How SupplementBot works
SupplementBot is a neurosymbolic AI system — it combines a large language model with a typed knowledge graph to give you structured, auditable answers about supplement science, not hallucinated guesses.
Two layers, working together
Knowledge graph
Before any conversation begins, a separate NSAI loop teaches the system about supplements. It queries multiple LLMs (Anthropic, Google Gemini, xAI Grok), extracts typed triples, and assembles them into a persistent graph stored in SurrealDB.
The graph has 14 node types and 19 edge types across three complexity tiers — from foundational (body systems, symptoms) to graduate-level (gene targets, receptors, metabolites). A continuous complexity lens controls which parts of the graph are visible, so explanations scale to what's useful, not what's technically complete.
Knowledge comes from iDISK 2.0 — 392 symptoms, 7,876 ingredients, 214 drugs — cross-validated with SuppKG. Every extracted edge carries a confidence score, a source quality tier (single-provider → multi-provider → citation-backed), and a reasoning depth. Weak edges decay over time. Edges confirmed by multiple independent providers are boosted.
Intake conversation
The conversation is a structured clinical interview — not a chatbot. It moves through six phases driven by an intake knowledge graph (process knowledge separate from supplement facts):
- Chief Complaint — what brought you here
- HPI — onset, location, duration, character, severity (OLDCARTS framework)
- Review of Systems — adjacent body systems
- Differentiation — discriminating between top candidates
- Causation Inquiry — checking current supplements for adverse reactions
- Recommendation — ranked supplements with evidence and safety caveats
Each question is chosen by Expected Information Gain scoring against the current candidate set. The system doesn't ask the same question twice, and it won't ask about a body system you've already addressed.
What happens during your session
Your message is scanned for red flags before any LLM sees it. If emergency keywords are detected, the session ends immediately and you're directed to emergency services.
A cheap, fast model pulls structured data from your message: symptoms, body systems, OLDCARTS dimensions, medications, and corrections. This structured signal — not your raw text — drives the graph queries.
Your symptoms map to nodes in the knowledge graph. The intake engine selects the next question and runs graph actions against the supplement KG and iDISK — scoring candidates by how well their known mechanisms match your symptom profile.
A renderer LLM (Claude) turns the structured context — question template, graph results, candidate list — into a natural response. It never has access to raw graph data or makes clinical claims directly.
Every response is checked before it reaches you. Responses containing diagnostic language, cure claims, or medical advice are rewritten or blocked. This filter runs on every turn, independent of the LLM.
Capacity limits
Every session you have with SupplementBot costs real money in AI API fees — paid out of pocket by the developer as a service to a healthier community. There are no ads, no accounts, and no paywalls. To keep the lights on without going broke, sessions are capped:
If you hit a limit, sessions that are idle for 15 minutes free up automatically — try again shortly. If you'd like to help keep the service running, a $5 tip covers several sessions and goes directly toward API costs. Every bit helps.
Disclaimer
SupplementBot is for educational purposes only. Nothing in this application constitutes medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Supplements are not a substitute for professional medical care. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement or medication regimen.
Where possible, supplement recommendations are supported by references to peer-reviewed literature indexed in PubMed. These references are provided for transparency and further reading — they do not imply that any supplement has been proven effective for your specific situation.
SupplementBot will never diagnose a condition, claim to cure anything, or advise you to stop taking prescribed medications. If you describe an emergency, the session ends immediately and directs you to emergency services.
This application is not a medical device and has not been evaluated by the FDA.
Privacy: Your conversation is never stored. Sessions exist in memory only on the server and are permanently gone when they end. No account, no tracking, no data retention.