Latest Evidence in Supplements
According to a recent report, the global dietary supplements market is expected to reach USD 278 billion dollars by 2024. Some supplements are claimed to have benefits that haven’t been validated by research. Others are claimed to have benefits that haven’t even been studied. Some really are validated by research as being worthwhile for certain people in certain situations.
The question is: Which are which? This section contains research reviews for popular supplements, and answers to the most common health claims made about them.
Does Chamomile Have Health Benefits? 29 Studies Reviewed 
Described as ‘herbal aspirin’, chamomile is one of the leading herbal remedies worldwide. There are a number of factors to consider when deciding on which foods or supplements to take for the purposes of health. Scientific evidence is an important consideration, along...
Does Rhodiola Have Proven Benefits? 25 Studies Reviewed
Rhodiola is a traditional medicine and supplement that is used for a wide range of complaints including amenorrhea, depression, insomnia, fatigue, cancer, headaches, schizophrenia, colds and flu, hypertension, and male sexual dysfunction. There is a specific interest...
Will Adrafinil & Modafinil Help You? Here’s What 25 Studies Say
The human body is truly amazing. It does have some design flaws though. Chief among them is our need to rest. We need to sleep. We need breaks from our computer. We need to rest after extreme exercise. Why can't I be more like my iPhone? Yes, it needs to be recharged...
Will Taking L-Glutamine Help You? 36 Studies Conclude This
‘Would you like a shot of L-glutamine in your smoothie?’ asked the sales assistant with a wide smile. Would I indeed? According to the sales assistant, L-glutamine has "soooo many benefits." Perhaps this is the case. But I don’t know for sure. The smoothie was already...
Do MCT Oils Have Proven Benefits? 42 Studies Reviewed
My introduction to MCT oil happened many decades ago (I won’t say how many) when I was a pediatrics resident doing my neonatal ICU rotation. MCT oil was used as part of the nutrition for the tiny premature babies who needed to gain weight. Since their digestive system...
Research Shows Green Coffee Beans Do Have Some Proven Benefits
What Are Green Coffee Beans? According to the National Coffee Association, coffee belongs to a genus of plants called Coffea, with over 500 genera and 6000 species if tropical trees and shrubs. There are an estimated 25-100 species of coffee plants. The genus was...
Do Ashwagandha Supplements Have Benefits? 37 Studies Reviewed
One of my biggest concerns about modern medicine is our increasing "medicalization of human despair." Life can be stressful and many people live with what is called a "high allostatic load." Something trivial (or big) can be the tipping point. These people often...
The Science of Probiotics as of 2019: The Research Looks Promising
As an infectious diseases physician, I was trained at a time when most bacteria were considered to be public enemy number 1. It was very much a "them" versus "us" perspective. Fast-forward to 2018, and we are now talking about probiotics or good bacteria. It seems...
21 Studies Show Caralluma Fimbriata Does Not Have Proven Benefits
Is there something out there that can help us lose weight? Ideally, something instead of "eating less and exercising more." As a compromise, we might even accept something that would enhance the effects of eating less and exercising more. In this blog, we have already...
Are Potassium Supplements Necessary or Can I Just Eat Natural Foods?
What is Potassium? Potassium is a chemical element with symbol K (from Neo-Latin kalium) and atomic number 19. It is considered an alkali metal with a single electron in its outer shell, which is easily removed to create an ion with a positive charge. Potassium...