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.
Magnesium glycinate side effects are usually mild and digestive: loose stools, nausea and stomach cramping, especially on an empty stomach. Some people feel drowsy,…
Methylene blue is a prescription dye and drug that hospitals give intravenously to treat methemoglobinemia, a rare blood disorder, and occasionally for low blood…
Glutathione is a small molecule your cells make from three amino acids; it neutralizes free radicals, helps the liver process toxins and recycles other…
Iron supplements and iron infusions correct the same problem by different routes. Oral iron is absorbed slowly through the gut and often causes constipation,…
Elderberry and zinc are the two cold supplements with the most trial data, and both show modest, uncertain benefits at best. A few small…
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…
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…
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…
Selenium supports thyroid hormone production, immune defense, antioxidant protection, and fertility. Most adults need about 55 micrograms a day, an amount food alone easily…
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…
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…
Berberine is a plant compound that modestly lowered blood sugar, cholesterol, and body weight in small, short clinical trials, typically a few pounds over…
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…
The best time to take vitamin D is with the meal that contains the most fat, often lunch or dinner, because vitamin D is…
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…
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…
Vitamin K2 activates proteins that bind calcium into bone and help keep it out of artery walls. Observational studies link higher K2 intake with…
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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