnancy, pacemakers, photosensitivity drugs, etc.).
Build quality and warranty
Same as our consumer-product peers: defect rate, warranty length, parts pipeline.
Data sources we use
- PubMed (peer-reviewed publications) — every health claim is backed by a PMID or DOI
- Cochrane reviews and systematic meta-analyses when available
- ClinicalTrials.gov for trial methodology
- Manufacturer specifications (verified against device manuals)
- Owner reviews for build-quality and warranty signals (not for efficacy)
- Adverse-event registries (FDA MedWatch, MAUDE database) for safety signals
What disqualifies a recommendation
If any of the following are true, we will either decline to recommend the product, downgrade its rating, or publish a cautionary page rather than a normal review:
- Unsupported medical claims (cures, treats, prevents disease) on the manufacturer page
- Device specs that do not match any device used in supportive published research
- Documented pattern of safety-relevant defects or recalls
- Refusal to honor warranty or hidden subscription gating safety features
How often we refresh content
Health-claim pages are medically reviewed every 180 days against current PubMed indexing. Product reviews are refreshed every 90 days. Each page carries a "Last medically reviewed" date stamp where applicable.
Conflicts of interest
At Home Biohacking earns affiliate commissions when readers buy through our links. We do not accept payment for placement, sponsored reviews, or rankings. We do not sell supplements, courses, or coaching, so we have no incentive to overstate device benefits. Content is for informational purposes and is not medical advice — readers with conditions should consult their physician before adopting any device.
Trusted sources we cite
Below are the authoritative sources we consult when researching content for this site. Most are government registries, peer-reviewed literature databases, or established standards bodies. We link out so readers can verify our claims at the source.
Government & regulatory
- NIH — National Institutes of HealthFederal medical research agency. Reference for grant-funded studies and NIH consensus statements.
- FDA — Food and Drug AdministrationFederal regulator for drugs, devices, and food. Reference for FDA clearance status of wellness devices.
- WHO — World Health OrganizationInternational public-health body; reference for global health-claim context.
Research & literature
- PubMed (NLM)National Library of Medicine biomedical literature database. Every health claim on this site links to a PMID-indexed study.
- PMC — PubMed CentralOpen-access full-text companion to PubMed. We link to PMC articles when full text is available.
- Cochrane LibrarySystematic reviews and meta-analyses. Highest evidence tier when available for a research question.
- ClinicalTrials.govNIH registry of clinical trials. Used to verify trial methodology, registration, and outcome reporting.
Standards bodies
- NIST CIE — Lighting StandardsNIST measurement standards for light sources; reference for red-light therapy device specs (irradiance, wavelength).
- IEC 60601 — Medical Electrical EquipmentInternational Electrotechnical Commission medical device safety standards.
Safety & recalls
- FDA MAUDE DatabaseFDA Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience database. Source for adverse-event reports on cleared medical devices.
Found an error?
If anything on At Home Biohacking is wrong, please let us know. We correct factual errors promptly and stamp the page with an updated review date.