SEO·DECAY / CASE FILE HEALTHLINE
healthline.com
LIVE CITATION DATA
HEALTHLINE

Simulated for the third-party demo domain (no GSC property access). Deterministically seeded; illustrative only.

FILE 01 — VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS LOST · AI ANSWER
48% DROP
RANK #4.2 · AI CITED 0/4 · SERP 0/4
CRAWLERS — GPTBot · ClaudeBot

48.4% traffic drop over 6 months. Still ranks #4.2, but grounded AI answers now resolve the query directly and cite competitors — not this page. A rewrite would not recover this traffic.

PROMPT-LEVEL EVIDENCE · LIVE TAVILY + LLM SYNTHESIS
“what are the symptoms of vitamin d deficiency”
CITED: nebraskamed.com · unitypoint.org · my.clevelandclinic.org · healthdirect.gov.au · emedicine.medscape.com · endocrinecenter.com
“Vitamin D deficiency is often asymptomatic, but when symptoms do occur, they commonly include fatigue, bone pain or achiness, muscle weakness, mood changes (such as depression or irritability), hair loss, sleep disturban…”
NOT CITED
NOT IN TOP-10
“can low vitamin d cause fatigue”
CITED: endocrinecenter.com · bassmedicalgroup.com · nebraskamed.com
“Yes, low vitamin D levels can contribute to persistent fatigue and tiredness. Vitamin D plays a role in helping cells produce energy, meaning a deficiency can lead to feeling worn out or sluggish despite adequate sleep. …”
NOT CITED
NOT IN TOP-10
“how to increase vitamin d levels”
CITED: nebraskamed.com · atlantichealth.org · my.clevelandclinic.org
“To increase vitamin D levels, eat foods high in vitamin D like fish or fortified breakfast foods, get moderate sunlight exposure (10-15 minutes on arms and legs a few times per week), and consider taking a vitamin D3 sup…”
NOT CITED
NOT IN TOP-10
“vitamin d dosage for adults”
CITED: ods.od.nih.gov · health.harvard.edu · goodrx.com · nhs.uk
“For adults aged 19-70, the recommended daily vitamin D intake is 600 IU (15 mcg), increasing to 800 IU (20 mcg) for those over 70. The safe upper limit for daily intake is 4,000 IU (100 mcg) for all adults to avoid poten…”
NOT CITED
NOT IN TOP-10
ROOT CAUSE — AI OVERVIEW ABSORPTION

The page is cited in 0 of 4 AI answers despite ranking position 4.2, meaning it ranks but is never selected as a source for AI Overviews. Competitors like Cleveland Clinic, Nebraska Med, and Harvard earn citations instead. With AI answers present for all 4 prompts and this page receiving zero citations, the ~48% traffic loss is consistent with queries being absorbed by AI Overviews where the page fails to earn inclusion. The ranking position is preserved, but clicks are cannibalized by direct AI answers.

CONFIDENCE 0.92 · EVIDENCE live_gemini_grounded
FILE 02 — HOW MUCH PROTEIN PER DAY RECOVERABLE
18% DROP
RANK #2.8 · AI CITED 1/4 · SERP 1/4
CRAWLERS — GPTBot · ClaudeBot · PerplexityBot

Cited in 1/4 AI answers. Best position: 2. Competitors cited: mdanderson.org, health.harvard.edu, mayoclinichealthsystem.org.

PROMPT-LEVEL EVIDENCE · LIVE TAVILY + LLM SYNTHESIS
“how much protein do i need per day”
CITED: mdanderson.org · health.harvard.edu · mayoclinichealthsystem.org · massgeneralbrigham.org
“Your daily protein needs depend on your activity level and health. For the average person, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. However, if you're active or an athl…”
NOT CITED
NOT IN TOP-10
“best high protein foods”
CITED: goodrx.com · healthline.com · health.harvard.edu · medicalnewstoday.com · kroger.com · ncoa.org · health.clevelandclinic.org
“The best high-protein foods include chicken and turkey breast, fish (especially salmon), eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, lean beef, legumes (beans, peas, lentils), nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, peanut…”
CITED #2
SERP #2
“protein powder vs food”
CITED: jidorihome.myshopify.com · chhs.colostate.edu · patient.info · health.harvard.edu
“Both protein powder and real food can effectively meet your protein needs, but whole foods are generally recommended as the primary source. Protein foods naturally come with additional nutrients like vitamins, minerals, …”
NOT CITED
NOT IN TOP-10
“how much protein to build muscle”
CITED: hartfordhospital.org · osfhealthcare.org · learn.athleanx.com · danoneresearch.com · examine.com
“For building muscle, recommendations vary but generally fall in the range of **0.54 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day** (roughly 1.2–1.8 g/kg), with some sources noting benefits up to 2.7 g/kg for …”
NOT CITED
NOT IN TOP-10
FILE 03 — FOODS HIGH IN IRON LOST · COMPETITOR
41% DROP
RANK #7.7 · AI CITED 2/4 · SERP 2/4
CRAWLERS — PerplexityBot · OAI-SearchBot

Cited in 2/4 AI answers. Best position: 2. Competitors cited: health.clevelandclinic.org, goodrx.com, spectrumhs.org.

