Elderberry and Zinc for Colds: What the Trials Show About Shortening a Cold
Elderberry and zinc are the two cold supplements with the most trial data, and both show modest, uncertain benefits at best. A few small…
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Blog Category
Vitamins & Supplements
Articles on vitamins and supplements: what the evidence supports, who actually needs them, safe doses and interactions with medicines. Tell your doctor about every supplement you take, especially before surgery.
CoQ10: Heart, Statins and Fertility: What the Trials Show
CoQ10 benefits are best supported in chronic heart failure, where one randomized trial and a low-certainty Cochrane review suggest fewer cardiovascular events when it…
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Melatonin Side Effects: Next-Day Grogginess, Vivid Dreams and the Long-Term Questions
Melatonin side effects are usually mild and short-lived: next-day drowsiness, headache, dizziness, nausea and unusually vivid dreams are the most reported. Serious harm is…
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Rhodiola Rosea: Fatigue, Stress and Performance: What Trials Show
Rhodiola rosea is an herbal supplement studied mainly for stress-related fatigue, mood and physical or mental performance. Small randomized trials suggest modest, short-term improvements…
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Selenium: The Trace Mineral With a Narrow Sweet Spot
Selenium supports thyroid hormone production, immune defense, antioxidant protection, and fertility. Most adults need about 55 micrograms a day, an amount food alone easily…
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Iodine Deficiency: The Quiet Return of an Old Problem
Iodine deficiency is re-emerging in some groups because most salt in processed foods is not iodized, gourmet salts like sea and Himalayan salt contain…
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Glycine: The Tiny Amino Acid With Sleep Data
Glycine is the body's smallest amino acid and a building block of collagen, creatine, and glutathione. Small placebo-controlled trials suggest that taking glycine before…
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Berberine: Nature’s Ozempic? What Trials Show and What They Do Not
Berberine is a plant compound that modestly lowered blood sugar, cholesterol, and body weight in small, short clinical trials, typically a few pounds over…
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Nootropics: Smart Drugs vs What Actually Improves Cognition
Nootropics are substances marketed to improve memory, focus, or mental energy. Evidence for most over-the-counter brain supplements is weak or mixed, and prescription "smart…
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Best Time to Take Vitamin D: The Fat-and-Timing Details
The best time to take vitamin D is with the meal that contains the most fat, often lunch or dinner, because vitamin D is…
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Calcium Supplements: Who Actually Needs Them: Fewer Than You Think
Most healthy adults who regularly eat dairy, fortified foods, or calcium-rich plants can meet their daily calcium needs without pills. Supplements mainly help people…
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Inositol: The Quiet Compound With Real Uses
Inositol is a naturally occurring, sugar-like compound that your body makes and that you eat in beans, citrus fruit, and whole grains. The strongest…
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Vitamin K2: The Bone-and-Artery Vitamin, Explained
Vitamin K2 activates proteins that bind calcium into bone and help keep it out of artery walls. Observational studies link higher K2 intake with…
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Adaptogens: The Herb Category, Sorted by Evidence
Adaptogens are herbs, including ashwagandha, rhodiola, and ginseng, marketed to help the body manage stress. The evidence is uneven: ashwagandha has modest…
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Fish Oil: Who Benefits, According to the Big Trials
Major trials show fish oil supplements help a narrower group than marketing suggests. The clearest benefit appeared in people with very high triglycerides taking…
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Valerian Root: The Ancient Sleep Herb Under Modern Review
Valerian root is an herbal supplement traditionally used for sleep and mild restlessness. The research is mixed: some studies suggest modest improvements in how…
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Biotin: What It Actually Does for Hair, Skin and Nails
Biotin, also called vitamin B7, helps enzymes convert food into energy and supports the keratin structures of hair, skin, and nails. Supplements reliably improve…
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Best Time to Take Magnesium: Morning, Night, With or Without Food
Research has not identified a single best time to take magnesium; morning versus night makes little proven difference to how well it works. Consistency…
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