PROMPT-LEVEL EVIDENCE · LIVE TAVILY + LLM SYNTHESIS
“best foods high in iron”
CITED: health.clevelandclinic.org · goodrx.com · spectrumhs.org · redcrossblood.org · healthdirect.gov.au
“The best foods high in iron come from both animal and plant sources. Top animal-based (heme iron) options include red meat like beef, lamb, and pork, as well as poultry (dark meat has more than white), seafood such as oy…”
NOT CITED
NOT IN TOP-10
“iron deficiency anemia diet”
CITED: medicalnewstoday.com · healthline.com · ummhealth.org · mayoclinic.org
“For iron deficiency anemia, focus on a diet combining heme iron (meat, poultry, seafood) and non-heme iron (beans, leafy greens, nuts, seeds), paired with vitamin C-rich foods to boost absorption. Avoid foods that inhibi…”
CITED #2
SERP #2
“iron supplements vs food sources”
CITED: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · healthline.com · ods.od.nih.gov · nutrition.ucdavis.edu
“Based on the sources, supplementation and dietary iron have comparable effects in many cases. According to source [5], iron supplementation showed a better effect on hemoglobin recovery in anemic/iron-deficient children …”
CITED #2
SERP #1
“foods that block iron absorption”
CITED: everydayhealth.com · irondisorders.org · medicalnewstoday.com · nutrition.ucdavis.edu · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
“Several foods and compounds can block iron absorption, including high-oxalate foods (like spinach), eggs, dairy products (due to calcium), coffee and tea (due to polyphenols and tannins), phytates (found in grains, legum…”
NOT CITED
NOT IN TOP-10
ROOT CAUSE — CONTENT GAP

The page IS cited in 2 of 4 AI answers (best citation position #2), which per hard rules disqualifies ai_overview_absorption as the root cause. However, the AI citation pattern reveals specific competitive content gaps: for 'best foods high in iron' and 'foods that block iron absorption,' healthline is entirely absent from cited domains, with Cleveland Clinic, GoodRx, Red Cross, EverydayHealth, and Iron Disorders Institute capturing those prompts instead. These are high-intent subtopics directly related to the page's core topic where the page fails to earn AI citations, indicating missing or weaker coverage of heme vs. non-heme breakdowns and anti-nutrient/absorption-inhibitor content compared to competitors.

CONFIDENCE 0.78 · EVIDENCE live_gemini_grounded
FILE 04 — HOW TO FALL ASLEEP FASTER RECOVERABLE
22% DROP
RANK #4.5 · AI CITED 1/4 · SERP 2/4
CRAWLERS — GPTBot · ClaudeBot

Cited in 1/4 AI answers. Best position: 1. Competitors cited: sleepfoundation.org, medicalnewstoday.com, helpguide.org.

PROMPT-LEVEL EVIDENCE · LIVE TAVILY + LLM SYNTHESIS
“how to fall asleep faster”
CITED: sleepfoundation.org · medicalnewstoday.com · helpguide.org
“To fall asleep faster, focus on relaxation and creating a sleep-friendly environment. Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet, and try techniques like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or listening to calmin…”
NOT CITED
SERP #4
“sleep hygiene tips”
CITED: healthline.com · goodrx.com · headspace.com · health.clevelandclinic.org · sleepfoundation.org · health.harvard.edu · thensf.org · brownhealth.org
“Sleep hygiene refers to a set of habits that support your circadian rhythm and help you sleep better. Key tips include maintaining a consistent bedtime and wake time, creating a device-free bedtime routine, and keeping y…”
CITED #1
SERP #1
“does melatonin work”
CITED: parsleyhealth.com · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · mayoclinic.org
“Melatonin can work for some people in certain situations, but it doesn't work for everyone and isn't always the right solution for chronic sleep issues. Effectiveness depends on factors like timing, dosage, and underlyin…”
NOT CITED
NOT IN TOP-10
“best natural sleep aids”
CITED: ncoa.org · chandramd.com · goodrx.com · pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
“The most evidence-backed natural sleep aids include melatonin, magnesium, and valerian root, with melatonin having the strongest research support overall. For anxiety-related sleep issues, CBD and L-theanine may help, wh…”
NOT CITED
NOT IN TOP-10
PROVENANCE — TRAFFIC simulated · CRAWLERS simulated · AI live_tavily_gemini_rag ← TELEMETRY CONSOLE